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Montblanc 342 with glass nib a modification that was never offered by Montblanc

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Fountain pen 342 with glass nib — a conversion; the 342 never left the factory with a glass nib

Body of a 342 with the cap ring at the edge of the cap and a light blue ink window (version from 1954); instead of the nib a ribbed, amber-coloured glass nib.

Key facts

Classification
conversion, not a factory model1
Body
342 of the third series in a version from 1954 (“Collectible Stars” II: 1954–1956 or 1957–1960)2
Filling system
piston filler
Glass nibs at Montblanc
only before the war, under the brand “Glasfeder” with the imprint “M&G”: the safety pens 400 (1935–1936) and 401 (1936–1939), the push-button fillers 420 (1936–1938) and 421 (1936–1939) (“Collectible Stars” I); the Diary knows only the 420 (from 1935) and the 4213
Dimensions
approx. 125 mm closed, Ø approx. 13 mm4
Sources and notes
  1. Text of this page; conversions to glass-nib pens occur: post on Penexchange (thread “Der erste Kugelschreiber von Montblanc?”); forgers tend to fit a glass nib rather than copy a nib: forum post of 17 July 2006.
  2. “Collectible Stars” II.
  3. “Collectible Stars” volume I (description: Reflex and glass nib); differing, “The Montblanc Diary & Collectors Guide”; in the numbering system of 1935–1947 a 4 in first place stood for stylo or glass nib (ibid.). Corrected on 4 November 2026: previously the 420 was given here as a safety pen, after the Diary.
  4. According to a Fountain Pen Network post of 7 January 2016.
  5. “Collectible Stars” II; differing, according to a forum post of 5 April 2010, from memory, with glass nib.
Montblanc 342 with glass nib (conversion) – open view
Montblanc 342 with glass nib (conversion) – closed view

Not to be confused with

  • 342 in original condition

    With gold or steel nib.

    See 342, 1954–1956

  • 442 and 4445

    They had no glass nib either: the 442 had a multi-purpose nib, the 444 a ball as its tip.

    See third series

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 ›
  2. bJens 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 ›
  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 ›