Montblanc Vintage 1960–1989 Turbo, Quickpen, Traveller, Leonardo and Titano

In the 1980s there were a number of other pens besides the Meisterstück, Noblesse and SlimLine: the Turbo, the Quickpen, the Traveller ballpoints, the Leonardo and the Titano. In addition there were Dunhill-brand pens from Montblanc’s production.

Turbo

The Turbo was a school pen (forum post of 14 February 2011), introduced in 1983 and made until 1988. The model catalogue lists it for 1983–1988 and its chronology gives 1983 as the year of introduction; “Collectible Stars” volume II, which runs to 1979, does not list it yet. The range included:

• fountain pen 5235
• rollerball 5335 (“Quickpen”)
• twist ballpoint 5635

All are in brushed stainless steel, with a knurled plastic section and a black plastic bead on the clip. According to a forum post the Turbo was made — “as far as I know” — not by Montblanc itself but by Mutschler in Heidelberg (forum post of 2 May 2005). The “spot” on some pens is a design element (post on Penexchange (thread “Montblanc Turbo (Schulfüller 70-80er Jahre)”)). Photos are on the Turbo page.

Quickpen

“Quickpen” was the name of Montblanc’s rollerball with which the system was introduced in the 1970s (forum post of 16 March 2005); the model catalogue also uses it for the rollerballs of the Noblesse, SlimLine and Turbo. Besides, there was an independent, inexpensive “Montblanc Quickpen” in stainless steel, 1979–1986, unrelated to Noblesse or SlimLine (forum post of 27 September 2006, forum post of 22 March 2011).

It came in a silvery cardboard box of about A5 size with refills for rollerball, fineliner and felt tip (forum post of 27 September 2006). It also takes Schmidt fineliner refills, with a spacer at the back of the barrel (forum post of 10 April 2007).

Traveller ballpoints

The model catalogue lists the ballpoints Traveller 5200 in coloured high-gloss plastic and 5201 with a chrome-plated satin barrel, both with a white star on the clip, for 1983–1984. They are not the later fountain pen Meisterstück 147 Traveller (1994–2018). The number index in “Collectible Stars” volume I also places the ballpoint 690 under “Traveller”; the model catalogue lists it as a range of its own (Junior and the 600s).

Leonardo and Titano

The model catalogue lists the push ballpoint “Leonardo da Vinci” in chrome- or gold-plated stannium alloy for 1987–1988; its chronology places the issue of the Leonardo ballpoints in 1985. “Collectible Stars” volume II, which runs to 1979, does not list it. To change the refill, press the button below the engraving and lift off the push button and mechanism; the new refill needs the extension adapter (forum post of 10 October 2018).

The Titano consisted of a fountain pen and a twist ballpoint in matte grey or glossy black stainless steel with gold-plated trim; the fountain pen had a 14 ct gold nib. It was made in 1987–1988.

Dunhill

At the end of the 1970s Dunhill came in as a co-investor in Montblanc and later took over the company entirely (forum post of 2 March 2005). In this period Montblanc also made pens under the Dunhill brand, for example the lacquer Noblesse with a different body and nib engraving (forum post of 12 January 2006). penboard shows Dunhill fountain pens in rolled gold with barleycorn guilloche, silver-plated ones and pens with Chinese lacquer.