Two Montblanc pens for 65$

[Amihai]

Ebay auctions are fun!

While I make custom pens, I also scroll from time to time in ebay and other websites to find bargains on vintage and modern pens and other writing implements, either with the intent to resell them after some time or to enjoy them myself.

Sometimes, items are listed in ebay as an auction, with some of those auctions having a starting bid as low as one dollar. A man listed two vintage Montblanc fountain pens from the seventies, mint condition in such auction.

The pens in question are the Montblanc 126 and the Montblanc 220. Won the auction for a total of 65$. Another 30$ for shipping.

Obviously those are the lower end of the famous company's range, but they are still worth more. I wonder if I should keep them for myself or resell them.

Thanks for looking,
Amihai Fishman.

 

[sorcerertd]

It is interesting how the nibs are set in them. I'm familiar with the brand, but not their model numbers.

 

[Paul-H]

65 bucks I bet that pi@@ed the seller off.

I would keep them, even if it's just to say I have some Montblanc pens.

If selling I would do my due diligence and check they are genuine, there are a lot of fake MB pens out there in the wild and have been for many years now, and often the lower end ones as well for some odd reason.

Sometimes I wonder the thinking behind some of the counterfeiters ie why bother counterfeiting a £20 pen but with some of the bottom end Parkers etc.

Montblonc did at one stage also make low end pens, before they got their delusions of grandure that is.

 

[duncsuss]

I would keep them.

If you choose to make fountain pens and want to sell them, having a quality name brand pen with you gives you the opportunity to say "try a comparison with this Montblanc" (of course, the pens you make better be good, and the nibs properly tuned)

 

[Amihai]

I would keep them.

If you choose to make fountain pens and want to sell them, having a quality name brand pen with you gives you the opportunity to say "try a comparison with this Montblanc" (of course, the pens you make better be good, and the nibs properly tuned)

I'm afraid the Bock steel nibs won't be able to compete well with those ones, although steel nibs do have their own advantages...

 

[duncsuss]

I'm afraid the Bock steel nibs won't be able to compete well with those ones, although steel nibs do have their own advantages...

Then consider it an opportunity to discuss up-selling a gold nib replacement.

Besides, a steel nib that has been smoothed properly (see Richard Binder's guide to smoothing nibs, download the PDF beneath the heading "Lots of Don'ts, Not a Lot of Dos?") can feel great, even alongside my Parker Duofold and Montegrappa Symphony pens with their 18k gold nibs.