A few size comparisons of models. I hope this helps others

[mmahany]

I know I've personally bought a few pens that a expected to be much larger or smaller than they actually were. I took a few pictures that I think may help some people. Feel free to ask any question on specific measurements. I tried to cater this information to the newer Montblanc collector that doesn't have a boutique near them. Hopefully some of this information will give you a better idea of which pen is best for you.

Fountain Pens (114 Mozart, 144 Solitaire, 146 Le Grand, 147 Le Grand Traveler, 149)


Ballpoints (Starwalker, 164 Solitaire, 164 resin, 164 resin, 161 Le Grand Resin, 161 Le Grand Resin, 161 Le Grand Resin Bordeaux)


Rollerballs (163 Silver Solitaire, 163 Silver Solitaire, Starwalker Cool Blue, 162 with gold trim, 162 with platinum trim)


Various sized pens in order from thinnest to thickest (114 Mozart, 164 ballpoint, 144 Fountain, 163 rollerball, starwalker bp, starwalker rb, 161 Le Grand, 146 Fountain, 147 Fountain, 149 Fountain, 169 Leonardo Sketch pencil)


Various size pens ordered in a biggest, smallest, second biggest, second smallest fashion


Here's an older picture of my collection that displays a few other pens not pictured above(161 ballpoint, 146 fountain, starwalker metal/rubber fineliner, starwalker mystery black fineliner, boheme rollerball, 145 chopin, 144 fountain, 163 rollerball, 164 ballpoint, 144 solitaire fountain, 163 silver rollerball, boheme doue ballpoint, boheme ballpoint.


A couple notes meant to help new collectors. These are all opinions:
Meisterstuck Pens:

-Classique Line (114,163,164,144, 145)-
-114 Mozart- This this is tiny, but surprisingly well built. Has threads on both ends of the barrel for the cap to screw on or post to the barrel when writing. I keep it in a little leather case that holds a small note pad and my business cards.
-In my opinion, I would avoid the 163,164, and 144 pens in their "precious resin" version. I've seen these break more than any other pen. I would strongly suggest going with a solitaire barrel which makes them more dureable and easy to look at. The only precious resin classique pen I would consider is the 145 Chopin. It has a screw on cap and is made of thicker material which makes it more durable. The 145 is a very good all around mid sized pen.

Le Grand Line (161, 162, 166, 146, 147, and 149)-This is my personal favorite line as my collection probably displays. The Le Grands are physically larger but also much heavier and solid feeling. I don't feel like if I dropped one I'd be picking up millions of pieces. My 161 ballpoint and 162 rollerball are my two favorite pens for filling out paperwork. They are great for a mid to larger sized hand and are always reliable. The 166 document marker is a fancy term for a highlighter. I'd never pay full price for one, but at $105 I picked it up with a leather MB case and don't regret it one bit.

The Le Grand Fountain pens are well known and many will agree that you should own at least one Le Grand fountain pen in your collection.
-The 146 is a perfect all around pen. A piston filler, larger size, durable, but not too heavy that you can't write with it for long periods of time.

-I use my 147 Le Grand Traveler for reason its name suggests. The 147 is a cartridge filler and pretty much the exact same size as a 146. The cartridges fit in an insert that I find much nicer than the smaller 144/145 pens. The insert can also hide an extra refill behind the one being used. However, know that you cannot use an ink converter if that is important to you. The 147 also comes with a nice carrying case for the pen that also can hold 6 extra cartridges. Essentially it is the largest cartridge filling pen made by Montblanc that also comes with a nice case and the capacity to easily carry 8 cartridges. I consider this, my favorite all around pen made by Montblanc as I am comfortable using it for paperwork, writting letters, and when I traveling on planes.

-The 149 Le Grand "Diplomat" is the flagship pen made by Montblanc. I see it as a work of art, an iconic pen, and a fantastic writer. It is noticeably larger than the 146 and I would reserve it for special writing sessions that won't last for several hours. The weight and size of the pen alone can make your hand a bit tired after writing several pages. Still, it is weighted perfectly and I use both of mine very often.

Starwalker Line:
I am personally a big fan of metal-based Starwalker Pens. I've owned about 12-15 of them and they are very well built in my opinion.
Metallic Starwalkers- I've owned the Cool Blues, Mystery Blacks, and Metal/Rubber versions. All were very well built and I sold them off a few of them simply because my collection got too big.

Midnight Black and Precious Resin Starwalkers- I've been met with some opposition on this in the past, but I consider the precious resin Starwalkers to be very inferior pens. I owned two and sold them off quickly after. They just felt cheap to me. They had the durability of a classique meisterstuck pen and the twist mechanism on the ballpoint I owned felt cheap. I personally will never own another resin starwalker, but that of course is personal opinion.

