Mont Blanc 146 Transition?

[Borealis]

I would love to get a definite answer on this 146. My father, now deceased bought this pen ages ago and rarely used it - he replaced it with the Meisterstück 149. (Which he rarely used as well) He simply loved having them:)

The 146 has a grey window . . .tinging on blue, but it is grey. The band is flat and it seems to have the older style engraving - Germany, not W. Germany.

I don't like to part with either, but alas, left-handers don't do well with fountain pens!

As I am not sure of the provenance of the 146 . . .nor its age, I have no concept of value or where to sell them

I would really appreciate any input/advice.

[Chrissy]

I would recommend that you check out the technical information given on another forum here (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/271311-important-articles-montblanc-pinned-index/). However, you could be right, this might be a 146 transition.

[ChrisC]

Sadly, that is not the full transitional model that separated the celluloid 50's model and the modern 146.

This article (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/197605-montblanc-meisterstuck-146-1940s-1970s-including-the-rare-transitional-model/) has the full story, but the gist of it is that there are three main iterations of the famous 146:

Each iteration is larger and longer than the previous. Ink capacity goes down in each change to the pen. Stiffness of nibs also tends to increase.

1. Celluloid model: 1949-1960 - 50's style bi-color nib, celluloid body

2. Transitional model: sometime after 1960, before 1973 - 50's style bi-color nib, resin body; cap can either be celluloid or resin

3. Modern model: 1973-present - first a monotone gold nib; later bi-color; full resin pen.

#1 and #2 are worth around $400-800 depending on condition, though #2 almost never comes up for sale. The most flexible nibs tend to be from #1 and #2.

#3 is worth 150-350 depending on condition.

There are many variations within #3, but it has been my experience that such differences do not affect price, given the ubiquity of all the variations within #3.

pictured below in order:

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn140/PENSnINKS/Montblanc/Montblanc%20146/MB146NewTransitionaloldopen.jpg

[Borealis]

Fantastic that people care to reply. So appreciate the info

[ChrisC]

This forum is one of the best online communities I've had the pleasure of experiencing. Pull up a stump and sit a spell...We don't bite (:

ps. you took some pretty nice pictures of that pen. camera?

[Borealis]

I am a photographer - nice Nikon, lenses etc.

However, I resort to my iPhone 5s almost always - as I did with these pics. The 6s is even better. A plastic manilla folder in daylight and an iPhone - makes for great close-ups:)

[farmdogfan]

Maybe it would be a good idea to resize the pics, they are much too big to see without scrolling.

[Borealis]

Thank you . Done -

[farmdogfan]

Now the pics have disappeared (at least on my screen).

[pajaro]

I have one with the gray window and the two tone nib. Bought from a member of FPN, Niksch.

Edit to add: I have wondered sometimes if the nib were part of a restoration, because the clip has no "Germany" or "West Germany," as if the clip were a replacement clip. The pen needed repair to correct skipping, but now works perfectly.

I am a left hander and a lifelong user of fountain pens. The OP might not like fountain pens though personally.