Rose Marbled Monte Rosa #4 Lf/mp Set Or is it a Waterman Patrician?

I had the good fortune to find this on the bay the other week.

It's a rare marbled Monte Rosa with non too subtle design leanings on the Waterman Patrician.

As a Montblanc and Waterman fan I feel its done a pretty good job of combining the best of both worlds!

I love the flexible very large No 4 nib and the quirky clip and lever design. The cap band needs no mention - gorgeous!

Burgundy Marbled Soennecken Rheingold 1917 Largest of the Top-Line Range from 1938

The Rheingold series was Soennecken's finest line of pens, inspired by the name of the treasures of the saga of 'DerRing des Nibelungen' by Wagner. The Rheingold was Soennecken's reply to the colourful Duofolds and other celluloid pens emerging from America. As well as in classic black, Rheingolds came in blue, green, burgundy and brown marbled as well as a special model in Pearl and Black.

The new models in celluloid were available in three sizes, 912, 913 and 916, accompanied by the economy model, the Seneca (also an extremely rare pen to find these days). These pens were produced in wonderful celluloid but did not have an ink window. In 1933 the Rheingold series was revised and produced in four different sizes, with beautiful yellow ink windows, and the models took the numbers 1911, 1913, 1915 and 1917.

The Rheingold series was characterized by an ingenious take on the button fill system. To operate it you would turn a hard rubber collar to reveal the button, which could then be decompressed to operate the pressure bar within. This system meant there was no need for a blind cap (which would often get lost when removed) and so marked an improvement on the Duofold button fill design. Another emblem of the Rheingold was the decoration on the head of cap consisting of an "S" surrounded by a white circle in turn surrounded by rays.

In 1935 model luxury Präsident series was introduced, marking the new top line of Soennecken pens. However these pens were only produced in black so the marbled Rheingolds remain arguably the most sought after pens by Soennecken collectors.

The 1917 is a beautiful, large pen. As mentioned, it is the largest of the fours sizes produced in the second series of Rheingolds. It can be seen pictured next to a modern Montblanc 149 to give you an idea of just how big it is ( 5 & 5/8 inches when closed ) !

The pen presents like new, the plastic is bright glossy with little or no signs of age. The hard rubber parts are again glossy and bright and the cap top in particular looks like new. There are none of the usual scratches and marks that you find on vintage pens.

The hard rubber collar has the '1917' heat imprint and also 'BB' Indeed, the original Soennecken B nib is fitted. It is a beautifully crafted nib with a finely chiselled tip and with the responsiveness associated with 1930s goldcraft. A real delight!

The original pressure bar and breather tube can still be found inside the pen and are in working order. I have removed the ossified sac to remove any risk of oxidation to the barrel.

The 1917really looks perfect at first glance. Indeed, this pen would be mint were it not for the following matters. There is a helical hairline running through the ink window (it does not leak), and one of the fins is missing from the feed. The good news is that all of these things are quite easily fixable. For example, you can easily replace the feed and the section for the section (including the ink window on these pens) can be unscrewed so that a donor part from an inferior pen (eg a black or damaged pen) can be used to replace the ink window on this pen.

All in all a superb example of a top of the line Soennecken Rheingold !

Montblanc 22 1/2 Chef D'Oeuvre in Burgundy

This is an extremely rare Montblanc made for export to France c. 1930.

It is essentially a #20 in style and design but has the 22 1/2 imprint (presumably to denote the price it was being sold for in France). The other signs that this was intended for the French market are the super rare Chef D'Oeuvre imprint on the cap and the 18 kt gold nib.

This is an extremely rare pen from the golden age of Montblanc. A standard #20 in Burgundy is rare as it is. This Chef D'Oeuvre # 22 1/2 is certainly the only one of its kind that I have ever seen.

Mint First Year Pelikan 101N Tortoise

A mint Pelikan 101N in tortoise. It's a scarce First Year 101N, as can be determined by the yellow ink window. It doesn't look anything like all those made up 101N pens that you find on eBay. This is the real thing, and is the reason why Pelikan has such a strong name till this day for quality.

