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Maybe it is known to many Pelikan fans already, of the beauty of vintage tortoise shells. However, I was shocked when I opened the parcel and saw my 400 tortoise for the very first time. This is some otherworldly kind of beauty, breathtaking! The tortoise shells change color from light to dark, from honey to blood red. The rest of the pen is in warm brown color, clearly brown, striking and matching perfectly with the tortoise. I inked it with MB Toffee Brown. Here are my two tortoise pens. The 400 cap and knob matches perfectly with the ink. It has a KM nib, marked on the knob. The nib is KM. To my surprise, the ball-ish nib is still nicely stubbish! And it is smooth, I can rotate my pen a little and still write the same. The nib has script logo, no marking on the cap ring. From what I read, it is made in the early 50s only. It gives line variations. Without pressure it writes like a stub, with subtle line variations. Nice semi-flex. Easier to flex (as in less pressure needed) than my 400nn M nib with bird logo. I have a theory of script nib being better at semi-flex, dont know if you would agree. The nib makes a sound when I write, much more so than my 400nn nib. The sound is similar to my M101n M nib, but I have CI grind on that nib, dont know if that changes the sound. The 400 nib is extremely wet. Toffee brown looks much darker. I will appreciate any suggestions to make the nib dryer. All my birds (less the 400nn, I swapped its nib into M620). The 400 is clearly brown. I am really lucky to acquire a 400 tortoise in this condition. The pen is almost mint, can pass for NOS, if you ignore the old metal look inside the cap. The piston seal is nice, no leak. I applied some oil that came with my TWSBI eco, the piston moves smoothly. I can see through the tortoise under light, to check ink levels. I paid E235 shipped. It is steep, almost the same as a new M400 white tortoise. Well, but it is hard to find one in this condition. I think it is worth the price. Now the 400 is competing against M101n red tortoise for the spot of my favorite pen. I swapped a semi-vintage OB nib into M101n. Cant say which I like better, they are very different pens and nibs.