Review of the Mentmore 46

[aladdin_sane]

First Impressions

 

I have to say that it took me a long while to make my mind up to buy this pen. I found the pen on Andy's Pens. I must have looked at it well over 30 times. I wrote out 6 emails asking for it to be reserved but deleted rather than sent. Finally I took the pen by the nib and bought it. Looking at the pen, in the photos, it didn't strike me as cosmetically appealing. The hooded section looks quite awkward, generally an unpleasing 1950's look about it. Also I have to say that at the back of my mind was a childhood trauma just waiting to come back to the surface. This trauma was a Christmas time memory. Every Christmas I would be given a fountain pen. It was always a Platignum. These Platignum's were extremely awful with nibs that would drag across the paper. Platignum's feel awful to the touch! The hard display case the pen came in would be a better quality plastic than the pen itself. Also they always came with the worst shade of blue ink cartridge imaginable. I spent most of my childhood destroying Platignum pens, of which I feel no shame over. This of course is relevant because Mentmore made the Platignum pen. But, for some reason I was drawn to the pen from the moment I saw it so it had to become mine.

 

The pen didn't come in its original box. Shipping time was within 24 hours of receipt of payment. The pen arrived safely, being that it was extremely well packed.

 

Appearance and Finish

 

I have to say that when I saw the pen in person for the first time, I was extremely pleased with what I found. The pen looked so much better than the photos I'd seen of it. I would like to point out right now that this is no reflection of the photographic abilities at Andy's Pens, as the pen was very well photographed and accurately described.

 

The colour is a very deep and glossy burgundy. There are no noticeable surface scratches. The pen is described as coming with "a very up-market solid sterling silver cap." The cap has no dings, dangs or dungs and comes decorated with vertical incised lines and is very shiny. "sterling silver" is engraved on the cap band. The pocket clip will be gold plated, a flat, angular affair with MENTMORE engraved down it.

 

Design/Size/Weight

 

Size - Length - 5 3/16 inches capped; 6 3/16 inches posted.

 

The nib section is somewhat of a design and a half. I guess in the 1950's every pen maker had to have a hooded nib pen amongst their range to compete with the Parker 51. In the case of the Mentmore 46, the hooded section looks kind...err....well shapely. You decide for yourself in the photos. The pen is of an average weight unposted. I don't post any of my pen caps to avoid damage.

 

Nib design & performance

 

never been too sure why this pen's hooded section is the shape it is and what purpose the shape serves. I guess Mentmore needed to make something different in looks to the Parker 51 and something that stood out from the rest. They certainly did this! Regardless, the shape doesn't hinder the performance and feel of the nib. The nib is a delight to use. It is so smooth! Up until now, the smoothest nib I'd found was on the Eversharp Skyline, but this nib equals any Skyline nib I've used. In a medium point with a slight flex, which gives a small but good amount of varied width to my line of writing. It gives an excellent flow of ink, though I do notice that with my speed of writing, it can start to feel a little dry. Slow down only very slightly, and I have the perfect flow. I am extremely impressed with the nib performance. A nib to die for!!

 

The Filling System

 

A button filler! The first time I've used a button filler. Unscrew the blind cap at the end of the barrel, press the brass button. Insert nib in ink. Release the button and replace blind cap and you're ready to go. I understand it works on the same principal is the lever fill with the button squeezing the rubber sac rather than the lever. I find the button filler much easier than the lever fill. Ink capacity is very good. I get around 10 single side pages to one fill.

 

Cost/Value

 

No idea of the original cost - this is a vintage pen from the 1950's, though research shows me that the pen fitted with a "permabrite" cap may have retailed at around 14 shillings and fitted with a gold filled cap would have been around 25 shillings, assuming (/-) is the sign for a shilling. I paid £46, which for those of you in the USA, works out at around $89.

 

Overall opinion/conclusion

 

all I can say is that I'm mighty lucky that I didn't miss out on this pen, what with my indecisiveness as it is. The pen has been a delight to use. I feel privileged to own it. I keep looking for excuses to use it. I love it! I love it! I love it!!

 

Here are some photos.

 

http://www.pushymybum.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/me06001.jpg

 

http://www.pushymybum.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/me06002.jpg

 

http://www.pushymybum.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/me06004.jpg

 

http://www.pushymybum.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/me06005.jpg

 

http://www.pushymybum.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/me06006.jpg

[demeter]

I realise it has been awhile since you first posted this review, but thank you very much for it!

 

I've seen one other Mentmore 46 for sale, and was intrigued by the weird shaped nib. I almost bought it for that reason, so I can understand you 6 hesitant email deletions. I'm glad you persisted, and again thanks for the informative review.

 

Andrew

[aladdin_sane]

QUOTE (demeter @ Mar 27 2007, 11:30 PM)

I realise it has been awhile since you first posted this review, but thank you very much for it! I've seen one other Mentmore 46 for sale, and was intrigued by the weird shaped nib.  I almost bought it for that reason, so I can understand you 6 hesitant email deletions.  I'm glad you persisted, and again thanks for the informative review. Andrew

glad the review helped. The smoothness of the nib alone makes it a gem of a pen. I'm still drooling over it all this time later.

[ianreidnz]

 

also thank you for the review - i am in far off new zealand and I am considering buying a mentmore 46 as part of a group of pens in an online auction - current bid about $10us for the three - but no idea of the standard