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Thread: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

  1. #21
    Member talkinghead's Avatar
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    You guys really don't think my pen is worth more than 100-125 GBP ($150-$190, today's current conversion) ?

    I would pay at least 150-175 GBP, maybe even up to 200 GBP myself, without box and papers....

    Rick

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    Senior Member I like mango pudding's Avatar
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by talkinghead View Post
    You guys really don't think my pen is worth more than 100-125 GBP ($150-$190, today's current conversion) ?

    I would pay at least 150-175 GBP, maybe even up to 200 GBP myself, without box and papers....

    Rick
    With all due respect to previous posters, imho, I believe it is worth more than what they are suggesting. I find it hard to find a 146 for the prices mentioned earlier. Do a search on Montblanc 146 in Ebay for past sales and you'll see the prices much more than 100GBP.

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by talkinghead View Post

    Here's one of mine.... used, old #146, monotone nib, no box or papers
    What's this one worth to you all?

    Attachment 3993

    Attachment 3994
    So have left this up here for a few more days, hoping someone might tell me why THIS PARTICULAR PEN may be worth spending 200GBP on, at least for some people. Those of you who remember, or are members of other pen boards, Dr. I, (who posts here too) frequently likes to play this game, mainly, to get discussion going and for information/pen history sharing....

    Come on guys (and gals), take a good look at the pen....

    hari (and I think jar) knows what I'm talking about but apparently hasn't signed in/or seen this thread recently to give his thoughts...


    Rick
    Last edited by talkinghead; July 20th, 2013 at 09:01 PM. Reason: Not sure why the pic didn't load like the original post? Maybe cuz they are contained in a quote? oops never mind!

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    The feed?

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by sloegin View Post
    The feed?
    Correct!! What can you tell me about it?

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Ebonite instead of plastic.

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by sloegin View Post
    Ebonite instead of plastic.
    Correct, but not quite complete just yet. What else?

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Solid instead of split?

  9. #29
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by sloegin View Post
    Solid instead of split?
    Correct again!! Now we are getting there. Solid ebonite feed.

    Ok now Penners, those of you who have "used, old, nothing special #146's" of this era, (mid 70's to early 80's); look at your feeds. What type of feed is on YOUR pen?

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Minutiae can be fun! Do tell them why ebonite is preferred over plastic.

  11. #31
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by sloegin View Post
    Minutiae can be fun! Do tell them why ebonite is preferred over plastic.
    Ahhhh....sloegin, now you are straying..... the question is not ebonite versus plastic. (Plenty of threads over on another board concerning that question/debate by the way)

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Okay, Rick, I'm game. I have exactly the same pen - except with a split ebonite feed. Other than that I can see no difference?

    Having re-read this thread, I feel a mite stingy in agreeing with the earlier estimate and I'm willing to put an extra £50 onto it.
    But, that's due to my love of older 146 pens. I still don't see the 'special' attribute of your pen, to drive it into the £200s?

    That said, and including the OP in the debate - I've seen similar 146 pens on eBay hitting the sub £100 mark, others in the high £200s, without obvious difference or rationale.
    (Some of the Buy It Now pens show good comedy value in their optimism)

    Nice pen, though. My everyday carry for many years
    Do we have to keep guessing? Or will you tell us what is going on, here?

    Thanks

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by talkinghead View Post
    What type of feed is on YOUR pen?
    Quote Originally Posted by CS388 View Post
    Okay, Rick, I'm game. I have exactly the same pen - except with a split ebonite feed. Other than that I can see no difference?


    Do we have to keep guessing? Or will you tell us what is going on, here?

    Thanks
    Tis minutiae, however important minutiae to the collector probably more than to the user.

  14. #34
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    OK. When the 146 was re-issued in the resin era, the pen featured a case feeder with the square lip, solid ebonite feed(very very few have been seen with this feed on a 146), curved clip and of course the monotone ink view window. Rick's pen is worth much more to the MB collector looking for the early 70s era 146. One can always get lucky on ebay, I have, plenty of times over the years...

