The Meisterstuck "Le Grand" Line
The so called "Le Grand" range of pens can be considered the mainstream Meisterstück range in the large format and consists of a number of writing instruments: a ballpoint pen, a pencil, a rollerball, a document marker, and two fountain pen variants (a piston-filler and a cartridge only).
The "Le Grand" line had at its origin the highly successful large format piston-filler fountain pen, also known as the Nº146, which made its appearance in the early 1950s. Later in the 1980s, Montblanc decided to launch a line of complementary writing instruments in the same design and size format.
The ballpoint pen (aka as the Nº161) has a twist mechanism and is available in either gold-plated or platinum-plated trim and for a while was also available in a bordeaux colour. Nowadays it is only available in black resin.
The rollerball pen (aka as the Nº162) is very similar to the fountain pen format and size and has a screw-on cap. It is also available in both trims and in the bordeaux colour for a while. Note that the refills for this rollerball are larger than the standard size.
The mechanical pencil (aka as the Nº167) uses a thicker 0,9 mm lead with a twist mechanism to dispense the leads. As with the rest of the range it is also available in both trims and in the bordeaux colour for a while. By removing the cap one has access to its eraser.
A high-liner/document marker pen (aka as the Nº166) with a snap on cap was also made available for a short while.
The piston-filler fountain pen of the range (aka as the Nº146) is one of the best known Montblanc writing instruments ever produced and had its origins in the early 1950s. These early fountain pens were made of celluloid and can fetch prices of up to € 600 in auctions. From around 1961, Montblanc ceased production of the Nº146, and only in 1972 it was relaunched with the basic black resin format that is still currently available with only very minimal cosmetic and material changes. The Nº146 is offered with a 14-carat gold nib as standard, although many models are also fitted with 18-carat nibs as an option.
If in doubt about dating a Nº146, take a look at this table for matching its characteristics to the year of production.
If in doubt about dating a Nº146, take a look at this table for matching its characteristics to the year of production.
A cartridge-only fountain pen (aka as the Nº147 or "Traveller") was launched to cater for all those who prefer this type of ink mechanism. Design wise it is exactly the same shape and size as the Nº146. Because its production is much lower than the standard piston-filler, it is slightly rarer to find these days. Also, at the time of its availability, Montblanc also launched a especially designed pen holder which allowed for the user to carry 6 cartridges.
The "Le Grand" range has also being available in the Solitaire versions and the Nº146 fountain pen is also used as the basic model for some of the Limited Editions and even a few of the Exclusive / Artisan models.
The prices given here are the low and high average found on the international market between the years 2014 and 2017. The difference between the lowest and the highest values can be due to such factors as the state of preservation, the provenience, the reputation of the seller, and the completeness of the offer (original case, documentation, ink accessories, etc.). Every collector should be fully aware of the difference between selling prices and purchase prices, and between passion and investment.
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Against the normal "market pricing", the following table provides some guidelines for the valuation and negotiation of collectible (not current) fountain pens as per their condition.
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No signs of use, New Old Stock, boxed and fully documented, not inked ever
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No discernable user markings, boxed, dipped or once ink filled
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All parts original, slight signs of use, slight surface scratches, minor discolouration, crisp imprints, trim or body with no significant brassing, no dings, may be boxed, fully working
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All parts original, some signs of use, surface scratching, brassing, light discolouration, fully functional
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Not all parts may be original, heavy sign of use, worn imprints, used look, may need repairs, dings/stratches, medium discolouration
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Not working, missing parts, cracks, strong discolouration, very visible dings
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Another devaluation scale may be considered for particular typologies of damage
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