An Enthusiast’s Collection – Part 2

[tenurepro]

Hi Pavoni - thanks again for the research. Regarding the MB 236 ; you say that it was introduced in 1939 but discontinued it 1940. But there was a war-time version of the 236 (1940+ )? So is it safe to say that if you have a MB 236 with two gold cap rings, than the pen was made in 1939 or 1940 (or close to it).

 

Thanks again - i recently acquired a 236 and i am trying to date it

[pavoni]

AMAZING.

You made my day.

 

Thank YOU Meiers for making mine. As you know well, the enjoyment we get from our collections is from using and sharing.

 

Pavoni

[pavoni]

Congratulations Pavoni !!

I enjoyed the idea of Episodes. Love the pens, love the presentation and the choices...

Thanks for sharing

Regards Ariel

 

Thank you Ariel. Actually, it wasn't until I was forced to consider the idea of 'episodes' that I actually realised it was a better way of setting the whole thing out. It will certainly be my intention to follow that format for my next comparison

 

Pavoni.

[georges zaslavsky]

thanks for sharing your nice collection with us

[hari317]

Wonderful Pavoni, actually it is worthy of being published in one of the glossy pen magazines. Very well done and personally I have learned a lot about the companies from your article.

 

Warm Regards

Hari

[Pen Nut]

What a great reference piece with no nonsense & understandable narrative. Surely this will be pinned.

 

Now looking forward to the articles covering the 60's 70's 80's 90's !!! Go on you know you want to

[lunarfp]

Pavoni, thank you very much for sharing your exquisite collection with this wonderful, detailed post! It was an excellent read

Following others, can we get this pinned?

[BMG]

That is truly a wonderful collection, Pavoni. So many beautiful pens -- it must be a pleasure to write with them.

 

I didn't realize that you also collected Soenneckens. I'll admit to a weak spot for the models from the '50s.

 

Thank you for sharing!

[pavoni]

Thank you, Pavoni, for a beautiful presentation.

Produced when the fountain pen was one of the leading communication devices, vintage pens are true Masterpieces of function and design.

Excellent historical portrait.

Cheers,

Greg

 

Thank you very much Greg for your time and kind comments, as always. I can really associate with your view of vintage pens.

 

Pavoni.

[pavoni]

Hi Pavoni - thanks again for the research. Regarding the MB 236 ; you say that it was introduced in 1939 but discontinued it 1940. But there was a war-time version of the 236 (1940+ )? So is it safe to say that if you have a MB 236 with two gold cap rings, than the pen was made in 1939 or 1940 (or close to it).

 

Thanks again - i recently acquired a 236 and i am trying to date it

 

Hi tenurepro. Great question on the MB 236, which incidentally was a difficult pen to get hold of. In answer to your question, 'Yes', I think it is safe to assume that the MB 236 with two gold cap rings and gold nib is from 1939.

 

You can hopefully imagine, with my type of collection, and the way in which I collect (strict criteria), that I know which (from such a collection) are the more difficult models to collect. The MB 236 is such a fabulous pen (great size, weight, look etc) that I had wondered why it had been almost as difficult as a MB 138 to track down!

 

I first thought the pen was a victim of design (and cost), much like that which I 'suffer' when deciding on my next company car; do I go for the top of range from the lower-priced group of cars, (getting all the gadgets and extras etc) or, do I go for the basic car I can afford in the top-tier group (no heated seats, electric mirrors, etc)?

 

For research, I rely mostly on my catalogues (you can never have enough ), then Jens Rosler's 'The Montblanc Diary & Collector's Guide', then Stefan Wallrafen's 'Collectible Stars', and supplement these with information from Penboard.de, Tom Westerich's site, and of course our very own FPN (MB Forum ). According to these sources (Rosler page IX and Wallrafen page 91) the MB 236 was produced until 1940.

 

In terms of the wartime version, which I acquired from Penboard.de, whilst Rosler suggests that this style of MB wartime model (imprinted caps) were from between 1943-1947, as far as the MB 236 goes, I think we can accept the evidence available that the MB 236 was in production from 1939 until 1940 and so, the one I have with two gold cap rings and gold nib comes from 1939 (as pictured in my 1939 catalogue).

 

Note the 'wartime' steel nib on my wartime MB 236 complete with correct cap markings.

 

It would be great if we could collectively try to deal with any other such questions, keeping this post 'live' to enable our greater learning of this fabulous period for Montblanc.

 

Pavoni

Edited May 21, 2013 by pavoni

[fountainbel]

Hi Pavoni,

Astonishing collection, my sincere congratulations !

