Montblanc 145 Opinions

[EricJS]

I have a Montblanc 145 Fountain - 75th Anniversary Special Edition. I bought it in '99 but have never used it.

 

I haven't seen much information on the 145, but it doesn't seem like a very "hefty" writing instrument in terms of body size.

 

My question is a bit broad: What are your opinions about this pen (size, feel, value, comparison to other Montblanc Fountains, etc.)

 

Thank you for your input.

Eric

[s5blitzer]

If you are referring to the SE and not the 1924 LE version, I believes it writes like a normal 145 but not too big like a LeGrand (146). It is a perfect daily writer but a little ornate due to the more visible gold trim. It was probably sold about $200-$250 in 1999 and is not as valuable as the LE version today (up 3 times more than the SE). It is a great value today if you start to use/ink it. :blink:

 

Regardless, both new SE and LE are priced too high today - all about supply and demand. After all, there is no discriminate differences with a regular 145. It should be a keeper.

[pavoni]

I only have the regular MB 145 among my 14 MBs and I must say, whilst my preference is always for my larger pens, my 145 is reliable, convenient and just about right in terms of weight, length and balance (I never post) and as such, is a regular in my rotation system.

 

Being able to pocket a handy little box of cartridges (instead of carrying bottled ink), as well as being able to hold a spare in the body of the pen, my 145 is one of the first items that gets packed for any business flight, and or those situations where I am away from home overnight. It has certainly earned its right to stay in my collection. If I ever lost it, I would certainly acquire another.

 

Great pen which is often over-shadowed by its larger siblings.

 

Pavoni

[EricJS]

If you are referring to the SE and not the 1924 LE version, I believes it writes like a normal 145 but not too big like a LeGrand (146). It is a perfect daily writer but a little ornate due to the more visible gold trim. It was probably sold about $200-$250 in 1999 and is not as valuable as the LE version today (up 3 times more than the SE). It is a great value today if you start to use/ink it. :blink:

 

Regardless, both new SE and LE are priced too high today - all about supply and demand. After all, there is no discriminate differences with a regular 145. It should be a keeper.

 

Yes, it is the SE version. I really liked the extra gold banding around the top of the anniversary pens. I can't remember how much I purchased it for, but it was less than the $350 sticker on the box.

 

I like the look & feel of larger pens. This one falls a little short of that, but I still may start using it.

 

Eric

[EricJS]

I only have the regular MB 145 among my 14 MBs and I must say, whilst my preference is always for my larger pens, my 145 is reliable, convenient and just about right in terms of weight, length and balance (I never post) and as such, is a regular in my rotation system.

 

Being able to pocket a handy little box of cartridges (instead of carrying bottled ink), as well as being able to hold a spare in the body of the pen, my 145 is one of the first items that gets packed for any business flight, and or those situations where I am away from home overnight. It has certainly earned its right to stay in my collection. If I ever lost it, I would certainly acquire another.

 

Great pen which is often over-shadowed by its larger siblings.

 

Pavoni

 

 

That is good to know. I just don't see much information on this particular pen. These are the things I was hoping to hear.

 

Eric

[lsmith42]

I only have the regular MB 145 among my 14 MBs and I must say, whilst my preference is always for my larger pens, my 145 is reliable, convenient and just about right in terms of weight, length and balance (I never post) and as such, is a regular in my rotation system.

 

Being able to pocket a handy little box of cartridges (instead of carrying bottled ink), as well as being able to hold a spare in the body of the pen, my 145 is one of the first items that gets packed for any business flight, and or those situations where I am away from home overnight. It has certainly earned its right to stay in my collection. If I ever lost it, I would certainly acquire another.

 

Great pen which is often over-shadowed by its larger siblings.

 

Pavoni

+1

 

I have two (both with platinum trim), and they are both excellent in every way...

[meiers]

I love mine. Outstanding nib, handles well.

[carlosjaviercontreras]

Size: Too small.  Feel: Cheap. Compare it with the feel of a modern Conway Stewart and have a good laugh.  Value: Poor, you can have a real FP for three quarters of what Montblanc asks for this thing.  Comparison to other Montblanc Fountains: If you want a cartridge fed Meisterstück, they offer the 147. The 145 is the FP of choice for people that doesn't know what they're buying.  No wonder why you've never used it in 12 years.

