Besides a selection of materials and range of different colors, Montblanc offered differently decorated surfaces for the black hard rubber Meisterstück line of pens during the later 1930s. A corresponding letter was added to the model number around 1935 or 1936.
- G = glatt (smooth)
- S = schraffiert (hatched)
- E = Extraklasse (rose pattern)
Other patterns are known as well (e.g. a wavy pattern) but no catalog documentation is known.
Pens with decorated surfaces are highly sought after today. Unfortunately the delicate engraving is now worn on many pens after many, many years of use or due to surface restoration.
The following pens were available with the hatched or rose pattern:
- 102S, 104S, 106S and 108S
- 104E
- 122S, 124S, 126S and 128S
During the 1930s Montblanc already offered piston filler and pushknob filler pens but Meisterstück safety pens remained available for the conservative customer until c. 1939.
The shown Meisterstück 104S safety and 126S pushknob filler are nice examples to show the differences of both model lines. The 1939 catalog lists the Meisterstück 136 is for 27 RM (Reichsmark), the Meisterstück 126 for 24.30 RM and the Meisterstück 104 for 20.25 RM. The safety pen appears much bigger, even the 104 was less expensive compared to the 136 or 126.
Due to the safety's construction the size of the retractable nib was limited by the barrels opening. So the impression of the pens' sizes is different without the cap.
Even it is still fully visable on both pens, the hatched pattern shows some overall wear.
The safety filler is easy to distinguish by the different shape of the less streamlined barrel end and filling knob.
While the safety pens have no separate gripping section, the pushknob and later piston fillers have a curved gripping section which were used on many Montblanc pens until the 1950s.
The safety's filling knob shows the typical knurling, engraving of the model number and hole in the back.
