Montegrappa Symphony Parchement

[columela]

First Impressions (8/10)
This is an impressive pen, made of the finest materials, even if it has been a bit tarnished by the passing of time. My interest in these old Montegrappas was triggered by a recent purchase of a battered but beautiful Reminiscence Grande model. Looking for information about the pen ended up in the excellent site http://montegrappa-history.com/ whre I found out about the families of Montegrappa pens. So I discovered the Symphony range, and found a beautiful item on ebay at an affordable price

Appearance (10/10)
Even as a battered second hand pen, this is a stunning pen. Pictures do not do justice to the shades and nuances of colour in this Parchement model. The section was stained and required a vigorous cleaning before it could be used. Unfortunately the nib was in need of a lot of care. It only wrote consistently in the reverse position. Otherwise plenty of false starts and skips.

Design/Size/Weight (10/10)
The size of the pen is similar to more famous models like the Pelikan M800 or the Parker Duofold Centennial. The shape is octogonal as it happens with the Reminiscence.

 

 

Some measurements:
Max lenght closed 137 mm
Max width 14.2 mm
lenght posted 170 mm
uncapped 120 mm
The section is made in silver but it is pleasant to use. The silver finial is etched so it can screw the cap and write securely when posted


Nib (10/10)
After some care from nibmesiter éxtraordinaire John Sorowka the writing experience is just wonderful, a juicy, buttery smooth nib, marked medium but a rather thin F line. After the initial disappointment the present experience has made it one of my favourite pens.
The nib has the typical greek etchings in silver over the rhodied 18 K gold. The breathing hole is an inverted heart shape.

 

Filling System (8/10)
A cartridge-converter system which works. Nothing out of the ordinary, but on the other hand it is difficult to beat the ease of use and convenience of this system.

Cost and Value (9/10)
I paid 219 US dollars fro the original pen and 30 for the repair, so in total around 250 US $. Not bad at all for a remarkable pen. Given the fact that the pen has been out of production for decades , it is difficult to make a true estimate of value in general. For me it has been a successful transaction, but I was lucky.

 

Conclusion
Before being treated by Mr Sorowka, it was just a beautiful thing to look at. But now it is a truly remarkable pen, with a wonderful flow, no feedback at all. It has a good balance in the hand, particularly when posted. Celluloid has a very special touch, and has some warmth that modern acrylics do not possess. I cannot tire of it .

[Doug C]

I have one as well, and I agree, it is a great pen. The only issue I have with it is the number of turns to remove and post the cap.

[Drawing61]

Congratulations on acquiring a beautiful pen,

[jchch1950]

Any problems with the celluloid?

[jar]

Glad the site was useful for you.

[Honeybadgers]

that nib looks.... off. Like the shoulders have been pinched hard.

 

Not my thing, but I just don't get any montegrappas.

[doriath19]

Very beautiful! Glad you are enjoying your find!

[1nkulus]

Nice colour and design, it is an interesting find.

Glad it is writing well again, enjoy the reams of happiness.