Edited April 29, 2011 by carlosjaviercontreras

[EricJS]

Size: Too small.  Feel: Cheap. Compare it with the feel of a modern Conway Stewart and have a good laugh.  Value: Poor, you can have a real FP for three quarters of what Montblanc asks for this thing.  Comparison to other Montblanc Fountains: If you want a cartridge fed Meisterstück, they offer the 147. The 145 is the FP of choice for people that doesn't know what they're buying.  No wonder why you've never used it in 12 years.

 

I didn't make a bad investment. If it's truly junk, I'll sell it & make a little profit. I just wanted some advice on weather to ink it or sell it. Thank you for your input, though. I need to see the good and the bad.

 

Anyone else?

[lsmith42]

Size: Too small.  Feel: Cheap. Compare it with the feel of a modern Conway Stewart and have a good laugh.  Value: Poor, you can have a real FP for three quarters of what Montblanc asks for this thing.  Comparison to other Montblanc Fountains: If you want a cartridge fed Meisterstück, they offer the 147. The 145 is the FP of choice for people that doesn't know what they're buying.  No wonder why you've never used it in 12 years.

Wow... Did a 145 bite you as a child?

 

My 145s (notice the use of the plural) were not my first FPs, or my first MBs for that matter. I knew exactly what I was buying and why. Besides, I've not seen a 147 in platinum trim, which was a second motivation.

 

Full disclosure: I've recently acquired a "modern Conway Stewart"... It's a nice pen, but the nib leaves much to be desired compared to any of my MBs. A little TLC will make it right, I'm sure.

 

Meanwhile, I your right to state as fact those subjective things that will only boil the blood rather than usefully inform.

[pajaro]

Size: Too small. Feel: Cheap. Compare it with the feel of a modern Conway Stewart and have a good laugh. Value: Poor, you can have a real FP for three quarters of what Montblanc asks for this thing. Comparison to other Montblanc Fountains: If you want a cartridge fed Meisterstück, they offer the 147. The 145 is the FP of choice for people that doesn't know what they're buying. No wonder why you've never used it in 12 years.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/194219-do-unto-others/

[pajaro]

Size: Too small. Feel: Cheap. Compare it with the feel of a modern Conway Stewart and have a good laugh. Value: Poor, you can have a real FP for three quarters of what Montblanc asks for this thing. Comparison to other Montblanc Fountains: If you want a cartridge fed Meisterstück, they offer the 147. The 145 is the FP of choice for people that doesn't know what they're buying. No wonder why you've never used it in 12 years.

 

I didn't make a bad investment. If it's truly junk, I'll sell it & make a little profit. I just wanted some advice on weather to ink it or sell it. Thank you for your input, though. I need to see the good and the bad.

 

Anyone else?

 

I recently acquired one of these. I like the size and think it is a very nice pen that I will come to use more and more. Mainly I have liked 144s but have had a couple of 146s and a 149, all 1980s models. They are all good pens, but I have disposed of the 149 and the 146 will also go. You will find that there are those who like all the Montblanc products and some who like only parts of the MB product line. There are also those who turn up their noses at the smaller MB pens. I suppose that's to each his own, but rubbing someone's nose in what they perceive as the inferiority of a product is something one could refrain from. All the MB products are high quality for their niche in the market. The 145 is not junk. Lots of people seem to like them. There are so many higher cost pens in the Montblanc product line that certainly some purchasers will find their comfort level at the higher end. The dissing, however, could be kept to one's self, along with the moon.

[EricJS]

I appreciate all the (rational) input I've received. I originally bought this for reasons other than writing with it, because I knew it would appreciate in value (and it has) but I'm tempted to start using it.

 

Thanks again.

[carlosjaviercontreras]

Sorry if my experience with that particular pen offends you guys. I'm a Montblanc lover but not a Montblanc's kool-aid drinker. I gave my honest opinion based on the 145 I've got when I didn't know anything about FP's (hence my remark on that regard). It was returned to the boutique for a full refund within two days of purchase due to intermittent ink flow in an almost 500 dollars pen.

 

After that one, I've put my hard earn cash into a 114 Mozart, a 149, a Bohème Noir, a 161 LeGrand ballpoint and a 163 Solitaire rollerball. I was given a used 144 as a gift, too. I consider every one of those a better value than a 145, even after considering that I'm a Chopin's music lover.