Boheme Line: The Bohemes are very interesting pens for many reasons. There is a great deal of diversity in size and patterns between the pens.
Boheme Ballpoint: A very small pen. I was extremely surprised at how short it was. It's a great pen to hide in your suit jacket pocket, but I personally wouldn't go to it if I had larger pens available.

Boheme Rollerball: A great midsized pen. This is much larger than the ballpoint and pretty comparable in size to a 145 chopin. I really enjoyed owning the two that I owned, but traded them off for another pen I wanted more.

Boheme Fountain: Quality control seems to be a big issue with these. You can minimize issues with it by taking care of them. However, I've seen many cases where the mechanism gets clogged up with ink which makes the pen function poorly. Take care of these, make sure ink doesn't solidify inside the barrel and you'll be happy.

Large Boheme: I've never ownd one but they sure are cool. It's simply a larger version. I don't have any personal size comparisons, but it is significantly larger than the normal sized Boheme. I would estimate it to between the size of a 146 and a 149. These are also pretty rare so if you can get one for a good price I'd snatch it up.

[KrazyIvan]

The MB 146 seems a lot bigger than what I pictured in my mind (have not seen one in RL). Makes me think I could do with a 146 and save some money over a 149.

[gwgtaylor]

146 is a pretty ideal size. 149 seems silly to me. I also find the 144 quite comfortable and I like that it's C/C. Piston fillers irritate me

[mmahany]

146 is a pretty ideal size. 149 seems silly to me. I also find the 144 quite comfortable and I like that it's C/C. Piston fillers irritate me

That's why I like my 147 pens so much. I too like cartridge pens simply because they're more functional and user friendly. You have to appreciate the design of a piston filler, but for everyday use a cartridge filler makes more sense.

The MB 146 seems a lot bigger than what I pictured in my mind (have not seen one in RL). Makes me think I could do with a 146 and save some money over a 149.

I'd say the 146 or the 147 are the two best pens in the Meisterstuck line. Anything smaller and my hand seemed to dwarf the pen. The 149 really is a work of art, but I tend to use my 146/147 variations more often.

[john]

I prefer the 146.

[jor412]

-Classique Line (114,163,164,144, 145)-
-114 Mozart- This this is tiny, but surprisingly well built. Has threads on both ends of the barrel for the cap to screw on or post to the barrel when writing. I keep it in a little leather case that holds a small note pad and my business cards.

What an informative post. I know next to nothing about Montblancs and I've seen either a 146 or 149 but I don't know which one. All I know is that it seemed huge to me. How big is the 114 Mozart compared to a Pelikan M400? Or maybe a TWSBI mini?

[fountainpenkid]

-Classique Line (114,163,164,144, 145)-
-114 Mozart- This this is tiny, but surprisingly well built. Has threads on both ends of the barrel for the cap to screw on or post to the barrel when writing. I keep it in a little leather case that holds a small note pad and my business cards.

What an informative post. I know next to nothing about Montblancs and I've seen either a 146 or 149 but I don't know which one. All I know is that it seemed huge to me. How big is the 114 Mozart compared to a Pelikan M400? Or maybe a TWSBI mini?

Here's it with the mini: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/...a/100_1568.jpg

[KrazyIvan]

Wow, that is really dinky looking.

[fountainpenkid]

Wow, that is really dinky looking.

You know a pen is tiny when it makes the mini look like a 149

[orfew]

The 114 is a very small pen, but is surprisingly perhaps also a very good writer. When posted I find it quite comfortable to write with and I have large hands. I would also agree that the 147 is a great pen. Mine never stays out of rotation for long. Thanks to mmhany for the truly informative post.

[tiffanyhenschel]

Don't count the 149 out until you have tried one, preferably for more than a couple of minutes. For several years I steered clear of them because they seemed like an overpriced status symbol. Then I got a used one for a really good price. That was a little more than a year ago. Now I have four, and other pens seem small.

They are still overpriced if you buy one new, but if you look around, you can find nice ones for less than half of retail.

[mmahany]

The 114 is a very small pen, but is surprisingly perhaps also a very good writer. When posted I find it quite comfortable to write with and I have large hands. I would also agree that the 147 is a great pen. Mine never stays out of rotation for long. Thanks to mmhany for the truly informative post.

Thank you for the kind words. I made the post because I personally had a few surprises when certain pens showed up. My 114, boheme ballpoints, 169 Sketch pencil, and 100th Anniversary FP were all much different in size compared to how I first perceived them in my head.

Also, I completely agree with your comments about the 114 and 147. They both are excellent pens meant for specific situations. I wouldn't put a 114 in a desk stand just like I wouldn't try and put my 147 in a pocket book for taking quick notes.

