Which Is This Sterling Silver Montblanc?

[shrieku]

Hi again

 

I would again like some help please. Thanks for being patient with my regular requests on the MB forum. I bought a Montblanc in Sterling Silver. Is that a Doue? Certainly did not come cheap (not for me), but I think a deal less than what a few of the other silver MBs have gbone for on eBay. (There we go, you know where I bought it from).

 

Anyway, the pen is in Silver with gold trimmings. It has the pin-stripe design. The clip and three rings are in gold (plated I guess). The MB Edelweiss flower is on the cap end. The cap is marked at the bottom as "Ag 925" and below is an oval with writing in it that I cannot read clearly. It starts with "S" and ends with a "D" or a "P"(?). The cap is a pull-off type, not screw-on one. It pulls off too very easily. "Pix®" is engraved on the inside of the clip. One thing that felt odd to me was this- the "Pix®" faces away from me when I hold the cap with the edelweiss on my left and the trimmings to my right. Is that normal? The middle ring has Montblanc-Meisterstuck-" going round it.

 

The serial number is EN1323328 engraved on the clip ring. I have seen the same serial number listed for another MB that was sold on eBay in Oct 2010. But from discussions here I taker it that that itself is not necessarily ominous. On the other side of the clip ring is engraved "Germany"

 

The nib and feeder are not aligned perfectly. The seller says he had the pen looked at by a Montblanc dealer in Newcastle who confirmed it as being an roginal MB and that he had the nib replaced at a high cost due to the original one being damaged.The Section is black- feels llike hard plastic to me. The nib has engraved on it "4810, M within the edelweiss in a ring, 14k, Montblanc, 585" one below the other.

 

The converter is again a pull-off type, not screwing into the barrel. It looks quite cheap to me. It has printed on it "Mont Blanc" followed by the edelweiss in white within a white ring. Note that there is a gap between Mont and Blanc.

 

Comes in a box with a service guide. On the cover, guide says "Service guide" and below it "Writing In Struments". Note the gap in the word "In struments".It does not have any other international guarrantee card/certificate.

 

I am sorry if I am overloading with details. Also forgive the surfeit of photos. I am quite new here and also have no expertise in what to look for in fountain pens. I just love them. I would appreciate any guidance or afvice about what photos/details are relevant and what are not.

 

Thanks for your help

 

The pen

 

http://s2.postimage.org/1rpejijev/20110528_015.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/p625vc4oy/20110528_039.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/7g07d2o4u/20110528_038.jpg

 

The cap and engravings

 

http://s2.postimage.org/p625vc4oy/20110528_039.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/3wethprc5/20110528_042.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/4u81d412v/20110528_043.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/mk9zvdhjy/20110528_044.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/3jke62cfu/20110528_028.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/12882yo5b/20110528_025.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/pga2bzwj/20110528_022.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/1eyp6e8ji/20110528_018.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/1rpv2w0ba/20110528_017.jpg

Edited May 29, 2011 by shrieku

[shrieku]

Some more pics

 

Nib and feed

 

http://s2.postimage.org/pi7iwkow/20110528_029.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/12a0kx7cr/20110528_030.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/1rsw8cwwp/20110528_032.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/ej77dh86v/20110528_033.jpg

 

Converter

 

http://s2.postimage.org/7fzk7jt6k/20110528_034.jpg

 

http://s2.postimage.org/i2ts8t5sg/20110528_035.jpg

 

Box & Service Guide

 

http://s3.postimage.org/fh29eddmk/20110528_046.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/x74cv8vmd/20110528_047.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/q3wrcut6b/20110528_048.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/4u9gmrsd7/20110528_049.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/4u9tv2kam/20110528_051.jpg

 

http://s3.postimage.org/4u9lldtsw/20110528_050.jpg

 

Once again my apologies for this flood of images.

Edited May 29, 2011 by shrieku

[agentdaffy007]

It looks real if that is your question. Www.fountainpen.de

[Brookzy]

Sorry to break it to you, but I am pretty certain this is a (very good) fake.

 

On a quick look here's why:

 

1) 'In Struments'? :roflmho:

2) The Montblanc emblem is wrong on the pen, the points of the star are not rounded enough. You will notice this more when compared to the real logo.

3) The converter is push in, the official one screws in.

4) The Montblanc type on the box has bled during printing, a quick tell tale sign from me looking at eBay listings. The real boxes have much more defined letters.

5) The printed gold emblem on the box is not orientated correctly. This will almost always be the case on the pen cap and MB leather goods, but when printed, the logo is always orientated correctly.

 

Edit: found more:

 

6) The plastic backing of the nib is wrong, it does not cover up the gold tines enough as with a real Montblanc. This piece of material is also completely misaligned.

7) The engraving on the lower cap is too deeply engraved and in too large a font. The 'S' in Meisterstuck is also too 'square' and not the correct typeface.

 

I'm sure others will chime in with more info. And if I am proved incorrect, I apologise, but this is my honest view.

 

Brookzy

Edited May 29, 2011 by Brookzy

[ellen1]

More evidence it is a fake - the booklet says

WRITING NISTRUMENTS

 

Instruments is spelled wrong.

Hopefully you did not spend alot on it.

[BrandonA]

More evidence it is a fake - the booklet says

WRITING NISTRUMENTS

 

Instruments is spelled wrong.

Hopefully you did not spend alot on it.

