Fake Mb Mini Mozart Fountain Pen - What Do You Think?

[stvn66]

Hi,

I have just received this pen from a seller in Europe who has 100+ positive feedback on the auction site that must not be named.

With this feedback and the fact he has many other MB pens for sale I thought I was being clever with my purchase of a 'NEW' MB Mozart fountain pen?

 

The nib on this pen does not align with the clip when enaged so clip would dig into your hand when writing?

http://www.britishmilitarywatches.co.uk/forum/MB220318a.jpg

 

Dirty gap above and below the clip ring?

http://www.britishmilitarywatches.co.uk/forum/MB220318b.jpg

 

Strange 'E' font used for the GERMANY spelling?

http://www.britishmilitarywatches.co.uk/forum/MB220318c.jpg

 

In addition, there is also no spring-back in the clip (it is limp), the clip is a different shade of colour to the cap bands and the serial number does not match the service book or box?

 

To me this is a frankenstein set up with a fake MB pen, random service book and random box.

 

He told me and I quote 'do not make me a culprit' and that I should take it to a MB store.

I've told him to take it to a MB store in his country.

 

What do you think?

 

[Chrissy]

It looks like the cap has been dismantled and maybe a different clip has been fitted, hence the dirty gaps above and below the clip band. It also doesn't seem to fit perfectly when I look at your first picture. Perhaps that's the reason it doesn't spring back and it's loose.

 

The clip has to line up with the nib, when the cap is posted onto the pen, so that would be a complete failure for me. This pen cannot possibly be new. So if he sold it as new then the seller lied. That's a good enough reason to open an ebay case for "significantly not as described" and request a return.

 

I see what you mean about the font and the printing, although the serial number seems reasonable. Whether only the clip is fake or the pen is fake is difficult to tell from these pictures, but there's definitely enough wrong with it to show it's not new.

[Kalessin]

As far as I know, nobody bothered to fake the Mozart, as it's not a quick-sell high-margin fake sort of thing. The 144 size gets faked a lot, as do the Boheme and the Starwalkers, because those are easy to sell online.

 

It's far more likely that this is some kind of frankenpen, or a bad repair job. Return it and get one you like!

[stvn66]

I am in the process of returning it but I am angry that it was a gift for my wife and now I need to wait for my refund before I can replace it with a genuine MB.

I feel sorry for his previous buyers as he has most likely slipped them fake pens as well and they haven't realised

This is my second fake MB in less then a month so I will now avoid buying any more from ebay and make sure any future purchases I handle them first.

Thanks for your input, live and learn!

[Tom Kellie]

The 144 size gets faked a lot, as do the Boheme and the Starwalkers, because those are easy to sell online.

 

~ Kalessin:

 

Thank you for explaining this.

While I've never yet considered any on-line Bohèmes or Starwalkers, I have looked at several 144s.

They were offered by reputable dealers. I appreciate your pointing this out.

Tom K.

[CS388]

I am in the process of returning it but I am angry that it was a gift for my wife and now I need to wait for my refund before I can replace it with a genuine MB.

I feel sorry for his previous buyers as he has most likely slipped them fake pens as well and they haven't realised

This is my second fake MB in less then a month so I will now avoid buying any more from ebay and make sure any future purchases I handle them first.

Thanks for your input, live and learn!

 

I think the concensus is suggesting it may be a poor repair, rather than a fake?

 

Nonetheless, it's not good enough. Sorry that you have to go through the rigmarole of sending it back/refund etc. Tedious stuff! Been there, done that. An annoying waste of everyone's time. Fingers crossed you strike lucky, next time.

 

Good luck.

[stvn66]

Thank you everyone for your expertise.

I know it is wrong and will get a refund asap.

Edited March 3, 2018 by stvn66

[Chrissy]

I'm sure I've seen fake Mozart pens in fake Mozart boxes before, but I haven't spotted one on ebay for a while.

[stvn66]

I'm sure I've seen fake Mozart pens in fake Mozart boxes before, but I haven't spotted one on ebay for a while.

 

It is only because I was duped 3 weeks ago also on ebay that I now thoroughly check new MB purchases with an eye glass and I even video record opening the box and videoing all the contents.

 

As soon as I took the pen out the box I also noticed how limp the clip was and I knew then that this pen was wrong.

On checking further I noticed the dirty gap between the clip band and the serial number was different from both the service book and box which also had different numbers, so I have 3 x different serial numbers.

 

Looking at YouTube reviews was how I discovered that the nib and clip should align.

 

I have requested an immeadiate refund as this is the right thing he should do...watch this space

[Wolverine1]

Best policy is not to buy MB pens from eBay, period. Go and get the pen you want from a real brick-n-mortar boutique or from a very reliable online seller like Cult Pens, since you are in the UK. Sure you may have to pay the full price, but, at least you wont geta POS fake pen.

