Featured The Three Amigos - Montblanc Fountain Pens

I've finally accomplished a dream nearly 20 years in the making...


And finally acquired the three Montblanc fountain pens that I really wanted!

From left to right:

1. Montblanc Meisterstuck 'Classique' 145.
2. Montblanc Meisterstuck 'Le Grand' 146.
3. Montblanc Meisterstuck 'Diplomat' 149.

I know that there are other models - namely the MB 114, and the MB 147, but they just don't interest me. And they don't get more classic than these three.


I started with the 145 (the smallest one) back in 2006. It was a graduation present from my parents.

Next came the granddaddy of them all - the 149. That was an auction-house win, just two months ago. These pens are so expensive, I can't possibly buy them brand-new.

And then, a week ago, I bought the 146 (the one in the middle), at a local collectors' fair.


While the 145 is modern, the 146 and 149 are both vintage, dating back to at least 1988 (and in the case of the 146, I think even further). They're both marked "W. GERMANY" on the clip-ring, indicating they were made during the Cold War.



All three pens are in perfect condition, and it's been my privilege to own and use them

 

Congrats on completing your collection! They are very grand.

 

Congrats!

 

Beautiful! A worthy pursuit!

 

Gorgeous trio. Thanks for sharing.

 

Beautiful!

Debora

 

Congratulations, @Shangas ! And thank you for sharing your collection with us.

 

My Dad grew up terribly poor, but one of his few pleasures later in life was a Montblanc pen. Love set you have!!

 

Congratulations. Those look fantastic!

 

Montblanc pens have always been STUPIDLY expensive. For reference, the 149 retails, where I live, for about $1,300 BRAND NEW.

I paid $250.00.

I would NEVER pay full-retail-price for a Montblanc. I'd never be able to afford it, unless I won a bazillionaire jackpot, and could retire for the rest of my entire family-line's existence.

The MB 146, I also paid about $250-300 for. The 145 (the small one) is the ONLY one I actually paid full-price for (and it wasn't me, it was my dad, because it was a gift to me). Full-price is about $700 .

So, for the price of ONE of these pens, I was able to buy two others, secondhand. THAT is how expensive these things are.

 

Thank you for sharing your trio of gorgeous pens.

I first spotted, and fell in love with, the 149 on a holiday in Europe in 1985. I finally acquired a Montblanc about 20 years ago, but settled on the 145 which is better suited to my relatively small build. A couple of years ago I had it serviced by Montblanc (not cheap) but it looks new and writes better now. (I use blue-black ink which is inclined to clog a pen if it is left unused for any length of time.) The pen was expensive but a fraction of current prices and - since I am a "pen person" - it has given me lots of pleasure over the years.

I once spotted a much older Meisterstuck on an antique fair and always regret not buying it. The problem is one doesn't know how well it will write and new nibs are HUGELY expensive.

 

Only way to know is to test it. I have various ways of adjusting inkflow and cleaning out my pens to keep them working as well as possible, but they require a very gentle hand.