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Montblanc - 042 Monte Rosa gold nib- 1950s

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Monte Rosa O42 G in black with gold nib — piston filler, the version of 1954 to 1956 with the number on the turning knob

Black fountain pen with a domed cap top carrying an engraved, uncoloured star outline instead of the white star; gold-plated clip, translucent blue ink window, gold-coloured nib — 14 ct according to this page. The number is on the turning knob (not visible in the photos) — so this is the version up to 1956.

Key facts

Production
1954–1956 — the version with the number on the turning knob; 1957–1961 followed the one with the number on the cap band (“Collectible Stars” II)1
Filling system
piston filler
Nib
14 ct gold nib (585); 18 ct for France; without “G” in the number the Monte Rosa had a steel nib2
Cap top
domed, without white star; with an engraved star outline as here or without any star — both original3
Material
thermoplastic (cap and barrel)4
Dimensions
with cap posted 14.1 cm, Ø 1.3 cm; closed approx. 12.7–12.8 cm, barrel approx. 11.6–11.8 mm, cap 13 mm4
Imprint
on the cap “MONTBLANC” and “Monte Rosa” in varying sizes, or only “Monte Rosa”; in Switzerland “Astoria” or “Reflex”5
Sources and notes
  1. “Collectible Stars” volume II
  2. This page (14 ct); forum post of 29 November 2005; Fountain Pen Network post of 30 July 2010; “Collectible Stars” volume II (“number without G = steel nib”);, also on 18 ct for France. What counts is the impressed number — sales listings often omit the “G”.
  3. forum post of 2 January 2006.
  4. collectiblestars.com database (length with cap posted); forum post of 4 December 2005; Penexchange forum post of 18 October 2016 (thread “Schreibtischfund - Monte Rosa und Tropen”).
  5. “Collectible Stars” volume II; volume I; Fountain Pen Network post of 29 December 2012.
  6. forum post of 16 September 2005.
Montblanc Monte Rosa 042 G with gold nib
Here you see a Monte Rosa with 14 ct gold nib; often these writing instruments are found with a steel nib.
Montblanc Monte Rosa 042 G with gold nib

Not to be confused with

  • O42 with steel nib

    The same design without “G”: steel nib marked “Monte Rosa” with the wave, 1952–1956.

    See 042 with steel nib

  • Green O42 G

    The version of 1957 to 1959 with the number on the cap band.

    See 042 green

  • Monte Rosa of the 1960s

    The successors 41 and 401 from 1961.

    See Monte Rosa of the 1960s

  • 342 of the third series6

    A fountain pen with the Montblanc star, one step above the Monte Rosa.

    See 342

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 ›