20 German Pens From The 50S-60S That Show The Pervasiveness Of Pelikan Style

[Dickkooty2]

I would like to have a strong line-up of black German piston fill pens from the 50s-60s that show the pervasiveness of the Pelikan style.

Here is what I have so far. Some are a little weak and I will search out better examples.

Brause 3032

Tropen Gold

Senator

Ero Erst Beste

Matador

Geha

Lamy

Kaweco Metropol

MB

Soenecken

Reform.

But my need right now is a list of 20 - 25 brands that will illustrate the design point.

Please. your thoughts!

That Dick in Hood River

[sargetalon]

A very interesting project. I'm afraid that I'm not overly familiar with a lot of those brands nor am I well versed enough in this area to add any others to your list but I'll be interested to see where this goes when others chime in. Good luck amassing your collection and pictures please when feasible.

[Christopher Godfrey]

Dickkooty, what have you in the way of Geha? Needing a 705, by any chance? ;^)

[Keyless Works]

Would Osmia Gimborn count?

[Ernst Bitterman]

Feel free to poke around my site; I'm all about the Creative Commons, so you can use whatever pictures you like (some of them I don't like a lot, but I don't claim to be a professional photographer). You might want to have a look at Alster while you're there, as an extremely odd manifestation of the influence, although it's earlier than your window of interest.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Ernst Bitterman

[Dickkooty2]

Here is an idea ...

 

Coming up with a list of 20-25 German pen manufacturers active in the 50s-60s is too hard off the top of anyones head!

 

So I have gone to Wim's massive list of manufacturer's by country and made a selection of 20-plus from the German list.

 

And in my scientific manner, I have selected people I have heard of.

 

OK … right away you see the problem. What do I know? So many ask me that, usually followed by the word 'anyway'.

 

Please scan the list with your true pen knowledge and let me know your favorites I have not included.

 

Hers is the list:

 

Artus

Astoria

A.W. Faber-Castell (Osmia)

Brause

Diplomat

Eberhard

Ero

Garant

Geha

Goldfink

Ibis

Johann Faber

Kaweco

Lamy

Markant

Matador

Monopol

Montblanc

Osmia

Rotring

Senator

Soennecken

Tintenkul

Tropen

Some of these manufacturers may not have been active in the time period and so may not have made the style I am trying to find. Isis was a Pelikan protection price brand.

But right now I am looking for the accumulated wisdom of this blog's participants to get a much better-informed list than mine.

As someone used to say "He made it out of his own head and it looked like it!".

Dick

[MarkTrain]

How about Goldring. Believe it was made in E. Germany.

[Dickkooty2]

@ Keyless Works … Yes, Osmia is on the list if I can afford one! I'm also saving my energy for 5.5 hours of Les Troyens in June!

 

@ Mark Train … I have the beautiful Goldfink brand on my list, again, if I can afford one. I think Goldring was a Chinese strike-off brand.

 

@ Sarge … Any thoughts from you would be very, very welcome!

 

@ Ernest Bitterman … thank you! I have poked around before on your masterful blog! I like your pen eras! I was one of the bad guys at Parker in the early 80s. Or shouldn't I admit that. I put together a very rough parallel of art, architecture, and design a few years ago to match Rick Propas's design eras. It may have been a bit labored. I may impose upon you for your advice and views as I (hopefully) proceed.

 

Thanks, one and all, for your interest and thoughts!

 

Dick

[Frank C]

Thanks for posting this. Now I have to fly to Germany for a pen show or two and buy one of each.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Artus has a nice 'true' regular flex nib, in steel or gold. Was bought up by Lamy, he needed the plastic forming machinery.

Astoria

A.W. Faber-Castell (Osmia)

Lets put this right Osmia was the first class pen. Faber-Castell the pencil empire had only second tier pens until they bought up Osmia.

Osmia never had a office supply company like Soennecken, MB, Pelikan or Geha. So always had money problems. It had a patented osmium tipping from 1922. Got bought up by Parker '28-9, sold back in 29-30. 1932 had to sell their nib making factory to Degussa...which stopped making nibs in 1970....very very good nibs be that steel or gold. A Diamond on the nib is semi-flex, Supra is 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

Faber-Castell started buying in, in 1936. 1938, the brother split the company. 1951(have read it was 1945/6 Faber Castell finishes buying up the company. They needed a first class pen, then the idiots started taking off all the Osmia markings. It died because everyone remembered Faber-Castell as a second class pen.

