Could Really Use Some Help Here.....

[OldGriz]

OK, I know squat about Mont Blanc pens.... absolutely nothing....

A friend came over with a Mont Blanc he got from his uncle's estate as a gift.

The best I can see is that it is a Meisterstruck 146 based on the engraving on the cap...

From the information in Michael R's post "Montblanc Meisterstück 146 1940's - 1970's (Including The Rare Transitional Model)" from June 2011, I believe it might be a transitional model.

This is based on the ink window and the "rough" engraving on the cap band...

I have included a bunch of photos below..

My buddy would like to know what the pen might be worth.... It sports a really nice medium nib with some flex to it and is absolutely perfect condition... it does not appear to have ever been filled.

So here are the pictures.... and I hope you can really help me out...

 

 

 

 

 

[peterb]

This is definitely pre-1991. I would guess mid-eighties. The nib looks a bit funny conditionwise, but it is definitely authentic. The feed and clip ring engravings may provide additional dating clues, for historical rather than $ value. Ballpark market value is $250, less if nib is damaged. There are lots of these around. The 14c and 18c nib 146s can approach $500 in top condition.

[OldGriz]

This is definitely pre-1991. I would guess mid-eighties. The nib looks a bit funny conditionwise, but it is definitely authentic. The feed and clip ring engravings may provide additional dating clues, for historical rather than $ value. Ballpark market value is $250, less if nib is damaged. There are lots of these around. The 14c and 18c nib 146s can approach $500 in top condition.

 

The pen is in absolutely mint condition, not a mark on it an when I flushed it, it showed no sign of ever having been inked...

The nib is a photo anomaly... it is actually perfect.... I dip tested it and it wrote with just a bit of flex.....

The cap band engraving can be seen in the attached pictures....

The feed looks like the bottom one in this picture

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn140/PENSnINKS/Montblanc/Montblanc%20146/MB146NewTransitionaloldfeed.jpg

[peterb]

Ok. That is a split ebonite feed. Note the line bifurcating the solid part of the feed near where the nib becomes exposed. if that line is not there, it would indicate solid ebonite feed which preceded the split ebonite and followed the other types you see depicted in your photo. Also, if it has brass threads in the piston section, those likely began in the late eighties early nineties approximately; if plastic, then earlier. Some prefer brass over plastic, others vice versa. If mint, $325 around the upper range for these as they are not rare and often even available with stickers and cases and warranties, not that those are really worth much beyond indications of good storage/care/never-used/extra historical perks, etc. but can influence resale prices or attract more interest than orphaned pens.

On the plus, some also prefer the looks of the monotone over the modern ones.

This is not a 70s or earlier, becauae those had 14c or 18c ( c rather than k) nibs.

Bold-nibbed ones also sometimes fetch higher values than medium, but that is due to tastes.

 

I am not a seller, this is largely based on my shopping and collecting experience, as well as research on the 146 and by analogy the 149, see Gabay article and 149 dating chart pinned in this forum and the discussions there for a treasure of other advice/opinions.

I have a 1991 146 two-tone 14k nib with serial number. I think that was th first year of serial numbers, found on the clip ring. The two-tone nib may have been introduced a year or two prior, not sure when that actually happened, but my 1991 also has the clear ink window which soon after changed.

Edited March 21, 2012 by peterb