Question About The Montbianc Meisterstuck Solitaire 146 Legrand

[egraphic]

Hi pen jubky,

 

all pens shown on the picture are from my collection ... so I can confirm the existance of brass plated solitairs by posting a link to actual pictures of pens in my possession

 

Next: these pens are from the late 90ties till mid 2000 ... these pens are NOT from WWI time (during war time, the 14x models were even not invented yet ... ).

 

Montblanc first started with the Vermeil models (Vermeil, Nikolai Gold, Ramses II, Voltaire all were Vermeil... ) later they stopped using Vermeil (925 Imprint). Later, they then used gold-plated brass ... these models do not have any imprint.

 

Carbon Steel and the Mozart Coral are both editions that belong to the Solitaire series.

 

Thanks for the background, fountainpende -

 

Regarding my pen, is it possible that there was a legitimate silver plated brass version of my solitaire?

 

Egraphic

[fountainpende]

Hi Egraphic,

 

no, there was no silver-plated brass ...

 

... if there is no 925 imprint on the cap (near the rings) then may be the former owner polished this imprint away ...

[pen jubky]

Hi pen jubky,

 

all pens shown on the picture are from my collection ... so I can confirm the existance of brass plated solitairs by posting a link to actual pictures of pens in my possession

 

Next: these pens are from the late 90ties till mid 2000 ... these pens are NOT from WWI time (during war time, the 14x models were even not invented yet ... ).

 

Montblanc first started with the Vermeil models (Vermeil, Nikolai Gold, Ramses II, Voltaire all were Vermeil... ) later they stopped using Vermeil (925 Imprint). Later, they then used gold-plated brass ... these models do not have any imprint.

 

Carbon Steel and the Mozart Coral are both editions that belong to the Solitaire series.

 

Today, also the MEISTERSTÜCK GEOMETRIC DIMENSION or the MEISTERSTÜCK SOLITAIRE GOLD & BLACK are gold-plated brass.

 

http://www.montblanc...sion.105990.php

 

Thank you for the information Fountainpende. This confirms that non precious metal solitaires do exist. Your knowlidge is infinite compared to mine. I do contest your claim however whether the Carbon Steel and Coral Mozart are solitaires. The term solitaire is used to discribe a matching cap & barrel regardless of material; resin excluded of course. As this link shows the Carbon Steel is not: http://www.montblanc...steel.05819.php This pen on the other hand is: http://www.montblanc...black.35975.php If you google the Carbon Steel you will find many sites that wrongfully refer to it as a solitaire. Although I could not find online official Montblanc information on the Coral Mozart I dout it is a solitaire. Unless you can rebut this by providing some original Montblanc literature that states they are. In which case I will leave this topic like a dog with my tail between my legs.

Edited June 7, 2011 by pen jubky

[fountainpende]

Hi pen jubky,

 

why should I "prove" something to you?! Sorry, but I don't really understand your intention. If you are interested in this, why don't you simply search information yourself .. e.g. have a look at old catalogues or simply contact Montblanc by email ...

[pen jubky]

Hi pen jubky,

 

why should I "prove" something to you?! Sorry, but I don't really understand your intention. If you are interested in this, why don't you simply search information yourself .. e.g. have a look at old catalogues or simply contact Montblanc by email ...

 

 

You dont have to prove anything. I was just asking seeing that you have alot of knowlidge on the subject and perhaps have better acces to resources which might shed more light on the subject. I'm not trying to start a (bleep) contest and apologize for making a wrong impression.

[fountainpende]

I have just called a retailer and was told that Montblanc does not use the term "Solitaire" anymore, also the Sterling Silver masterpiece is now simply "MEISTERSTÜCK STERLING SILVER" ... so you will probably not find the term, "Solitaire" for any pen at their website.

 

... essentially in the past most masterpieces that were not resin were called "Solitaire ... " ... so it was quite easy.

[pen jubky]

Thank you for clarifying this.

[penparadise]

... In which case I will leave this topic like a dog with my tail between my legs.

Well, we all never stop learning, don't we?

 

"Solitaire" are (were) all Montblanc Meisterstück pens except the Meisterstück pure resin pens. Even the "Doué" pens, which are (or used to be as they are discontinued) resin pens with a Vermeil or Sterling Silver cap, belong(ed) to the Solitaire line. In every price list and/or catalog from the 1990th on these pens are labeled "Solitaire". The "Doué" for example were called "Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaire Doué Sterling" or "Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaire Doué Vermeil".

