Montblanc Vintage 1950–1959 Pix push pencils of the 1950s

“Pix” was Montblanc’s name for its push pencils. Montblanc introduced the Pix in 1934; in the 1950s it came with the Meisterstück, the second and the third series, in gold, rolled gold and silver, and as the metal Pix 720 to 760.

Origin and name

The push pencil had been developed by Leistenschneider, who had it made in his Druckfüllbleistift-Fabrik in Düsseldorf. Montblanc acquired the rights including the name in 1934, after its own push pencil OB of 1924 had not been technically mature. According to the Diary, Leistenschneider made a guaranteed minimum sales volume a condition of the licence. According to “Collectible Stars” volume I and the Diary, Leistenschneider’s pencil already had the name when Montblanc took it over.

Only the push pencils were called “Pix” — a pencil with a twist mechanism is not a Pix (forum post of 22 November 2006). Later Pix became a trade mark that Montblanc also used on other writing instruments (forum post of 23 May 2014).

How the mechanism works

A feed clutch advances the lead close behind the tip and holds it firmly. It works without spring pressure, and the whole mechanism sits in a brass casing. Even the last piece of lead is still held by the elastic, tangentially slit bronze tip; this is how a leaflet of 1934 describes it. The three slits in the tip are therefore intended and not a crack (forum post of 14 November 2006, forum post of 19 October 2005). The lead chamber holds ten leads of 45 mm.

This mechanism was fitted until well into the 1950s, and the Pix was sold until the end of the decade; Montblanc gave a ten-year guarantee. A defective mechanism cannot be repaired, only replaced, and Montblanc no longer has spare parts (forum post of 8 August 2006).

Numbers, lengths and leads

Until about 1960 the first digit of the number gives the line and the second is a 7 (forum post of 16 September 2005): 172 belongs to the Meisterstück, 272 to the second and 372 to the third series.

On the Pix of the 1950s K stands for the short version of about 12 cm and L for the long one of about 13 cm; pens without a letter also occur (Fountain Pen Network post of 29 April 2017, forum post of 2 May 2005). An identification chart in the illustrated book names the Pix “772L” and “772K” for 1955. On the Pix of the 1930s, by contrast, the L denotes the gold-coloured metal top.

Most Pix take 1.18 mm leads, the 82 1.50 mm. From 1957/58 the numbers come in pairs — 175/176, 275/276, 375/376, 395/396 —; according to the tables of the book the final digit 5 stands for 0.90 mm and the 6 for 1.18 mm.

Gold, rolled gold and silver: 672 and 772

The 672 has a cap of rolled gold, in 1953–1954 also of solid gold, from 1954 of Silvre. The 772 is made entirely of gold or rolled gold, in 1951–1954 also of silver; the same number was used for rolled gold, 14 ct, 18 ct and silver (Fountain Pen Network post of 29 April 2017). For French-speaking markets the 772 also came in 18 ct: a set of the fountain pen 742 and a Pix 772 K is hallmarked 750 on the pencil barrel as well (Fountain Pen Network post of 19 April 2017, Fountain Pen Network post of 7 May 2017).

Meisterstück, second and third series

The 172 belongs to the Meisterstück: black in the long version from 1949, in the short one from 1951, green and grey striated from 1952; from 1957 the striated ones were for export only. The 175 and 176 followed in 1958. A red ring set into the push button marks a 172 for red leads (maxpens.de).

The second series comprises:

• the 272, 1949–1954, long and short, from 1952 also brown and grey striated
• the 273 and the 274, 1954–1956
• the 281 to 283: according to volume II the 281 1954–1957, the 282 1953–1954 and the 283 1954–1959, all with 1.18 mm leads
• from 1957 the 275 and the 276 in black, grey, red and green

The third series comprises:

• the 372 from 1951, in 1952–1958 also in petrol blue and burgundy, for export only
• the 392, 1953–1958
• from 1958 the 375, 376, 395 and 396

Older shapes and metal Pix

Three older shapes reach into the 1950s: the 72 from 1935 to 1950, the 82 from 1938 to 1952 with 1.50 mm leads and the 92 from 1935 to 1952. The books do not agree on these years (see below). Coloured push buttons are possible on the 72, 82 and 92, on the 281 to 283 and on the 372 and 392.

Metal Pix came in many versions:

• eight-sided (720), round (730) and six-sided (750, 760)
• 9.5 or 12 cm long
• in silver hallmarked 835 or 900, in rolled gold, in Alpacca and for special customers in 585 gold
• with well over 20 guilloches, many of them made to customer order

According to volume I the 720, 730 and 750 ran until 1955, the 760 in silver until 1953; the 750 also came in 585 gold in 1949–1955. For the clips the same volume gives the spade clip 1934–1936, the diamond clip 1936–1953 and the tie clip 1938–1955. Gold and rolled-gold Pix of 1935–1955 cannot be fully classified for lack of documents, nor can the silver Pix under the name “Silvexa” (maxpens.de).

Sets and photos on this website

A 272 with the same clip goes with the 244 (forum post of 14 November 2006), the short 172 K with the 142 (maxpens.de). Whether the 172 K or the long 172 belongs to the 144 is answered differently in forum posts (forum post of 2 May 2005, Fountain Pen Network post of 29 July 2013). According to a forum post of 16 May 2014 the 275 and 276 probably go with the ballpoint 215; a set of 744 and 772 is dated to 1954 by a purchase receipt (Penexchange forum post of 14 November 2025 (thread “Info zum Montblanc Model Meisterstück 744 Pix 772”)).

Photos on this website show a Pix 372, a Pix 72, a green striated 172 in a set with 146 and 115 and a silver Pix with barleycorn guilloche whose number cannot be seen in the photos.