Brause still makes dip pen nibs.

Diplomat a nice solid made pen....got rid of one of my two because it was a nail. A well balanced pen....but it was cartridge, it was a nail...a very light metal pen....luckily my wife's pn she never uses is a Diplomat.

Eberhard....I only have dip pen handles from them.

Ero...third tier pens.....have some that look like them but no Ero marking...with semi-flex nibs.

Garant

Geha '50-60-72 very solid, well made, nib a bit better than Pelikan...lasted until 1990 when the new oner of Pelikan bought up the Geha Pen division, and close it down. Too much competition in the School pens....in 1993 the Safari came out from Lamy. From the '70-90 Geha made more school pens thatn higher class ones.

The 725 is a grand pen, a pen Geha set out to bet MB with and did. The classiest pen I own...great balance, semi-flex nib.

Goldfink

Ibis...a Pelikan sub brand.

Johann Faber...

Kaweco...once the best pen in Germany. From 1900 on used US made Morton nibs; the best nibs in the world....1914 bought Machinery from Morton and imported US workers and families to Germany to teach Germans how to make the worlds best nibs. August 1914 came and the Americans went home.

Gold nibs hand hammered and annealed. The 'iridium' tipping stuck in a potato during the work with Bunsen burners and little tiny, tiny anvils so the tipping would not get too hot. (Read somewhere they bought up Morton) From 1914-1930 the best nib in the world. Was number 1 pen in Germany between 1900 & 1930. Not Soennecken or MB. Then because of the market crash the owner of Kaweco went bankrupt....not Kaweco the pen company but was dragged into the mess and sold to a short sighted man.

The new owner stopped that foolish best nib in the world crud in a real hurry. The nibs after that were not any better than any one else's.

Dia is a model, the Sport came out in the early '30's so one could break dance with it in their pants pockets. Slide tackle in soccer, or what ever sports one wanted to do wearing pants with pockets.

Lamy 1929 As European marketing director for Parker in Germany, took over Osmia....when Parker sold it back...Parker was over priced, and held less ink. And Germany was filled with cheap Parker clones. Started making his own Orthos pens. After the war bought Artus as his brand with a regular flex nib....as far as I know pens labeled Lamy are and always were nails.

I took a factory tour some 2-3 years ago.

Markant

Matador...a pen that I wanted, didn't find when the money was there, did see when it wasn't.

Monopol

Montblanc...like most pens I like the older ones with semi-&maxi-semi-flex nibs I've lucked out with having some three '50's nibs....a nice regular flex '70-80's no. Not terrible enthusiastic about the modern 'Springy' ones compared to the good nibs of the '50s'. Had an old Safety Pen wet noodle in my hand....sigh... They had a great number of models.

With out Lambrou's book on Fountain Pen's I'd know nothing about them....nor the many other pens I have....everyone needs as new an edition as possible. I was so ignorant no matter how much I read here, every day.

Osmia....real nice top quality pens (the more Osmia on the Faber Castell ones the better), get some. Some will need new corks....do it any way.

Rotring...have a nice purplish blue ink from them....nice ink.Great name in sturdy industrial pens. Don't have one, in there are just too many pens to have one of....was a nail. Nails are not high up on my list....have 5 in the differnt widths, so don't need a double.

Senator...A solid pen...still made.

Soennecken The oldest German pen @1890, unfortunately they got into ball point pens too late and lost out to Pelikan and MB. Well worth having. Osmia was my budget level....only have one, an Superflex. No model number....just the cap ring and nib says what it is.The firm got out of pens @ 1960 or real early '60s. The '50's pens are the best ever made. Lambrou said so. Better than the MB and the King of Pens the Snorkel. :yikes:

Tintenkul

Tropen I have one....took me a very long time to get it. A solid made nail....sigh. They were an export pen from Germany before the war. At the end of the war most of the British fountain pen were bombed out and the Labor government allocated no money to rebuild. A couple of weeks after the war the British Army ordered 50,000 pens from them. Well through the '50's Tropen made more pens than any other German company.....it was the biggest company. They were the export masters.....more than selling in Germany. Think they are dead....finally my '89 Lambrou book has them still being made.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[Dickkooty2]

@ Bo Bo Olson,

 

Thank you, Bo Bo, for your informative comments on the list I submitted for consideration. As usual, your comments are the great combination of erudition and practical first-hand experience!

