Montblanc SlimLine 1983-1988
Shown on this page
SlimLine fountain pen in satin stainless steel with chrome-plated trim — according to the model catalogue 1983–1988
Cap marked “MONT BLANC GERMANY”, the star on the clip end, steel nib marked “MONT BLANC”.
Key facts
- Range
- SlimLine (also SL or CS), below the Noblesse1
- Production
- 1983–1988 (model catalogue, M 12122)2
- Filling system
- cartridge filler, converter possible (model catalogue)2
- Nib
- steel wing nib — SlimLine fountain pens never had a gold nib3
- Identification
- star on the clip end — the Noblesse does not have it4
- All versions
- SlimLine
Sources and notes
- forum post of 27 January 2011; forum post of 2 December 2006.
- Model catalogue. Until November 2026 this page gave 1978–1980 — the period “Collectible Stars” (volume II) gives for the 1122, listed there under “Noblesse”. A forum post dates the SL cartridge filler with plastic finish to 1979–1982 and explicitly distinguishes it from the pen on this page: forum post of 27 January 2011.
- Model catalogue; forum post of 24 March 2009; forum post of 17 October 2007.
- forum post of 20 February 2010; model catalogue: clip “set with a white Montblanc star”.
- forum post of 31 January 2007; forum post of 2 February 2007.
- post on Penexchange (thread “Schmaler Füller ohne Austrockenproblem gesucht”).
Photos: Hugo Giese
Stainless steel SlimLine — classification and features
The fountain pen in the photos is a SlimLine in satin-finished stainless steel with chrome-plated trim — according to the model catalogue version M 12122 (2122), made from 1983 to 1988. SlimLine was the entry-level range for school and university and sat below the Noblesse (forum post of 27 January 2011).
The stainless steel – chrome version
The model catalogue lists three companions in the same finish: rollerball M 12322, ballpoint pen M 12222 and a mechanical pencil for 0.5 mm leads, M 12422 — ballpoint and pencil with push mechanism. Cap and barrel are satin-finished, clip and trim chrome-plated, and the clip carries the white Montblanc star. The same form was available at the same time with a black cap (fountain pen M 12120, ballpoint pen M 12220). The fountain pen takes cartridges or a converter; the nib is a plain stainless-steel wing nib.
SlimLine or Noblesse?
The two slim ranges are often confused — above all in the English-speaking world, according to a forum post (forum post of 17 October 2007). The surest sign is the star on the end of the clip: the SlimLine has it, the Noblesse does not (forum post of 20 February 2010). The nib also tells them apart: SlimLine fountain pens never had a gold nib.
If a SlimLine nib carries a carat stamp, it comes from a Noblesse and was fitted later (forum post of 24 March 2009, forum post of 17 October 2007). “Collectible Stars” volume II has no SlimLine, but lists a fountain pen 1122 of matt steel under “Noblesse”. This page used to show the pen under that name; a forum post of 2007 assigned it to the SlimLine by the star on the clip (forum post of 31 January 2007).
The end of the range
SlimLine belonged to the low-priced lines that Montblanc dropped step by step from 1986 (forum post of 2 March 2005); from 1991 the brand concentrated entirely on high-end writing instruments (forum post of 10 October 2012). The model catalogue lists the stainless steel version until 1988, the coloured and the anthracite pens until 1990. All versions are listed on the page SlimLine (SL, CS).
Literature
- aAchim Sievers: “Montblanc Schreibgeräte 1980 – 2015”. Self-published 2015. ISBN 978-3-00-045816-3. On this website the “model catalogue”; 2015 in the title is the editorial cut-off, not the end of production. more about the book ›
- bJens Rösler, Stefan Wallrafen: “Collectible Stars” — volume I “MONTBLANC 1908–1947” (2014) and volume II “Montblanc writing instruments from 1946 until 1979” (2001). more about the book ›
- cJens Rösler, Stefan Wallrafen: “Collectible Stars — Montblanc writing instruments from 1946 until 1979”. 2001. On this website “Collectible Stars” volume II. more about the book ›