Dating Montblanc 149s

[josephchow42]

What do they say, ONE picture save a THOUSAND words!!!

[Barry Gabay]

Beautiful photo of a great fountain pen with a superb nib. The nib looks to be set a bit high relative to the barrel end. Is it set well against the feed? From the factory, both older and current models usually have the very top of the149 engraving just visible below the collar ring inset in the barrel, or sometimes cut in half by the collar ring. When I re-set 149 nibs, that's the measure I aim for. If it the nib and feed are set well together and your pen writes well, the position of the nib is not an issue.

 

It's a beauty! Congratulations. I agree with Georges Z that you got a real deal. Enjoy.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Barry Gabay

[carlosviet]

Thank you

 

Beautiful photo of a great fountain pen with a superb nib. The nib looks to be set a bit high relative to the barrel end. Is it set well against the feed? From the factory, both older and current models usually have the very top of the149 engraving just visible below the collar ring inset in the barrel, or sometimes cut in half by the collar ring. When I re-set 149 nibs, that's the measure I aim for. If it the nib and feed are set well together and your pen writes well, the position of the nib is not an issue.

 

It's a beauty! Congratulations. I agree with Georges Z that you got a real deal. Enjoy.

Thank you for the suggestion... I bought it from an anticuarian and they might very well have cleaned/serviced it themselves without putting back the nib properly. After your comments I will take it to the MB Authorized Retailer for checkup. It writes well, but I find it finicky towards the ink used.

[carlosviet]

Beautiful photo of a great fountain pen with a superb nib. The nib looks to be set a bit high relative to the barrel end. Is it set well against the feed? From the factory, both older and current models usually have the very top of the149 engraving just visible below the collar ring inset in the barrel, or sometimes cut in half by the collar ring. When I re-set 149 nibs, that's the measure I aim for. If it the nib and feed are set well together and your pen writes well, the position of the nib is not an issue.

 

It's a beauty! Congratulations. I agree with Georges Z that you got a real deal. Enjoy.

 

Dear Barry,

 

Thank you very much for your tip. I went to the MB boutique and they saw the same as you pointed out. They resettled the nib and feed in front of me and now it is precisely as you specified. Interestingly, the pen has gone from a torrent-like broad to a good fine, which I prefer, and I find it a lot more precise and reliable.

 

C

[raffaele from turin - italy]

 

Hi,

 

I've found a 149 with a 18 c bitone nib very flexible, solid round ebonite feed, plastic threds, only germay on the clip ring...could you help me to date it?

I have never heard of 18c bitone nibs...for the french market?

[idazle]

Hi,

 

I've found a 149 with a 18 c bitone nib very flexible, solid round ebonite feed, plastic threds, only germay on the clip ring...could you help me to date it?

I have never heard of 18c bitone nibs...for the french market?

 

Could you possibly post a pic of the nib?

[paddy710]

Hi Guys,

 

First all can I just say what an incredible thread this is and so useful! I've spent the past few hours reading and researching this and it's been amazing.

 

Received my first MB 149 today, a used one from an auction site that was advertised as one from the 1980s. Compared to others I had been watching I think I got a good deal, no box or service book though.

 

After all the information I have digested from here these are my findings upon close inspection of my pen. It seems to be a Frankenstein of a pen!

 

Nib - is Tri-colour 18C. If you look at the photos you can see that there's some 'bleeding' (not sure if that's correct) of the gold on to the platinum, and there also seems to be a chip on the side of the nib which has taken away a bit of the gold. An 18C tri-colour nib could from the 60s?

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0049.jpg

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0041.jpg

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0044.jpg

 

 

Feed - It seems to be a first generation plastic feeder. Late 90s?

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0045.jpg

 

Barrel - two section barrel. 1983 onwards?

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0040.jpg

 

 

Filler threads - brass with a crisp piston ring. 1985 onwards?

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0046.jpg

 

Clip button - not welded

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0038.jpg

 

Clip ring - reads 'Germany' but notice the 'G' and 'Y' they don't seem to be perfect. No serial number and I'm guessing this pre-dates the 'W.Germany' versions. So around early 1980s?

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0035.jpg

 

Snowflake - Not sure what size this is in comparison to other 149s. It does have a feint mark in the middle due to maybe wear.

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0037.jpg

 

Cap - from what i've read in this thread it seems to be the older cap, with the diagonal lines in the engraved font. There are also dashes instead of dots separating 'Meisterstuck No 149' and 'Montblanc'.

 

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz309/imranvadia/IMG_0038a.jpg

 

All in all this seems to be a mish mash of a pen but I love it from the minute I opened it. It feels chunky and weighty and writes beautifully. I think the previous owner tried cleaning it out and there still seems to be some diluted black ink in the pen so I might attempt a proper clean later.

 

Would love to hear your thoughts and what you think is the nib size, it seems like a medium to me

[idazle]

Beautiful pen and pics, you are right to be proud of it. The nib seems to be older than the feed, the metallic filler threads and other parts of the pen. 18c tri-tone nibs were certainly produced through the 1960s and at least until 1975.

