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Montblanc 232 1940s

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Montblanc 232 of the second series with engraved grooves instead of metal cap rings — the feature of the wartime versions of 1943–1946; the books list no wartime 232

Three engraved grooves at the cap lip instead of gold-coloured rings, silver-coloured clip, cap top with white star, “MONT BLANC” with the mountain on the cap, amber ink window without stripes, removable blind cap over the turning knob. According to the text of the page, the pen bears the imprint “D.R.P. 652405” and a steel nib that is not the original one.

Key facts

Production
a wartime pen, judging by its features. “Collectible Stars” I names only the 234½ and the 236 as wartime versions of the second series (1943–1946); it lists the 232 as 232 k (black 1939–1942) and again after the war (1947–1952; volume II: 1946–1950). Collectors describe wartime 232s with a steel nib and without cap rings1
Filling system
piston filler with telescopic piston2
Nib
size 2; during the war a steel nib with “MONTBLANC” and the size in the star, also gold-plated; before and after the war also a 14 ct gold nib, 18 ct for France3
Cap rings
only engraved — decorative rings were banned on the home market from June 19424
Imprint
“D.R.P. 652405”: German patent of 21 June 1936 for patterning ink windows with stripes; the number does not date a pen5
Dimensions
according to “Collectible Stars” I the 232 k measures 13.8 cm with the cap posted, Ø 1.3 cm; six 232s at penboard measure 115–122 mm closed, cap Ø 12.9–13.3 mm6
Sources and notes
  1. “Collectible Stars” I; volume II; collectors’ reports: Fountain Pen Network post of 19 May 2013, Fountain Pen Network post of 10 February 2019.
  2. “Collectible Stars” I; collectiblestars.com database.
  3. “Collectible Stars” I; size: forum post of 7 March 2005; 18 ct for France: forum post of 26 February 2005.
  4. “Collectible Stars” I; collectiblestars.com database (“engraved cap rings; wartime production”); ribbed rings as a feature of the wartime models: forum post of 23 February 2005.
  5. maxpens.de (description of the Montblanc patents); Fountain Pen Network post of 18 August 2014.
  6. “Collectible Stars” I, measured with the cap posted as in the collectiblestars.com database; penboard: six individual pens measured closed.
  7. “Collectible Stars” I; volume II.
  8. “Collectible Stars” I.
  9. “Collectible Stars” I (turning knobs of the 332 without blind cap); forum post of 16 September 2005.
  10. “The Montblanc Diary & Collectors Guide” (Meisterstück piston fillers 132–138: long clip, broad cap ring, “MONTBLANC Meisterstück”); blind cap: Fountain Pen Network post of 6 April 2015.
Montblanc 232
Montblanc 232
Montblanc 232

Not to be confused with

  • 232 after the war7

    Two gold-coloured cap rings and a white star; according to volume I with the diamond clip, which Montblanc used in Germany in 1947–1949.

    See Second series until 1954

  • 234½ of the war years8

    The same design in size 4½, also with engraved grooves and a steel nib.

    See 234½ wartime version

  • 332 of the third series9

    Similar in size, but with only an outlined star and no blind cap; one cap ring before the war, none during the war, two afterwards.

    See 332 wartime version · 332 after the war

  • Meisterstück 13210

    Broad cap ring, long clip, “Meisterstück” on the cap and no blind cap.

    See 132

Montblanc 232 with engraved grooves instead of cap rings — a feature that marks it as a wartime version (1943–1946), which the reference works do not list separately.
The imprint “D.R.P. 652405” (D.R.P. = Deutsches Reichspatent, German Reich patent) refers to the 1936 patent for the striated ink window; it does not date a pen.

Unfortunately, this fountain pen no longer has its original nib. Similar steel nibs were quite common at the time, however.

Montblanc 232
Montblanc 232
Montblanc 232
Montblanc 232

Literature

  1. aJens Rösler, Stefan Wallrafen: “Collectible Stars I — MONTBLANC 1908–1947”. 2014. ISBN 978-3-00-044233-9. On this website “Collectible Stars” volume I. more about the book ›
  2. bJens Rösler, Stefan Wallrafen: “Collectible Stars — Montblanc writing instruments from 1946 until 1979”. 2001. On this website “Collectible Stars” volume II. more about the book ›
  3. cJens Rösler: “The Montblanc Diary & Collector’s Guide”. Christians Verlag, Hamburg 1993. ISBN 3-7672-1174-2. On this website “Diary” for short. more about the book ›