Your profound historical knowledge is also very impressing

I really enjoyed looking at your fantastic pictures and reading on the historical background .

Thanks for shearing !

Francis

[Polleke]

Fabulous collection you have there

Many Thanks for sharing your collection with us

[pavoni]

Wonderful Pavoni, actually it is worthy of being published in one of the glossy pen magazines. Very well done and personally I have learned a lot about the companies from your article.

 

Warm Regards

Hari

 

Thank you most kindly Hari. Given all that I have learned from your articles in the past, I am glad you found this one to be of interest.

 

Pavoni.

 

What a great reference piece with no nonsense & understandable narrative. Surely this will be pinned.

 

Now looking forward to the articles covering the 60's 70's 80's 90's !!! Go on you know you want to

 

Thanks for the support Pen Nut. As for other articles, I have a further one in the making (shhh). However, given the state of me in the 70s, I don't think I would be qualified to talk on the look of anything from that fashionable decade!

 

Pavoni.

 

 

Pavoni, thank you very much for sharing your exquisite collection with this wonderful, detailed post! It was an excellent read

Following others, can we get this pinned?

 

 

Very kind of you to comment lunarfp, much appreciated.

 

Pavoni.

 

That is truly a wonderful collection, Pavoni. So many beautiful pens -- it must be a pleasure to write with them.

 

I didn't realize that you also collected Soenneckens. I'll admit to a weak spot for the models from the '50s.

 

Thank you for sharing!

 

Thanks Guy. Whilst my heart is with my MBs, the 1950s 111 and the 222 Soennecken series seem to be universally recognised for what they are......quality pens. Hope you manage to snag one before too long

 

Pavoni.

Edited May 21, 2013 by pavoni

[pavoni]

Hi Pavoni,

Astonishing collection, my sincere congratulations !

Your profound historical knowledge is also very impressing

I really enjoyed looking at your fantastic pictures and reading on the historical background .

Thanks for shearing !

Francis

 

Thank you Francis. If it wasn't for your technical and creative work on my Soennecken collection, I would hardly have been in a position to establish a collection, let-alone be so proud to want to share it. I am therefore very pleased that you took the time to look in and comment. Thank YOU.

 

Pavoni.

[Soot]

Hi Pavoni,

 

Thank you for sharing your collection and the comprehensive history of these two pen companies with us. It was very informative and enjoyable. I wish one day I could reach a collection like yours. :-)

 

 

-- Bob

 

 

** Hi Moderator, can we pin this? :-)

[Soot]

Here we see the MB 235 with its original ‘tall cap’, used on a few ‘new’ models during the mid-1930s. Some early versions of the tall cap would come with a tear-drop style clip but this pen has correct and latest fluted clip (1934-1941) which was to be typical of MB‘s second-tier piston-fillers.

 

The blind cap, with both model number and nib type imprinted, hides the piston turning knob.

Hi Pavoni, I forget to ask --- What kind of piston is utilized in the 235, normal ones or the brass telescopic type? Thanks! Bob

[pelman]

Wow Pavoni!!! What a wonderful read. It was with great pleasure that I spent my first 20 minutes at work reading your post instead of doing what I was getting paid to accomplish.

 

 

Thank you.

[tenurepro]

Thanks Pavoni. Can you please post pictures of your 1939 236; nib, and cap markings so i can compare with my model (i'll also upload pictures here of my 236, for the archive

 

Thanks again. I am extremely fond of the 236 - great writer...

 

In terms of the wartime version, which I acquired from Penboard.de, whilst Rosler suggests that this style of MB wartime model (imprinted caps) were from between 1943-1947, as far as the MB 236 goes, I think we can accept the evidence available that the MB 236 was in production from 1939 until 1940 and so, the one I have with two gold cap rings and gold nib comes from 1939 (as pictured in my 1939 catalogue).

It would be great if we could collectively try to deal with any other such questions, keeping this post 'live' to enable our greater learning of this fabulous period for Montblanc.

 

Pavoni

[pavoni]

Fabulous collection you have there

Many Thanks for sharing your collection with us

 

Thank you for taking the time look in and to comment Polleke. Much appreciated.

 

Pavoni.

[pavoni]

Hi Pavoni,

 

Thank you for sharing your collection and the comprehensive history of these two pen companies with us. It was very informative and enjoyable. I wish one day I could reach a collection like yours. :-)

 

 

-- Bob

 

 

** Hi Moderator, can we pin this? :-)

 

Hi Bob,

 

Thank you very much for your typically kind words.

 

Pavoni.