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Hi lovely people, Yesterday I have purchased a fountain pen, about which the seller didn't know to tell me much about. The only thing he knew was that supposedly was owned by his dad. I have asked him if he knows what was the production year, he said that he doesn't know, but that he things it's a "newer date". All over this pen is written ' Pelikan 120 '. I am not sure if it's actually Pelikan 120 or Pelikan M120 ( production year 2016 ), because it looks in a pretty good condition for a pen that would be produced back in 1955-1965 or so. There is no number at the bottom part of the barrel ( which some of them had ). It's 125mm long ( like Pelikan 120 should be, unlike Pelikan m120 which is 130 mm long in total ). This probably is not Pelikan 120 M&K ( 1973-1977 ) because it's shorter in total lenght, plus M&K have some different features. So if anyone have a clue if this could be the genuine Pelikan 120, or what should I look for - give me some suggestions please. ( I still haven't even tried if it's "working" or not ... ) Thank you in advance ! Best regards - Tinpanalleybluesman.

The Pelikan 120 School Pen Background The Pelikan 120 name actually applies to two different pens. There is a Type I produced from 1955-1965 that served as Pelikan's first school pen. There is also a later Type II produced from 1973-1977 by Merz & Krell, with slight differences. The pen below is a Pelikan 120 Type I. First, the packaging. I bought this pen from a seller in Bulgaria and they included this very vintage-looking original box (inside another box): http://i.imgur.com/hLbRDdfl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/3fv8eizl.jpg ^ "Dip Pelikan Sofiya" - I can only guess that this refers to the Bulgarian capital city, Sofia. http://i.imgur.com/o1Kj5NVl.jpg ^ I'm told this says "Automatic Pen" (i.e. fountain pen). Appearance, Design and Construction Green is my favourite colour... er, the only colour. This appears to be the classic 1950s German school pen that inspired many others, including the Reform 1745. It's plastic and lightweight without feeling cheap. Build quality is pretty good. As it was intended for school use, I'm sure this is going to be a fine working pen. I've heard people complain about mould lines on the modern, much more upscale Pelikan m200 but I can't see or feel any here. This pen is on the small side (by modern standards) and the rounded ends make it appear chubby. It's sort of cute, but not undignified, if you know what I mean. capped: 125mm (4.92in) open: 113mm (4.45in) posted: 143mm (5.63in) I happen to like smaller pens. While I can write comfortably unposted, most people probably have to post for reasonable length. This pen is perfectly balanced either way, something that I appreciate very much. http://i.imgur.com/7rS0jndl.jpg Love the subtle Pelikan beak clip and the big ink window. The screw cap comes off in 3/4 of a turn. http://i.imgur.com/Blx9H1nl.jpg The (somewhat brassed and scratched) cap lip reads "PELIKAN 120" and "GERMANY". Filling System A piston-filler! This is actually my first. The piston is functional but rather stiff. It definitely needs greasing later. I am actually rather ambivalent towards filling mechanisms. If it works, I'm happy. I haven't had problems with c/c capacity but was still curious to know how much the Pelikan 120 holds: http://i.imgur.com/Vqryp2hl.jpg The vial suggests maximum capacity is approximately 1.4mL, or about the same as a long cartridge. A typical fill (without expelling air) would be less. This is far from an exact measurement. Interestingly, I have heard lower numbers for the longer Pelikan 120 Type II. Much lower, as in half the capacity. I think the best thing about piston-fillers is that ink doesn't stick to the inner walls. I have converters that need a good flick now and then or the feed will go dry. Nib and Performance Finally, this is what I bought the pen for. One of the reasons I sprang (ha) for this pen was the lure of a vintage Pelikan nib. I may be imagining things but I think vintage nibs feel better and have more personality. I have also heard lots of things about Pelikan nibs, ranging from their slightly soft feel to their tendency to run wider than other brands. Well, they were mostly right... http://i.imgur.com/lDhqZigl.jpg Nibs are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. Look, a Lamy steel nib that is actually extra-fine! Luckily, I'm not upset that the Pelikan is wider than expected. Ink: Cross Blue (rumoured to be repackaged Pelikan Royal Blue, not sure if that's true but the colour looks similar). The Pelikan 120 is my only pen in which this ink doesn't look washed out. In the words of SBREBrown, "It lays down a nice juicy line." The ink flow is decadently wet, but not too wet. This nib is smooth with just a tiny bit of controlled feedback, which is right up my alley. It is also slightly springy and I can get a 2x line with a bit of pressure. I could probably even mash it for a 3x line (as Bo Bo Olsen often repeats in this forum) but that feels rather risky. http://i.imgur.com/mlqqIual.jpg The steel nib is marked EF. Was probably gold plated at one point but no trace of that remains. http://i.imgur.com/9McoJeul.jpg Longitudinal fins under the nib. Final Thoughts I had a budget and wanted a piston filler. I considered several TWSBI pens, but I've always wanted to try a Pelikan nib. Then I saw this for around the same price as the TWSBI pens, and it's green... Well, here it is. I prioritize writing performance before nearly anything else. This pen doesn't disappoint. The only reason I wouldn't recommend a Pelikan 120 is if you dislike small pens or hate posting. That and I've heard something about fragile nib collars... not so different from TWSBI really. I decided to take the risk and I think it was worth it.

