Help With Pen Authentication Of 3 Mb Pens

[grim1]

Hi guys. I am very new here, and trying to authenticate these three pens that I bought on eBay. Here is the story.

 

About a year ago, I purchased my first MB pen on eBay. I know, I know, eBay can be shady, and first timer should probably buy the pen at the authorized dealer. But I went ahead, and purchased the Princess Grace silver pen off of eBay. I used it and I love it. I think I paid about $85 for the pen, which was advertised at authentic.

 

Then about a month ago, I purchased two pens from a seller on eBay. One is Boheme and another one is Jules Verne. Both came as a package, and I got them for a bit under $200. They were advertised as lightly used. But what prompted me writing here today is the fact that both pens arrived without a box, and from China. When I reached out to the seller, he told me that he lives in China that's why he is shipping from there, and the pens are genuine. Then when I asked him why he sold those pens to me without a box, he advised that he never advertised that the box is also included, and that he threw them out a while back.

 

Therefore I am not sure if he is telling the truth or not. I think it can either be true, or false. Perhaps he really purchased these pens for personal use, and threw out the boxes. And he is correct saying that he never said the boxes will be included. But it's strange getting the real MB pen in manilla envelope wrapped in plastic. Or maybe he is just selling fakes for a high price pretending to be selling genuine.

 

In any case, I am attaching pictures of the pens. Again, the Princess Grace is from one seller, while the Boheme and Jules Verne are from another seller. And apologies for the quality of the pictures, they are taken with iPhone. Not sure if it's detailed enough for you to be able to help me with authentication.

 

Thank you in advance!

[Uncial]

Three fakes I'm afraid

[Charles Rice]

A Princess Grace for $85!!! What did you expect?

 

Even for a fake you got hosed. $20.00 will get you the same.

 

As an aside - don't compound your mistake by trying to re-sell them as the real McCoy

Edited December 31, 2018 by Charles Rice

[jar]

Yup, three really poor fakes. The pens are genuine pens but certainly not Montblancs I fear. Sorry.

[Charles Rice]

"When I reached out to the seller, he told me that . . . the pens are genuine".

 

It sure would be a first if he seller said, "Yup, they're fakes alright".

Edited December 31, 2018 by Charles Rice

[jar]

"When I reached out to the seller, he told me that . . . the pens are genuine".

 

It sure would be a first if he seller said, "Yup, they're fakes alright".

Unless the seller told him on the Internet. If it's on the internet it must be true.

[Charles Rice]

" If it's on the internet it must be true."

 

That's a direct quote from Abe Lincoln.

[grim1]

haha. thanks guys. this is helpful. I guess I took a gamble and just purchased three fakes at a high price. I am not going to re-sell them or cheat anyone else.

 

If you don't mind me asking, how did you know that these pens are fake? I am not doubting your knowledge in any way, I am merely just curious on how you were able to spot that each of them is fake?

 

Jules Verne actually looks and feels very real, so I am surprised. Same goes for Boheme. Not so surprised about the Princess Grace.

 

TY!

[zaddick]

The easiest way to see these are fakes are to look at photos of authentic pens. The Verne, for example, is not the right color and they never made a rollerball. The Princess Grace looks nothing like the genuine pens. You can even just look at photos on MB's website or Google images.

[jar]

The key is that while you can almost never say something is authentic based on pictures, if you are familiar with a given object you can often tell if it is NOT authentic. In addition to the points mentioned above, the facts of selling price and source also need to be considered.

 

Today, more than ever, it is as important to buy the seller as the object itself.

[grim1]

Got it. I have a question based on your responses.

 

Since I already bought these pens, I am faced with two choices: throw them out, or keep and use them. Do you think using them in public around people who are generally not familiar with it is OK, or there is a big chance of being called out?

 

Again, the reason I am asking is because I paid about $300 for these pens, and understand that I was cheated.. but my options here are limited - throw them out, or keep using.. thoughts?

 

p.s. thanks everyone for your input, greatly appreciated.

[Charles Rice]

Man, that's a tough call. I certainly would NOT show them off to anyone. If they were mine I'd engrave "fake" or "reproduction" on them if I had some way of doing it that would do a decent job, more or less in the same way someone has their name engraved on them. That way when you are at that big pen show in the sky, your great grand children won't try to sell them off as genuine.

[grim1]

LOL =)

 

So I did some digging around...

 

Boheme pen - I looked at pictures, and videos on youtube. I was holding the fake pen in my hands and I honestly couldn't tell a difference. I understand that the real one is platinum plated, and resin vs. fake plastic which I apparently have. But I couldn't fault it just by looking at it. Is it a good rep?

 

Princess grace - I couldn't even find a pen like this on the internet. Did they ever make them? I mean the rep looks really nice, love the pen, but I had my suspicions that it was a fake. Although I think it's nicely done....

 

Jules Verne - I couldn't find the black one authentic, did they ever make those? I see that on the blue one the pattern is different, so yeah.. guess mine is fake after all. as another member pointed out, zaddick, they never made a roller ball.

 

UGH. I feel cheated out of my money, but I should have known better. Where do you guys buy used MBs?

[Charles Rice]

If you go to the Fountain Pen Hospital you can find out what a Jules Verne is supposed to look like. Google the Grace pen and you'll see how way off yours is.

 

Before you buy on E-bay, at least find out what the pen should look like. But that is no guarantee.

 

Myself - I'd never buy a Mont Blanc on E-bay It's the most faked pen there is.

Edited January 1, 2019 by Charles Rice

[jar]

Anything worth having is currently being faked, whether we are talking pens or brake pads or prescription medicines. Your best helper unfortunately is knowledge and today even that is being faked.

 

We are all sorry that people took advantage of your trust but at least it was pens and not your brake pads or prescription medicines. There are places I'd trust if buying an expensive fountain pen; many here at FPN, some dealers (but when it comes to older models many dealers today are as ignorant as the most ignorant buyers). The key is to do the research before the purchase but even there many of us, including me, have been fooled.

 

Visually, it is nearly impossible to tell the real item from the fakes. The differences come with reliability and how the items last.

[CS388]

Use them. They're just pens.

What you actually write is much more important than what you write it with.

 

If you really like them, you'll end up buying the real thing, someday.

And try a fountain pen, sometime. Much nicer than the rollerballs or ballpoints (imho).

 

Enjoy

[Zdenek]

Use them. They're just pens.

What you actually write is much more important than what you write it with.

 

If you really like them, you'll end up buying the real thing, someday.

And try a fountain pen, sometime. Much nicer than the rollerballs or ballpoints (imho).

 

Enjoy

+1

[Inky.Fingers]

+2

Use it and since you are fond of it already then switch to the real thing, a real pen, a fountain pen. You might like it better.

 

Use them. They're just pens.

What you actually write is much more important than what you write it with.

 

If you really like them, you'll end up buying the real thing, someday.

And try a fountain pen, sometime. Much nicer than the rollerballs or ballpoints (imho).

 

Enjoy

[grim1]

Thanks so much for your inputs guys, much appreciated!

[grim1]

Thanks so much for your inputs guys, much appreciated!