Montblanc 149 Review

[Ed Ronax]

Excellent review, thanks.

[georges zaslavsky]

I think the vintage 149's only came with 14k nibs. I hear they are smoother and feel better on paper than the 18k modern nibs. Good luck with your purchase. I hope you are able to find a 50's model with the telescopic piston!

No, the vintage 149's came with 18ct750 nibs which were made for the french market. The 14ct585 nibs were made for the north american and the other european markets. From 1959 till 1973, nibs were tricolor, then from 1973 till 2005 nibs were two tone, then from 2005 nibs went tri color again. The change of the leter c to k in carat happened in 1985 and the nib design on the 149 changed as well, it went to narrow shoulders long tines nib to broad shoulders short tines nib.

[Parkman]

No, the vintage 149's came with 18ct750 nibs which were made for the french market. The 14ct585 nibs were made for the north american and the other european markets. From 1959 till 1973, nibs were tricolor, then from 1973 till 2005 nibs were two tone, then from 2005 nibs went tri color again. The change of the leter c to k in carat happened in 1985 and the nib design on the 149 changed as well, it went to narrow shoulders long tines nib to broad shoulders short tines nib.

 

 

Thanks! Really useful information - you've just helped determine the approximate age of my 149

[mandarintje]

No, the vintage 149's came with 18ct750 nibs which were made for the french market. The 14ct585 nibs were made for the north american and the other european markets. From 1959 till 1973, nibs were tricolor, then from 1973 till 2005 nibs were two tone, then from 2005 nibs went tri color again. The change of the leter c to k in carat happened in 1985 and the nib design on the 149 changed as well, it went to narrow shoulders long tines nib to broad shoulders short tines nib.

 

Mine has a 14k nib 2-tone, with a K not a C..... it has a little springiness (OB nib), broad shoulders and narrow waist.

I'm actually trying to see approximately how old it is because the seller said it was from 1995

[hcsk8ter]

Interesting review. Personally, I could care less about the case candy. Not buying the pen for it's presentation. It's the pen that matters.

 

If a guy is selling a rolls-royce in a suit or gym shorts and a tank top, its still a rolls-royce.

 

Regarding the pen itself, its a big gun. Posting a big gun is a no-no. I have big hands and don't post it. Frankly I don't believe it was meant to be posted.

 

I'm also a lefty as well. Although, it can feel unwieldy at first for a lefty, once you find the sweet spot its heaven.

 

I restore alot of different penS, the 149 is still my weapon of choice.

 

For that reason, I have several.

 

Health and happiness to you and you cigar shaped torpedo.

 

(pouring myself some more brandy)

 

Cheers!

Edited February 21, 2010 by hcsk8ter

[breaker]

nice review on a very nice pen

[ganzonomy]

Having the pen going on three years, it's been used a bit more. I love its chunkiness, and I've even grown used to the fact it has leaky nib syndrome. Over the summer I had a friend of mine who collects MANY MB's have MB reset the nib to solve the leaky nib problem, and by and large it worked. The problem now lies in that i'm left-handed, and that I don't hold the pen up high enough to really avoid smudges. Admittedly, it's a result of the "lower holding level" that we become used to using ballpoint pens. As far as nibs go, I'm entertaining using it as a "signature pen" and having the O3B fitted to it. Something about the O3B when I saw one at the montblanc boutique made me drool. I'm slowly though, getting the hang of holding it up higher and with the reduced pressure being needed, I'm getting a more consistent line, albeit it looks like a sharpie line and doesn't have that "individuality" that people who can make a nib dance get. Usually, I try to write with it at least 1 pg / week so that I can practice my form, and I can keep the ink from drying out in the pen. Great pen, a bit steep in price, but IMHO all collections should have at least one of one of its various incarnations.

 

And as for the filler mechanism, mine's on brass screw mechanism... so I think it'll have a bit more robustness than the plastic screw mechanism (definitely not a bad thing in my view).

 

3 Years, and still loving it for what it is, and still learning how to dance with it.

 

Jason