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Montblanc four-colour pencil No. 61, 1929–1931 (incomplete, top missing)

Shown on this page

Four-colour pencil No. 61 in silver, eight-sided, with colour selection by an “arrow” — according to “Collectible Stars” I the first type of 1929–1931; the pencil is incomplete, the round top is missing

Eight-sided barrel with fine guilloche of wavy lines; a wide ring holds the clip, whose round lower end carries the hallmark “900”; at the top the clip ends in an arrowhead with two small knobs, pointing to coloured marks on the head piece — red and blue can be seen; above it the thread is exposed because the top is missing; a blue lead can be seen at the tip. This page formerly dated the pencil to 1932–1934 and called it a twist pencil.

Key facts

Production
61 with “arrow” 1929–1931 (“Collectible Stars” I); multicolour pencils as a whole 1929–1941; differing, a forum post gives 1932–1934 for a pencil of the same type1
Type
multicolour pencil with four leads; an advertising leaflet of 1930, from the time of this type, explains colour selection, turning the lead forwards and back and changing the lead2
Material
silver, hallmark “900” on the clip; according to the collectiblestars.com database stamped and without number3
Dimensions
12.4 cm long, Ø 0.85 cm (with top)4
Maker
bought in — according to “Collectible Stars” I among others from Fend and from Bossert & Erhardt; who made the pencils with the “arrow” has not been resolved5
Sources and notes
  1. “Collectible Stars” volume I; differing: Penexchange forum post of 25 November 2012 (thread “Montblanc Vierfarbstift 30er Jahre”).
  2. “Collectible Stars” volume I (leaflet of 1930).
  3. Photos on this website; collectiblestars.com database.
  4. “Collectible Stars” volume I (length ± 0.4 mm, diameter ± 0.05 mm).
  5. “Collectible Stars” volume I; volume II; Penexchange forum post of 30 December 2014 (thread “Kosca”); Penexchange forum post of 13 February 2014 (thread “Montblanc Vierfarbstift 30er Jahre”); forum post of 25 February 2007.
  6. “Collectible Stars” volume I.
  7. forum post of 22 February 2007; forum post of 25 February 2007.
  8. “Collectible Stars” volume II.

Photos: Luk

Montblanc four-colour pencil No. 61
Montblanc four-colour pencil No. 61
Montblanc four-colour pencil No. 61

Not to be confused with

  • 60 and 62 with “arrow”6

    The same type: the 60 round in silver-coloured Alpacca, the 62 eight-sided in rolled gold or 585 gold.

  • Four-colour pencils 1932–1935 and 1936–19406

    First with a round, then with a long top, the 60 A to 62 A eight-sided.

    See Four-colour pencils of the 1940s

  • Round four-colour pencil with four sliders7

    A round pencil in 900 silver with four visible sliders and a lead reserve under the cap.

  • Four-colour pencils from 19558

    Again bought in, under the numbers 60 to 64.

    See Multicolour pencils 1955–1977

  • Pix in silver

    Likewise faceted and guilloched, but a push pencil with one lead.

    See Pix in silver

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 ›