! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Is This A Realistic Price?

[OMASmaniac]

Hi!

 

I'm rather ignorant when it comes to vintage MB.

I've just came across this ebay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-EXT-RARE-WONDERFUL-MONTBLANC-MEISTERSTUCK-L-139-/260636780558?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3caf29a80e

 

Is it possible that such a pen costs 4.000 $? I'm very surprised, and ... very disappointed too, considering that I like this kind of MB but, if the prices are like that, I'll NEVER be able to buy one! ((

[777]

Hmmm... I'll be interested to hear the answer as well. It is a very nice looking pen and seems a bit odd that it should cost this much. It could be because it's vintage but, I know little to nothing about Mont Blancs.

[sunnerd]

That's Buy It Now price. Of course it will be higher than what it should be.

Let's see how it ends up with.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I just saw a MB 234 1/2 Deluxe for € 499 and an other for € 350, and that in Germany.

I got mine in a live auction along with a complete 1956 Pelikan set, FP, BP, & MP and etui plus the MB, for 170. Often I find live auctions cheaper than Ebay.

 

I am sure the 139 is way over priced at $4,000.

It is more expensive than I thought, one went last week for € 1,300 with 26 bidders yet another got no bids with a start of € 1,000.

 

If you really want a 139,( or any German pen, PM me for a German Ebay Cheat sheet.

German uses some 6 words for fountain pen and you need to search all six.

Also, in my cheat sheet is the basic questions, about nibs, cracks and scratches.

[mr goldfink]

The price range for good examples of 139s can be anywhere between $2750 to $3500. That said, a near mint example sold a few months back on eBay for $4500! For info, I'm selling a particularly clean example myself on eBay and I've set a firm price of $2999.

 

This price range, I think, is the median. Sometimes you can be lucky but then you take a punt on a lot of money on a pen that may arrive with cracks and damage that someone who knows nothing about pens wouldn't notice. Sometimes the piston or the barrel has been broken by use of force to get the stuck piston to move when old ink has fixed it in place. This is what can happen when non pen people get their hands on these things!

 

But never mind that $4000 pen. What is unusual is anther buy it now listing that has just come on eBay.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...6a#ht_999wt_706

 

Note the cap has two silver cap rings so you would surmise it has either a 139 or 149 cap tube. But its not a 139 as the 139s only ever had the Montblanc Meisterstuck imprint only as far as I'm aware.

But even more curious than this is that it has a mountain logo imprint on the cap. Now I've not seen this before on these models at all and I find that very strange....maybe Axel can step in and help us with some of his wisdom?

Edited July 25, 2010 by mr goldfink

[mohanjude]

I am still getting around Mont Blanc modern pens - so have little knowledge about vintage MB's and their value. All I can say about this seller is that he is not afraid of listing very expensive modern pens without a reserve. The MB Harrison skeleton pen 333 which is normally listed for over $20,000 plus buy it now by various sellers recently sold for about $6500 without a reserve (no box). If you check completed listings this seller sells thousands of dollars worth of pens and has no shortage of bidders who wil drive the price up in some cases. I have no affliation to this seller and only making a observation.

 

This seller appears to have unlimited supply of hard to find Limited edition Mont Blanc pens - where do they get these pens from in Italy?

 

Mohan

[Maxpens]

Note the cap has two silver cap rings so you would surmise it has either a 139 or 149 cap tube. But its not a 139 as the 139s only ever had the Montblanc Meisterstuck imprint only as far as I'm aware.

 

NO, here is a 139 with MASTERPIECE imprint...

 

 

 

 

 

kind regards

 

Max

[mr goldfink]

Note the cap has two silver cap rings so you would surmise it has either a 139 or 149 cap tube. But its not a 139 as the 139s only ever had the Montblanc Meisterstuck imprint only as far as I'm aware.

 

NO, here is a 139 with MASTERPIECE imprint...

 

 

 

 

 

kind regards

 

Max

 

 

Hi Max

 

Thanks for clarification- it's good information to know. This topic has been raised before and I had understood that Masterpiece only started being used on the 149 model...

 

 

But it seems the pen in the ebay advert is an early hard rubber cap with Masterpiece imprint and mountain logo. It's not commonly seen!

 

Tell me, what do you think of this pen that ended on ebay yesterday? It's an unusual pen with burgundy barrel and black cap with an 18KT 35 nib...

 

180533090416

 

 

Best regards

 

MG

Edited July 25, 2010 by mr goldfink

[Maxpens]

Note the cap has two silver cap rings so you would surmise it has either a 139 or 149 cap tube. But its not a 139 as the 139s only ever had the Montblanc Meisterstuck imprint only as far as I'm aware.

 

NO, here is a 139 with MASTERPIECE imprint...

 

 

 

 

 

kind regards

 

Max

 

 

Hi Max

 

All the authentic L139 cap rings have I have seen have had Montblanc Meisterstueck written round about half of the band with the rest of the band being left blank.

 

Whereas, the 149 model can have either Montblanc Masterpiece (export models) or Montblanc Meisterstuck (more common domestic market version) written all the way round the band just like in the photograph you've posted.

 

I've not seen any literature on this but my humble experience suggests the Masterpiece imprint is, on balance, from a 149.

 

Best regards

 

MG

 

Hi MG,

 

this is a authentic L139, of course. So this is maybe the first you.

 

kind regards

 

Max

[mr goldfink]

Note the cap has two silver cap rings so you would surmise it has either a 139 or 149 cap tube. But its not a 139 as the 139s only ever had the Montblanc Meisterstuck imprint only as far as I'm aware.

