Both date from the 1960s and belong to Montblanc's third and cheapest series. They were intended as solid everyday writing instruments, sold in large numbers and are still comparatively easy to find. Neither the No. 34 piston filler nor the Pix 36 pencil is therefore a rarity. Montblanc used the name Pix for its pencils; it also appears as a trademark under the clip of other instruments. The red lead is not a special version, merely the coloured lead that happens to be fitted.
That far less information is to be found on the companion pieces than on the fountain pens is not down to their rarity but to where collectors' interest lies: fountain pens are clearly at the centre of attention, while ballpoints and pencils from the same series are treated as poor relations in catalogues and surveys. A matching pair of fountain pen and pencil is nonetheless more attractive than a single piece, particularly with the case still present. The instruments remain perfectly usable, provided leads in the historical diameter can be found for the pencil.