Hi all,

Have started to become interested in the very early 13x line of Meisterstucks. I know they are rare and hard to find...I also know that they cost a pretty penny.

Have been following this particular auction...ending in about an hour at the time of this post. And no..I am not bidding.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...y0%3D%26fvi%3D1

Why is this pen so much, I mean the barrel is almost completely ambered. It looks like a demonstrator! Is it because they are rare?

or...is this shill bidding from a Thai seller.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Rick

I've seen people join a line, just because there was one there... I'm looking at it and an thinking the same thing as you. I don't think the translucent nature of the pen was due to manufacturing, which in my books makes it just an extremely worn pen. If is was made as a demonstrator, I'd jump on board! Demonstrators seem to be highly prized in the MB crowd (don't ask me where this impression comes from, because I don't remember).
So, I typed a lot an got no where. I think I better shut up now and let one of the MB know-it-alls come along and knock a few heads together...
PRAG

PRaG,

I was actually being facetious about the demonstrator...I don't believe MB has ever made any true "clear" demonstrators. I have to laugh when I sometimes see auctions where the seller states "rare clear" or "rare see through" barrel..when it is ambering of the celluloid!!

Well the pen sold for $1760..amazing. The buyer appears legit...has bought some other high priced pens from other sellers...so it probably wasn't shill bidding.


Niksch...if you see this post...please repost the picture of your #13x collection..those are beauties!

Rick

139s always go for more because of their size, but this one looked a little beat up. I am not surprised it sold for that much, I was watching this as well. Even the 138s and 136s go for a pretty penny on ebay...
Remember... The person who won is from the UK... He/she is actually going to pay 882.00 GBP! Sucks to be a buyer in US with dollar worth (Potty Mouth). I cant even count how many auctions Ive lost lately...

Some people find it attractive to have a clear barrel. (and I am one of them) It makes the ink visible. Vintage 139s and 149s from the 50s go for a lot of money, well over 1000 usd is quite normal. They have those lovely nice flex nibs. The plunger can be fixed, as well as the browning of the rubber. These 50s large MB pens with the sliver rings are rare pens. Yes, it is a high price, but not absurd. However, I would hesitate to buy from a Thai seller. Of course, there are very reliable sellers in every country and also in Thailand. I sincerely hope this seller is reliable. But not receiving this pen and to loose that amount of money would be a too great disaster for me. So, I would rather buy such a pen in Germany, that is if I ever could afford one like this

I also have to agree with Rudd, they are really hard to find and certainly go for over $1K most times. I am really fond of demonstrator pens as well so i can see the added beauty on this one.

Nikolaos

Hi,

Yes, it's quite overpaid for a pen with a missmatched cap and barrel, an ambered hard rubber cap and a cracked celluloide barrel with worn off color inside. (At pic no.9 you can see the small cracks.)

The barrel used to have a long ink view which indicates that it was produced befor 1943. But due to extensive use and cleaning the black color inside was worn off and now looks like a demonstrator - but it isn't.

There have been several different combinations on the Montblanc 138/L139 over the years. The very early ones had completely hard rubber caps and hard rubber ends (screwed in mechanic and blind cap and grip section) at a celluloide barrel. Then there have been celluloide caps and barrels but the cap top as well as the screwed in parts at the barrel still were hard rubber. After this and until 1952 the ends were made out of celluloide as well and the barrel had a short ink view.

As far as I know no combinations of hard rubber caps and completely celluloide barrels had left the factory of Montblanc. IMHO the ends of the barrel have been changed as well as the grip section.

Well, the Monblanc L139 is a very rare pen but due to the missmatch and the overall condition of this pen .....
Would a serious collector have paid so much for spare parts?

Best regards,
Axel

attachment=28600:Vintage_MB_Tray.jpg]

You got it Rick. Couldn't find my pic of the 13x series by itself, but here is my tray of 13x and 14x pens.

Eric

Click to view attachment

Eric,

What a stunning collection. My mouth drops every time I see it. How long did it take you to accumulate these beauties?

Mark

It's taken several years. I was fortunate enough to have lived in Heidelberg, Germany for five years, and this is when my appetite was whet for vintage MBs. At some risk, I've purchased a couple from eBay, and I will always "upgrade" a pen if I find one that is better than what I have in my collection. My 139's cap is slightly oxidized, but it's an older 139, and I haven't found one lately that I'm willing (or mostly able) to buy that is in better condition.

penboard.de is also a good source for vintage MBs and Pelikans, but the exchange rate favors our European brethren right now. When I was in Europe, it favored me.

I suppose a guy with an unlimited bank account could buy good/great condition models of all 13x and 14x pens in short order. I think the fun is in the hunt.

Eric

PS. No, I did not visit the Lamy factory.

Thanks Eric. I routinely peruse penboard.de. However, as you state, the exchange rate makes their vintage MBs out of reach at the moment.

Mark

Here are some of my Montblancs 12X ....
Click to view attachment

... and some of my Montblancs 13X :
Click to view attachment

Regards,
Axel

Axel, if you ever decide to keep only one representative example of each 13X model, please keep me in mind.

Mark

Axel....

That is just not fair!!!!

Beautiful collection


Rick

.... but these are all different.

Axel

Yes I understand that they are all different, but from the photo it looks like you have more than one variation of say a 139. I was suggesting that if you ever decided to select only one to keep as a representative example.....If I am wrong, let me know as it is difficult to tell fine detail from the photo you posted.

Mark

axel is MB's museum keeper nice collection