344, The Humble Montblanc

[WmEdwards]

Thanks for this write-up. I have a celluloid/amber window 342g (f) ebonite/ski-slope feed that is a great daily writer (but kind of small compared to modern pens). This helped my know more about the timeline of the pen. Alas, I do not have the original box/paperwork.

Edited January 12, 2017 by WmEdwards

[Rosetta59]

Thanks for your attention and enjoy your 342 !!!

[siamackz]

Yup, your article and the others that added to it helped me learn more about the 342D model, which led me to buy it and enjoy it very much today!

[Rosetta59]

Many thanks for your words Siamackz. The 342 is a fantastic useful model !!

[NibsForScript]

Thank you for this information. I have a 3-44 but sadly the original nib was replaced at some time with a 14k USA nib. Still writes nicely but someday I will opt for a Mont Blanc nib. Now I know when my grandfather bought it. Thanks

[LanceSaintPaul]

You may not be PenHero, but you are a real Pen Hero for this. This is the MB niche i find most of interest. Thanks.

[Rosetta59]

Many thanks to you, Lance and Nibs, for your interest.

Nat

[2feetplanted]

Wonderful write-up. Thank you.

[Rosetta59]

I appreciated your interest, thank you 2feetplanted!

[penwash]

I recently came into the possession of this 344G, so I thought I'd contribute to this thread in which I learned a lot about one of my favorite series from Montblanc.

 

I had a few 342 before and loved those as well. But this 344G has a nib that makes me want to continue writing with it. Plus, this is a great sketcher as well.

 

Quoting from the first post of this thread, this pen belongs to the first production run of the 344G:

 

"344G₍₁₎. First production run, 1950 (?) Models 344G and 344.

The star on the top is outlined white. On the cap there is engraved: MONT-^^BLANC. The cap ring, unengraved, leaves a free lip. The piston knob is short (with 344G or 344 and the tip size engraved), the ink window is amber and the body is made in celluloid. The feed is made in ebonite, with a “ski-slope” shape. The section is a smooth center-concave shaped cylinder."

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by penwash

[specialk0449]

Beautiful artwork penwash! The 344’s are wonderful pens for everyday use because they are so versatile.

[CS388]

Beautiful artwork penwash! The 344’s are wonderful pens for everyday use because they are so versatile.

 

...and they're actually a decent sized pen, too.

For a budget pen, the materials and build quality are second to none.

[Rosetta59]

Affordable (as per the prices seen on the bay), enjoyable, simple-looking but elegant and a real workhorse...

What other budget pen can you imagine at this level ?

oh, and very well built... we are speaking of a sixty+ year old girl ...

[MDMoore]

Was there ever a brown version of the 344, without the Mont Blanc imprint at the top of the cap? On Ebay there is advertised a pen that looks like this that claims to be a rare vintage 344.

[Lazy]

Thanks for the thread. Very useful information.

 

I have these two pens since very recently:

* 3-42G, EF nib, fifth series, truncated cone section, the cap is missing the stud and the clip

 *344, the nib size is not engraved on the blind cap (perhaps it was polished away) but everything points to the sixth series. Unfortunately the section collar cracked while i tried to remove it applying too much pressure, because i hadn't done enough research. i watched a video of someone disassembling his 344 of an older series, and I assumed the section unscrews on mine as well.

 

Both pens feel really nice in the hand. The 344 is pleasantly large. I haven't tried writing with them yet...

[Rosetta59]

Dear MDMoore,

I have never heard about a brown 344...

[penwash]

I have never seen a brown one either.

 

However, I've recently acquired my second one. Unlike the first one which has amber ink window, this one is a bit newer with blue ink window:

 

[Rosetta59]

a nice sketch Will !

...and a nice 344, too!

 

[penwash]

Thank you @Rosetta59

[Rosetta59]

On 4/27/2021 at 12:59 AM, MDMoore said:

Was there ever a brown version of the 344, without the Mont Blanc imprint at the top of the cap? On Ebay there is advertised a pen that looks like this that claims to be a rare vintage 344.

I want to add some news to this "brown" sub-topic.

Recently I have seen on eBay a brown 344 fountain pen (without ink window). Actually it seems a burgundy one, where the colur is somehow faded, changing to red-brown. Historically no citations to a brown 344 appeared.