    There are some indicative pics of the square lipped feeder case and curved clip in this FPN thread:

    http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...some-pictures/

    Hari

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Ok last hints.....
    ......
    Rick

    oops hari beat me to it!!...Thanks my friend!!
    Last edited by talkinghead; July 21st, 2013 at 09:53 AM. Reason: hari beat me to it....

  16. #36
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    To expand now:

    Would we agree, that, a large manufacturing company like Montblanc Gmbh, would, in terms of manufacturing efficiency, machine/mill/make parts of a family of pens to be similar/same, just in different sizes? For example, the #149 and #146? Basically the sam pen, but the #149 being bigger in length, girth, nib size, feed size etc. etc...

    If you would agree with the above supposition, then go to FPN, MB Forum, and study the "Dating a #149" pinned topic, all you really need is the chart..you don't have to read the whole thread. Again, one must also agree with the dating chart somewhat, if we are to move along....

    So according to the chart, solid ebonite feeds were used, late 1960's to say 1975. And again we are supposizing here, one would assume that the sister pen, if one was made, would have similar/same, design/component aspects, again from strictly a manufucturing efficiency standpoint. So if a 146 was made during this time, we assume then a solid ebonite feed.

    According to Jens Rosler in "Collectible Stars", the #146 was reintroduced in 1974, however we have catalogue evidence that it may have been 1973.

    So with those two pieces of information.... an old used, nothing special,#146 with square lip feeder case, clear ink window, monotone gold nib (and an 18C nib at that!), with a SOLID EBONITE feed....would have been made when and for how long???


    Rick

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    Senior Member Freddie's Avatar
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Outstanding educational post and 146 with parisian nib..
    I need no stinkin' box or paper..man....

    MIKE CHARLIE..

    Fred

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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Here is my personal perspective on everything so far:

    1.) What is something worth? Ask that question about a pen and you'll get a different answer from every person you ask. I base my estimates off a wide range of prices and the prices I suggest are what a pen would sell for in a short amount of time (usually 1-2 weeks) to the average person.

    2.) Certain models bring more money- That is most certainly true of vintage Montblanc pens. We all would love to find that silver ring 149 at an estate sale for $5. Heck, most of us would consider $750 a bargain for one while a modern 149 might bring half of that.


    The mono-toned Fine Nib 146 I own has a solid blue ink window and an ebonite fee. While it doesn't have the rounded clip, that's the only difference I can tell between the pen "thetalkinghead" posted and mine. I paid $175 shipped for mine on ebay in near perfect condition. Was it a good deal? From an advanced collector's standpoint, yes. To the average collector, not terribly.

    The reasoning behind my price: the rounded clip and ebonite feed are certainly desirable to a collector. However, I would dare to say that I could find one in good used shape on ebay for well under $300 (likely under $200). Could your particular pen bring $200+ to the right person? Sure! Heck, TO THE RIGHT PERSON, it might bring $500. However, sometimes it takes a while for "the right person" to come along.

    Here’s a perfect example: when you sell a custom car/truck you rarely get any money back for the extra money you put into it. Let’s say you have a Chevy Silverado (I’m a truck guy) with a 12” lift and 40” tires. You have $20k in aftermarket parts and it’s tastefully done. The average person wouldn’t pay extra money for those parts, but TO THE RIGHT PERSON you might be able to get most (if not all) of that money back. Certain qualities or traits may add value to the right person, but when you account for those things, you’re suddenly selling to a much smaller target market. Simply put, there is a much smaller market that’s willing to pay a premium for those extra things.

    The pen was disassembled and the pictures were poor. That decreases the value significantly right there. Many people don’t want to buy a “fixer-upper” which is why my price suggestion was so low.

    While the pictures aren’t great, here’s a pen that looks to prove my point. Look at ebay item number: 261212066116
    The clip looks to be rounded (although tough to tell), mono-toned nib, solid ink window, and while the feed isn’t pictured, the other indicators I mentioned give strong evidence that it has an ebonite feed. It sold for $193.02 at auction. Disassemble it, and factor in the ebay fees and I bet you make ~$125USD for it after everything is said and done.

