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Greetings, Twenty-five years after seeing this model for the first time in a MB boutique, I was finally able to acquire one, used, on eBay. That was no small feat as it involved (a) finding one that was for sale (b) at a reasonable price, and (c) being financially positioned to make the investment. Since I have long scoured the Internet for videos showing the beautiful luster of this pen and never could find one, I am pleased to share pics from the unboxing here. I haven’t written with it yet as I’m pondering what nib tip to affix, perhaps a custom grind. It came with a medium which is the most boring nib size to me (ironic, I know). While this is certainly the most expensive pen I own, my favorite has always been the blue Waterman Edson which I’ve had for two decades. Have a good day. Thanks for reading.

Greetings, I also posted this message in the Introductions forum. Twenty-five years after seeing this model for the first time in a MB boutique, I was finally able to acquire one, used, on eBay. That was no small feat as it involved (a) finding one that was for sale (b) at a reasonable price, and (c) being financially positioned to make the investment. Since I have long scoured the Internet for videos showing the beautiful luster of this pen and never could find one, I am pleased to share pics from the unboxing here. I haven’t written with it yet as I’m pondering what nib tip to affix, perhaps a custom grind. It came with a medium which is the most boring nib size to me (ironic, I know). While this is certainly the most expensive pen I own, my favorite has always been the blue Waterman Edson which I’ve had for two decades. Have a good day. Thanks for reading.

When listing a pen on an auction site or when selling pens on other platforms, words such as ‘not working’ and ‘broken’ have a tendency to make buyers deeply hesitant. Sometimes though, it is worth the risk. The flip side of course is that it isn’t worth the risk at all and you end up crying over a steaming pile of junk and the money you wasted on it. Luckily the Carbon Fibre Solitaire that came to me from southern Spain was worth the risk even though the seller was honest enough to let me know that the piston mechanism was broken and the pen was not working. It had been well used by its previous owners but one owner had put some rather peculiar ink in it and then allowed it to dry out. Much soaking, flushing and meticulous cleaning (over about three months) got the piston moving and the pen into a working state again. As I said, it had been well used and came with plenty of war wounds. How or when these were acquired I do not know so I can’t really speak for the robustness of the finish on the barrel. Be warned, it's a finger-print magnet as can be seen in these pictures. The Carbon Fibre looks and feels like the sort of workhorse fountain pen that should sit in with the tools in the toolbox – maybe that is the life this one had at one point. Its broad nib is as smooth as butter, wet and has a nice yet subtle stub aspect. It has a screw cap and is a piston filler (now clean of ink and working nicely). The pen posts securely and the inner, almost waxy cap liner stops any possibility of marking the barrel. The tactile barrel is a high polished steel and although I can’t be certain, from the marks and scratches on this one, I’d presume that it might mark easily if you don’t in some respects baby your pen. The marks aren’t that severe, but you notice them more when it’s in strong sunlight. The cap is steel, layered over with a carbon fibre weave and a clear acrylic. The snow peak is in a black domed top at the tip of the cap. The carbon fibre weave is rather difficult to photograph. My phone camera couldn’t decide if it should focus on the surface of the clear acrylic or on the depth of the fibre weave. In many pictures it appears black, or at least a charcoal grey, but it is actually a somewhat peculiar colour – a sort of deep teal-leaning green. For something so industrial it’s actually very attractive with quite a strong sense of depth. Posted, the pen has a surprisingly good balance and doesn’t feel overly back weighted. Unposted it still has a good weight and length and I found the pen to be lighter than I thought it would be. The cap weighs 16g, the pen uncapped weighs 26g and capped it weighs 42g. Unposted the pen is 130mm and posted the pen is 158mm and capped the pen is 145mm. It takes two turns to screw and unscrew the cap. When I picked this up I was looking for a Montblanc with a broad nib that I didn’t have to worry about war wounds with. This pen already having lived seemed like a suitable punt. I wasn’t expecting much of it but it did surprise me in how much I liked it once it was up and running again. It’s a bit of a sober offering from Montblanc despite that high polish; the sort of pen that wouldn’t be out of place in an engineers office. The black plastic grip (with striped ink window) makes it easy to use without the worry of a slippery steel section. To buy one new and have it scratch up easily would be disappointing and I didn’t personally want to go down that route or have such a significant spend. Maybe others who own this can add their own experience of how robust the finish is. It could well be that the previous owners of this one were simply careless. Nevertheless, I think it’s a very attractive pen and if you like the more restrained and sleek look it is a good handling and pleasing writer.