 

"Solitaire" does not mean that the pen has (or the cap and barrel of the pen have) to be made of precious metal. Steel or brass or gold plated or Carbon or Coral or Malachite or Lapis as well as solid gold or solid Platinum – with or without any Diamonds ... as long as they had the Meisterstück shape they belonged to the "Solitaire" line. AND, which might be of interest as well: all fountain pens of the Meisterstück Solitaire should have an 18 carat gold nib. The "simple" pure resin Meisterstücks have 14 carat gold nibs (except in France).

 

Of course, "Solitaire" is and was never written at any pen within the cap ring. But Montblanc stopped using the "Solitaire" term today. So the confusing has an end.

[pen jubky]

http://www.kingsgab.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dog_tail_legs_2.jpg

Image borrowed from the net.

Edited June 7, 2011 by pen jubky

[penparadise]

. . .

http://dreisamenten.de/smilies/pftroest.gif

[Esov]

For no reason other than I said I would post photos: they are my 2 gold plated brass solitaires in barleycorn, one gold plated brass pinstripe and one vermeil barleycorn.

 

 

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s146/esov/DSCF0856a.jpg

 

 

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s146/esov/DSCF0857a.jpg

 

 

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s146/esov/DSCF0858a.jpg

Edited June 7, 2011 by Esov

[Esov]

...

 

Montblanc first started with the Vermeil models (Vermeil, Nikolai Gold, Ramses II, Voltaire all were Vermeil... ) later they stopped using Vermeil (925 Imprint). Later, they then used gold-plated brass ... these models do not have any imprint.

 

...

 

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I understood that the gold plated brass solitaires preceded their vermeil counterparts. It would seem so as evidenced by the last picture I posted above where the brass barley pens have the earlier grey/blue non striped window, whereas the vermeil barley pen has the newer striped window.

 

 

 

 

[fountainpende]

Hi Esov,

 

GREAT collection !!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

As far as I know, Montblanc produced Vermeil pens at some point in time and due to problems with oxidation of the surface switched from silver to brass ... at least that's what a Montblanc guy told me at that time...

 

But may be the order is not Vermeil -> Brass but Brass->Vermeil->Brass ??

 

Does anybody else have an idea?

 

At least I know for sure that one Montblanc switched from silver to brass.

[Esov]

Axel,

 

Thanks for the additional information. Could you estimate when the switch from vermeil to brass was made?

 

Thanks,

[egraphic]

Hi Egraphic,

 

no, there was no silver-plated brass ...

 

... if there is no 925 imprint on the cap (near the rings) then may be the former owner polished this imprint away ...

 

Thank you - that means I can safely have the name polished out by a good jeweler!

[fountainpende]

if it's a good jeweler ... then yes, he can polish the silver parts... BUT (!!!) he should NOT polish the rings and the clip, as they are only gold-plated!

Edited June 8, 2011 by fountainpende

[penparadise]

 

But may be the order is not Vermeil -> Brass but Brass->Vermeil->Brass ??

 

 

That's correct. As the changeover occured fluently there is no exact date. Montblanc didn't destroy the "old" pens so old stock had to be sold first, and some nib grades sell better than others ... But as far as I remember the alteration from brass to Vermeil was in the early 1990th and the change back from Vermeil to brass started around 2004.

[rare991]

Hi all !

 

i think i can help:

 

i own a old N° 146 Barley Brass - with bluegrey inkwindow, only marked W.Germany no Serial - the pen is from mid 80s.

 

i own a "new" Le Grand Pinstripe Vermeil - marked Germany and Serial - MB found out in there database pen is made 1996.

 

i got now "new" Le Grand Pinstripe Brass - marked Germany and Serial - MB told me today ! pen is made 2001.

 

the very nice lady at the phone told me that she is 99% sure that these Le Grand Pinstripe Brass pens where only made in 1 serie and

 

only 2001.

 

so its for sure MB chanced from brass ( arround 1985-1990 ) to vermeil ( arround 1990 - 1999 ) and back to brass ( maybe only in 2001 ).

 

collecting MB a very interesting hobby, and learning every day.

 

kind regards

 

Mike

Edited March 20, 2013 by rare991