Montblanc 256 Fountain Pen, “the BIG one”, Germany 1950s

Offered for your consideration is this beautifully preserved Montblanc N° 256 piston-filling fountain pen from the 1950s.

The N° 256 was the largest model in Montblanc’s first generation of fountain pens equipped with a slip-on cap, giving it considerably greater presence than its smaller companions in the range.

Its substantial proportions are complemented by an equally impressive original solid 14K gold wing nib, while the cap is crowned by Montblanc’s unmistakable white snowflake emblem.

The result is a particularly handsome post-war Montblanc: large enough to feel substantial in the hand, yet retaining the restrained elegance and balance characteristic of the company’s finest mid-century writing instruments.

One of the defining features of this N° 256 is its unusually large original solid 14K gold wing nib. The nib is signed: 14C MONTBLANC 585

Its Medium point has a pleasantly semi-flexible character, responding naturally to variations in writing pressure and providing a modest degree of expressive line variation.

The generous size of the nib is particularly well suited to the proportions of the N° 256 and gives the pen an impressive appearance both in the hand and when uncapped.

The N° 256 uses Montblanc’s traditional piston-filling system, allowing ink to be drawn directly into the barrel from a bottle.

The filling mechanism has been serviced and tested and is functioning properly.

This Montblanc N° 256 remains in exceptional Near Mint vintage condition.

• No brassing
• No personalized engraving
• No chips or cracks
• No dents or deformation
• Original solid 14K gold wing nib
• Serviced and fully tested

Its unusually fine state of preservation makes this a particularly attractive example of one of Montblanc’s most imposing post-war fountain pens.

The partnership that would develop into the Montblanc Pen Company was founded in 1906 by businessman Alfred Nehemias and engineer August Eberstein, together with silent associate Claus-Johannes Voss.

From a small workshop in Hamburg’s Schanzen district, the young firm initially operated as a subcontractor, producing fountain pens and pen components for other companies.

An important turning point came with the arrival of banker Max Koch, whose investment enabled the partners to establish their own corporate identity in 1908 as the Simplo Filler Pen Company.

Their first important model, the Rouge et Noir, appeared in 1909. It was followed in 1910 by the pen whose name would eventually become that of the company itself: Montblanc.

The first writing instrument bearing the Meisterstück name was introduced in 1924, establishing a designation that would become synonymous with Montblanc’s finest pens. A decade later, the company introduced its first piston-filling fountain pens.

During the post-war decades, Montblanc continued to develop increasingly modern designs while preserving the craftsmanship, gold nibs and sophisticated filling systems upon which its reputation had been built.

In 1977, Montblanc was acquired by Dunhill. Today the company forms part of the Richemont Group alongside such prestigious maisons as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vacheron Constantin and IWC.

Produced during the 1950s, the present N° 256 belongs to an especially interesting transitional period in Montblanc design. As the largest model in the company’s early slip-cap series, with its imposing proportions, substantial 14K gold wing nib and remarkable state of preservation, it is an especially desirable example for the collector of important vintage Montblanc writing instruments.