Montblanc · 1930s
Montblanc 232 Brown Marble
Second Issue — c. 1936, a single year of production
Dated to a single year by its patent imprint — the 23x line's rarest colour, preserved as if it never left 1936.
E4 Very Rare
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- Professionally serviced — full writing order
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- 14-day examination period
- Year
- 1930s · c. 1936
- Nib
- 14C · F · Flexible
- Material
- Brown marble celluloid & black ebonite
- Filling system
- Piston filler
- Condition
- New Old Stock
- Length
- 11.7 cm / 4.60 in
Heritage & Provenance
The story of this piece
Why it exists
The 23x series carried Montblanc's piston-filler programme into the mid-1930s, and among its finishes the brown marble celluloid stands apart — a warm, layered material that appears only exceptionally rarely in this line. This example pairs that colour with the black ebonite fittings of the period.
Why it matters
The pen's dating rests on documented patent chronology rather than estimate. The first issue of 1935 bears 'D.R.P. ANGEM.' (patent applied for); the second carries 'D.R.P. 544477', the patent granted to Montblanc in 1932 and applied across models and filling systems in the following years; from 1937 the line moved to the 'D.R.P. 652405' imprint. A pen carrying 544477 therefore belongs to the narrow production window around 1936.
Why it is rare
One colour rarely chosen, inside one issue effectively limited to a single year — the population was never large, and survivors in this state are smaller still. All imprints are ultra deep and crisp, in true New Old Stock condition: a level of clarity rarely encountered in pens approaching a century in age. The brown marble retains its full visual depth and complexity.
How it survived
New Old Stock, with a couple of micro-hairlines near the star — a natural characteristic of passing time, sometimes seen on 1930s Montblanc pieces — and minor signs of storage on the knob. The flexible 14C F nib is a smooth writer, tested with light pressure; the piston works fully and holds ink perfectly. Professionally serviced and in full writing order.
Taken together — the rare brown marble colour, the one-year second issue identified by D.R.P. 544477, and New Old Stock preservation — a refined and highly collectible specimen from the brand's golden era.
Condition & Inspection
Inspection report
- Imprints: cap, system section and knob — all ultra deep and crisp, New Old Stock.
- Nib: flexible — a smooth writer, tested with light pressure.
- Filling system: fully working; holds ink perfectly.
- Overall: New Old Stock, with a couple of micro-hairlines near the star and minor signs of storage on the knob.
- Professionally serviced and in full writing order.
Condition grades describe preservation state; every piece is additionally serviced and brought to full writing order before it is offered. Inspected by Pen Essence.
Specifications
Measured & recorded
| Brand / Model | Montblanc 232 Brown Marble, Second Issue |
|---|---|
| Year / Period | 1930s — attributed c. 1936 via patent imprint |
| Nib | 14C · F · Flexible |
| Material / Finish | Brown marble celluloid & black ebonite |
| Filling system | Piston filler |
| Length (capped) | 11.7 cm / 4.60 in |
| Diameter (cap) | 1.3 cm / 0.51 in |
Rarity
E4 · Very Rare — on the Pen Essence Curation Scale
Brown Marble is exceptionally uncommon within the 23x line, and the second issue — identified by the D.R.P. 544477 patent imprint — can be attributed to a narrow window around 1936, effectively a single year of manufacture. New Old Stock examples with untouched, ultra-deep imprints are very seldom encountered.
Exceptional · Museum-Grade
Very Rare This piece
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Authenticity & guarantee
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Shipping & packaging
Worldwide via UPS Express — fully insured and tracked, handled with archival care. Typical delivery: 2 days at the fastest, around 7 days to most destinations, up to 14 days at the outside. Details →
Examination period & terms
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Correspondence
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Further examination
