Found One Of The Rarest Of The Rare

[David In Austin]

I have always wanted one of these, and while for the most part I have not been that impressed with the Montblanc Writer's Series over the years, this pen has always been somewhere on my grail list. I was visiting with a penfriend yesterday that mentioned he had a Hemmingway Writer's Series Fountain Pen he was hoping to sell at the upcoming California Pen Show. I knew that he had this and realized that instead of getting a new model MB that has just hit the market as I was tentatively planning to do, I had a chance to own a piece of history, and being a Social Sciences teacher and historian, I went (of course) with the history.

 

Here is the Hemingway Writer's Series Special Edition Fountain Pen, the very first fountain pen in the Montblanc Writer's Series and one of the most sought after and desired Montblanc fountain pens of all time. I am blessed to finally have one in my collection. And for those who are going to ask, yes, I have inked it and am writing with it, just as I do with every pen in my collection.

[Seney724]

34 minutes ago, David In Austin said:

I have always wanted one of these, and while for the most part I have not been that impressed with the Montblanc Writer's Series over the years, this pen has always been somewhere on my grail list. I was visiting with a penfriend yesterday that mentioned he had a Hemmingway Writer's Series Fountain Pen he was hoping to sell at the upcoming California Pen Show. I knew that he had this and realized that instead of getting a new model MB that has just hit the market as I was tentatively planning to do, I had a chance to own a piece of history, and being a Social Sciences teacher and historian, I went (of course) with the history.

 

Here is the Hemingway Writer's Series Special Edition Fountain Pen, the very first fountain pen in the Montblanc Writer's Series and one of the most sought after and desired Montblanc fountain pens of all time. I am blessed to finally have one in my collection. And for those who are going to ask, yes, I have inked it and am writing with it, just as I do with every pen in my collection.

Congratulations, You have acquired a really wonderful Montblanc fountain pen.  For many of us, its greatest attraction is that it is based upon the truly iconic & highly collectible Montblanc L139.  No need to create any argument over which is the greatest Montblanc fountain pen of all time but, hopefully most all would agree that the L139 is in the very top tier.  Furthermore, as Montblanc's current productions seem to move further and further away from this type of classic, both the L139 and your Hemmingway's desirability just keeps increasing among vintage Montblanc afficionados.

 

I do not mean to diminish, in any way, the joy and accomplishment you have achieved with acquiring this pen.  You rightly deserve to feel very proud of yourself.  But, I cannot agree with your comment about its "rarity."  20,000 of these pens were produced and at any given time there are an abundant number of them available for sale.  This said, it is a challenge to find one which does not have a grossly inflated asking price; it can take some time to find a nice one at a price which most MB collectors are willing to pay.  From your description, it sounds like you are one of the lucky ones in this regard.

 

Good for you; use it and enjoy it!

 

[Estycollector]

Congratulations on your pen. 

[PAKMAN]

Nice find!  I missed picking one up at a good price at the Dallas pen show about 4 years ago. My only writer series MB is a Dumas. 

[David In Austin]

@PAKMAN My only other writer is the Voltaire (which is great!) - that last Dallas Show was a lot of fun. 🙂 

[David In Austin]

@Estycollector Thanks! 🙂 

[David In Austin]

@Seney724  Ok, you stated it better - I was getting at very rare affordable Hemmingway pens. And you are right - their prices are ridiculous (there is one current listing on eBay asking for a little over $9,000.00 US. I am very thankful to have bought he pen and the friend that I bought it (and many others) from! 🙂👍

[Estycollector]

7 minutes ago, David In Austin said:

@PAKMAN My only other writer is the Voltaire (which is great!) - that last Dallas Show was a lot of fun. 🙂 

The Voltaire is exquisite. You have impeccable taste. Are these pens you use often? I had a 149 in the mid 1990's. I carried it more than used it. 

[David In Austin]

2 hours ago, Estycollector said:

The Voltaire is exquisite. You have impeccable taste. Are these pens you use often? I had a 149 in the mid 1990's. I carried it more than used it. 

 

Thanks my friend. I have the Voltaire and Hemmingway, 2 149s (a modern Origin from last year and a tri-color nib from around 1970),  a 147 Burgundy Traveler, a Tribute to Classique and 17 146s (primarily solitaires and at least one each of the black, burgundy and light blue (Glacier) resins as well as a black resin UNICEF Donation fountain pen. I also have 2 145 solitaires - one prisma and one citrine -  and a 144 sterling silver (and have a 146 to match each of them). I also have a Pelikan M-800 and an M-400, a Chopard Il Classico, 3 Sailors and a Platinum 3776 Forest Green.  I also have some other various pens as well.

 

I write with and use all of them as well! Montblancs are not just there to be seen, but to be used and to write with. I use most of them at least fairly often! 🙂 

[ak47]

Congratulations for your hemingway!

Enjoy!

