Product Description
Type Combination fountain pen and ballpoint
Product Name Monte Carlo
Manufacturer and Year Visconti, Italy -- mid-1990s
Length 5-5/8" uncapped; 6-3/16" capped
Filling System The fountain pen side takes international cartridges (the barrel seems too short for converters). The ballpoint takes a tiny 1.75" long refill that may be nearly impossible to find; the one that's currently installed does not work. It's about the same diameter as a D2 mini-pen refill, but much shorter. We have a few of these refills and they all seem to have ink in them, but none will write.
Color Red Bakelite w/GT and black accents (sections, end piece on cap). Bakelite was first developed in 1907, and is considered to be the first synthetic plastic; in the early 1990s Visconti produced the Monte Carlo in this material to bring a vintage feel to a modern pen.
Nib MEDIUM gold plated nib
Condition Excellent + condition with no cracks, chips, dents, or dings. This is a beautifully shiny, deep red unusual combination of writing technologies. The red and black bakelite have some texture that makes it difficult to see scratches. There are just a few on the cap and no obvious ones on the barrel. The cone and cap band have light microscratching. The clip looks great. The black section on the ballpoint looks great; the black section on the fountain pen has some light microscratching. The ballpoint refill extends but is a little sluggish when it comes to retracting so you have to push it in. The imprint is clear.
