BY BARRY GABAY The SO-yearevolution of the archetypalpower pen, the MontblancNo. 149, is detailedin thistwo-part series. Montblanc No. 149, ca. 1952, the introductory year"From the Joe Engelcollection. The Montblanc 149 hasbecome an icon, a protorypical older 149swere offeredat reasonableprices. The ragethen writing instrument of the age.One seesthe big, black cigar- was big orange 1950sDanish Montblancs with Number 6 shaped fountain pen on desks,in pockets, in the hands of nibs or other older orangeGerman Montblancs with power brokers. Its image representsprestige, power and lux- Number 25,30,35 or the occasionalhuge Number 40 nib. ury yet its essentialidendry, that of a writer, remains. The Even penswith small Number 2 or Number 4 nibs in red 1.49 did not achieveuniversal recognition just becauseof its elicited more passionateresponses than older 149s. size and beaury. It began life 50 yearsago, matured and During the Vall Streetwave of the early 1980sand remainsfamous as a greatwrirer. continuing through the enormouseconomic expansion of More than 75 yearsago, the Parker Duofold Big Red the 1990s,the 149 Diplomat gainedpopulariry not only was such a departure from the norm that it attracted atten- among those seekinga status symbol but also among writ- tion far beyond the circlesof thosewho could afford its ers and collectorswho had previously collected only classic $7.50 price tagin 1925.In the 1940sand 1950s,the leg- pens. They realizedwhat an elegant, comfortable and func- endary Parker 51 was consideredthe perfect marriage of tional fountain pen it was.Call it what you will-149, form and function and becameyet another writing instru- Diplomat, Masterpiece,Meisterstiick, the Hog or the ment to achieveiconic status. Like its predecessorsin the TelephonePole. Its sryle,quality and history merit the 149's pen industry that achievedrecognition even among those lofry posidon, and its performance confirms the superlatives who neither owned nor usedthem, the 149 hasbecome that accompanydescriptions of this greatpen. more than the sum of its precisioncomponents. I haveowned and studied examplesof early l49s and The first-year I49, circa 1952, hasbecome one of the noted a number of changesover the years.My collection most prized of all Montblanc models.Just l0 yearsago, the once held 39 Montblanc 149s-two broad, two stub, five 149 was ignored by many classicfountain pen collectors; medium, 11 fine and 19 s1s12fins-4nd about a half dozen 42 PEN'S/'oRLD parts pens,Based on pensin my own aswell as other col- the filler cone. Montblanc, like'Waterman,employed a lections,plus resourcesin my possessionand thosesenr me three-digitnumbering system.The first number indicated by the Montblanc Archivesin Hamburg, I offer someper- the pent pedigree-1 for Meisterstiick-Masterpieceor high- sonal observationson the evolution ofthe 149. est qualiry 2 for middle range and 3 for student. On early Additionally, conversationswith authorities Arthur Thydle, Montblancs, through 1947, the middle number designated Montblanc's former chief repairmanin the UK and cur- the filling system-0 for safety eyedropper filler, 2 for push rently director of the Pen Museum in Hull, England,and or button filler and 3 for piston filler. However,by 1948, Dr. Osman Sumer,a Montblanc dealerand authoriry in when the 140 serieswas introduced, the centernumbert Hamburg, Germany, have provided pricelessinformation. significance had been abandoned.There were still button The 149 of 1952 is not the 149 of today. Nearly every fillers with rubber biaddersbeing produced,but they component has undergonechange. Slight modifications seemedto havean arbitrary middle number. In 1952, when Ieft to right-Mint condition No. 149 transitionalmodei with nib style of late '70s and other componentsfrom early '80s; No. 149 of the late '60s with wide nib shouldersand wide, flat cone band; No. 149 of late '50s or early '60s with tapered nib and thin, rounded cone band. from decadeto decadecreated a pen that satisfiedconsumer the largestof the series,the 149, was introduced, the mid- needswhile maintaining a corporatevision. Assignyourself dle number remainednon-descriptive. The third digit a treasurehunt. Placetwo Diplomats side by side.Get a showsthe nib size.Although Montblanc produced nibs good jeweler'sloupe if your eyes,like mine, are around the from the popularly named baby,Number 00, to the giant sameage as the 149. As you methodicallystudy eachpart Number 9, the standardsizes were 2, 4, 6 and 8. The of eachpen, somesurprises await you. Number 9 nib was availableonly in the Meisterstiickrange. Montblanc's Numbering System The Filler Cone and Filler Plate On the original Diplomat, 1.49was heat stampedon At the southernmostpoint of the 149 is a turning PEN \A/oRLD knob known