Printable View
I was wondering when the MB 149 had "GERMANY" and "MADE IN GERMANY" stamped on the clip ring.
I looked at one 149 dating chart that I found but it did'nt seem to match other identifying items on the pens, in other
words, my pens seemed to be older that what the chart said.
So I'm wondering if the caps were replaced at some point or else the chart is not entirely correct.
From what i’ve seen “Made in Germany” was only on early 1960s pens. My mid-to-late 1960s pens just say “Germany”, as do my 1970s and 1980s pens. The 1950s pens had nothing and the current ones just have a serial number.
I should add that from the mid-1980s through early 1990s, the cap bands had “W. Germany” on them. There was a brief period in the 1990s with bands that said “W Germany” and a serial number. From the mid nineties to sometime in the teens of this century, the bands had “Germany” and a serial number.
Thank you very much guyy.
The pen that says "GERMANY" I've identified as from about 1972-1975, according to other attributes shown in the dating charts
The pen with "MADE IN GERMANY" is supposed to be from 1960-1965, again per the charts
But i have another 149 from 1960-1965 which has nothing stamped on the clip band.
The dating charts that I've seen do not show anything for the years in question. They just show imprints from more recent decades, as you stated.
The 1980s and 1990s
I go by Japanese charts, which are more detailed. There's a bilingual one posted at the Other Place.
I wouldn't be too surprised that one might find an early 1960s MB with nothing on the clip band. It is presumed that MB used parts until they ran out, so one could expect to find 1950s parts on the very early 1960s pens. It is the same reason that you find 13x nibs on the earliest 14x pens.
Keep in mind those charts are a changing summary of anecdotes observed by 149 owners over the years, and should not be treated as factory parts specifications for each year of production.
That is very true Fred, thanks
Thank information! Keep in mind that those graphs are a constantly changing compilation of anecdotes gathered from 149 owners throughout the years, and they should not be regarded official factory part specs for each year of manufacture.
cookie clicker
My 149 says W.Germany on the clip ring....surprised me that was where it was, in my Pelikans had W.Germany on the cap band. I sort of stumbled on to it, in it was hidden in plain sight.
I knew it was @ '90 in all the 7 pens I won at a live auction (were in a plastic bag...so ended up affordable which they would not have been if in boxes), were of that time. A W.Germany 800, Waterman Mann 200, a '93 Hunter Toledo.
My 146(?) says W.Germany on the band and there’s a number on the clip band. There’s also a gold sticker in the box that says it was made in W. Germany. I was given the pen in the very early ’90s, so that checks out. I was wondering where I could find these charts so I could do some more research on mine. This forum noob would also like to know what the “other place” is.
Interesting thread. I have found more 149s from 1960s-early 1980s with clip rings marked "Made in Germany" than those marked "Made in W. Germany." Here's rumor that makes for interesting speculation but is not documented by Montblanc archival materials that I've seen or read about. Because the two Germany's did not recognize the other's existence, pens made in the Federal Republic (West Germany) were considered to be made in Germany, since according to political statements, the Democratic Republic (East Germany) did not exist. For those of us old enough to remember the Cold War, this claim is an interesting one. Enjoy your weekend.
Barry, that reminds me of the German Prameta wind-up toy cars my brothers and I had in the late 50s my parents brought back from their tour, marked “Made in Germany British Zone.”
(Okay, I know that doesn’t help PenTom.)
Hi Fred, What an interesting marking on your wind-up cars. Great memory for someone your age, sir. I mean, our age. You know, Hamburg was in the British Zone of Occupation. Is that a possible reason Montblancs appeared in the UK before coming to the US following the war? There was certainly more disposable income in US than UK and a larger market here. According to Lambrou's first book, the British military was a major customer for Montblanc pens immediately after the war. Maybe that accounts for Montblancs appearing in the UK before they did in the US.
This doesn't help PenTom either.
I also have a early to mid sixties 149 that has nothing stamped into the cap band / clip ring. I imagine MB used parts from the late 50s on early 60s pens or until they ran out. The cap threads, body to cap threads and body dimensions have seen slight changes over generations. In my mind these dimension changes makes it less likely caps (at least from different eras) got replaced or interchanged accidentally over the years.