 

Eric,

 

My sincere apologies if my vehement post offended you in any regard. If I may elaborate, it is perfectly ok to buy a FP made for people that know nothing about those instruments. I really believe that's the target audience of MB's 145s. On the other side, FPs are not good investments. They loose half its value almost inmediatelly after purchase, and if you consider the value of money over time (don't know the exact term in English), you end up with less money.

 

Regards,

 

Carlos Javier.

[lsmith42]

Sorry if my experience with that particular pen offends you guys. I'm a Montblanc lover but not a Montblanc's kool-aid drinker. I gave my honest opinion based on the 145 I've got when I didn't know anything about FP's (hence my remark on that regard). It was returned to the boutique for a full refund within two days of purchase due to intermittent ink flow in an almost 500 dollars pen.

 

After that one, I've put my hard earn cash into a 114 Mozart, a 149, a Bohème Noir, a 161 LeGrand ballpoint and a 163 Solitaire rollerball. I was given a used 144 as a gift, too. I consider every one of those a better value than a 145, even after considering that I'm a Chopin's music lover.

 

Eric,

 

My sincere apologies if my vehement post offended you in any regard. If I may elaborate, it is perfectly ok to buy a FP made for people that know nothing about those instruments. I really believe that's the target audience of MB's 145s. On the other side, FPs are not good investments. They loose half its value almost inmediatelly after purchase, and if you consider the value of money over time (don't know the exact term in English), you end up with less money.

 

Regards,

 

Carlos Javier.

Yes, you gave your honest opinion about the pen based on your experience. What is offensive, sir, is your characterization of the person who would buy a 145. In the future, I would strongly recommend that you tell your story and experience as your story and experience rather than attempt to characterize every pen (of the model you had a poor experience with) as junk, and every buyer of that pen as somehow uninformed. Your casual use of such characterizations is not helpful. Your actual experience, is.

[carlosjaviercontreras]

Yes, you gave your honest opinion about the pen based on your experience. What is offensive, sir, is your characterization of the person who would buy a 145. In the future, I would strongly recommend that you tell your story and experience as your story and experience rather than attempt to characterize every pen (of the model you had a poor experience with) as junk, and every buyer of that pen as somehow uninformed. Your casual use of such characterizations is not helpful. Your actual experience, is.

 

Hi lsmith42,

 

Eric's question was "What are your opinions about this pen (size, feel, value, comparison to other Montblanc Fountains, etc.)". My copy of the Merriam Webster defines opinions as "a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter" and "belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge". Please do not be offended for my reference to the dictionary because i am not a native English speaker. I'm referencing it as a common ground for the usage of words withing the language. Both meanings inextricably connote a personal and individual "in the mind" subjective judgement "less strong than positive knowledge". Answering Eric's question, I stated - as asked - my itemized opinions about those characteristics. They are not necessarily the truth, they are my opinions.

 

When you write "What is offensive, sir, is your characterization of the person who would buy a 145", what part of my statement do you consider offensive? I wrote "The 145 is the FP of choice for people that doesn't know what they're buying". First of all that's my opinion and by definition - please see it above - is personal and subjective. On the other side I'm not characterizing "the person who would buy a 145" negatively. I simply stated that - in my opinion - the 145 is frequently chosen by people that doesn't know about FPs. I have not said that people that does not know about a good FP to buy is stupid, less intelligent than the general population or morally flawed. They are not. They are people that "doesn't know what they're buying". Neither said I that an experienced FP user would never buy a 145, because some do and enjoy the pen. If you consider it necessary, I can prepare a Venn diagram to show you the hypothetical possible inferences that can be construed from my statement and the sets "people that doesn't know what they're buying", "somehow uninformed" users and MB-145. It would be impossible to include the sets "every buyer of that pen" because it was neither mentioned nor implied in any of my statements. That, Sir, came out of your interpretation of what I wrote, not from what I wrote. By the way, did I say that the 145 is junk or was it you that put those words in my answer?

 

... or maybe as a non-native English speaker I'm extremely imprecise in my comprehension and expression of ideas.

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos Javier.

[lsmith42]

Carlos Javier...

 

You will find that opinions on things are very welcomed here. Negative opinions (even though they are exactly that) regarding people, as individuals or groups, are rarely welcomed. They are, by definition, offensive. This may not be true in all places (Brasil, for example, does not truly understand the meaning of political correctness).