Greetings -- I have 2 Pelikan 120 pens bought in the late 1980s/early 1990s, sold with Pelikan medium Italic gold plated steel nibs. I stoned the original nibs into unusability in my attempt to create a glass smooth steel nib. This was in the days before micromesh. I replaced the original nibs with Senator nibs, which were sold to me as the available direct replacements (ealy 1990s). I ruined those as well, although one still functions. I tried using a a Senator nib on a feed that came on a German FP bought from Nishimura (excellent cheap FP) but the (thinner) threads are too loose and it leaks. So finally my question: from the pictures, can someone tell me if this is a "Pelikan Calligraphy Pen" by M&K, or a 'real' Pelikan 120, and which available nibs, if any will fit it. I have sentimental attachment to the pens ('they were a slave when I were a slave') but not enough to buy a Binder nib or similar expense. I'm interested in inexpensive Italic M or F equivalent to what I have now. My handwriting with standard nibs is dangerously illegible, but my Italic cursive is at least usable, after >30 years of practice. Thanks for this wonderful website, which contains the photos and narrative description that gave me the courage to disassemble and fix my Omas Milord (Trafford Italicized) when there were no repairs available in the USA. I have been reading and lurking for many months, and learned a lot. My 'real' Italicized pens never leave the house.

Greetings I have 2 Pelikan 120 pens bought in the late 1980s/early 1990s. They were my workhorse pens when i started my medical residency. I spent many sleepless hours writing admission notes and chart notes with them, until (as predicted by my colleagues who had a betting pool on when I'd give up) I decided I just could not write Italic cursive fast enough to stay legible and keep up with the work load. So i gave up and started using thin fibertips or rollerballs held vertically like a Rapidograph. The fewer degrees of freedom, the more legible my hand. Ball points are a disaster. I stoned the original nibs into unusability in my attempt to create a glass smooth steel nib. This was in the days before micromesh. I replaced the original nibs with Senator nibs, which were sold to me as direct replacements. I ruined those as well, although one still functions. I tried using a a Senator nib on a feed that came on a German FP bought from Nishimura (excellent cheap FP) but the threads are too loose and it leaks. So finally my question: from the pictures, can someone tell me if this is a "Pelikan Calligraphy Pen" by M&K, or a 'real' Pelikan 120, and which available nibs, if any will fit it. I'm only interested in Italic M or F equivalent to what I have now. I have sentimental attachment to the pens ('they were a slave when I were a slave') but not enough to buy a Binder nib or similar expense. My handwriting with standard nibs is dangerously illegible, but my Italic cursive is at least usable, after >30 years of practice. Thanks for this wonderful website, which contains the photos and narrative description that gave me the courage to disassemble and fix my Omas Milord (Trafford Italicized) when there were no repairs available in the USA. My 'real' Italicized pens never leave the house.