 

As you might guess, I am going for width rather than depth. The fact that some producer may have been 3rd level doesn't bother me as I am not putting this group together with any thought to resale or illustrating depth of line/prime examples … simply representation. That a third tier producer may copy a winning model from a first tier producer shows to me the popularity in the market place for a design. Manufacturers at the lower end don't knock-off losers.

 

Again, I thank you for taking the time to share your extensive knowledge with me and the other readers of this post.

 

All the best,

 

Dick

[MarkTrain]

 

 

@ Mark Train … I have the beautiful Goldfink brand on my list, again, if I can afford one. I think Goldring was a Chinese strike-off brand.

 

Pretty sure Goldring was made in East Germany. From Tom Westerich's site: "goldring pens were made in East Germany."

Edited April 29, 2015 by MarkTrain

[Dickkooty2]

@ Mark Twain,

 

Thank you, Mark! If Goldring is good enough for Tom Westreich and Chairman Mao, it will be on my list!

 

Westreich's Penboard.DE is a great market and information site.

 

Best,

 

Dick

[Christopher Godfrey]

<As usual, your comments are the great combination of erudition and practical first-hand experience!>

 

Not to forget the humour in them (his remarks, that is)!

 

I really enjoy reading your sh*t, Bo Bo -- truly! (Meant quite genuinely) ;^) You always call a spade a spade, don't you? This one's a nail...and that one's a nail...this one's a Lamy...! (And, mostly, I agree with you) Bravo!

 

Nice, interesting thread, this, Dick.

[christof]

I am not 100% sure about if I have understood your project completely. You are looking for Brands/Pens which design is influenced by Pelikans design/style? Correct?

 

If so, my first question is, why do you think that Pelikan had such a strong influence to other Manufacturers (except the technical part of the piston filler)? Pelikan came late to the business of fountain pens. Only in 1929. Makers as Soennecken, Montblanc, Matador, Kaweco and Osmia have been long in business before.

 

Also I think that Pelikans are quite unique in design (that's why I think it's interesting for collectors) and there are not many Manufacturers who did copy the design (like goldring clearly did with the 400, and maybe GEHA did with the 140).

 

I think that the most competitors of Pelikan have clearly not been influenced by Pelikans style. Montblanc, Soennecken, Kaweco etc... had their own unique design. But that's just me...

 

Christof

[Bo Bo Olson]

Thanks Christopher. I'm glad you like my humor.

 

I have my 5 basic nails, B, M, F, EF, and a CI was a Lamy Persona nail OB, with no line variation is now a CI B-M with real nice line variation, in one loses a bit of nib when it's ground CI.

One does need a few nails. ie, when editing a book, a nail EF does a bit better than a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex EF....sigh, still got a slightly Ham Fist, that will turn that into an F.

 

Don't like modern Obliques which are mostly nails or the modern semi-nail that replaced 'true' regular flex, in they are harder for Ball Point Barbarians to bend.

IMO Modern obliques are good for folks that cant their nib because of left eye dominance, or are left handed.

 

I have some 15 '50-60's Obliques in stubbish semi&maxi-semi flex; one; a Pelikan 100n, is the first stage of superflex -Easy Full Flex. They give great line variation.

One wise poster defined that as line variation On Demand, and Stub or Ci as Max only. Stubbing or making a nib Cursive Italic is good, in modern nibs are boring. Or one can chase the '50-65 German nibs with a tad to some flex, with or with out oblique.

 

Lamy, Tropen, Herlitz and I think, but am not going to go hunt it up think that Luxor is also a nail. So if chasing a bit of German flex; not them.

 

I trans mail for a friend in England, so have seen a lot of 200's nibs, I was most disappointed with the 200's oblique. The 200 is a nice 'true' regular flex. So I get great line variation from the flat stubbish semi&maxi nibs of the '50-60's.

 

By pure luck, I have obliques in both the @15&30 degree grinds in OBB, OB, OM, and OF. I decided OEF would be to narrow to chase.

That is a combo of semi&maxi. I do not have the money to have a pure set in those two flex stages, in both grinds.

