A marking apparatus, for facilitating blind slide-mounting of an object to a mounting surface in a desired alignment using the object as an alignment template, the apparatus comprising: (a) a post element including a head portion, a marking end and a shaft portion extending therebetween along a main axis, the shaft portion being at least partially threaded; (b) an object retention element movable with respect to the post element along the main axis between a closed position, an open position, and a gripping position therebetween, wherein: (i) the object retention element is resiliently biased toward the closed position, (ii) movement of the object retention element from the closed position to the open position results in the presentation of a lip groove for receiving a mounting lip of an object, the lip groove being at least partially defined by a gap distance between the head portion and the object retention element, and (iii) movement of the object retention element from the open position to the gripping position results in a reduction of the gap distance for securement of the mounting lip within the lip groove with a gripping force; (c) a tightening element threadedly transportable along the shaft portion between a release position and a lock position, thereby being configured to: (i) when in the release position, allow movement of the object retention element between the closed position and the open position, (ii) when in the lock position, prevent movement of the object retention element from the gripping position toward the open position, and (iii) enable adjustability of the gripping force; and (d) a cover element configured to engage the tightening element so as to restrict relative rotational movement therebetween about the main axis while enabling relative axial movement therebetween. (a) a post element including a head portion, a marking end and a shaft portion extending therebetween along a main axis, the shaft portion being at least partially threaded; (b) an object retention element movable with respect to the post element along the main axis between a closed position, an open position, and a gripping position therebetween, wherein: (i) the object retention element is resiliently biased toward the closed position, (ii) movement of the object retention element from the closed position to the open position results in the presentation of a lip groove for receiving a mounting lip of an object, the lip groove being at least partially defined by a gap distance between the head portion and the object retention element, and (iii) movement of the object retention element from the open position to the gripping position results in a reduction of the gap distance for securement of the mounting lip within the lip groove with a gripping force; (i) the object retention element is resiliently biased toward the closed position, (ii) movement of the object retention element from the closed position to the open position results in the presentation of a lip groove for receiving a mounting lip of an object, the lip groove being at least partially defined by a gap distance between the head portion and the object retention element, and (iii) movement of the object retention element from the open position to the gripping position results in a reduction of the gap distance for securement of the mounting lip within the lip groove with a gripping force; (c) a tightening element threadedly transportable along the shaft portion between a release position and a lock position, thereby being configured to: (i) when in the release position, allow movement of the object retention element between the closed position and the open position, (ii) when in the lock position, prevent movement of the object retention element from the gripping position toward the open position, and (iii) enable adjustability of the gripping force; and (i) when in the release position, allow movement of the object retention element between the closed position and the open position, (ii) when in the lock position, prevent movement of the object retention element from the gripping position toward the open position, and (iii) enable adjustability of the gripping force; and (d) a cover element configured to engage the tightening element so as to restrict relative rotational movement therebetween about the main axis while enabling relative axial movement therebetween.