When Did Montblanc Start Hallmarking Silver Pens?

[gvl]

I will be selling a Montblanc 146 Solitaire in Sterling Silver on behalf of a friend. The pen is boxed with warranty, in excellent condition but unusually does not any hallmarks.

 

The warranty shows a date of December 1995 but I would suggest that manufacture was probably around 1991/92. Of note are the stripeless ink view window and the 8 digit serial number on the clip in the earlier font style.

 

Were the earlier silver solitaires manufactured without hallmarks or, did somehow this pen escape the 925 stamp?

 

http://i67.tinypic.com/2u90jnc.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/xeubl.jpg

[gvl]

To answer my own question, it would seem the earlier Montblanc silver Solitaires were not hallmarked. This pen - http://www.fountainpen.de/old-70er-144-solitaire-silber-korn.htm - a 144 in Barleycorn in Barleycorn appears to have no marking on the cap.

 

My guess is that hallmarks first started to appear around 1993/4. I have a 144 Doue with a fully hallmarked silver cap purchased at the same time as its larger big brother (Dec 1995).

 

Thanks.

[chunya]

The clear blue ink window would suggest that this is an earlier pen and certainly not from the 1990's.

I had a feeling that Montblanc stamped all their silver pens .925 .... although I know that this was not always the case with Parkers, that depended upon the country they were selling in (hallmarking added to the cost) .... but I could be wrong.

[gvl]

Thanks for the reply.

 

The general view from previous threads - e.g. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/20221-mont-blanc-serial-numbers/ - is that serial numbers started in 1991/2. This together with the box and paperwork suggests that it is 1990s pen. I must admit I was surprised to see the plain grey ink window (not blue - these were phased out in the 1970s) - perhaps they were still using up the old stock at the time this one was produced. Note the nib on this pen is consistent with later 146 models.

 

The link to the excellent and reliable fountainpen.de website would suggest that the 1980s version of the pen was without hallmarks. [As far as I am aware the hallmarks on these Solitaires were always placed at the bottom of the cartouche on the cap.)

[Chrissy]

It's unusual to see one without a hallmark, as I thought they had always hallmarked their silver pens. Not out of choice, but as a requirement for the sale of silver. Maybe it got missed? Were any of these silver over brass and therefore called Metal? Does it say Metal on the clip band or under the clip?

[Michael R.]

I have a similar one from the same period of time (grey ink window w/o stripes and short length) which is hallmarked:

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8BYmCbab08/VJ6QQIK2JLI/AAAAAAAAAWU/55-FiP_EEAw/s1600/MB146Sterlingclosed.JPG

 

It's a wonderful pen and I love the pearl-like, warm shimmering color of the used type of sterling silver; other sterling silver Montblancs show a totally different color of silver (bright white, grey or colder tones of silver in general).

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[gvl]

Hi Chrissy,

 

Yes, the pen has the standard markings on the clip - the serial number followed by W-Germany and 'Metal', I think that this was the standard marking for both silver and non-silver caps.

 

I have found a similar pen with the clear grey ink window at http://pensninks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/montblanc-meisterstuck-solitaire-silver.html but this seems to have the markings at the base of the cap.

 

Can find no mention of this model of pen being manufactured in silver plate but I have seen a reference in an earlier thread that some of the first silver solitaires had 925 stamped near the top of the cartouche. [it is possible that the pen on the fountainpen.de has the 925 stamp here but it isn't that clear from the photos.]

 

There is no indication that the silver marks have been removed from the pen (from either top of bottom of the cap), it would seem that this particular item was never stamped.

[gvl]

I have a similar one from the same period of time (grey ink window w/o stripes and short length) which is hallmarked:

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8BYmCbab08/VJ6QQIK2JLI/AAAAAAAAAWU/55-FiP_EEAw/s1600/MB146Sterlingclosed.JPG

 

It's a wonderful pen and I love the pearl-like, warm shimmering color of the used type of sterling silver; other sterling silver Montblancs show a totally different color of silver (bright white, grey or colder tones of silver in general).

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

Thanks Michael, I found your website whilst researching my reply. I have a later 146 Solitaire with the 925 fluted pattern - the size difference is quite significant. I agree the fine barleycorn pattern does give the pen a much softer and warmer appearance.

[jar]

From all I can find Germany required silver to be hallmarked showing the proof at least since 1886.