Two and a half years ago, I purchased a Montblanc 146 pinstripe Solitaire with an extra-fine nib. The nib wrote beautifully; but after a little while, the piston mechanism broke--despite the care with which I had treated the pen, I must add. I sent it to Montblanc for repair, as it was still in warranty. The pen came back with the piston in perfect order; but the nib had been put way out of adjustment. I then sent it to John Mottishaw, who reground it to a true extra-fine of extraordinary quality; and I have since used the pen daily. Well, this evening, the pen, which had been loaded with Montblanc Permanent Blue ink, appeared suddenly clogged and reluctant to write; so I immediately rinsed out the ink, using the piston mechanism, of course. In the process, the piston broke--again despite my gentle handling of it. I offer two questions to the experts at FPN: Firstly, is there some problem with the design and durability of the Montblanc 146 piston mechanism? Secondly, is there a problem with Montblanc's Permanent Blue ink? I should add, parenthetically, that I need to use an ink which will not wash away when exposed to moisture, rain, or spilled liquids; anything less negates the whole raison d'être of a pen, fountain or otherwise, as far as I am concerned. I should have used iron gall ink, except that I had some concerns about the effect of such an ink on the pen's sterling silver casing. I should add that I have had some very bad experiences with Montblanc's repair department in the past. They do make beautiful-looking pens, and sometimes, excellent nibs; but the company does seem to have problems which, I feel, need to be addressed better than they apparently are.

This might come as a strange admission on a set of threads about solitaires but I’ve never been one to enjoy metal pens; in fact, I usually avoid(ed) them. Over the years pens with metal sections crept into use and I discovered to my surprise that they didn’t really bother me at all. I expected to have problems with the ‘slippery’ grip that is so often mentioned but found most to be fine and solid silver sections to be very pleasingly tactile and free of slippery menace. As I started to use other pens and had the opportunity to use pens owned by others I began to realise that the additional weight was really not the problem I had imagined it to be (a large factor in my avoidance of metal pens) and in fact, at times it aided the writing experience. So, slowly but surely my defences were broken down and over a number of years solitaires of one kind or another have crept into my pen collection and become very enjoyable pens. This thread – or perhaps more accurately, these threads (the label of ‘part one’ was the hint there)- will hopefully provide useful information on a number of Montblanc solitaires. I’ve stuck with Montblanc for the moment but may include others at the end. In truth, there are only two others that are not Montblanc. I’m not entirely sure of the meaning in the use of the word solitaire in regards to pens. I’m taking it to mean a metal or partially metal pen that is a ‘jewel’ – in some sense a little unusual and different from normal (not in the usual line-up of black resin pens). I’m sure someone will quickly correct me if I am far off the mark. This first offering is the Montblanc Pinstripe Solitaire in solid silver with gold plated rings and gold plated clip. Let’s get some of the detail out of the way first. The pen weighs 50gs capped and inked, 26gs uncapped and inked, measures 149mm capped, 130mm uncapped and 156mm posted. It is based on the 146 model and when I bought this second had it came with a somewhat unpleasant medium nib that was swapped out for a broad nib that is a little softer and considerably wetter. The cap is stamped near the base with the silver hallmarks and the section girth is 11mm. The ‘true’ Pinstripe Solitaire model was a pen that attracted me for many years, but fears of too heavy a weight put me off. The price also frightened me. They come in at around €1,500 - €1, 750. That – for me at least - makes for an exorbitantly expensive pen. I like silver, but I was also aware that it can mark very easily. I really didn’t like the idea of getting a pen at that price point and having to watch it slowly gather its war wounds as I used it; even if those war wounds would be largely minor scratches. I decided to watch auction sites and hope. Things may have changed now, but back when I was making an effort to watch places like ebay, Solitaire Pinstripes seemed to be holding significant resale value and appeared to be selling for around €1000; a price I still personally considered too high. I essentially gave up the chase. It's funny how something you want can appear when you stop looking. I stumbled across a Pinstripe at what I felt was a reasonable price. The seller was honest about the nib being a bit dry and not altogether good. Even factoring in the cost of a nib swap I was making a purchase at less than ebay’s asking and auction prices, so I leapt at it. The pen has a black resin section, so slippery metal sections were not a concern. This also provides the addition of an ink window – something that not all of the solitaire models have. The cap is a screw cap, taking much less turns to open and close (about half a turn), but it does cap very securely (and rather stiffly to be honest). The cap also posts and the plastic inner of the cap protects the barrel of the pen from being marked. You don’t have to force it down firmly for it to get a proper and secure grip. It’s a piston filler and feels secure and robust. The cap has a blank section, lacking pinstripes, where you can engrave a name or whatever you desire. Mine is left blank. The snow peak sits in a domed top of black resin on the cap and the rings and clip are picked out in gold plate and the nib is a two-tone nib. I find the writing experience with it to be very pleasing. As I mentioned, this pen came with a medium nib originally. It was unusually firm and very dry. I attempted to make it a little wetter but was not entirely successful. In the end I opted for a broad nib. By this stage I had realised just how much I liked this pen so ensuring a writing experience I liked seemed sensible. I had considered a double broad (my favoured nib) but my local B&M had a broad they could fit at considerably less than sending off for a new nib with MB. This meant I got the old nib back. I usually enjoy extra-fine and fine nibs too, but with a pen of this weight I thought it might be more comfortable and more enjoyable with the larger nib. I write with the pen posted and find it very comfortable, not too back weighted as to effect how I write and the nib glides over the page like a skate on ice with a little softness but no flex. I know some dislike that but it’s what I tend to look for in nibs. The broad nib has a slight stub aspect which isn’t always apparent in pictures but is easily noticed with the naked eye. This does mean that if you are prone to ‘rolling’ the nib you may see issues of what looks like slight skipping. Each MB nib tends to be a little different so some may be fine while others will have a more pronounced stub aspect. The broad is a wet writer and I do find I refill ink more regularly but not as regularly as I thought I would. In the writing sample given the pen is filled with Sailor Studio 837; a rather nice rust orange with subtle flow issues, but writes quite nicely in this pen. In finer nibs this ink can have a heavy sense of drag due to being a touch dry. The Pinstripe Solitaire is a very beautifully made pen. It holds comfortably in the hand and writes well but it’s the design that makes it that little bit more special. It has a resemblance to some kind of steam punk mechanical blimp and has a strong whiff of art deco styling – perhaps more than just a strong whiff. It wasn’t the first solitaire pen that I acquired but was certainly the first that tempted me all those years ago. Its acquisition has been a very long road but it’s a pen I thoroughly enjoy using. You may think me mad but silver often has a buttery quality about its touch to me and more than once I’ve found myself enjoying this tactile aspect as I polish it with my thumb. It’s a shame it is so expensive, and given the softness of silver I don’t think I’d buy new, but with patience second hand ones can be had at reasonable prices and at a reasonable price it is a remarkable pen and a pleasure to own and use. If buying second hand always remember to ask if the pen has any dents. I always asked this on ebay, for instance, and was somewhat shocked at the number of times I had replies of ‘yes’ for pen sales with no mention of dents and no visible dents in pictures. It’s a classic design that I’m sure won’t go out of style and it reminds me very much of the film Metropolis for some reason. Maybe it was all those hours I had to work to afford it.

