Montegrappa Extra 1930 in Turtle Brown

[omasfan]

Ever since I had set my eyes on this beautiful pen about two months ago, I was antsy about getting it. The prohibitively high MSRP put me off, though.

Then I put a search ad in the marketplace section. I thought the odds were pretty bad that I would find a private collector who wanted to sell this to me.

Well, I was successful. Today it came all the way from Malaysia from a very nice and honest private collector. He said he slightly used it but you would not see any traces on the pen. It's just perfect and looks like new. It was still not cheap but much less than what a dealer would ask you to pay. Considering the great shape, the pen is in, it was worth every dollar.

 

Attached a worldlux pic that I purloined from the website. My color is the one in the foreground. Had I not found someone through the marketplace, I'd probably bought from them, as their pricing is really competitive and their customer service is outstanding.

 

 

Anyway, I'll shoot some pic by myself and post a review in a little bit. I haven't written with this prize pen yet, but I will put it to use very soon.

The amalgamation of beautiful cellluloid, a giant and beautiously adorned nib and artistic silver trim makes this pen a looker. It's piston-filled, though I believe the so-called captive-converter.

 

I think that Montegrappa is way underrepresented on FPN. They are pricey, but they sure make some of the most extravagant and yet subdued designs in the whole industry.

I also admire the Miya series, especially the turquoise and the yellow ones.

 

Let me know your experiences with the brand.

[acfrery]

Congratulations, that pen looks really amazing!

 

Alejandro

[karenfromatlanta]

Maybe Montegrappa is known more for their limited edition and precious metal pens. Next to the Vanishing Points, a Montegrappa is my 'workhorse' pen. Most people don't like the screw-on cap. I think the nib is more flexy, compared to a Dupont, for example. But their balance, appearance, mechanicals - this is a pen that never gives me any problems. And also, there's the red resin Micra with red ink. I am not schooled in pens. I didn't set out to buy Italian pens, they were just the ones that looked good, had good balance, and jumped out at me when shopping for pens.

 

For some reason the silver on the Montegrappa pens has a certain glow to it, different than some other sterling silver pens, too.

 

 

[Freeloader]

Holy cow! I've never really looked too long at Montegrappa due to the high MSRP, but that is a great looking pen! I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for second handers.

[marklavar]

Ever since I had set my eyes on this beautiful pen about two months ago, I was antsy about getting it. The prohibitively high MSRP put me off, though.

Then I put a search ad in the marketplace section. I thought the odds were pretty bad that I would find a private collector who wanted to sell this to me.

Well, I was successful. Today it came all the way from Malaysia from a very nice and honest private collector. He said he slightly used it but you would not see any traces on the pen. It's just perfect and looks like new. It was still not cheap but much less than what a dealer would ask you to pay. Considering the great shape, the pen is in, it was worth every dollar.

 

Attached a worldlux pic that I purloined from the website. My color is the one in the foreground. Had I not found someone through the marketplace, I'd probably bought from them, as their pricing is really competitive and their customer service is outstanding.

 

 

Anyway, I'll shoot some pic by myself and post a review in a little bit. I haven't written with this prize pen yet, but I will put it to use very soon.

The amalgamation of beautiful cellluloid, a giant and beautiously adorned nib and artistic silver trim makes this pen a looker. It's piston-filled, though I believe the so-called captive-converter.

 

I think that Montegrappa is way underrepresented on FPN. They are pricey, but they sure make some of the most extravagant and yet subdued designs in the whole industry.

I also admire the Miya series, especially the turquoise and the yellow ones.

 

Let me know your experiences with the brand.

 

 

Nice pen, but you can get a Tibaldi 60 for a fraction of the price. <_<

[Shangas]

Now that's a dandy pen!! I love the front one the most, it looks all wood-grainy...

[Hennypenny]

I JUST (as of yesterday) got a gently-used Micra (the red one). I agree about the glow of the silver, and I, although I haven't used it much yet, I too remarked on the springiness of the nib. I think I'm really going to like this pen -- particularly since the nib has been Binderized to a cursive italic!

 

Now -- the question is -- what INK? I've got Tanzanite in it. I wouldn't use red enough ... I've got to find something distinctive, yet daily ...

[sjldaniel]

Congratulations on the new pen. Your Montegrappa is indeed very beautiful. I have the older Symphony blue celluloid model. It was my first "expensive" pen purchase, and I love it for a variety of reasons.

 

I agree that Montegrappas (like Duponts in my opinion) are underrepresented on FPN. The Montegrappas are pricey, and you may be able to get more pen for the buck with other manufacturers. But they are incredibly well-made pens with that classic Italian design flair. They are big and bold, and I like the sterling silver accents.