[KAC]

Congratulations on the acquisition! It's a very fine pen and a quite tasteful "re-issue" of the 139.  The "form follows function" ethos has been perfectly executed, too.

 

I bought mine new when it was first issued for about $400 at a pen shop in SF that "couldn't get rid of them."  I used it as a daily writer for years but, as the price escalated and it became more and more difficult to repair in the event of an accident, I now only use it at home.  At that time, MB would (amazingly) do a free nib exchange, so I promptly sent it and had a medium oblique nib installed at the factory. MB also paid postage both ways: an antique form of customer service, rarely seen these days.  

 

Do be careful if/when you post the cap on the barrel. The cap edges are very thin and are prone to cracking, especially with age.

 

In any event, it's a classic design and beautifully executed, too. 

[NoType]

7 hours ago, David In Austin said:

I have always wanted one of these, and while for the most part I have not been that impressed with the Montblanc Writer's Series over the years, this pen has always been somewhere on my grail list. I was visiting with a penfriend yesterday that mentioned he had a Hemmingway Writer's Series Fountain Pen he was hoping to sell at the upcoming California Pen Show. I knew that he had this and realized that instead of getting a new model MB that has just hit the market as I was tentatively planning to do, I had a chance to own a piece of history, and being a Social Sciences teacher and historian, I went (of course) with the history.

 

Here is the Hemingway Writer's Series Special Edition Fountain Pen, the very first fountain pen in the Montblanc Writer's Series and one of the most sought after and desired Montblanc fountain pens of all time. I am blessed to finally have one in my collection. And for those who are going to ask, yes, I have inked it and am writing with it, just as I do with every pen in my collection.

@David In Austin I must add to the illustrious colleagues above, my many felicitations for this acquisition from your pen friend, representing a true writing icon obtained in my most favourite fashion — from a fellow collector.  Thank you very much for this wonderful image.

[NoType]

17 hours ago, KAC said:

I bought mine new when it was first issued for about $400 at a pen shop in SF that "couldn't get rid of them."

@KAC If I am not too much mistaken, I seem to have read an earlier thread featuring a photo of the original box bearing a sticker price of $600 or $650, with a story that the pen was so unpopular in its first year of release that pen dealers brought tens of boxed pens to pen shows, discounting each pen to $300. 

 

17 hours ago, KAC said:

At that time, MB would (amazingly) do a free nib exchange, so I promptly sent it and had a medium oblique nib installed at the factory. MB also paid postage both ways: an antique form of customer service, rarely seen these days.

@KAC Was this much after your original purchase (i.e., beyond the year deadline for complimentary nib exchanges now imposed for limited editions)?  

[agentdaffy007]

Congratulations on your purchase.

 

Had the pen for a while but never connected with it. I find my MB 149 and MB Homer more balanced.

[jchch1950]

 Your new Hemminway is a good find and addition to your MB collection.

[CS388]

Beautiful!

It's a timeless classic.

Congratulations.

[kazoolaw]

21 hours ago, Seney724 said:

Congratulations, You have acquired a really wonderful Montblanc fountain pen.  For many of us, its greatest attraction is that it is based upon the truly iconic & highly collectible Montblanc L139.  No need to create any argument over which is the greatest Montblanc fountain pen of all time but, hopefully most all would agree that the L139 is in the very top tier.  Furthermore, as Montblanc's current productions seem to move further and further away from this type of classic, both the L139 and your Hemmingway's desirability just keeps increasing among vintage Montblanc afficionados..

 

 

Funny how the  market caught up with the Hemingway.  Styling clues from the 139:   Same size pen with triple cap bands, flat top and  square shouldered, same style clip, same large nib.  All combined with the contrasting color barrel.

Something about finding a long sought pen at an  price we can bear.  Enjoy  every line you write with it.  What size is the nib in yours?

[jmccarty3]

Congratulations on obtaining a Hemingway. I've had a mint condition one for several years, but am thinking of inking it up.

[Opooh]

Congrats on your Hemingway. Iconic remake of an even more iconic 139L. 

[KAC]

No Type:  

I don't recall all the details since I bought it decades ago. I recall seeing advertisements for it in various magazines but inertia prevailed. Several months later, I was in SF and (perhaps it was at the no longer existing Golden Gate Pen Shop), I saw a couple of these in the display case. The owner said they weren't selling to his customers but I couldn't pass it up, not only because it was relatively inexpensive, but because the tasteful coral/brown coloring on the classic L-139 design really did and does appeal to me. I can't recall what I paid, but it was less than the original MB asking price. 

 

As for the nib exchange, there was a paper notice in the box from MB offering a "nib exchange." I sent the pen to MB shortly after asking the company about a medium oblique nib and it was made/exchanged after I was told it was "no cost."

 

Because I intended to keep the pen "forever", MB engraved my name in cursive script on the cap. Of course, that reduces the sale value, but I'm not planning to sell it, so I proceeded with the inscription. That was free, as well.