Montblanc Vintage 1960–1989 Ballpix — the lever-clip ballpoints 780 to 7855

“Ballpix” is the name used in “Collectible Stars” and in the model catalogue for the lever-clip ballpoints of the 1970s. They were everyday pens, in metal or in coloured plastic.

The models

• the 782 in matte metal and the 784, gold-plated and matte, both 1971–1983 — on this website under the name “11th finger”
• the 780 in high-gloss plastic in colours
• the metal versions 7825 (chrome-plated, matte), 7827 (chrome-plated, chased), 7847 (gold-plated, chased) and 7855 (platinum-plated, matte)

There was no solid-gold ballpoint in this range, only gold-plated ones (forum post of 16 August 2007).

The colours of the 780

“Collectible Stars” gives the 780 in black, dark green, blue and red (1978–1983), the model catalogue in red, blue, olive, white and black (1973–1984). A forum post confirms olive and knows still more colours (forum post of 14 January 2008). The 780 belongs to the same family as the 782 (post on Penexchange (thread “Montblanc BSG?”)).

Everyday pens

The 782 also exists with an advertising print, as an ordinary promotional ballpoint (post on Penexchange (thread “Montblanc BSG?”)). According to a forum post the 782 and 784, together with SlimLine, Carrera, Caressa, VIP and Turbo, made up the mass business of those years (post on Penexchange (thread “Faszination Montblanc?”)).