[Mad Pen]

Cult Pens do not sell Montblanc.

[stvn66]

In all fairness I must say that I have found the ebay support team to be very helpful and knowledgeable.

No doubt when the frustration passes I will use ebay again for further purchases.

I will also next time inform a seller beforehand that I do know a fake from a genuine MB pen and to not try and deceive me!

 

What other precautions can you possibly take?

[Chrissy]

 

It is only because I was duped 3 weeks ago also on ebay that I now thoroughly check new MB purchases with an eye glass and I even video record opening the box and videoing all the contents.

 

As soon as I took the pen out the box I also noticed how limp the clip was and I knew then that this pen was wrong.

On checking further I noticed the dirty gap between the clip band and the serial number was different from both the service book and box which also had different numbers, so I have 3 x different serial numbers.

 

Looking at YouTube reviews was how I discovered that the nib and clip should align.

 

I have requested an immeadiate refund as this is the right thing he should do...watch this space

 

On ebay now, all you can do is to open a case in the Resolution Centre for a full refund due to the item being "significantly not as described" You can even attach your photos to the case.

 

Then you will be sent a return mailing label to print and the seller has to pay for the cost to return it. It's very simple. He's not going to give you a full refund and let you keep the pen after all, so no other way to go. Not that you would want to have to pay for return mail cost yourself.

[gerigo]

Stvn66, I am sorry you're going through this experience. Just based on your photo and the overall proportions of the pen, I would say it's real. I would agree with the other person who commented this is not a regularly counterfeited pen. I also have this pen and have used it quite regularly to be able to recognize the proportions to know it's real. For me the easiest give away that differentiates a real MB from a fake is the nib and the feed. You can recognize the real thing right away. There is no counterfeiter who would invest so much as to try and replicate the nib and feed of the real pen. It's too hard.

 

However based on what you said, regarding the fact this is not a new pen, possibly a pen with a mismatched cap to body, that we cannot help you. It could be highly probably that the seller obtained this pen from a small shop or a shop going out of business. During the handling of pens, it could be that the cap was switched so it really might not have been his fault. But of course he should have been more accurate with his product description.

[Chrissy]

It can't be a switched cap as the Mozart size pen is the only pen that has this size cap. I saw pictures of a clip on Google images, and wonder if something has broken off the top of the clip where it fits between the snowcap top and the cap that means it's floppy.

 

I don't have a Mozart so I can't look to see what would make the clip springy.

 

I don't think it's a fake Mozart, but I wonder if it's been fitted with a fake clip?

[gerigo]

I mean switched with another Mozart. Not with another different sized Montblanc. Having been at the scene of many pen shops I can see this confusion happening as a sales person trying to be a few different people.

 

It can't be a switched cap as the Mozart size pen is the only pen that has this size cap. I saw pictures of a clip on Google images, and wonder if something has broken off the top of the clip where it fits between the snowcap top and the cap that means it's floppy.

 

I don't have a Mozart so I can't look to see what would make the clip springy.

 

I don't think it's a fake Mozart, but I wonder if it's been fitted with a fake clip?

[stvn66]

Stvn66, I am sorry you're going through this experience. Just based on your photo and the overall proportions of the pen, I would say it's real. I would agree with the other person who commented this is not a regularly counterfeited pen. I also have this pen and have used it quite regularly to be able to recognize the proportions to know it's real. For me the easiest give away that differentiates a real MB from a fake is the nib and the feed. You can recognize the real thing right away. There is no counterfeiter who would invest so much as to try and replicate the nib and feed of the real pen. It's too hard.

 

However based on what you said, regarding the fact this is not a new pen, possibly a pen with a mismatched cap to body, that we cannot help you. It could be highly probably that the seller obtained this pen from a small shop or a shop going out of business. During the handling of pens, it could be that the cap was switched so it really might not have been his fault. But of course he should have been more accurate with his product description.

 

Hmm,

• Does not explain why I received a different box to the box shown in the listing?
• The service book reads model number 15727 which I checked is a WM ballpoint?
• The box has its own random serial number?

3 x mistakes?

I am sorry but I detest those who try to trick and deceive the innocent

[gerigo]

Agreed. It COULD be an honest mistake, because the seller could be one of those not so detailed person. He saw the pen and called it what it was. But he was not thorough enough to make sure everything matched up. BUT he could also be pulling a fast one.

 

 

 

Hmm,

• Does not explain why I received a different box to the box shown in the listing?
• The service book reads model number 15727 which I checked is a WM ballpoint?
• The box has its own random serial number?

3 x mistakes?

I am sorry but I detest those who try to trick and deceive the innocent

[Chrissy]

Well whatever is wrong with it, you're going to get all of your money refunded and the seller has to pay for return P&P so at least you won't be out any money.