I currently have a resin-exclusive collection, but I find myself increasingly drawn to the lustrous solitaire models - namely the stainless steel and platinum versions. Montblanc resin, while not exactly fragile, is of course more prone to scratches than steel. However, I consider the resin models more classy and symbolic of Montblanc heritage. For owners of both, which do you prefer and why?

Hi there, I have had this Mont Blanc pen for nearly 20 years and I've only started getting back into writing with it after 10+ years of neglect. I've moved around a hell of a lot in the last 10 years or so (a few different countries etc...) and a lot of my things are in storage. I have the box in storage but I can't get to it. I had a few questions, if anyone is kind enough to answer. 1) Does anyone know what size this is? I honestly don't remember the size at all from when it was given to me. I know the details are in the box but that's a few thousand miles away right now. 2) I think I have a medium nib, but I'm curious how much other nibs sell for. I was thinking of getting a bold down the line, maybe with a sort of calligraphy tip or something (not sure what they are called). How much do those run? Can I buy it from MB itself or do I have to buy it from someplace else? I currently live in Paris so things are, to say the least, accessible. 3) How often do you refill your MB? I just started using it again so I have no idea if I should be looking out to refill it at the end of the day? The week? A couple of days? Just curious. Thanks for any info!

Here is the first Tray with pens for sale in 2015 We have different Montblanc fountain pens and one Boheme Rollerball # 1 Boheme cartridge filler, BB nib size, Citrine jewel, price ; 540.- Euro # 2 Boheme Rollerball, red jewel, price ; 340.- Euro # 3 146 size Solitaire, early brass gold plated version ( no tarnishing ) F nib size, price ; 485.- Euro # 4 same then # 3 #5 146 size Solitaire, vermeil version, 925 sterling silver - gold plated, M nib size, price ; 525.- Euro # 6 146 size Solitaire, 925 sterling silver, M nib size; price 520.- Euro #7 146 size Solitaire, 925 sterling silver, Anniversary Edition with rosé gold plated trims ( 1924 Edition ) F nib size, ; price 2100.- Euro # 8 146 size Solitaire, Nikolai Edition, M nib size ; 980.- Euro # 9 144 size Solitaire, 925 sterling silver, Anniversary Edition with rosé gold plated trims ( 1924 Edition ), M nib size , no number because the cap was changed ; price 950.- Euro # 10 144 size Solitaire, Ramses Edition, M nib size ; price 950.- Euro All pens are in near mint to mint conditions, delivered with the "normal" Montblanc Gift box. Shipping worldwide registered airmail is included, if you like Express service via DHL or UPS please ask for the price. Any ??? ,please send a PM for more information or pictures. Any serious offer for for the whole tray ( without the tray ) is also welcome / possible. kind regards Max Other pens for sale : SALE