 

The vintage nibs are 1/2 or so narrower than modern. A vintage OB is like a Fat M, a good writing nib. The modern B-OB is more a signature nib....or one uses up a lot of paper. My modern MB B =BB, it is a Springy nib, Springy=nice tine bend, but only 2 X tine spread. My semi-flex '52-54 MB 234 1/2 Deluxe KOB.....is more towards a M. It is unlike other K=Kugla/ball nibs I have. It has a bent up Waverly style tip, instead of the normal German flattish bottomed, thickened tip and ball on the top of the nib. the K nibs were made for those how hold a fountain pen like a pencil...in Ball points were then rather new.

 

Today's fat blobby Pelikan nib is a double K nib.....a fat round nib; American Bump Under and thick tip and a German Kugle on top of the nib....can be used by the Ball point Barbarian held just like his rollerball/ball point, don't need any or much nib orientation in his grip.

Wouldn't want to scare the Barbarian back to ball points by putting a page in how to hold a fountain pen in the instructions....They don't have the tree minutes to waste....and with some of the grips I've seen....way too complicated with out hands on instruction.....so they hold it like a ball point, and complain it skips, and is scratchy.....sigh cubed.

 

I chase shading inks, and certain inks shade better in 'true' regular flex M&F, than the wetter semi/maxi-semi-flex nibs. So one needs a basic set of them too.

 

I like semi-flex having 30, got 15 maxi's.

 

I bought a cheap no name pen, that needs a new cork...some day I'll clear off my desk and spend a full day doing re-corking.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/SAM_0430-1.jpg

It's screwin Rupp nib (1922-70) fit this spare nibless "no name" Clipper pen. I have one with it's semi-flex 'Clipper' nib also. It is not a Wearever, just the box it came in. When I buy a pen on Ebay, I get the picture for free....in I'm horrible with a camera. The top picture is mine, the other by some one who can take a picture.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/cb6.jpg

 

I walked around for three days saying Wow that is certainly a maxi-semi-flex nib.....it was and still is the most flexible of my 15 nibs of this nib flex set.....finally :eureka: I realized it was one of those 'flexi' nibs folks talked about but did not define.

I define it now all the time. 'Flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

If one mashes a 'true' regular flex so the tine spreads 3 X a light down stroke, a semi-flex takes half that pressure and a 'maxi-semi-flex half of that or 1/4th the pressure to well mash a 'true' regular flex....all are 3 X tine spread.

A modern or a vintage semi-nail like a P-75 only spreads the tines 2 X when well mashed.

 

That to some one use to only modern semi-nail makes problems for them selves when they run across a semi-vintage 'true' regular flex like a '80's-90's Pelikan (modern 200), and think it semi-flex....they are on the whole still ham fisted from nail use....so tend to bend the hell out of the 'soft' got to be semi-flex....look at how much it bends nib....until it's permanently hamstrung, from ham fisted use.

 

One of the reasons I think some one should use a semi-flex nib for three months before going after a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex, it takes time to lighten up the pressure of one's grip from ham fisted to slightly ham fisted.

 

There was a time some 5-6 years ago, some good posters talked a bout a 'flexi' nib and didn't mean a "Flex"/-superflex nib. That is one of the two flex sets with in the 3x Tine spread set...regular flex, semi&maxi. Some talked about Swan 'flexi' nibs others about some of the Pelikan nibs.

 

Pelikan made both, but the guy picked how much flex he wanted at the corner store when he bought the pen, so it's all luck if you get semi or maxi. Geha also, MB too. (Soennecken was and is always just out side of my budget; except for once where I lucked out, And how...a Wet Noodle.)

The Osmia/O-F-C tells you and as far as I know is the only pen company that did that. A Diamond on the nib is semi-flex, Supra on the nib is 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

 

I don't want folks getting into nibs with some flex to think 'flexi-maxi' is a "Flex/Superflex and spread the tines more than the 3 X a light down stroke and spring the nib....so I harp on it.....anything to save a good nib from getting it repaired to almost as good as it once was for $$$$$$.

I came on the com as ignorant as many/most. With good help from other posters....I went from 96% of all I knew was from Richard to only 92 1/2%. One does learn a bit in 6 years, and 50 pens.

 

I do try to talk folks into taking their time and working up the flex ladder. But many want to jump off into the deep end of the pool with out their waterwings into Wet Noodle. A life time of TV training in instant gratification is hard to break. It often turns out to be a big mistake and they run home to Momma Nail, and never even get into the fun flair of semi-flex....because the flex part of the word is taken wrong.

