Why would anyone spend $250, or $500, or $1,000, or more on a fountain pen when a plain but efficient BiC will do the job for a small fraction of the price? The answer, of course, is that pricey pens are more than mere tools. Those who spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a pen see it as a fashion accessory that ranks right up there with their Patek Philippe wristwatch and Bentley sunglasses. In those two categories, customers have a long list of name brands to choose from, but in the world of fine writing instruments, one dominates: Montblanc. The case of each Montblanc pen is crested with the image of a six-pointed snowcap with rounded edges, an homage to the highest mountain in the Alps: Mont Blanc.

Montblanc International is a German maker of luxury goods, based in Hamburg. In addition to pens, the company also sells fine watches, jewelry, fragrances, leather goods, and eyewear. It was founded in 1906 by two businessmen: Alfred Nehemias, a banker, and August Eberstein, an engineer. They produced simple, functional pens, but went on to sell the business to three businessmen who had grander ideas.

Their first model of pen, introduced in 1909, was called the Rouge et Noir. It was followed by the pen that would later give the company its name: Montblanc. In 1924, the company unveiled its first true luxury fountain pen, the Meisterstuck, which translates as “the Masterpiece.” The Meisterstuck is still the top-of-the-line offering among Montblanc pens, with prices soaring to around $1,500 and higher. The low end starts with Montblanc’s ballpoint pens, which are priced around $250.

Montblanc continued to offer modestly priced pens until 1977, when the company was acquired by Alfred Dunhill Ltd. It focused Montblanc exclusively on the top of the writing instrument market and branched out into lines of goods other than pens (which are listed above). Today Montblanc is part of the Richemont group, which is owned by the Rupert family of South Africa. Its sister companies include Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chloe, and Baume et Mercier.

“I think there’s a certain status associated with Montblanc pens, similar to how designer watches are regarded. However, I don’t think it is entirely ‘snob appeal,’ as I believe that people are willing to pay more for quality items,” said Madeline Roberts, a cataloger for Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals, with locations in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee.

She added, “Montblanc is well established as a high-end brand that uses luxury materials, such as precious resin, vermeil, and 18K gold in their pens and nibs. I think in this age of cheaply made goods that break after a few uses, people appreciate well-made items that can last a lifetime.”

Roberts said Case Antiques has enjoyed success with Montblanc pens over the years because they’re fortunate enough to have had limited-edition pens from two well-known Montblanc lines: Patron of Arts, and Writers Edition. “These are highly decorative and unique pens that celebrate certain historic figures who are known for their contributions to the arts and literature,” she said. “The fact that they’re associated with recognizable historical figures only adds to their collectibility. For example, fans of Agatha Christie’s detective novels would likely be interested in owning a pen that was inspired by her writings.”

The Montblanc pens Roberts describes were manufactured in the 1990s and are not as readily available through retail stores anymore, at least not for the prices one might expect to pay at auction. For example, the Patron of Arts Prince Regent 4810 fountain pen retails for more than $4,000, whereas Case sold one for $1,320. “Granted, it was gently used,” Roberts said.

The market for Montblanc pens past and present remains robust. A Patron of Arts Peter the Great Montblanc pen in new condition sold for £900, or about $1,200, in 2014, a then-record for the model. “In July 2020, we sold the same pen in gently used condition for $1,560, including the buyer’s premium,” Roberts said. “This leads me to believe that Montblanc pens, especially those from the special limited-editions series, are and will continue to trend up, even if they are in used condition.”

As with any expensive fashion accessory, fakes pose a problem. Certain clues can help collectors detect genuine Montblanc pens. Meisterstück models created after 1990 have a serial number located on the ring at the top of the clip. Usually inscribed under the clip are the words “Made in Germany” and often “Pix.” Montblanc pens with black barrels might be made of what’s known as “precious resin,” and will reveal a reddish hue under strong lighting. If the pen does not have these attributes, then it could be a fake.

Malachite, memorable for its rich green color and silky, swirled patterns, is actually weathered copper ore. Ancient Egyptians, who sourced this mineral in the Timna Valley in what is now southern Israel, believed that it held magical, protective powers. They carried malachite seals and amulets, and to guard against ocular diseases commonly found along the Nile River, they ground it finely, then lined their eyes with the powder.

To Egyptians, malachite also signified life, death, and rebirth. In addition to portraying Osiris, the god of the dead, with green skin, they decorated coffins and created burial chamber paintings with malachite-green pigment.

From the 7th century on, malachite pigments appeared abundantly in Chinese and Japanese paintings. But the pure, coarsely ground hue that Renaissance artists favored proved very difficult to “work,” so they rarely used it. Eventually, ground malachite fell from use entirely, replaced by artificial pigments.

Limited deposits of malachite have since been discovered in Arizona, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, France, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scores of contemporary jewelers, including David Webb, Cartier, Chopard, and Van Cleef & Arpels, feature lavish malachite pieces in their permanent collections. Yet many museum experts, connoisseurs and collectors consider Russian malachite, discovered in the Ural Mountains, to be the finest of all.

“Malachite was a favorite of Russian tsars, who used it to decorate their lavish palaces, such as the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg,” said Lauren Goforth, Sr. Researcher at M. S. Rau. “Year after year, the Russian treasury paid top dollar to hoard the best malachite, much of which went into Romanov palaces and extravagant objets d’art,” she said. “Today, the Hermitage Museum possesses more than 200 examples of this ‘palatial’ malachite, displayed in the legendary Malachite Room.”

Some of the Malachite Room’s massive urns, columns and grand fireplaces, which are carved from huge, solid blocks of malachite, feature variegated light-to-dark banding in graceful, sweeping curves. Others displaycharacteristic so-called “peacock eye” patterning. Smaller pieces, made from blocks too pocked with pits to be cut into slabs, were crafted through Russian malachite mosaic. This technique entailed skillfully laying thin malachite veneers on basalt, slate, marble or metal bases in artful artificial or random patterns.

As Russian merchants became rich, they, too, commissioned prestigious malachite treasures. Some adorned their writing desks, cabinets, and mantelpieces with dramatic tapering obelisks. Others acquired malachite game boxes, chessmen, or elegant gaming tables topped by malachite- and-marble chessboards.

Though malachite is beautiful on its own, it is also sympathetic with other luxurious materials. Russian vases, jewel caskets, dresser boxes, and candelabras often feature opulent gold, silver, bronze, or gemstone decorative details. In addition, malachite clocks, inkwells, and desk sets were often mounted with ormolu, one of the most flamboyant decorative accents of the 19th century.

Conversely, ornate gold, silver, onyx, and ormulu boxes, urn lamps, and tea caddies often featured rich, mellow malachite trimmings. Since items such as these were highly prized diplomatic gifts. Examples can be found in countless palaces, state buildings, and museums in Mexico, England, and across Continental Europe.

In time, Russian jewelers also integrated malachite embellishments into gold and silver brooch and earring designs. They also fashioned beads or cabochons for ring stones, necklaces, cuff links, tie pins, and pendants. Smaller pieces, of course, are far less likely to display desirable malachite patterns.

“Malachite has long been a symbol of prestige and wealth,” explained Goforth. “The mineral was so prized in the 19th century that Russian papers of the time wrote, ‘To afford a big piece wrought in malachite is synonymous to owning diamonds.’”