I love Montegrappa a lot. I have ten of their pens, including two Fortunas, (Copper Mule and Heartwood). I think the Fortuna is the model to get if you’re only going to have one Montegrappa pen. Because it’s just great, all round - design, looks, build quality, price/value, performance etc.. All my Montegrappa pens (save three) have Bock nibs which I’ve always much preferred to Jowo. Yours is clearly a Bock nib. Montegrappa mostly uses Jowo now, but seem to tweak and tune the nibs in-house, in ways that make them write quite distinctly nicely - unlike just a generic Jowo steel nib on other pens. If you sell this pen, I hope somebody buys it fast because it’s so much better than buying yet another Jowo nib-holder in the market today. edit: I think the Montegrappa Elmo and Elmo 02 are worth considering if anybody in the comments section is looking for a great, not ‘gaudy’, affordably priced Montegrappa pen with a sweetly tuned steel nib.
You're right: I incorrectly identified my nib. I even remember thinking to myself that I shouldn't screw this up prior to filming the writing sample. Of course I got it wrong! I too hope to find the right buyer. That may be why I've been less than enthusiastic about selling it. It really is a good pen, just not one I use very often.
Lovely material, and a reasonable pen; far less vulgar than their extravaganzas; but I think I can live without one. Thanks for the show. Cheers from the Dingoes.
I have one Montegrappa from the mid 90s. Really nice celuloid. Cap screws on to post, which is kind of a pain, but otherwise I have no complaints. I recently bought a different model (all black) from there 00s, with which I really don't have much experience yet. You pen really looks classy.
I, too, have pens I was excited about when I purchased them but eventually stopped using. Sometimes there's no particular reason. In general, I like the Montegrappa brand, although I did get one Mia that needed a lot of work on the nib, and that was disappointing at that price point. You can tell the difference between a Bock nib and a Jowo nib by looking at the plastic feeds (if you have plastic). They are different in shape.
You are one ahead of me, I have not owned a Montegrappa yet . Others I have yet to own are Visconti, Esterbrook,Montblanc. Thinking about it, I don’t see any point in collecting brands for the sake of it. Unless a brand has a pen that really appeals strongly to me, don’t see any point in getting it. The other major issue is cost,affordability.
Hi! I have a 3 Fortuna pens, but used to have 5. They used to use Bock nibs and then changed to Jowo nibs. Yours seems to be a Bock (Jowo have "Italia" under "Montegrappa" and the nib size is engraved inside a star-shaped space; Bock has no "Italia" and nib size is inside an hexagonal space. And you have the "B" engraved on the base of the nib. Hard to see because it is a bit inside the section, but it is visible in your video.
Thank you! You have a much better eye than I do. I did not see that B at all, and even went over the nib with my loupe. With your description, I found it right away.
I fully understand your feelings about this pen. It clearly works well enough but is it exciting? Perhaps not. If you're not using it then it probably needs a new home.
I have just a couple of Montegrappa pens with the Elmo far and away my favorite. If you don't mind my asking, where/how do you sell your pens? Selling some has been on my to-do list for a couple of years now.
Nice to see this one again, though I tend to agree with you....Meh. This brings up another question. How does one find out when you are about to sell a pen. I might be a “player” -not this one though, lol.
I haven't figured out a system for selling. It mostly comes up because of the other party. But if you have a suggestion about how to make it public, I would welcome it!
I love Montegrappa a lot. I have ten of their pens, including two Fortunas, (Copper Mule and Heartwood). I think the Fortuna is the model to get if you’re only going to have one Montegrappa pen. Because it’s just great, all round - design, looks, build quality, price/value, performance etc..
All my Montegrappa pens (save three) have Bock nibs which I’ve always much preferred to Jowo. Yours is clearly a Bock nib. Montegrappa mostly uses Jowo now, but seem to tweak and tune the nibs in-house, in ways that make them write quite distinctly nicely - unlike just a generic Jowo steel nib on other pens.
If you sell this pen, I hope somebody buys it fast because it’s so much better than buying yet another Jowo nib-holder in the market today.
edit: I think the Montegrappa Elmo and Elmo 02 are worth considering if anybody in the comments section is looking for a great, not ‘gaudy’, affordably priced Montegrappa pen with a sweetly tuned steel nib.
You're right: I incorrectly identified my nib. I even remember thinking to myself that I shouldn't screw this up prior to filming the writing sample. Of course I got it wrong!
I too hope to find the right buyer. That may be why I've been less than enthusiastic about selling it. It really is a good pen, just not one I use very often.
Lovely material, and a reasonable pen; far less vulgar than their extravaganzas; but I think I can live without one. Thanks for the show. Cheers from the Dingoes.
Couldn't agree more!
I have one Montegrappa from the mid 90s. Really nice celuloid. Cap screws on to post, which is kind of a pain, but otherwise I have no complaints. I recently bought a different model (all black) from there 00s, with which I really don't have much experience yet. You pen really looks classy.
I think this pen is absolutely gorgeous! My main objection really is that I just don't tend to ink it up very often.
I, too, have pens I was excited about when I purchased them but eventually stopped using. Sometimes there's no particular reason. In general, I like the Montegrappa brand, although I did get one Mia that needed a lot of work on the nib, and that was disappointing at that price point. You can tell the difference between a Bock nib and a Jowo nib by looking at the plastic feeds (if you have plastic). They are different in shape.
You're right. I should have realized this one was a Bock nib. The pen itself is nice, but I never find myself inking it up;.
You are one ahead of me, I have not owned a Montegrappa yet . Others I have yet to own are Visconti, Esterbrook,Montblanc.
Thinking about it, I don’t see any point in collecting brands for the sake of it. Unless a brand has a pen that really appeals strongly to me, don’t see any point in getting it.
The other major issue is cost,affordability.
Back then, I was interested more in brands. Now, my focus is mostly vintage. And, of course, I found this pen attractive back then.
I enjoy your videos, thanks for posting !!
Glad you like them!
Hi! I have a 3 Fortuna pens, but used to have 5. They used to use Bock nibs and then changed to Jowo nibs. Yours seems to be a Bock (Jowo have "Italia" under "Montegrappa" and the nib size is engraved inside a star-shaped space; Bock has no "Italia" and nib size is inside an hexagonal space. And you have the "B" engraved on the base of the nib. Hard to see because it is a bit inside the section, but it is visible in your video.
Thank you! You have a much better eye than I do. I did not see that B at all, and even went over the nib with my loupe. With your description, I found it right away.
I fully understand your feelings about this pen. It clearly works well enough but is it exciting? Perhaps not. If you're not using it then it probably needs a new home.
That's become my mantra on a lot of things. I'm working to unload possessions. I may move or may not, but why keep stuff that I don't use it?
I have just a couple of Montegrappa pens with the Elmo far and away my favorite. If you don't mind my asking, where/how do you sell your pens? Selling some has been on my to-do list for a couple of years now.
So far, my sales have been through E-mail correspondence. I too would like to figure out how to sell a bunch of pens!
Nice to see this one again, though I tend to agree with you....Meh. This brings up another question. How does one find out when you are about to sell a pen. I might be a “player” -not this one though, lol.
I haven't figured out a system for selling. It mostly comes up because of the other party. But if you have a suggestion about how to make it public, I would welcome it!