 

Don't want folks thinking semi-flex is a "flex/superflex" nib either and trying to make it do Olympic splits, and ruining the nib.

 

I want folks to enjoy their pens/nibs as much as I do....so I harp.

One needs that Lambrou book.....as modern an edition as one can afford. The '89 edition will do....but as soon as I hit the lottery, I'm going to up-date.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[Dickkooty2]

I am not 100% sure about if I have understood your project completely. You are looking for Brands/Pens which design is influenced by Pelikans design/style? Correct?

 

If so, my first question is, why do you think that Pelikan had such a strong influence to other Manufacturers (except the technical part of the piston filler)? Pelikan came late to the business of fountain pens. Only in 1929. Makers as Soennecken, Montblanc, Matador, Kaweco and Osmia have been long in business before.

 

Also I think that Pelikans are quite unique in design (that's why I think it's interesting for collectors) and there are not many Manufacturers who did copy the design (like goldring clearly did with the 400, and maybe GEHA did with the 140).

 

I think that the most competitors of Pelikan have clearly not been influenced by Pelikans style. Montblanc, Soennecken, Kaweco etc... had their own unique design. But that's just me...

 

Christof

Christof,

 

You have asked very good questions and made points that come from years of experience and learning that are far beyond my meagre knowledge!

 

I developed an interest in fountain pens just two-something years ago. And I almost instantly fell under the spell of Pelikan. Mostly because it was the common pen around the town in which our Kaserne was located. This was 1957 - 1959 and Pelikan was quite the deal. So call it nostalgia on my part!

 

My area of interest coincides with the Pelikan pen manufacturing time from 1929 through the 400 series. I loose interest when pens became an article of jewelry and personal statement of worth. I am also not interested in pens as objects to which extensive decoration has been applied so as to turn them from writing instruments of the people into objets d'art.

 

Probably you can see from my interests why I have called out attention to the many German pen manufacturers who were diligently turning out fountain pens. And the many who got bought by Pelikan and other more successful manufacturers during this period or who did not make a come-back after the War.

 

Certainly there are many limitations inherent to a fountain pen or any pen. Basically, they are a sharp stick with which one can scratch a controlled line because of thumb-forefinger opposition.

 

But to jump ahead to the fountain pen (a filled stick), certainly aesthetic styles have changed with the times. I fooled around several years ago using an article by Rick Propas to see if I could illustrate some design points. Here they are without explanation as I hoped the pictures would make the point.

 

Craftsman

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/1.%20Craftsman%20copy_zpspvsst75y.png

 

Art Deco

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/2.%20Art%20Deco_zpsrmvapuud.png

 

Streamline

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/3.%20Stream%20line_zpsh5v110fb.png

 

Modern/Bauhaus

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/4.%20Modern_zpsz6ln6trx.png

 

and, finally, an observation that transcends styles particularly in the time period I am talking about … the introduction of new materials and faster means of volume production

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/5.%20Mass%20Prod_zpsrzjdopuy.png

 

As you can probably guess, my interests and education are in graphic design, art and architecture with the woeful approach of the generalist to highly specialized areas. My work experience was in brand establishment for products to be marketed (hopefully successfully) world-wide with a consistent image. Yes, the Fools Gold of the Eighties.

 

And now more to your very well-taken points. I have assumed a leadership position for Pelikan out of Romanticism as much as actual market share. I did this because of their wonderful sense of graphics and style that i see in their ephemera. I have tried to collect pens with the matching sales pieces that reflect a 'slice of time'.

 

From a half-assed curatorial point of view, I was intrigued that there were so many manufacturers at various tier levels. I know that many of these manufacturers offered a range of price points with more accouterment offered as the price (and profit level) went up. But my interest is in pens of the people. I was very interested that the non-Pelikan pens I was adding to my small accumulation were in 'basic black' and there seemed to be two overall shapes of these filled sticks … blunt and streamlined.

 

Again in a half-assed curatorial enthusiasm, I decided it would be fun to have a long row of 20 - 25 manufacturers of the period. I'd call it "The Little Black Dress". I would start the row with Pelikan examples, some black in other color combinations as the price went up .. 100, 100n, 120, 140, 250, 400, 500. black resin with little furniture to GF.

 

This has been my long-scrawled way of saying you are very likely right on your assumptions. But my point is in the visual appeal and the demonstrable evidence that there was indeed a look of the time.

