Two Mb 149 Questions

[BlueJ]

I am considering buying a used 149 and would appreciate some information about this iconic pen.

 

1. Does anyone have, or can anyone make an accurate measurement of the maximum barrel diameter of the 149 body? It is stated in several places to be 15 mm, but others have said 5/8 of an inch which is much closer to 16 mm. This may seem a minor distinction, but to me it could spell the difference between "pleasingly plump" and just "too fat." If the dimensions of this pen have varied with period of manufacture, that information would be helpful too.

 

2. Are the later brass piston threads significantly more durable or reliable than the earlier plastic threads? I know this difference affects the balance of the pen in the users hand but I do not think the pen will be tail-heavy to me with the brass threads (I would expect to use it unposted.)

 

Thanks in advance,

BlueJ

Edited January 12, 2017 by BlueJ

[jar]

Diameters did vary over time. A measurement within one mm is about as close as you are going to get.

 

I never found any durability difference between my plastic or brass threaded 149s but sold them all anyway.

[BlueJ]

Jar,

Thanks for the information. May I ask why you decided to get rid of all your 149s? (You can just link to a post if you've written about it before, of course.)

TIA,

BlueJ

[jar]

Jar,

Thanks for the information. May I ask why you decided to get rid of all your 149s? (You can just link to a post if you've written about it before, of course.)

TIA,

BlueJ

I'm getting old and have a whole herd of pens and no family that likes fountain pens so I am selling many of them off. The modern pens went first and the vintage ones will follow. But that still leaves hundreds of pens that need new homes.

[zaddick]

No difference in thread durability. What breaks is the plastic helical spital rod I side. The balance and weight are the main difference, but if you don't think the balance will bother you then the weight will not be much of an issue.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Jar, are your for sale pens on the classifieds forum?

[Vlad Soare]

I put a pair of calipers on my 149 (modern one, made in 2014). It's 15.5 millimeters at its thickest point.

However, that point is situated somewhere in the middle of the pen. It's not where you'd be holding it. I think what matters for comfort is the thickness of the section, which is 13.6 millimeters at its maximum (near the thread, that is).

Edited January 12, 2017 by Vlad Soare

[BlueJ]

Vlad,

Thank you for these precise measurements. I think a 149 should fit my hand well. I am now looking at nib options on the used market. I was thinking about an F nib, but am now considering something more "characterful" like an OBB.

BlueJ

[thygreyt]

The Big nib is very nice

[BlueJ]

Sumgai or some chump?

 

I just bought a 149 on Fleapay. Look in completed auctions under

 

Vintage Montblanc Big#149 Meisterstuck 18K Gold Nib FOUNTAIN PEN

 

Seller didn't know the nib size (why do they never know?) or vintage but it has "18C" and the telltale two silver rings = 1950's vintage??? Looks like B or BB. Closing price was only a little higher than recent production 149s on the 'bay.

 

I'm guessing this will need some restoration but well worth it. No doubt I will have other questions, but my present one is, how does the filling mechanism work if there are no threads? Just pull out and push in like a pneumatic filler?

 

Sorry to keep asking stuff,

BlueJ

[jar]

The 149 is a piston filler. If all the pieces parts are there you did okay. But consider someone like Brad Torelli to do the restoration.

[Freddy]

Agree with above recommendation.....

 

Trim on said pen is gold filled..light can play tricks on yer eyes.....

 

18C nib..made for the French market.....Feed correct time-line.....

 

Perhaps 1968 - 1971 ish..of course this is based on the photographs provided

by the seller.....Looks like you did well.....

 

Fred

[BlueJ]

Freddy is correct about the bands, they do appear to be gold-colored. The nib looks a little rough cosmetically, but that might be the poor photography. We will see. At least this 149 will let me sort out the ergonomics and value proposition.

[luckduck369]

Sumgai or some chump?

 

I just bought a 149 on Fleapay. Look in completed auctions under

 

Vintage Montblanc Big#149 Meisterstuck 18K Gold Nib FOUNTAIN PEN

 

Seller didn't know the nib size (why do they never know?) or vintage but it has "18C" and the telltale two silver rings = 1950's vintage??? Looks like B or BB. Closing price was only a little higher than recent production 149s on the 'bay.

 

I'm guessing this will need some restoration but well worth it. No doubt I will have other questions, but my present one is, how does the filling mechanism work if there are no threads? Just pull out and push in like a pneumatic filler?

 

Sorry to keep asking stuff,

BlueJ

 

It looks more like a one-piece barrel first generation resin pen. Not a 1950's vintage. However, many believe they still worth more than a more recent version.

[niksch]

This is a mid to late 1960s 149. The grooves on the slope of the ink feed, but not on the shank, help indicate the timeframe of manufacture. That nib will clean up nicely. Good buy.

 

Sumgai or some chump?

 

I just bought a 149 on Fleapay. Look in completed auctions under

 

Vintage Montblanc Big#149 Meisterstuck 18K Gold Nib FOUNTAIN PEN

 

Seller didn't know the nib size (why do they never know?) or vintage but it has "18C" and the telltale two silver rings = 1950's vintage??? Looks like B or BB. Closing price was only a little higher than recent production 149s on the 'bay.