 

NO, here is a 139 with MASTERPIECE imprint...

 

 

 

 

 

kind regards

 

Max

 

 

Hi Max

 

All the authentic L139 cap rings have I have seen have had Montblanc Meisterstueck written round about half of the band with the rest of the band being left blank.

 

Whereas, the 149 model can have either Montblanc Masterpiece (export models) or Montblanc Meisterstuck (more common domestic market version) written all the way round the band just like in the photograph you've posted.

 

I've not seen any literature on this but my humble experience suggests the Masterpiece imprint is, on balance, from a 149.

 

Best regards

 

MG

 

Hi MG,

 

this is a authentic L139, of course. So this is maybe the first you.

 

kind regards

 

Max

 

 

Max

 

Many thanks - yes, its one of the few I've seen with Masterpiece imprint.

 

Another Montblanc collector has written to me to advise that the early hard rubber caps have the mountain logo and are usually imprinted Masterpiece. I have seen few hard rubber capped 139s so it is all good information coming in right now.

 

 

I'm also curious to know what you think of the Montblanc '35' pen in the ebay auction I mentioned above? Is it authentic, possibly even a prototype, or is it a frankinpen?

 

Best,

 

MG

Edited July 25, 2010 by mr goldfink

[OMASmaniac]

thank you all for the information!

 

I guess I'll have to wait a little bit before being able to afford such a pen!

[karmakoda]

I have been fortunate to make purchases from the seller of the L139 Masterpiece and have always been satisfied with the pens. Very pleasant personal treatment, in my case.

From the photos, the pen appears to be in "very good" condition, not quite excellent, nor the ultimate mint.

The vintage 138s and 139s are "Limited Editions", in the sense that Montblanc are not making any more and there is limited supply. The prices have been steadily climbing and recently there have been 136s and a 138 for sale on eBay with incorrect parts, so be armed with knowledge before bidding.

Regards

Greg

 

Another L139 "Masterpiece", pictured below.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpieced.jpg

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpiece139.jpg

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpiece139b.jpg

[mr goldfink]

I have been fortunate to make purchases from the seller of the L139 Masterpiece and have always been satisfied with the pens. Very pleasant personal treatment, in my case.

From the photos, the pen appears to be in "very good" condition, not quite excellent, nor the ultimate mint.

The vintage 138s and 139s are "Limited Editions", in the sense that Montblanc are not making any more and there is limited supply. The prices have been steadily climbing and recently there have been 136s and a 138 for sale on eBay with incorrect parts, so be armed with knowledge before bidding.

Regards

Greg

 

Another L139 "Masterpiece", pictured below.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpieced.jpg

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpiece139.jpg

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpiece139b.jpg

 

I'm fairly confident this was the very pen that sold for $4,500 on eBay, no?

[karmakoda]

That may be the 139 that sold for $4500, sorry, I don't recall. Usually my saved photos are of pens I've bid on.

This would have been "wishful thinking" on my part.

The pens marked "Masterpiece", rather than "Meisterstuck" come up occasionally, and I recall seeing one 139 "Masterpiece" in the Penboard.de shop data.

Cheers

Greg

Another (sigh) look.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz218/Valaccar/MBMasterpiecec.jpg

Edited July 26, 2010 by karmakoda

[penparadise]

I'm also curious to know what you think of the Montblanc '35' pen in the ebay auction I mentioned above? Is it authentic, possibly even a prototype, or is it a frankinpen?

Yes, that's a "frankinpen" — and a very bad example of mixing up parts from different models from different decades.

 

 

But comming back to the prices for good 139s.

 

Just asking three questions:

What is the price for a LE Hemingway fp today? — Would you pay more for a replica than for an original pen? — How many Hemingways were made and what do you think how many of the original 139s survived?

And my two cents:

I don't think that half of the quantity of the Hemingway still exist of 139s, so I would say that a price for a good 139 can easily double the price of a Hemingway.

 

Axel

[shrinknib]

Hi Axel

you have a very good point.

The Hemingway with box/papers would be >$2000 in good condition, so a 139 for double that may be reasonable.

 

Of course there are many factors that contribute to "collectability" to drive up prices- the number of pens available is one.

For example the Wilde or Dumas have the similar number of pens as the Kafka but they are much more desirable.

[mr goldfink]

I also agree with Axel on this, in terms of scarcity, and sadly also on value as it means the 139 pen is out of reach for most people.

 

I wouldn't touch a Hemingway unless I got it for a low price, but of course I am an abslutely committed vintage pen collector, so I am partial!

[shrinknib]

MG in 10 years the Hemi will be vintage!!

Not long to wait...

[handwriter]

Hi!

 

I'm rather ignorant when it comes to vintage MB.

I've just came across this ebay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item3caf29a80e

 

Is it possible that such a pen costs 4.000 $? I'm very surprised, and ... very disappointed too, considering that I like this kind of MB but, if the prices are like that, I'll NEVER be able to buy one! ((

 

I suggest you take a look to Gary Lehrer catalogs (http://www.gopens.com/) to have an idea of how the prices of vintage Montblancs are. There are pens that cost indeed $4000, and there are pens that cost $200, Gary guarantees his pens, offers no hassles returns, etc. (twice his happy customer here). As with any brand, condition and rarity of the model finish, color, etc. can skyrocket prices.

[mr goldfink]

MG in 10 years the Hemi will be vintage!!

Not long to wait...

 

Ooh, ten years is a long time in my book. Meantime, there are plenty of vintage pens to enjoy !