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Montblanc Vintage 1960–1989 Carrera — the school pens from 1971 to 1985

Described on this page

Carrera — fountain pens, ballpoints, four-colour pens, pencils, rollerball and felt-tip pens, 1971 to 1985

There are photos of the black-yellow set 522/590, the 5225 and the black rollerball on this website; for the others the table links to individual pens at penboard (new tab).

Key facts

Production
model catalogue: 1971 until 1981–1985, depending on the version; in large numbers 1971–1979 according to a forum post1
Filling system
cartridge filler, converter possible; the 522 for export 1973–1975 also as a piston filler2
Nib
  • steel nib
  • 522: EF, F, M, B, OB, A, LH, shorthand
  • 5225: EF, F, M, B, OM, OB, shorthand3
Ballpoints
push-button mechanism (model catalogue, “Collectible Stars”)4
Clip
chrome-plated “rally clip” (model catalogue)
Colours
black-yellow, metal-black, all black (“ms”); ballpoint 592 in more than ten colours
Versions
22 entries — see table

Not to be confused with

  • Caressa

    The other school pen of the period, with metal cap.

    See Caressa

  • Junior

    Fountain pen 622 and ballpoint 692 with metal cap.

    See Junior

Sources and notes
  1. forum post of 23 April 2014; “Collectible Stars” volume II; model catalogue to.
  2. “Collectible Stars” volume II (“only export”); forum post of 18 December 2013; forum post of 23 April 2014; Pelikan cartridges fit: forum post of 25 August 2011.
  3. Model catalogue; shorthand nib rare: forum post of 14 August 2010.
  4. Model catalogue; “Collectible Stars” volume I, number index. Differing, according to a forum post always clip-lever mechanism: forum post of 15 May 2007.

Carrera was the series of school pens, mass-produced in the same class as the Pelikano or Geha. Depending on the version it was made from 1971 until 1981–1985, in large numbers 1971–1979 according to a forum post (forum post of 23 April 2014).

What the series included

  • the fountain pen 522, yellow with a black cap — a cartridge filler that also takes a converter (forum post of 18 December 2013); for 1973–1975 “Collectible Stars” lists a piston-filler version, for export only
  • the 5225 with a metal barrel
  • ballpoints, four-colour pens, pencils, the rollerball and felt-tip pens
  • pencil cases and pen stands (forum post of 23 April 2014)

penboard shows a stand shaped like a racing tyre.

The ballpoints

The ballpoints have a push-button mechanism. That is how the model catalogue (“with push mechanism”) and the number index in “Collectible Stars” volume I (“pushbutton ballpoint”) describe them. The 592 came in more than ten colours; the model catalogue lists twelve. The versions with “ms” in the number are entirely black.

Market and fakes

According to a forum post such consumer pens were meant for German-speaking countries, the Carrera included (forum post of 17 August 2005). There are no fakes, because forging a school pen was not worth the effort (forum post of 28 September 2010).

All versions 1971–1985 22 entries

Each version on its own row. A dash (—) marks missing information. “Photos” links to a page of this website or to an individual pen at penboard (↗, opens in a new tab).

Fountain pens 4 entries

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
522M 141221971–1985Fountain penyellow, black capmodel catalogue: 1971–1985; years according to the model catalogue; “Collectible Stars” II ends at its time limit of 1979cartridge filler, converter possible
steel nib (EF, F, M, B, OB, A, LH, shorthand)		“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1535; model catalogueown photos
5221973–1975Fountain penyellow, black capexport only; also in the model catalogue, there without article numberpiston filler“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1536; model catalogue—
5225M 141251971–1982/1984Fountain penmetal, black capmodel catalogue: 1971–1982/1984; years according to the model catalogue; “Collectible Stars” II ends at its time limit of 1979cartridge filler, converter possible
steel nib (EF, F, M, B, OM, OB, shorthand)		“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1537; model catalogueown photos
—1977–1982/1985Fountain penblackno article number in the model cataloguecartridge filler, converter possible
steel nib, all nib widths		model catalogue—

Desk sets 1 entry

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
—1970sDesk setdesk stand shaped like a racing tyre, with fountain pen—penboardpenboard ↗

Rollerballs 2 entries

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
5301977–1980Rollerballblack and yellowmodel catalogue: 1975–1981, rollerball or felt-tip refill in red, green, blue, black and “neutral”—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1674; model catalogue—
530ms1977–1980Rollerballblackmodel catalogue: 1977–1982/1985—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1675; model catalogueown photos

Felt-tip pens 6 entries

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
—1973–1975Felt-tip penblack and yellow, yellow barrel endmodel catalogue: c. 1975–1982—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1676; model catalogue—
—1973–1975Felt-tip penblack and yellow, green barrel endmodel catalogue: c. 1975–1982—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1677; model catalogue—
—1973–1975Felt-tip penblack and yellow, blue barrel endmodel catalogue: c. 1975–1982—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1678; model catalogue—
—1973–1975Felt-tip penblack and yellow, red barrel endmodel catalogue: c. 1975–1982—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1679; model catalogue—
—1973–1975Felt-tip penblack and yellow, black barrel endmodel catalogue: c. 1975–1982—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1680; model catalogue—
—c. 1975–1982Felt-tip penyellow, black cap, brown barrel endno clip—model catalogue—

Ballpoints 4 entries

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
590M 142901971–1985Ballpointyellow and blackmodel catalogue: 1971–1985; years according to the model catalogue; “Collectible Stars” II ends at its time limit of 1979—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1583; model catalogueown photos
592M 142921971–1982/1984Ballpointmetal, blackmodel catalogue: 1971–1982/1984; years according to the model catalogue; “Collectible Stars” II ends at its time limit of 1979—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1584; model cataloguepenboard ↗
592M 142921971–1979Ballpointgreen, metalmore than ten colours known; model catalogue: 1971–1983; colours yellow, blood orange, red, burgundy, brown, turquoise, blue, light green, green, dark green, violet, black—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1585; model catalogue—
590 msM 142911977–1982/1985Ballpointblackpush-button mechanism—model catalogue—

Multicolour ballpoints 3 entries

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
570M 142701971–1980Multicolour ballpointblack and yellowfour colours; model catalogue: 1971–1985—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1636; model cataloguepenboard ↗
570msM 142711978–1980Multicolour ballpointblackfour colours; model catalogue: 1977–1982/1985—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1637; model catalogue—
572(572)1975–1980Multicolour ballpointblack, metalfour colours; model catalogue: 1971–1982/1984—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1638; model catalogue—

Push pencils 2 entries

No.YearsTypeVersionFilling system · nibSourcePhotos
550M 144501975–1980Push pencilblack and yellow, 0.92 mm leadmodel catalogue: 1971–1985—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1672; model catalogue—
550msM 144511977–1980Push pencilblack, 0.92 mm leadmodel catalogue: 1977–1982/1985—“Collectible Stars” II, ID no. 1673; model catalogue—

Sources

Facts from the following sources: “Collectible Stars” volume II (Rösler/Wallrafen), model catalogue “MONTBLANC Schreibgeräte 1980 – 2015”, forum posts in the archive of this website, in the Penexchange forum and on the Fountain Pen Network, individual pens at penboard (only as a link to photos) and the pages of this website.

This page gives no values or prices — neither original shop prices nor current offers.

Literature

  1. 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 ›
  2. 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 ›
  3. 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 ›
  4. dJens 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 ›