in the German pen indusrryas the filler luloid closingagainst celluloid. It is alsoa decorativefeature cone.It is the grippingportion of a pistonfiller mecha- appearingon the entire 140 seriesfrom its first appearance. nism. On the L49 and the entire 140 series,this cone is Devoteesof older Montblanc modelswill note that the permanentlyattached. On somesmaller Montblancs of immediatepredecessor on the Meisterstiickluxury line, the the 1950s,notably the 240 series,it wasactually a false 130 seriesin sizes2, 4, 6, 8, and 9, lackedsuch a filler plate, cap that was completelyremovable revealing a small, asdid the earlierluxury push button 120 series.On the 130 ribbed turning knob. Turning this knob engagedthe pis- series,the eboniteturning cone closedagainst the celluloid ton filler.The 149'spermanent filler cone is smooth and barrel.The filler ring continued to be usedon later transi- rapered,slightly rounded at its pinnacle, tional149 models.After the 1959 switch from celluloid to Continuing northward on the 149, stop at rhe first plastic, the thin rounded band remained.The changeto the metal encountered.This band, calledthe filler plate or filler wider, flush band betweenfilier cone and barrelseems ro ring, is thin and rounded on the original 149. Study it havebeen made in the 1960sand remainstoday. closelyat the edgeof the barrel;there is a clearconvex con- rour to this pieceof metal. It resemblesa thin washerand is, The B;rrrel in fact, the border betweenthe barrelproper (latercalled the The writing end of the barrelpresents an inreresting barreltube) and the filler cone. Run a finger along the filler contrastbetween older and newer 149s.The barrelof the platewhen the piston is engagedand the cone is at its great- 149 wasthe samesize as its luxury predecessor,the 139, but estdistance from the barrel.The ring reallyis a ring- both areslightly smallerthan current production 149s.The rounded, not a flat-edgedwasher as on later models.It celluloid barreland cap of the original 149 havea distinctive servesas the border becweencone and barrel,reinforcing the red tint, especiallywhen held to a strong light source. junction so that there is addedstrength and not simply cel- Prior to 1985,the barreltube wasa sinqleunit, with to reduceits effectiveness.Complaints about leaking sec- the exceptionof the filler cone.A raisedlip protrudes an tions by usersof newer 149sshould be followed with slightly from the barrel.Just below the gr"ippingarea' pen has beenlying unused in a hasan ink inquiry as to how long the although it is not a separatesection, the barrel rare,usually occur extend deskdrawer. Leaking sections,though view window with clearlydefined vertical Panesthat in the box ot more some after the pen has sPentyears emPty completelyaround the barrel'scircumference' On inside' Mixing inks within on the most dangerousindeed, left with ink rnodelsthey are almost totally faded,but even dangerousfor piston fillers panes' the pen or evenin bottles can be amberedpen there will probably be a hint of the like the 149. Accoding to one Montblanc dealer'the inside After 1985, the barrelwas manr-tfacturedin rwo parts the sealantcan deterio- On a of the barrel can becomepitted and with the junction just abovethe ink view window' ink types' ink view and rate from chemical interactions by di{ferent newer 149, a clearline is visiblejust abovethe removed the two Seriouslyneglected I49s may need the section immediatelybelow the barrel'souter threadswhere barrel is some- modelshas from the barrel;resealing or replacingthe partsmeet. The separatesection on more recent and reassembling are inter- times necessary.Disassembling, sealing, clearplastic threadsand a bayonetsnap iock that it should only or the operat- the barrel is fairly simple surgery'although nal and invisible exceptin the assemblyroom using sealed' be attemptedby an authorizedMontblanc repairman ing room during repairs.Once closedand properly the proper tools and sealant. the ioint should prove air and watertight' or During periodic maintenance,perhaps every decade Tire Filling SYstenr so, the sectioncan be removedand new sealantapplied' sameon the the pink The filling mechanismon early 149sis the Authorized Montblanc repairmengenerally prefer entire 140 seriesand alsothe 130 seriesfrom 1939-52'The "bubble-gum"sealant' a quick-dryingPaste thar remains allowsone seems filler is a double piston or telescopedesign that securefor long periods.Neglect of the pen' however' . #*1 'Ms..1:,::ll ,a*i'.-l 'm#phr;/m FIRMA s.r'1. Via S. Bernardino,102 - 24126 Bergamo (ltaly) tel. (+39) 035.31.19'45- fax (+39) 035 31 51'65 ov/rFA e-mail:firmasrl@tiscalinet it piston to collapseover the other, thus creatinga largerink The Cap chamber than in a similarly sized pen with a traditional sin- \7ith