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Montblanc 342 with ball nib

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Fountain pen 342 of the third series with ball nib — first version with blue ink window, 1952–1953

Gold nib with a thickened, ball-shaped tip, stamped “MONT”, “BLANC” and “14…”; the cap ring sits just above the edge of the cap; light blue ink window; on the cap the imprint “MONT BLANC”, divided by the stylised mountain.

Key facts

Production
version of 1952–1953 (“Collectible Stars” II: 342 (G) with blue ink window)1
Filling system
piston filler
Nib
ball nib: 14 ct gold nib with a thickened, ball-shaped tip; 18 ct for France2
Marking
“K” before the line width, e.g. “KM” for ball nib medium; a factory leaflet of 1957 lists “KF” for the 3422, 3
Dimensions
approx. 125 mm closed, Ø approx. 13 mm4
Sources and notes
  1. “Collectible Stars” II (ID 1086).
  2. forum post of 14 February 2005; post on Penexchange (thread “O-Federn für Meisterstücke aus den 50er Jahren”); 18 ct for France: forum post of 26 February 2005.
  3. Factory leaflet of 1957 according to a Penexchange forum post of 9 January 2020 (thread “Monte Rosa 042 ‘STM’ Feder - Empfehlungen?”).
  4. According to a Fountain Pen Network post of 7 January 2016.
Montblanc 342 with ball nib – closed view
Montblanc 342 with ball nib – nib
Montblanc 342 with ball nib – open view

Not to be confused with

  • Rollerball 444

    Not a fountain pen with a ball nib but a fluid-ink roller with a ball as its tip, 1950–1951.

    See third series

  • 256 with ball nib

    Ball nibs also existed on the second series, e.g. “KOB” on the 256.

    See 256 KOB

  • 342 G with brown window

    The same version of 1951 with an ordinary gold nib.

    See 342 G, 1951

Literature

  1. aJens Rösler, Stefan Wallrafen: “Collectible Stars — Montblanc writing instruments from 1946 until 1979”. 2001. On this website “Collectible Stars” volume II. more about the book ›