I recently purchased a new Montblanc 11738 fountain pen without a box or any papers. As far as I know and it looks, it is a 144SP sterling silver. What do you think about this pen? Although it's not a piston filler and being a little small in size, it seems to fit well in my hand when posted. I also can't see any differences from a 145 classic other than lacking threads on the barrel. Any info and comments deeply appreciated

Hi, my friend is on a trip to Copenhagen... he is staying in the ski petri hotel (@1172 kobenhavn, Denmark) he would have about 1 hour to spare so are there any good pen stores nearby where he may find montblanc solitaire series fountain pens... any and all help would be appreciated. thanks

Hi, I have used Caran d'Ache, Waterman and Parker fountain pens over the years but I never had a chance to own a Montblanc. At a store, I came across with two pens (Montblanc Meisterstuck Solitaire Carbon & Steel Fountain Pens 5819 & 5827), which are both on 40% discount. To the best of my knowledge, 5819 is bigger and a piston filler, while 5827 is smaller and a converter. My knowledge about Montblanc pens is very limited so I kindly ask for your help. Like everyone, I know the 149, 146, 145 and such but I have no idea about these two pens I mentioned above. Is the 5819 the same size and shape with 149? I first thought that 5827 was also a modified 146 but its nib is 18k. I am a little bit confused, since even the 40% reduced price of the 5819 is about the same with a 149. What do you think about those two pens and how would you compare them? Is it more reasonable to get the ever classic 149 or 146 instead of the pens I mentioned? Therefore, I would cordially appreciate any information, advice, and suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Hello Montblanc owners I recentlys tarted collecting Montblancs and was able to get some of them on ebay and one in Selfridges. I currently have a WE Schiller FP PoA Pavarotti FP I also have a nice generation rollerball and am waiting on 149 I know its a modest collection and I am aware there are people with completed sets here but I am always looking for new ones. So my main goal is to increase the collection but not overpay. I should mention I'm studying right now so don't have funds for overpaying. Thats what makes it even more appealing since I am constantly looking for deals. I was thinking of getting a shaw soon and then having small pause to gather more funds. One of the pens I want to have are gaius, joseph, ramses, einstein or other great characters. So if anyone is selling some interesting ones please contact me since I am not interested in whether its sealed or inked and for me a pen is both to look and write good. So I am a bit of both a collector and someone who would write with them. There is an outlet in the uk where I found many good deals one of those was the lennon limited for 1200 pounds but I was not sure if it was such a good deal as the people tell me hahah So anyone willing to talk, sell, or just discuss about models please do that Andrej

I like to share these pictures, Solitaire 146 with colored cap top. Red / orange, dark blue and dark green are available. All pens are gold plated brass and with the older nib-feed hull, so they are around from the end of 80´s. The sticker shows GERMANY; the clip W.GERMANY kind regards Max I like the red orange one :-)

I occasionally come across pictures of a Solitaire that has this pattern. I always thought it was only available in a 'pure silver' 146 FP. So is the 144 version in this pattern ever an authentic pen?

Those two obvious fake Solitaire style pens that sold on ebay.com 390795615993 and 321349585869 actually sold to the same buyer who has now received them and left feedback saying they are super rare and super nice. Still each to their own I suppose. Maybe he was Japanese as they arrived very quickly. However, I can't see his full ebay name in the feedback he left. Is that just me or are they always obscured even in feedback left or received? I know we can never see who they are during bidding, but I thought we could see them when they leave feedback.

I have a Montblanc sterling silver solitaire rollerball that is at least 20 years old. It is in immaculate condition. The 925 stamp is at the top of the pen not at the center of the barrel. Is there any collector value in this pen?

First off, my apology for adding yet another "is this fake" topic. The MB pen in question is a 18k Boheme Solitaire Gold Citrine with grid pattern that is listed on Ebay. I would like an advice if the boheme gold came in a grid design. I tried google as well as searching the FPN forum and nothing came up. (Well, google came up with other Ebay listing--which is not helpful at all.) The link below to the Ebay item: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=370797221001 Any MB collectors out there own such type of pen in grid pattern, or is it just another creative product of the counterfeiters? Was there ever a Boheme in gold with grid? From what articles I've found online, they all show (or point) to the Boheme gold with striped pattern only. Thanks in advance.