 

Regards

[RPB]

I have only just bought a 149 new from my local 'boutique'. My thanks to you all for this thread and the chart and info supplied. A very informative read full of great advice and stuff. Nice one!

[VladDracule]

This is an old post but i have a question. I recently purchased a fine nib MB 149 from the following thread:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/classifieds/item/24120-the-three-kings/

 

I havent received it yet, but based on what im seeing it dates all the way back to the late 80's?

It seems strange that something would be around uninked for so long

[MonicaMolinar]

Version 2.0

 

Reformatted and image of ski slope feed added.

 

http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss171/DKbRS/Pens/mbgridnewres.jpg

WOW! Many thanks to all who contributed to create this excellent chart! My original Montblanc fountain pen was stolen years ago. Finally, I found a replacement, although a different model (149). I now know, thanks to this chart, that the "new" pen is dated between 1985-1991. I knew it was used/vintage when I purchased it. I'm glad to know more about the pen now. This 149 is larger than my original pen, but writes just as beautifully!

 

Thanks again for the awesome chart! Great work!

[raging.dragon]

Hi Guys,

 

First all can I just say what an incredible thread this is and so useful! I've spent the past few hours reading and researching this and it's been amazing.

 

Received my first MB 149 today, a used one from an auction site that was advertised as one from the 1980s. Compared to others I had been watching I think I got a good deal, no box or service book though.

 

After all the information I have digested from here these are my findings upon close inspection of my pen. It seems to be a Frankenstein of a pen!

 

Nib - is Tri-colour 18C. If you look at the photos you can see that there's some 'bleeding' (not sure if that's correct) of the gold on to the platinum, and there also seems to be a chip on the side of the nib which has taken away a bit of the gold. An 18C tri-colour nib could from the 60s?

 

Feed - It seems to be a first generation plastic feeder. Late 90s?

Barrel - two section barrel. 1983 onwards?

 

Filler threads - brass with a crisp piston ring. 1985 onwards?

 

Clip button - not welded

 

Clip ring - reads 'Germany' but notice the 'G' and 'Y' they don't seem to be perfect. No serial number and I'm guessing this pre-dates the 'W.Germany' versions. So around early 1980s?

 

Snowflake - Not sure what size this is in comparison to other 149s. It does have a feint mark in the middle due to maybe wear.

 

Cap - from what i've read in this thread it seems to be the older cap, with the diagonal lines in the engraved font. There are also dashes instead of dots separating 'Meisterstuck No 149' and 'Montblanc'.

 

All in all this seems to be a mish mash of a pen but I love it from the minute I opened it. It feels chunky and weighty and writes beautifully. I think the previous owner tried cleaning it out and there still seems to be some diluted black ink in the pen so I might attempt a proper clean later.

 

Would love to hear your thoughts and what you think is the nib size, it seems like a medium to me

 

MB usually replace the barrel and feed when they service a pen. So it's seem likely your pen was serviced in the early 1990's, the barrel and feed replaced, and the older cap and nib retained.

 

[raging.dragon]

I just acquired an MB 149 with:

• 14K nib
• splite ebonite feed
• plastic piston threads
• 2 piece barrel
• clip stamped "Germany"
• no serial number
• umlaut has one dot inside the U

So based on the latest version of the chart, this would be a transitional pen made in or around 1985. However, pens combining the 14K nib and plastic threads seem more common than I'd expect for a transitional model - with 5 or 6 examples showing up in this thread. Thus I suspect they were produced for at least a few years, suggesting that either:

• the 14K nib was introduced before 1985
• the brass piston threads were introduced after 1985

I suspect the latter, since the piston thread dating seems to be base on a single comment that the transition occured in the mid 80's and earlier versions of the chart placed the transition in 1990.

Edited March 9, 2014 by raging.dragon

[GTOZack]

i absolutely love this illustration can it be the same for the 146??? i hope

[Francisco Pena]

Any new version?

[dmvara]

Great chart! I like to look at the history of how a fp can change over time. Super interesting!

[Zillaxila]

I bought a Montblanc 149 from an antique shop, it has a tri tone 18k Fine nib with brass threads, so I guess it is from the 2000's. It was a great find, I assume they didn't know what they had in their hands (antique shop) since they sold it to me for $165. I live in Panama and went to the Montblanc shop so they could service the pen, it had small scratches on the resin body which they polished. They told me it was an original MB 149. New in the store costs $1,200, so I guess I saved $1,035.00

[johnkim424]

Realistically, you saved about $235. A nice used MB 149 could be had for $400-$500. An excellent price nonetheless.

[Montblanc owner and lover]

thanks for this very interesting thread. Is there one similar for 146?

[Zillaxila]

well that's true johnkim...however finding a 149 at $400 is already a good price, and also depends on the condition of the pen. The one that I bought was in really nice condition, only small scratches on the body which I already buffed out. The only thing is that I don't have the box or papers.