MONTBLANC 342 from 1955 Fountain Pen Review

[@ajiusasikander1701]

Good morning, Sir. I am pleased to tell you that I won the Montblanc 342 we were discussing yesterday. Thank you for all your advice and for the education and pleasure that I and all viewers of this channel receive from your excellent videos, you really helped me to make a good choice. It is a surprise to me how pleased and excited I feel to now own a Montblanc, but I know that you know how that feels. Once again, my sincere thanks.

[@MsShoshi99]

Thank you for walking me through my wonderful new-for-me pen, just picked up after a lot of careful searching. Mine is the earliest generation as well. I love it.

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Congratulations on your beautiful pen! Enjoy it!

[@shamimehsanulhaque5244]

A great review of an amazing pen! I totally agree with you that the 342 had the perfect form factor. A pen enthusiast friend of mine has one 342. He purchased it from Ebay for 300+ USD. I tried his pen, and that example is a semi-flexible one. He used Waterman Mystery Blue ink to ink it, and has been using it regularly. Anyone who is on a budget, and wants a reliable Montblanc, can try out this vintage pen. It is likely to serve him well as a daily writer if due care is taken. I maybe wrong, but this pen seems robust and less vulnerable to wear and tear than some other MBs of the era.

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Yes. You are right! And when we think that the series 3XX was the entry level fountain pen before the Monte Rosa we realise the quality of all Montblanc writing instruments of the 1950's.

[@chrisjovenevangelista6484]

Happy 600 Subscribers!!! Going to 1000!!!

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Thank you very much! Now I have 624 Subscribers and I am pleased that they grow every day. I hope to reach 1000 as soon as possible! Thank you all!

[@archivist17]

@@ThePenCollectorBogdan The more people see and learn from your videos the better!

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

@@archivist17 glad to be of service! I really learn a lot also from your comments!

[@eliasg.2427]

That incident with the ink was quite funny I have to admit! Looks like some alien thing.

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Imagine my surprise because I didn't know about the "alien thing". 😉

[@JoelTurrell]

This is a fascinating installment in your channel. I learned a great deal about the. practical history of Montblanc pens. But I must admit a certain naughty interest in what happened to your Pelikan ink. I never realized that ink could support the growth of any living organism. I am awaiting your next video on Montblanc pen development.

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Thank you! I was surprised to see what happened to the green vintage ink from the 1980's but I remember that I've read somewhere that the old green ink in contact with the oxigen and the sun light can develop microorganisms. I think I will do a little research and I will make a video to explain the fenomen.

[@ajiusasikander1701]

The Creature From The Green Lagoon! Thanks for your help today, my friend!

[@dumbartonyankee]

I don't mind if there's a name on a vintage pen. It just makes it more affordable for me to buy and makes it more interesting.

[@archivist17]

Fascinating comparisons. Though Montblanc pens do not excite me, your explanation of the history and product lines are very enlightening. Very sorry to see what happened to your green ink :( If you find anything in your research that could help us from facing the same fate, please do share in a future video.

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

I thought that a review of over 30 minutes about a fountain pen where 40% of the time I do comparisons will receive a lot of critics from my viewers that have a limited time. Boy, I was wrong! I am glad that you liked my all time favourite fountain pens, The Montblancs of the early 1950's! The ink was my fault because it is a vintage from the 1980's. I think this things are common wth the old green inks.

[@petemanherz7296]

Another great review! I picked up a 3-42G a few years ago, it is an earlier version than yours, it was my first oblique. Like you, this nib has spoiled me for anything else. I now have three different pens that are obliques. The line variation is fabulous. Did you notice that obliques seem more popular in vintage german pens than in others? Had to cringe when I saw the stuff you pulled out of that ink, yuk! I hope you can clean out the pen and make sure all the mold is killed easily. Craciun fericit si un An Nou fericit (hope that's correct!)

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Thank you, Pete! I am glad you liked my small video. You are right! The oblique nibs were quite popular in Gemany in the 1950's and 1960's. I guess the the Germans had good taste in writing. The ink is a vintage ink from the 1980's. It was my mistache to use it. I will buy a new bottle of Pelikan 4001 Briliant Green because I like to write with it. I am reading your comment on the first of December, the national day of my country, Romania! So I thank you for "La Multi Ani!"

[@ciochinabogdanvasile]

Acum sper sa nu te superi, nu le văd rostul stilurilor vechi, un stilou e pt scris, dacă cumpăr stilouri vechi, ma oftic dacă se strica poate ca piesă de colecție. Asa nu ii înțeleg pe cei care colecționează ceasuri vechi, poate sale colecționez pentru valoarea istorică. Poate și pt ca nu îmi permit vintage.

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Nu ma supar pe tine, Bogdan! Fiecare are preferintele sale dar iti pot spune ce imi place mie la un stilou vintage: imi place istoria sa, materialele din care sunt confectionate, penitele de aur usor flexibile de pe anumite modele si raritatea lor. Sunt perfect de acord: un stilou este un instrument de scris si e pacat sa ramana nefolosit. De accea imi place sa folosesc toate stilourile vintage din colectia mea. Multe din ele au nevoie de restaurare sau de conservare si din grija pentru ele le folosesc mai rar. In ceea ce priveste pretul lor pot spune ca am gasit piese destul de rare si foarte frumoase la preturi destul de decente in comparatie cu preturile unui stilou nou. Poate in timp vei cumpara un model vintage de calitate si vei vedea ca sunt diferente mici fata de modelele noi dar acele diferente iti vor da o senzatie faina ce nu poate fi asa de usor exprimata in cuvinte.

[@pierosangermein2071]

Don't use that ink please. Is full of fongus. I mean

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

Yes. You are right! I think the color is the same as it is on the new bottle.

[@MM-wo8wh]

I did hear that Montblancs with yellowish star (mountain) are mostly fake. The real Montblanc logo is always white and stays white even when they are 50 years old. Except the nacre logo is slightly yellow but you can identify that on the shine. Could be wrong on this.

[@claudiotata2819]

But you are not able to write, how do you advertise a fountain pen? perhaps it is better that you dedicate yourself to a broom 😀

[@ThePenCollectorBogdan]

I don't advertise. I collect.