 

This may not have much appeal to those who collect for the defined details and distinctions to be made within and between brands. I do not mean to in any way take away from these absolute values with my more idiosyncratic approach.

 

I am just an old art history major having fun with what I see!

[Christopher Godfrey]

Great conversation, this! Dick is proving to be another with a lovely sense of humour -- I like it! And now we have more of an idea about where he is coming from with his concept of collecting little black jobs, influenced by Pelikan...got it, now! And why not? I think that even Christof will now understand and tolerate the less-than academic target? If I was an Australian, Dick, I'd probably say to you here: "Good on yer, mate!" ;^)

 

Bo Bo: I shall try to remember to make a couple of photos of my 100N which has a soft, fine nib that works and flexes like a paintbrush: it has to be my very favourite pen. A second 100N (different green binde) has slightly less flex...

Edited May 2, 2015 by Christopher Godfrey

[christof]

 

 

"...This may not have much appeal to those who collect for the defined details and distinctions to be made within and between brands. I do not mean to in any way take away from these absolute values with my more idiosyncratic approach...."

 

 

Thanks for your explanations Dick. I think I understand now.

My point of view isn't acasdemic at all, I just want to be precise.

 

I also think that out interests in pens and desing are quite similar. I also do not collect single pens. I see my collection as a well choosen accumulation of desing objects, each one in relation to the others.

 

My collection started with Parkers from "51" to 61, 65 and VP because this design pleased my personal taste most. Then I expanded my focus on earlier and later pens of Parker. As the best brand for comparison I choosed Sheaffer's and added some TD, Tuckaways, Snorkels and PFM's to the collection. Every pen represented the style of the brand AND the period.

 

Then I discovered Pelikan. And Pelikan was different in my point of view. Not only that European pens were more old fashioned than U.S. pens from the same period, Pelikans desing was unique for Europe AND the periods.

 

1. Most of Pelikan were NOT black as the greater rest of the German pens during this period.

 

Green Pelikan by C.M.Z., on Flickr

it took my quite a time to get all the black ones together...

Pelikan Schwarz by C.M.Z., on Flickr

 

 

2. Pelikans design is atypical for the periods. Around 1930 for example, Montblanc pens were long and slim with a rounded or flat cap top, or typical Safeties. Soennecken pens were similar to MB etc... But Pelikan came with a very short pen to the market which required to post the cap at the end. Almost as the famous Kaweco Sport. Then in 1950, when European pens became streamlined, Pelikan introduced the 400 with his "Jugendstil" inspired design (expect the 140 and 300 which were cheaper pens). Then, the evolution of the 400 to 400N and 400NN is rather contrariwise, from old fashioned to very old fashioned.

 

Pelikan 400_N_NN by C.M.Z., on Flickr

 

So I think it will be a very difficult task to find 20 black German pens which design was strongly influenced by Pelikan. But again, that's just me.

Your picture comparisons of architecture, pens and cars is interesting but only valid (if at all) for the U.S.A.

Europe is different. Architecture and indusrial design did not develope the same style at every period.

For example: The Lamy 2000 has nothing to do with the famous Bauhaus (although the marketing departement of Lamy claim this) Gerd Müller studied at the "Ulmer Schule für Gestaltung" where others like Richard Sapper (worked for BRAUN in tthe 50's/60's) for example studied as well.

Again, exactly because of these reasons I think that Pellikan is a very interesting brand for reasons of desing.

The Brand that probably has been most influenced by Pelikan was Geha. You should have an eye on these.

C.

Edited May 4, 2015 by christof

[Dickkooty2]

Green Pelikan by C.M.Z., on Flickr

it took my quite a time to get all the black ones together...

Pelikan Schwarz by C.M.Z., on Flickr

 

 

Christof,

 

Thank you so much for the educated, informative, and wonderfully illustrated comments above!

 

They are a lesson in German pen history and design from someone with a great personal collection from which to make the erudite points.

 

I am afraid that my new enthusiasm for German pens and Pelikan in particular has inspired me to 'jump in with both feet' and propose a thesis more from vigor than rigor. Actually, at eighty, I am delighted to still have some vigor.

 

And so I apologize to readers who may have thought that my thesis was based on any knowledge other than personal observations. Christof is the headmaster!

 

And yet my attempt to have a line of German pens in their little black dresses continues and hopefully at some time I'll be able to post a shot of them, if for fun if nothing else.

 

Thank you again, Christof!