 

That is a shocking mistake. You'd think if you put all the effort into creating a fake that you'd double check the spelling.

 

Checking the hallmark on my Dickens and Proust, the one on this pen is not as sharp and precise as those pens.

 

The gap between the gold clip and silver of the barrel looks a little to large and lose to me.

 

I hope you have not paid a lot of money for this pen.

[pen jubky]

I would like to add to the list that the spacing between the lettering on the cap ring is incorrect.

[kandarp]

Its a fake, I can say that based on the nib and the feed. The rhodium plating on the nib is pretty lousy.

 

But its an excellent fake, if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?

[sunnerd]

Well, do a google search on the serial number EN1323328 As you mentioned it has appeared on another ebay sale from ebay phillipines on Oct 2010. So, highly likely there is another pen with this same serial number, only conclusion is that either or both of these pens is/are fake.

 

In general, these serials with multiple 2, 3, 8's are a warning sign because Chinese likes these numerals as good luck and the fake makers usually also make fakes with these serial numbers.

Edited May 30, 2011 by sunnerd

[Blade Runner]

The quality of the engravings and the fit and finish don't look good, but in a low power photo on ebay, it could pass as genuine. :ph34r:

[osnofian]

Three little details...

- Sterling silver pens are considered premium pens, so they usually have 18K nibs instead of 14K (or even fake 14K )

- The real pens have the word "METAL" engraved on the top of the clip (to signify that the clip is not made of silver)

- The pen shown in the picture doesn't have "iridium" on the tip of the nib.

 

I hope this helps other people avoid the same problems

[shrieku]

Sorry to break it to you, but I am pretty certain this is a (very good) fake.

 

Thats fine cos it had already broken on me There is so much about the pen and its accessories that I smelt a rat as soon as I received it. Thats why I took so many photos of what i thought was not quite right.

 

if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?

 

A paltry £185/

 

 

In general, these serials with multiple 2, 3, 8's are a warning sign because Chinese likes these numerals as good luck and the fake makers usually also make fakes with these serial numbers.

 

Ahh- seeking auspiciousness for cheating people. Thats a good one. Thanks for the tip though.

---

 

Although listed on eBay, I made the mistake of asking for a "Buy it Now" price as solicited by the seller. And then he sent me an invoice from payPal declining to list a "BIN" price on eBay as it would cost him a lot. And I had to be the kind-hearted soul that happily fell for it. Not in accordance with eBay rules, I know but then----- Thankfully I paid through PayPal and have now opened a case as "Item not as described". Mind you the Seller is brazenly sticking to his guns claiming it IS an original blah blah blah.

 

I saw from his feedback that at least one other buyer had similar problem with a Montblanc. I contacted him, and eexactly the same problem and attitude. He tells me others also have had similar problems. And a lot of "Montblancs" have been sold by the seller.

[pen jubky]

A paltry £185/

 

The price alone should have told you more than enough. If its to good to be true most likely it is! What is it with people thinking they can get perium quality luxery items dirt cheep. Wake up ans smell the coffee.

[shrieku]

The price alone should have told you more than enough. If its to good to be true most likely it is! What is it with people thinking they can get perium quality luxery items dirt cheep. Wake up ans smell the coffee

 

There we go- now starts the telling off

This is why I hadn't posted the price I paid. Now I have done it and I shall brace myself. In my defence, I checked eBay sold prices and there was a range starting from £230 upwards. The seller had not posted details of model etc and so I could not tie this pen up with any specific model. So to me it seemed, that while I paid less than what others had paid, it did not seem too low a price. And the word "paltry" I used was supposed to be ironic. But in this case, it seems literally true, ironic only to me :bonk:

[jar]

I'm very sorry that you got taken, at least so far.

 

It is a sorry fact though that fakes and replicas are getting harder and harder to detect, the advances in computer and laser measuring when coupled with computer controlled milling and machining means that duplicates can be easily made for almost anything. The differences really come down to recourse, materials and the hand finishing involved.

[Michael R.]

Yes, a fake.

 

...but better than most I've seen so far

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[Pen Nut]

The price alone should have told you more than enough. If its to good to be true most likely it is! What is it with people thinking they can get perium quality luxery items dirt cheep. Wake up ans smell the coffee

 

There we go- now starts the telling off

This is why I hadn't posted the price I paid. Now I have done it and I shall brace myself. In my defence, I checked eBay sold prices and there was a range starting from £230 upwards. The seller had not posted details of model etc and so I could not tie this pen up with any specific model. So to me it seemed, that while I paid less than what others had paid, it did not seem too low a price. And the word "paltry" I used was supposed to be ironic. But in this case, it seems literally true, ironic only to me :bonk:

 

Ah well . . . . lesson learnt fella. Many of us have done similar

[Blade Runner]

Thanks to Shrieku for sharing your experience, a valuable lesson that will help others avoid the same experience. Fortunately Paypal will most likely return your funds.

[sunnerd]

Please name the ebay seller who sold you this pen, after you are done with him.

[shrieku]

This looks like a long haul dispute. The seller has escalated the case and now PayPal is asking me to provide documentation from someone qualified (individual or otherwise) who should provide in writing that this is a fake MontBlanc. Can I have some help on this please? How do I go about it?

 

Now if the guy was so convinced it was original, he would simply refund me my money and sell it to someone else. The very fact that he is desperate to hold on to my money says otherwise.

 

Sunnerd- I will name the seller after it is all over.