Don't count the 149 out until you have tried one, preferably for more than a couple of minutes. For several years I steered clear of them because they seemed like an overpriced status symbol. Then I got a used one for a really good price. That was a little more than a year ago. Now I have four, and other pens seem small.

They are still overpriced if you buy one new, but if you look around, you can find nice ones for less than half of retail.

I certainly agree. My 149s provide the most enjoyment to write with. For the price, it's hard to beat the physical presence of the pen, the size of the nib, and how smooth it lays ink onto paper. I consider the 149 to be more of a "100m sprinter" pen, and the 146/147 to be more of a "400m dash" type (if that makes any sort of sense).

[tiffanyhenschel]

I certainly agree. My 149s provide the most enjoyment to write with. For the price, it's hard to beat the physical presence of the pen, the size of the nib, and how smooth it lays ink onto paper. I consider the 149 to be more of a "100m sprinter" pen, and the 146/147 to be more of a "400m dash" type (if that makes any sort of sense).

Yes, it makes complete sense, and that is why it is good that they make their "flagship" pen in a variety of sizes. For me, it is the opposite. If I am going to be writing for a length of time, that is when I especially want a 149. :-) I think it's because despite my best efforts at a good grip, as my writing progresses I tend to pinch the section. The larger diameter of the 149 puts less stress on my hand, making marathon writing sessions more comfortable.

This is just my personal preference, and I realize that I am in the minority here. It's just an alternative viewpoint, and now I'll get down off my soapbox and give you your thread back. :-)

(P.S. I really hope you come to the Dallas show in September. We can compare pens.)

[mmahany]

Yes, it makes complete sense, and that is why it is good that they make their "flagship" pen in a variety of sizes. For me, it is the opposite. If I am going to be writing for a length of time, that is when I especially want a 149. :-) I think it's because despite my best efforts at a good grip, as my writing progresses I tend to pinch the section. The larger diameter of the 149 puts less stress on my hand, making marathon writing sessions more comfortable.

This is just my personal preference, and I realize that I am in the minority here. It's just an alternative viewpoint, and now I'll get down off my soapbox and give you your thread back. :-)

(P.S. I really hope you come to the Dallas show in September. We can compare pens.)

It wouldn't be any fun if we all had the same tastes. I completely understand and there are plenty of people like yourself that prefer the 149. Differences in preference are what allow us to have so many options to choose from (otherwise we'd all be writing with a Pilot G2).

Also, don't worry about "my thread" I love discussion and it would be boring if I was the only one posting. I made this thread for everyone to share their own experiences so feel free to post away

[Mags]

The Mozart and 149 are my favourites. I really like the Mozart! All metal barrel and the cap screws on and posts at the rear of the pen. I need no more pens....but if I had the funds some of the Mont Blancs like the Thomas Mann would be in my pocket one.day.

Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks

[AtomicLeo]

Do you have any vintage MB pens to compare? I've been searching for a 342 and own a 146. For me the 146 is the prefect size.

[mmahany]

Do you have any vintage MB pens to compare? I've been searching for a 342 and own a 146. For me the 146 is the prefect size.

Not at the moment unfortunately.

I did a bit of research for you and it looks like they're either 122mm or 131mm. The 122mm version has a gold ring slightly above the bottom of the cap. The 131mm version has a gold ring that is at the very base of the cap (if that makes sense).

In comparison:
-The 131mm variation comes out to roughly 5 1/4" long and .433" wide.
-My Montblanc 146 pens are 5.75" long and about .53125" thick
-My Montblanc 144 Stainless Steel Solitaire is 5.375" long and .4375" wide.

So basically, the longer 342 is about the size of a 144 (or slightly smaller). I don't think it's going to come close to comparing in size to your 146.

Here are the links I found that information at:

131mm
http://ulugtekin.com/pen/Ulugtekin%2...tblanc_342.htm
122mm
http://ulugtekin.com/pen/Ulugtekin%2...lanc%20342.htm

[jar]

Do you have any vintage MB pens to compare? I've been searching for a 342 and own a 146. For me the 146 is the prefect size.

The 342 is tiny compared to a 146. In this picture the 342 is second from the right and a 146 is second from the left.

[AtomicLeo]

Ah is that a 24 next to the 342? I bought a 24 from Ebay and it was in horrible shape. Paid $50 to restore the pen but couldn't do much with a cracked section. I still use it once in a while even though it leaks. I LOVE the nib, and it seems that the 342 is smaller than my 24.

[jar]

Ah is that a 24 next to the 342? I bought a 24 from Ebay and it was in horrible shape. Paid $50 to restore the pen but couldn't do much with a cracked section. I still use it once in a while even though it leaks. I LOVE the nib, and it seems that the 342 is smaller than my 24.

The 342 is between a 121 (same size as a 24) and a 264 on the far right.