 

I'm guessing this will need some restoration but well worth it. No doubt I will have other questions, but my present one is, how does the filling mechanism work if there are no threads? Just pull out and push in like a pneumatic filler?

 

Sorry to keep asking stuff,

BlueJ

[BlueJ]

niksch,

Thank you for the helpful information and kind words. The pen was delayed in final delivery by winter weather but I may receive it today. I am a little concerned it may prove closer to "beater" than "user grade" but at its age, I will be content if it is a good writer and does not require extensive restoration. We will see.

BlueJ

[fountainbel]

Hi BleuJ,

Note the piston assembly will be shrunk/press fitted If your pen dates from the mid sixties.

As far as I recall the shrunk/press fitted piston assembles were replaced by screw-in piston assemblies as from1967.

When opening the filling knob and looking at the barrel end you will see 2 small axial slots at 180° in the piston housing on pens with a screw in piston assembly.

If the face of the piston assembly is plain - having no tool engagement slots - then the piston assembly is a shrunk/press fitted version.

These shrunk/press fitted pistons are very hard to get out, i surely recommend sending it to a professional in this case !

Francis

[niksch]

Hi BleuJ,

Note the piston assembly will be shrunk/press fitted If your pen dates from the mid sixties.

As far as I recall the shrunk/press fitted piston assembles were replaced by screw-in piston assemblies as from1967.

When opening the filling knob and looking at the barrel end you will see 2 small axial slots at 180° in the piston housing on pens with a screw in piston assembly.

If the face of the piston assembly is plain - having no tool engagement slots - then the piston assembly is a shrunk/press fitted version.

These shrunk/press fitted pistons are very hard to get out, i surely recommend sending it to a professional in this case !

Francis

 

Francis, of course, is exactly correct in the description of the piston mechanism.

 

The dates of the conversion to the "screw in" piston mechanism from the older "friction fit" mechanisms on the 149s would generally be in the 1967 timeframe, but I do not have any specific clarity on that, thus my original comment of mid-to-late '60s production.

 

I believe I can give a general time of production of your pen because of two defining characteristics from the photos. One characteristic I mentioned earlier, the ink feed. The very early 1960s 149s had the new plastic resin bodies, but it appears that Montblanc used for these models the remaining bench stock of 1950s 149 model ink feeds and nibs. (I reiterate that it appears so). If you look at 1950s versions of the 149 ink feed, you will see that it has grooves on the face of the feed, but also on the shank. It has been asserted here on FPN that early 1960s 149s used bench stock 1950s nibs and feeds in early 1960s 149s. (a repetitive, but necessary comment) The photos from the auction that BlueJ references, show that the ink feed on this pen has grooves only on the cambered face of the feed, and that is an indicator of a mid-to-late 1960s ink feed for a 149.

 

The very early resin 149s from the 1960s used a friction fit piston assembly similar to the assemblies used on the 1x & 2x series of pens of that era. I had once posted, probably nine or more years ago, the series of 146 and 149 pistons and their evolution from the 50s to the early 2000s. It's included in a sticky post at the top of the forum, I think.

 

So, down to the nut-cuttin', BlueJ. Since your pen has a rounded piston ring near the turning knob, it indicates to me that it is a 1960s 149. Since the ink feed has grooves on only the face of the feed, I think is mid-late 1960s. Could be '63, could be '67, I don't necessarily know that we can get to that fidelity in dates.

 

If you have problems with the piston mechanism, give me a PM. Mr Francis (fountainbel) is very correct in that these friction or press fit piston mechanisms are very difficult to deal/repair with. I've probably dealt with and repaired 50 or so. It's my favorite vintage of "modern" 149. Of my friends here, there is no secret in that.

 

Warm regards, Eric

[BlueJ]

Eric, Francis and others,

I picked up my 149 from the post office today after local delivery was delayed two days by winter weather. It is in much better cosmetic condition that I feared, in fact better than user grade, I would say good to very good condition. So, no need for any cosmetic restoration.

 

A possible exception is the nib, which shows some old ink and apparently also some tarnish on the unplated gold areas. I will clean it in warm water and then maybe post some photos. Is there a safe way for me to remove this tarnish at home, or should I leave that to a professional?

 

The piston knob turns smoothly to reveal black plastic threads. When fully extended, there are no slots or other openings visible on the face of the piston housing. The piston knob does have four rectangular openings in the surface opposite the piston housing, at 90 degree intervals. The piston does move up and down as it should, revealing blue ink residue that I will soak out with water. I will look for any sign of leakage at the piston seal, such as liquid visible behind the piston when it is all the way forward, or not getting back the same volume of water as originally taken up, after turning the pen nib upwards a few times.

 

Regardless of vintage, I have no intention of trying to remove or service the piston myself. If the mechanism seems to work well, is there any need to send it out for servicing, or could I just begin using it?

 

The tines appear to be well aligned and properly gapped, and the tipping is distinctly stubby, not oblique, and about 1.0mm wide at the contact surface, so I believe this is a B nib, possibly BB but I think B.

 

I will do at least a dip test to see how this 149 writes, before I post again.

BlueJ

[zaddick]

A silver polish cloth will clean the nib easily. No need to service the pen if the piston moves freely. Just clean, check for leaks and go!