The 149 didn’t even start out on my list of ‘Grail Pens’. In fact, I didn’t think I’d ever want one. But, that all changed the first time I used its little brother, the 146. Here’s my story of how I was introduced to Mont Blanc and an agonizing tale of a love affair delayed by a bit of snow.
When I first started collecting fountain pens a little more than a year ago I knew very little about Mont Blanc and thought they were overpriced. I had no appreciation for them whatsoever. I never saw myself owning one as I was mostly intriqued by vintage pens, and still am today. After 9-10 month of collecting I was first introduced to the 146 by J English Smith, and then again shortly thereafter by rroossinck. After using them something just clicked and I realized what I had been missing. After learning about Mont Blanc’s history and the quality craftsmanship that went into these pens I now had much more appreciation for them. I was able to trade several pens to my buddy for his 146 and ever since that moment my next goal was to get my hands on a 149. The 149 went on my list of Grail Pens and quickly rose to the top.
After being disappointed with not being able to find one I could afford on a couple message boards I turned to eBay and watched every Mont Blanc auction for about three weeks. I bid on several but lost, until finally I won one. Wow, my first Grail Pen! I was so excited! Now came the wait. The seller shipped it UPS so I could track it the whole way. I don’t know if that was a good thing or not. The day it was expected to arrive we got a massive blizzard. DELAYED! So, being the hopeful idiot that I am I figured it would arrive the next day. I mean, that’s what the new ‘expected delivery date’ on UPS’s website said. Well, around 6pm the following day, with no new pen in hand, I called UPS to inquire about the situation. The lady told me it would definitely be delivered tonight and that they stay out until 8-9pm. Ok, fine. A little more patience. I’m sure the delivery guy is about to knock on my door any minute. 9:30 comes and still no pen. I call again. They tell me because of all the snow some packages have been delayed. My pen was actually on a truck that was making deliveries, it just didn’t make it to my door. I requested it stay at the shipping center so I can go pick it up first thing in the morning. I try to sleep, but the sun can’t rise soon enough.
The shipping center opened at 8am. I was there at 8:15. They can’t find my package. “I’m sorry sir, I think it’s gone out on the truck.” Really? Wasn’t my call last night supposed to prevent that? She says she’ll call me when she figures out where my package is. A couple hours later she calls, “Sir, your package is here waiting for you. You can pick it up any time.” I blaze down there turning a 30 minute drive into a 15 minute Formula 1 race with my Jeep in 4-wheel drive and a foot of snow on the ground. My wife was more than a little terrified.
I finally get my package and run out to the Jeep. My wife said I looked like a little kid on Christmas morning when I pulled the pen from the box. To be honest, I felt like a little kid. I was so excited and happy and relieved to finally have it in my hands. My 149 is incredible. The 18k gold nib puts down a fantastically smooth fine line with awesome flow. This particular pen has the ‘W. Germany’ stamp on the clip ring, which I tried to show in the photo above. I’m hoping to add both sizes of the Boheme to my collection as well as some vintage 149s with flex and a platinum trimmed 146. I feel like I’ve been sucked into the vortex now. I have a mistress and she wears the white star.
I can truly sympathize. I just ordered my own grail pen (an Edison Pearl bulb-filler) after almost a year of saving and debating. I should get it sometime next month, but the waiting is killing me. The 149 is definitely a nice pen. If they made one with platinum trim, it would be at the top of my own grail list.
Congrats on your new acquisition.
Good choice for a “Grail Pen”. MM 149 is a little big for my hand, but I love the 146. Congratulations on acquiring your dream pen.
@Daniel I’m thinking about have a jeweler plate mine. I’ve seen it done and it is stunning. The Platinum 146 is on my list too.
@Mary It definitely took a little getting used to after using my 146.
It’s good to “feel like a kid.” We should all do it more often. Congrats on your new acquisition.
Cheers — Larry
That is probably the most fun about ebay, the anticipation of delivery and the of opening the box.
The best is the combo of winning an auction ala sumgai, the anticipation of waiting for the mail, and the grand finale of opening the box and exploring what is inside.
I also went through the anti-MB attitude based solely on the snob marketing, the general public thinking it is the only high quality pen, (much like Rolex watches), and the inflated price and re-sale value.
Then I got a 146 for a steal and discovered that they are great performers. I have had them inked and setting months without use and uncap it and it writes perfectly like it was filled 5 minutes ago.
Sumgai’ed again: I was offered, and jumped on, the 149 Special Edition, brand spanking new, for $325; half the retail price. The nib is as big as my thumb, darn ‘purdy,’ and the flow is perfect. Just touch the paper and these beaut’s start writing. I probably only have it in the rotation about once per year and but oh what a joy!
I saw a new one sell two days ago on ebay for $1,025; not bad for a $325 investment.
I still think their products are overpriced and laypeople still think it is the only fine writing instrument. That latter point is meaningless though. Why should I care as long as the pen performs as well or better than any other brand out there? The anti-MB phenomenon is most strong among hard-core vintage collectors and this still makes me laugh; leaves more pens for me.
So if you can get a MB for a price competitive with other brands, do not take a pass, grab it.
I agree. I’ll probably never buy anything MB new from a boutique, unless I land a job where I’m making 6 figures a year. I’m more than happy with my second hand pens.
I never had an anti-MB phase, but there’s simply no way in hell I’d ever buy one new in a B&M store- but that goes for all but the least expensive mpens. Even a Lamy Safari costs quite a bit more at a Paradise Pen than at a fave like Pendemonium or Pear Tree.
I do have a very strong inclination towards vintage Montblancs, though. A lot of FP folk are surprised when they get their first MB and realize that they actually are nice pens… And those folks usually have their minds blown when they get a 13x or a 146 from the 1950s.
I’ve had good experience with the more modern 146 and 149 I’ve owned, but no pen I’ve ever owned- or held- beats my 1950s vintage 146. Worthy of being both a grail pen and a desert island pen.
Flexible MB nibs from the 30s-50s are pretty special. They’ve a feel that is unlike the flexible nibs from Waterman, Wahl, Pelikan, Parker and others.
I’ve never seen a 50s vintage 149 in the flesh, but I’d love to have one someday. I do have a 60s/70s 149 that I really, really enjoy. It has the plastic filler threads, which I prefer to those with the hunk of brass at the end of newer 149s. It has a flexible three-tone 14C nib and an ebonite feed. Flexes to 2 mm- between the big grip and long tines you put out some nice looking writing.