Having found (and bought) a 146 with an 18k nib a little while back, I splashed out and bought a pen described as a Le Grand Platinum Line with a 14k nib.

However, on comparing it with my existing 146, it is larger and therefore presumably a 149. It appears to be genuine and, although it is not marked 149 on the cap band, it has the pix mark on the band and the underside of the clip.

Obviously very happy to have a 149 for the price of the 146. Is it possible to date it from the nib and pix marks? I presume that recent 149s all have the 18k nibs as standard.

G.

That sounds a little odd. If you actually do have a vintage 149, congratulations on your amazing luck! Check this out to properly confirm it: http://www.pentrace.net/penbase/Data_Retur...D=405&cname

Very informative! Thanks for sharing.

I have a 149 with a 14K nib but I must admit this sound a bit suspicious that the cap doesnt say 149.To be sure I'd go to the MB botique to let them tell me if its a fake or the real deal.

Thanks for your replies.

As I was going into Town anyway, I decided to get the pen checked out at my local MB Stockist.

Well the good news is that it is a genuine Mont Blanc. The bad news is that it is only a 146.

According to MB specialist at the jewelers, there can be a fair amount of variation in size within the model. The one which I received at a shade under 5 3/4 inches is longer than most. It is also slightly wider - the cap from one 146 does not fit on the other. However, compared to the 149 on display in the store, it was noticeably smaller. The 149 - this was the first one I had seen - is much fatter with a big nib.

G.

All well that ends well.Maybe you didnt get a 149 but the 146 is a great pen in its own right and now you have a reason to look for a 149.

Yes, that 149 will have to wait for the moment.

Just to illustrate the large size of this 146, the picture below may be of interest. Caps of both pens are tight.

That is really interesting. I think the 146 you have is quite big. Maybe someone here can verify that the plat 146s are in fact slightly larger than the gold 146.

Looks like an older 146 you have.

Brian,

Don't feel bad. This just happened to me as well.

I recently resold a black 2007 146 that was smaller than the black MB I've already had for 15 years, erroneously corroborating that my old pen was a 149. When a NOS Bordeaux 146R arrived today, it was the same size as my old black 149. Or should I say, my old black 146? No matter. Though I will try a 149 in my hand the next time I am in a pen shop, I wonder if I am so accustomed to the 146 size that I'll feel that the 149 is too big.

Fred

Fred,

I use a 146 and a 149 every day, and I do not find the difference in sizes difficult to reconcile. Actually, since the nib on the 149 is much larger, I think the ergonomics is about perfect.

Regards, Eric

Eric,

Regarding a 149, I will keep an open mind and an open wallet, except that the Italians keep dipping into the latter so much these days.

Fred

An interesting post. Do you have photos of the two with the caps off (to see the ink window)?

Ya pal i would be interested to see the sizes difference as well. I also have two 146 of different sizes but the difference is not substantial.

Sorry for the late reply to the previous messages - busy week!

Not sure if the attached photos help that much. The platinum 146 is on the left in the top picture and above the gold 146 in the photo below. My own thoughts are that all except the nib seems proportionately slightly larger on the platinum. Notice also the added thickness in barrel and cap.

Also, in case you are wondering, the caps aren't chipped - it's just the photo!

Thanks for the pics pal. Ya they look exactly like my two 146's of slightly different sizes

I have a 146 and a 146 Platinum, the Platinum is indeed longer than the 146. i also have two 146 celluloid's from the '50s and they are substantially shorter than the 146 from the mid 60s (?), maybe 70s (no serial number, but says Germany on the clip band) that i have.