It has been my great fortune to add this perfect piece to my Pelikan collection.

Montblanc 149 with Solid 18 KT Overlay - Le Fevre

I have for your consideration something really very special.

I have here an extremely rare 1950s Montblanc 149 with solid 18 Carat Oerlay. This is a substantial, hefty, top end product produced by Montblanc with the gold overlay work applied by the celebrated French master jeweller, Lefevre, who was offcially commissioned with the work by Montblanc.

The Lefevre boutique created a very limited number of overlay Montblanc 149s between the 1950s and the 1990s but few ever surface for sale in respect of pens from the pre-1970s period. The 1990s Lefevre pieces do occasionally get offered at the $8000 - $9000 mark but they don't remain for sale for very long! So when presented with the opportunity yo buy a 1950s overlay piece I snapped it up immediately without hesitation.

This pen is in superb condition without any dents or damage. The overlay is a wonderful plain and striped design reminiscent of a watermelon !

The 149 has a typical 1950s orange ink window with still fairly clear black bars. The only real signs of wear to this pen are light pocket scratches and light marks to be expected of a vintage piece. It's in very good condition indeed as can be seen in the numerous photographs I've taken!

The 149 has 18 Carat hallmarks stamped on the cap and on the barrel (the two small impressions you can see in the photos on the overlay by the ink window that looks like small dings are in fact a pair of hallmarks! The same two hallmarks can be found on the cap band) The cap band is imprinted with the legend "MONTBLANC 18 CTs MADE IN FRANCE"

The nib is the original 1950s 14 C Montblanc with an oblique medium tip. It is a fairly flexible writer and lays down a rich, wet, line. The piston mechanism has been professionally restored by Montblanc and fitted with a new cork. This pen will make a superb user and an even better collector's piece! The 149 comes complete with its period felt covered presentation box.

For perfection, and there surely can be no doubt that this is a perfect piece for the serious Montblanc collector, there is a price, and my price is $8,950.

Please just drop me a PM if you have any questions or would like to arrange a viewing.

Many thanks

MG

Pelikan 700 - a Pristine 14 Karat Solid Gold Pen from the 1950s

I have something rather special up for your consideration in the form of a top of the range Pelikan 700 from the 1950s. It's for me Pelikan's finest pen from the 1950s to date.

The Pelikan 700 is made of solid gold with 14C 585 hallmarks on each constituent part. So a hallmark can be found on the cap, the clip, the domed clip screw and even on the twisting knob. The scalloped guilloche is exquisite.

It is fitted with a pristine 14kt Pelikan logo nib with a Medium tip. It is a smooth and responsive writer as can be expected from a 1950s writing instrument .

The 700 has been inked but it has rarely if ever been used and it really is about mint! Even the ink window is glass-like in its pristineness and the barrel and cap are free of any defects or dents. Its basically a perfect collector's grade piece.

Now after all the good news I have to say there is a price for perfection and that price is £2,950 including the original Pelikan satin-lined carry case.

Enjoy the pictures!

Soennecken Rheingold 1913

A wonderful high quality celluloid pen this by Soennecken, the Rheingold 1913.

A great, larger pen (13, 7 cms when closed) that has been restored with a new in sac fitted. The mechanism itself is renowned among pen collectors, being a unique twist on the button filler. To operate you unscrew the black hard rubber collar to reveal a white casein button which can then be clicked to press on the ink sac inside.

Nice clear ink window and generally in excellent order. Deep and crisp imprint of "Soennecken Rheingold" and the famous sunburst logo on the barrel. No signs of brassing to the pocket clip or cap rings.

Some browning of the hard rubber collar and cap top which can be polished back to black. Please note that, as so often happens, the small insert in the cap top has dropped out. I've done a quick fix insert of my own to mirror the insert.

The 1913 is fitted with its original Soennecken Pargo (Palladium Argentium) nib with a medium tip. This nib is so flexible that it actually feels like you are writing with spaghetti. The imprint states Soennecken Bonn Pargo. Nice deco lettering and design too.

So, a nice, rare pen that can be yours for $475 plus shipping.