Inherited Some Mont Blanc Pens.

[muchmouthen]

Hello all,

 

I have inherited a rather large pen collection from my father, and he has had a few Mont Blanc pens for several years. I have no idea if they are legitimate, what models they are, or what they might be worth. For example, I have what appears to be a non-useable display model (not shown), so I don't know if any of these are legitimate. I understand it is challenging to know from photos.

 

Ok so,

 

I am a photographer, and I saw that others noted a lack of detail in other threads of this kind, so I used a macro lens, with focused lighting to show all possible detail with zero retouching (other than exposure). This makes all of the details very prominent, but it also does the same with all of of the minor scratches and flaws. Most of the flaws are invisible to the naked eye on these pens. Before I photographed them I assumed they were barely used.

 

You will note on one of the black pens, the bottom of the pen looks gold - it was just slightly unscrewed.

 

I have attached files at 33% resolution. I can post larger images linked from another site if anyone thinks that would be necessary.

 

So, can anyone help me figure out what I have here?

 

Thanks!

 

[meiers]

Let's see a photo shoot with lots of detail.

[jar]

Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell.

 

It is very hard to make sure statements but from the pictures shown I would hazard a guess that they are all replicas. Sure hope I'm wrong.

[sunnerd]

I'm an amateur photographer. If I were to post my pen shots, it will be lighted properly not with highlights blown.

Pens needed to be photographed with details of nib, capband, cap top (serial number) at least, plus, if it's a forsale post, any marks, dents etc. Thanks.

[muchmouthen]

Let's see a photo shoot with lots of detail.

 

Yeah that was unfortunate. I thought I had, but the size restrictions kept me from posting them at full resolution. At full resolution I can read the serial numbers and was able to see the "Pix" engraving on the underside of the clip on one.

 

Update: Here is an album of them at full resolution. I edited the photos and boosted the shadows so now every minor scratch and blemish can be seen. http://imgur.com/a/YrodW

[muchmouthen]

I'm an amateur photographer. If I were to post my pen shots, it will be lighted properly not with highlights blown.

Pens needed to be photographed with details of nib, capband, cap top (serial number) at least, plus, if it's a forsale post, any marks, dents etc. Thanks.

Sorry I didn't break out the big lights and softboxes. I didn't expect it to be a photography contest. I just wanted to show enough detail that people could tell whether they look legitimate or not.

[penparadise]

Well, at least the last two pictures with the "Solitaire Doué" pens show fake pens.

 

sorry, the last 3 pictures

Edited May 3, 2016 by penparadise

[Chrissy]

I agree with jar. I could only see one shot of two pens in your album and they are definitely replicas.

 

On an authentic Montblanc pen, the clip is never folded in at the end. The two pens that I saw in your link have fake clips and bands, so I'm afraid they are fake pens. When I tried to see the next image it didn't show pens. So I can only see one image that shows pens in your album link.

[penparadise]

Update: Here is an album of them at full resolution. I edited the photos and boosted the shadows so now every minor scratch and blemish can be seen. http://imgur.com/a/YrodW

 

As I thought: all pens are faked Montblancs.

[Chrissy]

I now worked out how to see all of the images in the album. Just to scroll down. Doh!

 

I think they are all fakes apart from one black twist action ballpoint. The slimmer one with gold plated trim that would be a Classic ballpoint. It has a correct clip and bands, and the end of the refill protrudes just enough, and is gold coloured. It also has a serial number (not that that necessarily makes it authentic.) That pen is possibly the only authentic pen in the lot.

 

The left pen in pictures 1 and 2 of the original post.

[muchmouthen]

I agree with jar. I could only see one shot of two pens in your album and they are definitely replicas.

 

On an authentic Montblanc pen, the clip is never folded in at the end. The two pens that I saw in your link have fake clips and bands, so I'm afraid they are fake pens. When I tried to see the next image it didn't show pens. So I can only see one image that shows pens in your album link.

I see what you mean. I have three that my wife and I set aside for personal use, and it happens that none of those have the foldover clip. They also have metal threads when you unscrew the cap top, whereas the foldover clip ones have plastic, which I thought was suspicious. The serial numbers and germany marking seem to be obnoxiously clearer on the pens with a foldover clip. The ones we kept, we kept because my father actually used them, and it might be because they were the genuine ones (or hopefully so). They are also the most marked up and scratched.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[muchmouthen]

I now worked out how to see all of the images in the album. Just to scroll down. Doh!

 

I think there are all fakes apart from one black twist action ballpoint. The slimmer one with gold plated trim that would be a Classic ballpoint. It has a correct clip and bands, and the end of the refill protrudes just enough, and is gold coloured. That pen is possibly the only authentic one in the lot.

Yep. That's the one I kept for personal use, and it looks and feels much better than the rest. There are two others just like it that are not pictured.

[Chrissy]

Yep. That's the one I kept for personal use, and it looks and feels much better than the rest. There are two others just like it that are not pictured.

 

The bands look like they are nicely inlaid into the resin, not stuck onto the surface

[muchmouthen]

 

The bands look like they are nicely inlaid into the resin, not stuck onto the surface

 

I can also see the light "Pix" engraving on the inside of the twist action ballpoint.

[jar]

 

I can also see the light "Pix" engraving on the inside of the twist action ballpoint.

Unfortunately that tells little. The fakes also have Pix engravings.