M800 Old Style

October 29, 2007

This is my first Pelikan Souveran. I have bought it NOS and it came with two stickers on the barrel, the first saying "M" and the second saying"18C" outlined by the shape of a nib.

I need some help in dating this pen. The cap lip says Pelikan W. Germany. Souveran is not written. i have gathered from previous posts that the old style was produced through 1996. But upto what year was W. Germany written on the cap lip? Also when did Pelikan start writing souveran on the cap lip?

The striations on the green barrel are not straight, they are a bit wavy. Is this a defect? This gives a slightly bulbous look to the barrel. Also there is a slight gap between the section and the barrel near the place where the two are joined i.e. they are not joined flush to each other. Is this normal?

There are two additional markings on the 18C M nib. One to the left and the other to the right of the M marking. The nib is set quite deep in the section. The right hand oval has either B|N or D|N written inside. I am unable to decipher the contents of the LH oval. What do these markings indicate?

Thanks in advance for all the information.

The pen is a wonderful writer and I really enjoy its soft Nib. Feels like writing with a hard brush. I had initially bought a M600 latest production but the M nib I got was very rigid. After a day of dissatisfied use, I could exchange the M600 for this pen and now I am a satisfied Pelikan user.

Cheers,

Hari,

INDIA

October 29, 2007

Congratulations, the M800 is a superb pen.

To answer a few of your questions, these pens do show up with wavy stripes. They are not really a flaw or defect, though some folks do not like them. As far as the gap between section and barrel, I'd need to see that to comment, but there can be some small gap withoug cause for concern.

The right hand oval ac tually says P/F standing for Pelikan Fabrik, meaning the nib was made in-house rather than by the nibmaker Peter Bock. To be honest, I've never paid a whole lot of attention to the left hand one, since it is always there.

Regardless, enjoy. Be happy, don't worry.

October 31, 2007

As far as the gap between section and barrel, I'd need to see that to comment, but there can be some small gap withoug cause for concern.

The gap is around 0.4mm

The right hand oval ac tually says P/F standing for Pelikan Fabrik, meaning the nib was made in-house rather than by the nibmaker Peter Bock. To be honest, I've never paid a whole lot of attention to the left hand one, since it is always there.

I have rechecked the nib marking. It definitely says B|N inside the RH oval. I am trying to take a photo to post. There is a vertical dividing line between the B and N. What would the B and N mean? Bock? The LH oval is just a depression, probably the mark made by a hardness tester?

Regards,

Hari