Montblanc International GmbH is a German manufacturer of writing instruments, watches and accessories, often identified by their famous "White Star" logo.
History
Founded by the stationer Claus-Johannes Voss, the banker Alfred Nehemias and the engineer August Eberstein in 1906, the company began as the Simplo Filler Pen company producing up-market pens in the Schanzen district of Hamburg. Their first model was the Rouge Et Noir in 1909 followed in 1910 by the pen that was later to give the company its new name, the Mont Blanc. The first pen (a fountain pen) known as the Meisterstück or Masterpiece (the name used for export) was produced in 1925.
The company was successful despite its founder, Eberstein, fleeing to the US to avoid prosecution for stealing company funds in 1909. In 1934 the company changed its name to Montblanc-Simplo GmbH, and introduced its first piston filler.
See here for a history overview and her for a more detailed view, including much information of early models.
The company was acquired by Dunhill in [1977], following which lower price pens were dropped and the brand was used on a wide range of luxury goods other than pens. [1]
Today Mont Blanc forms part of the Richemont group. Its sister companies include luxury brands Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chloe, and Baume et Mercier.
Branding
The trademark most clearly identified with Montblanc is the white stylised six-pointed star with rounded edges, representative of the Mont Blanc snowcap from above, the symbol being adopted in 1913. The number "4810," the mountain's height in metres, is also a commonly recurring theme.
For decades Montblanc has produced its flagship Meisterstück line of writing instruments, but in recent years has begun to establish new lines. The Bohème, Scenium and Starwalker ranges are recent additions to Montblanc product-line.
Ambassadors
Montblanc have appointed a series of "Ambassadors," who represent the brand and its values. These include [1]:
Fountain Pen Nib Sizes
Montblanc offers fountain pens in the following eight nib sizes:
- EF = Extra Fine
- F = Fine
- M = Medium
- OM = Oblique Medium
- B = Broad
- OB = Oblique Broad
- BB = Double Broad
- OBB = Oblique Double Broad
Special editions and other product lines
Montblanc produces limited editions in addition to its normal production. Editions include Patron of Art, Writers Edition, Special Theme Edition, Annual Edition, Donation series and America's Signatures for Freedom.
The most famous Mont Blanc pens are probably the 146 and 149, which differ only in size, with the 149 being an extremely large "signature" (i.e. sized too large for prolonged use) pen. See here for the definitive Internet article on the 149.
Recently Montblanc has diversified into other luxury goods. Montblanc now sells watches, leather goods, female and male jewelry, perfume, sunglasses, and desk accessories in addition to writing instruments.
References
External links
- Montblanc Writing Instruments
- Fountainpen.de Collector
- maxpens.de Collector and repair service
- Frank Dubiel on cracks in precious resin pens.
- Frank Dubiel on likely MB146 manufacturing cost
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