 

The Montegrappa is a little heavier compared to my other daily writers, and the threaded end of the barrel is not very practical for me given that I don't post the cap. But the pen is well-balanced and writes without a hitch. The nib is smooth with generous ink flow.

 

Have fun trying out your latest addition. I'm sure you'll enjoy your new Montegrappa.

[omasfan]

Nice pen, but you can get a Tibaldi 60 for a fraction of the price. <_<

 

I already have the Modello 60, so I needed yet another celluloid.

[Nimrud]

I'm afraid I had a very bad experience with a Montegrappa 1930. It was a turtle. Or perhaps I should say "they". I had to exchange the pen twice for piston problems. The first simply failed to draw in ink. The joint between the silver band and celluloid in the cap is especially thin and weak and easily broken. Be very careful about applying pressure sideways on the cap when your pen is capped. It may break. Also, I'm not a fan of the metallic grip. The concave shape made it easy for my fingers to slip down towards the nib when writing. YMMV, of course. But after the third try, I gave up and got myself a Delta Dolcevita OS instead. No more Montegrappas for me.

[marklavar]

I owned a Miya once, and I didn't like it. I can't quite explain why I didn't like it, I just didn't. I wasn't comfortable holding it, the shape seemed weird.

[karenfromatlanta]

It's a shame about your bad experience with the Montegrappa world of pens, but I had the same experience with a Mont Blanc 146. It generally cost $75-150 every year in repairs, and a month away from 'home'. It was its little annual spa visit. Every other pen works fine for me - Parker Duofold, Montegrappa, Pelikan, Namiki, Rotring, Sheaffer (well, my new Dupont is a little difficult but it's coming along).

 

There have to be so many manufacturers to suit all of us, for when we don't hold our mouth right, wear the wrong color T-shirt or cosmic rays effect our pens. Let alone to handle quantum mechanics, the uncertainty principle and whether this is a good year for grapes. And variations in hand size, finger proportions...fitting a pen is as particular as fitting a pair of shoes.

 

If we get a love affair going with a brand of pen, feel lucky and enjoy it! Sorry your love affair wasn't with a Montegrappa.

There's no explaining what creates the love affair (or makes it fall apart).

 

But it sure is a beautiful Turtle Brown pen. Hope a writing sample is coming soon.

[marklavar]

It is a personal thing, I agree, but I also dislike the silver trim on the turtle brown. A gold trim would have been more suitable, given the warmth of the colour. To be honest, I dislike silver trim - period. It's funny, but while I always prefer gold trim, I always go for solid silver pens in preference to gold plated ones.

Edited May 11, 2007 by marklavar

[TMLee]

strange... how come this Green Marbled looks different from the pic above ?

 

http://www.montegrappa.com/product.php?id=...mp;colour_id=39

[lecorbusier]

The image at the montegrappa website is completely off. The worldlux image is more accurate.

 

In person, the turtle brown is nice but not as rich or complex as the marbled green. If I remember correctly, the mother of pearl effect is also more accentuated in the green than the brown version.

 

 

 

strange... how come this Green Marbled looks different from the pic above ?

 

http://www.montegrappa.com/product.php?id=...mp;colour_id=39

 

[TMLee]

The image at the montegrappa website is completely off. The worldlux image is more accurate.

 

In person, the turtle brown is nice but not as rich or complex as the marbled green. If I remember correctly, the mother of pearl effect is also more accentuated in the green than the brown version.

 

 

 

strange... how come this Green Marbled looks different from the pic above ?

 

http://www.montegrappa.com/product.php?id=...mp;colour_id=39

 

 

Could it be that the 'off' one is a new variation of the Green Marbled ?

 

 

[Nimrud]

The Worldlux pic has the turtle brown and the gold. Marbled green is a new colour AFAIK.

[John Cullen]

Hey, sweet pen. Let us know how it writes. I have looked many times at these pens and always drooled a little over their beauty. JC

[georges zaslavsky]

I tried one it is a very good writer but it is not enough big in size like the Omeas Arte Italiana Paragon or the 149 plus it takes many turn to screw the cap that is why I didn't buy it.

[avj73]

I tried one it is a very good writer but it is not enough big in size like the Omeas Arte Italiana Paragon or the 149 plus it takes many turn to screw the cap that is why I didn't buy it.

 

It does take quite a few turns to unscrew the cap (4 1/2 full revolutions), but once its off....wow! I have one in parchment and love it. The nib is huge and writes like a champ. These are heavy pens, and some might even call them pocket jewelry, but if you can pick one up at a good price (got mine used, but in great shape, for $325...couldn't pass that up!), you should go for it.

 

p.s. Entirely different creature than the Modello 60....I have one, and its apples to oranges. The Modello 60 is gorgeous, but it is much more understated, and about 1/8th the weight!