    My pen collection funds itself for a reason. I buy from people who sell their pens well below market value, and when I get tired of it, I sell it for at or near market value. Does that make me a bad person? I sure hope not, but there is such a wide price variation in the pen world that I can easily do that. I base my price estimations off average market value. You may be able to get much more than that or possibly less. It all depends what someone is willing to pay.

    If all of that is more than you care to read: The same pen could sell for $40 or $750 depending on who is buying/selling. I know this first hand having bought a pen on ebay for $46 and then sold it a week later for $770. It was a Montblanc 100th Anniversary Fountain new in the box for those interested. One price was obviously ridiculously low, while the other was slightly on the higher side. The "fair market value" is probably around $700 which is what I would probably tell someone if they asked me how much to sell theirs for.

  19. #39
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    Cool Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Quote Originally Posted by mmahany View Post
    Here is my personal perspective on everything so far:
    mmahany,

    Thanks for the detailed response! I do detect a slight air of defensiveness on your part though, in your response. It was certainly not my intent to threaten, disparage, or whatever, you or any other poster in anyway and make you feel defensive in anyway. For that I apologize.

    My points for posting in this thread....

    1) To bring to the forefront that box and papers may add value to certain pens but not to certain others , and that box and papers are not a 100% way to authenticate a pen..

    2) I then saw an opportunity to hopefully guide a discussion into some pen history, minutia, nuance of pen collecting and using, and also to possible help people "eye" and carefully dissect an item on Ebay, that might just slip through the cracks, based on poor photographs or poor description. Hence my post then on my particular pen. I even explained a bit later that my purpose was to stir up discussion about the nuance of my pen. I have apparently failed in that regard, as I only got a couple of responses, (sloegin, and CS388). I even admit I got hari to respond to also help stir on the discussion of my particular pen.

    These forums use to be a spot for thoughtful discussion on fountain pen use, history, collecting, repair, etc..... FPN's MB forum has deteriorated into a forum of threads, 90% of which have to do with if a pen is fake or not, and if its not a fake, did I get a good deal on it and/or what I can sell it for. You are new here in FP GEEKs, and fairly new (2011?) in FPN so you may not recall/remember/particpated in, but back in the day, we would discuss a pen's history, who has what pen and why you like it or use it, what one's collecting focus is and why, etc. There aren't that many threads like that anymore over there in FPN, so I was hoping to pump some life into this forum in that discussion direction. But apparently that will not be the case. Really, my point was NOT truly what the $$ value was on a particular pen, but to focus on a pen that LOOKED like the run of the mill #146, but in reality wasn't just run of the mill and had some history to it. However in the realm of pen value, mmahany, you seem to be very shrewd and smart and I applaud you for that. You go guy! Who of us isn't out there looking for a deal!?

    Finally, just to complete my little "game" concerning my pen, for anyone who is interested. My pen appears to be a first year edition of the reissue of the #146 in MB's line up. The 146 was reintroduced in 1973/74, split ebonite feeds made their appearance around 1975. So a #146 with and 18c monotone gold nib, and SOLID ebonite feed was made in 1973/-1974 and was then only "made" for 1, or at the most 2 years, hence making them less less common, and dare I say rare. My point about asking people what "particular feed was on their #146" of this era was to point out to them was that they probably had a split ebonite feed, and make them think a little bit and say "hmmmm, never really see the solid ebonite feeds on these pens" ( that was the nuance I was hoping people would pick up on, and the one that you, mmahany, have even failed to recognize in your post above , as you keep pointing out simple ebonite feed, making no distinction between solid or split and their time relation in the history of the #146).

    That is all, feel free to discuss....

    Rick

  20. #40
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    Default Re: How not to sell a Montblanc on eBay

    Hey, sloegin. You see that? If only you and I respond to a post, it's a failure? Thanks, Rick!

    Ha ha, only joking. I get your drift.
    Yes, nice informative post. I had no idea the solid ebonite feed had such a small outing on the 146.
    Nice pen. Did you seek it out to complete a collection? Or did it fall into your hands fortuitously?

    And I'd recommend that all lovers of this older 146 read Hari's thread on FPN, too. Great stuff. Love those monotone nibs!

    Thanks.

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