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Vintage Astoria 1G


asegier

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I came across this pen, and I was wondering if anyone had anymore info about it. My google searches turned up basically nothing. It is advertised as around a 1960's pen (which should then be produced by Montblanc since they bought Astoria as far as I know).

 

Also, I am unfamiliar with that image being used for Astoria. The cap also doesn't have the familiar "checker".

 

Here are images.

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4JgAAOSwTM5Y3NpW/s-l1600.jpghttp://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QQ8AAOSww3tY46Bq/s-l1600.jpghttp://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cC4AAOSwUp1Y46Bs/s-l1600.jpg

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5M4AAOSwzgBY3NpU/s-l1600.jpg

Edited by asegier
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I'm looking forward to hearing about this pen from the other forum members.

Right now I can only offer two comments:

1. A really nice-looking pen

2. Isn't it amazing what you can get for $14.75?

Edited by meiers
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I cannot comment on the pen itself, however based on the background images I recognize the seller and have seen this individual offer some pretty impressive rare pens in the past.

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Nice pen, but not an "Astoria" of Montblanc.

Axel

Montblanc collector since 1968. Former owner of the Montblanc Boutique Bremen, retired 2007 and sold it.
Collecting Montblanc safeties, eyedroppers, lever fillers, button fillers, compressors - all from 1908 - 1929,
Montblanc ephemera and paraphernalia from 1908 to 1929,
Montblanc Meisterstück from 1924 up to the 50s,
Montblanc special and limited editions from 1991 to 2006
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Nice pen, but not an "Astoria" of Montblanc.

 

May I ask why you say this? Or how you know? The seller advertises it as a Montblanc.

Edited by asegier
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Nice pen, but not an "Astoria" of Montblanc.

 

May I ask why you say this? Or how you know? The seller advertises it as a Montblanc.

 

How do I know? Well, I'm dealing with Montblanc since 1968 and within all the years there never showed up an Astoria pen which was produced after the WW2.

 

But there are more reasons why this pen can't have anything to do with Montblanc.

 

Montblanc took over Astoria (founded 1921) in 1932 and carried Astoria models as a sub-brand until 1936. After 1936 Montblanc never used the name Astoria again.

 

Due to the design the pictured pen is from the 1960th. And from the price sticker it is classified as a student pen but at that time Montblanc only offered "Monte Rosa" as student pens, followed by the "Carrera" and "Caressa" models.

 

The mechanic of the piston is not Montblanc-like after the WW2, why should Montblanc use another piston mechanic which would have cost extra money?

 

If this pen should be an Astoria, why there is no logo on the cap top?

 

The nib doesn't match any other shape of a Montblanc nib. Why should Montblanc develop an extra press mold for such a cheap pen?

 

And to the seller: He might have offered some rare models of Montblanc and at least one pen looked as one rare pen I'd seen before but as more he offered the more I got suspicious about the authenticity of these pens. This pen is the second pen of his "collection" which I clearly classify as a counterfeit.

Edited by penparadise
Axel

Montblanc collector since 1968. Former owner of the Montblanc Boutique Bremen, retired 2007 and sold it.
Collecting Montblanc safeties, eyedroppers, lever fillers, button fillers, compressors - all from 1908 - 1929,
Montblanc ephemera and paraphernalia from 1908 to 1929,
Montblanc Meisterstück from 1924 up to the 50s,
Montblanc special and limited editions from 1991 to 2006
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Don't know if it has anything to do here but wasn't it that Monte Rosa name has already been taken in Switzerland hence Astoria?Also there was Italian company making Astoria branded pens but it was before WW2.

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... wasn't it that Monte Rosa name has already been taken in Switzerland hence Astoria?

 

There was a Swiss company called Monte Rosa before WW2 but went out of business in the end of the 1920th or early 1930th. Montblanc started to use "Monte Rosa" after WW2 in the 1950th.

 

Also there was Italian company making Astoria branded pens but it was before WW2.

Are you sure?

Edited by penparadise
Axel

Montblanc collector since 1968. Former owner of the Montblanc Boutique Bremen, retired 2007 and sold it.
Collecting Montblanc safeties, eyedroppers, lever fillers, button fillers, compressors - all from 1908 - 1929,
Montblanc ephemera and paraphernalia from 1908 to 1929,
Montblanc Meisterstück from 1924 up to the 50s,
Montblanc special and limited editions from 1991 to 2006
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I remember having read that Astoria trace in Letizia Jacopini's Italian pens bible.Will checkt that when back home.

O.k, here's quotation from Jacopini book:

"Montegrappa made the Astoria pens during late fourties.Astorias are medium-size button fillers and lever fillers in numerous shades of celluloid.They have gold plated fittings and steel nibs.In addition to these budget priced pens, in early fourties Montegrappa made the Astoria Stadium,a range of quality lever-fillers."

So not much junctim here but just another piece of information.

Edited by kawuska
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Hmm.. I've also come across somewhere someone saying that Astoria was still made through the 60's as well. But I can't confirm or find where I heard this.

This is definitely most curious. I wonder if there's anyone who knows anything about Astoria from the time Montblanc stopped making them (and what happened to the brand?). Surely they might have still produced some of the pens from that brand for specific Countries? As this is quite common with sub-brands I think.

Edited by asegier
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Just yesterday at the Florence pen show I saw a pen identical to a Montblanc Monterosa 042, with Astoria of Montblanc imprinted on the cap.

 

Alfredo

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Just yesterday at the Florence pen show I saw a pen identical to a Montblanc Monterosa 042, with Astoria of Montblanc imprinted on the cap.

 

Alfredo

 

Do you mean to say the pen also said Monte Rosa on the nib? And that the only difference was the cap that had an Astoria engraving? Any pictures?

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Do you mean to say the pen also said Monte Rosa on the nib? And that the only difference was the cap that had an Astoria engraving? Any pictures?

I have not looked at the nib, as said the pen was like a Monterosi but with an Astoria imprint on the cap.

 

Alfredo

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello, and greetings from Finland.

 

I fear this may not settle the debate, rather stir it up further. But anyway. In the photo below are three pens that I have in my possession. They are alla from the 1950s - 1960s. The one on top was presented to my father as a birthday present in 1965, in the red box labeled "Monte Rosa". That name is nowhere to be seen on the pen, though, although it resembles the Montblanc Monte Rosa 41, don't you think?

 

The various texts on the pens are as follows:

 

Top - Astoria. Text on cap band reads "Astoria" + "Germany". Logo on pocket clip "A".

 

Middle - Astoria. Text on cap reads "Astoria". Nib gold with text "Warranted" + animal head logo + "14K 585". Text on body "2G" + "F".

 

Down - Monte Rosa. Text on cap reads "Monte Rosa" + "Montblanc Product". Nib gold plated with text "MONTE ROSA". Text on turning knob "042".

 

As to the connection with Montblanc, I believe it is indisputable in the case of the third pen (and the German leaflet).

 

The pen in the middle looks exactly like the pen in the first message in this discussion thread except that it is a "1G" and my pen is a "2G". The text on nib is slightly different (animal logo on both, though).

 

Have a nice day - here in Finland we celebrate Veteran's Day today!

 

Paula

 

post-134387-0-02692300-1493283339_thumb.jpg

post-134387-0-24595100-1493283372_thumb.jpg

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