 

What is the basis for your opinion regarding the market for particular pens? Wouldn't it be simpler to say "I don't care for this pen"? Yes, there are "better" instruments (of varying costs and values), of which I own several.

 

I often find that the cultural and language variances and understandings regularly create concerns that may not have been intended. People often do not comprehend how what they have said or written will be received or understood. But that's just my opinion.

 

And I believe your original opinion did not include the word junk... that was just one of the few "hypothetical possible inferences that can be construed" from your statement, and my opinion is that it was intended as such.

 

You may choose to discuss your opinions ad continuum, ad nauseum... but leave characterizations of people out of them. Please.

[carlosjaviercontreras]

Brasil, for example, does not truly understand the meaning of political correctness.

No, Brazil is a country and countries do not understand abstractions. They do not understand anything because understanding is a cognitive function performed by human beings, martian fellows and my mother's cat. Political correctness obscures the meaning of words, as showed by your previous statement. On the other side, Brazilians do not understand it nowadays. Thanks g-d, because they were very aware of "political correctness" when I visited them during the last dictatorship. I was a citizen of a democratic country back then...

 

 

What is the basis for your opinion regarding the market for particular pens?

An actual conversation with the owner of my Montblanc boutique. I dare to call it "my boutique" after buying 5 pens + accessories from him. He told me that the 145 was the pen of choice of new users that would not pay for a Starwalker.

 

I do not look down on newcomers to the FP world. If you feel like it, please visit my blog and you will find that I spend an inordinate amount of time answering their doubts and requests for assistance. What I find troublesome is the notion that not knowing about a particular human endeavor is considered a personal flaw, and merely pointing out that fact "not knowing about something" is considered profiling and even an insult.

 

 

And I believe your original opinion did not include the word junk... that was just one of the few "hypothetical possible inferences that can be construed" from your statement...

Not really. I do not consider the 145 junk. As a matter of fact, I consider it as a really nice little pen. In my opinion, it fails miserably when you put it aside other pens, both from MB and other manufacturers. That's not necessarily the truth about the 145, it's just my opinion. The truth I know about is on regard the 144 "classique", but please don't let me go there.

 

 

You may choose to discuss your opinions ad continuum, ad nauseum... but leave characterizations of people out of them. Please.

Fair enough lsmith42. Political correctness obscures less than the reactions it avoids.

 

It has been a pleasure to discuss this subject with you. I've enjoyed your last post as it is a great counter-argument. Sadly you don't get this kind of intellectually provocative discussions praising pens you don't like.

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos Javier.

[EricJS]

Eric,

 

My sincere apologies if my vehement post offended you in any regard. If I may elaborate, it is perfectly ok to buy a FP made for people that know nothing about those instruments. I really believe that's the target audience of MB's 145s. On the other side, FPs are not good investments. They loose half its value almost inmediatelly after purchase, and if you consider the value of money over time (don't know the exact term in English), you end up with less money.

 

Regards,

 

Carlos Javier.

 

 

Carlos,

 

No apology needed. I'm not the least bit offended. You stated your opinion but you seemed to have a very negative opinion about the ownership of one.

 

I knew very little about fountain pens when I bought this pen. My opinion at that time was that a fountain pen is a fountain pen. I purchased this no differently than one would buy jewelry or a fancy sports car. I wanted to collect Montblancs. They were "showpieces" to me.

 

Now my priorities have changed and I question the ownership of them. I no longer want to keep them put away. I will probably sell some & perhaps use a few.

 

I agree that pens shouldn't be used as a source of investment, but I got lucky since most of mine are special editions.

 

Now I'm simply sorting out which ones need to get rid of & which ones to keep. I do appreciate feedback so I value your opinion about this pen.

 

Eric

[fountainpende]

Dear all,

 

the 145 is my favorite Montblanc pen ... it's a PERFECT pen, at least from my perspective... and I have many, many fountain pens in my collection.

 

The 145 was my first Montblanc, then I got another ... and another. So today I have several 145 in my collection (all with a different nib size, of course). With the 145 my 'addiction' to pens started.

 

And I absolutely agree, the 145 is a good pen to start with Montblanc! You can't do anything wrong with this pen! It's not too thick and really has a good size and weight.

 

I LOVE this pen.

 

Best regards

Michael

Edited May 4, 2011 by fountainpende