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Here's a small Pelikan I bought, but it was a while ago, and I don't remember from where. I just inked it this week and something puzzles me. I read that all Souveran have gold nibs and though this is a fantastic writer, a true EF, there's no mark on the nib to indicate gold. Can anyone ID this pen? Could it be a copy? Thanks to anyone who can shed light on it. Here's the nib.

I had to send My Platinum President back under warranty because the gold coloured ring on the grip section has rusted. I can see under the loop similar starting with my five year old M600. What is the point of having this gold ring exactly where you dip it in the ink that often in my case has Ph of vinegar? When did this fad start? It is not on my older pens or even MB Meisterstuck which is older design.

As most of you would know, Pelikan is a 180 year old maker of fountain pens and paraphernalia. It had launched its first fountain pen in 1929. Prior to that Pelikan manufactured dyes, inks and office-supplies. This Swiss-incorporated German pen maker is also credited with the genesis of piston filling mechanism with a differential spindle gear, which endeavoured to address the problem of limited ink capacity in fountain pens of that period. Here, the piston knob is also threaded so that it is able to unscrew itself automatically, when the piston is unscrewed, in an outward direction, thus delivering a greater and efficient ink-suction. Hungarian engineer Theodor Kovacs is credited with the invention of the original filling mechanism before selling off the patent to Günther Wagner (the man who established the company) in 1927. By the way, here goes the review of an M1000 on my blog: The M1000 Review In the earlier years, Montblanc is said to have manufactured nibs (especially the one with a heart shaped breather hole in 1929/30) for Pelikan, while Pelikan made inks for MB. Pelikan had already built a brand awareness in the writer’s mind, being one of the major ink suppliers (starting with Iron Galls Inks) in Europe. They eventually launched the 4001 line (non-Iron Gall) line of inks in 1898, which is still produced today. I was introduced to Pelikan with a m200 model pen long back. And yes, I am heavily biased towards two of my Pelikans - one is the M400 white tortoise, other is the blue striated M805. The M1XXX is considered to be the next step to M6XX/8XX, once most of your cerebral logic is destroyed! As with the model numbers, there is a general increase in nib size, dimensions and price of course, when you move from M4XX to M1XXX. Again, I do love the Souverän M 625 with dazzling sterling silver trims (Ag 92.5%). Having said that, the serene green-striated M1000 reflects and adorns the 1929 classical green-striped design. The green "transparent Pelikan fountain pen" was launched in 1929 by Wagner. It was named so, to reference the transparent ink window. The logos have changed over the years starting from a mother pelican with four chicks to a mother-single chick combination from 2003 onwards. I have learnt something form FPNer sirach’s excellent review of the m805. Incidentally, both of us had posted reviews of our m805s the same day, around the same time on FPN . The mother pelican and chick logo is symbolic of Christ, as when there is no food, the mother pelican is believed to pierce its own breast with its beak, to feed its young of its blood. It is symbolic of Christ sacrificing himself for Man, and is often represented in Christian art. I have taken the liberty to share the picture used by sirach in his review. DESIGN - THE STRIPED TRANSLUCENCY (6/6) The M1000 comes in two standard gold-trims - Green Striped and Classic Black (Green Ink Window), across four different nib widths - EF, F, M and B. The M1005 also came in silver trims of Black/Green Ink Window design, albeit with a dual tone nib. There is nothing like the allure of the M1005 demonstrator, but then there are Raden Sunlight & Starlight models too. The pen hints at a subtle piece of craftsmanship associated with building this writing instrument. Its balance somehow ensures all the necessary weight and nib leverage for comfortable writing. My hand sometimes varies from a light to moderate touch and the m1000 adapts to the change with deft, compared to a m800, partly perhaps because of a more responsive nib. The barrel is made up of highly polished pelikan famed ‘cellulose acetate’ with its diamond cut contours, which partially reveal the necessities like the piston end or ink level, while concealing the unnecessary ones. I feel that this green stripes reveal the ink levels quite well. The pinstripe pattern in the Souverän series is nicknamed Stresemann derived from Gustav Stresemann, the Chancellor of Germany for his famous striped trousers. The green stripes innately reflect both light and dark while preserving a formal appearance of the souverän as the gold plated trims continue to stand out. The translucency is subtle but useful at the same time to note ink levels. The dazzling green stripes reflect back greens between pine & emerald with ambient light, soothingly to your eyes.. The barrel is silky smooth. The golden gleam is matched throughout the pen starting from the famed finial and the clip, through those concentric bands in the cap, before finally converging with the dual piston rings. While the white tortoise plays with light with phenomenal efficiency, the green & blue stripes seem to have held their own conservative thoughts. The cap feels quite substantial and unscrews with a single turn, revealing a dazzling two-tone nib. The grip reveals another knot of golden glitter, towards the section end, where the big dazzling nib unit is screwed in. Two concentric golden bands with a gold plated crown embossed with the pelikan logo, adorn the cap with a signature pelican beak-shaped clip. The thicker bottom band carries the brand imprint of PELIKAN SOUVERÄN GERMANY. The logo on the finial is the one embraced by Pelikan post 2003, that of a mother pelican and one chick, gleaming in brushed gold. The staged pillars of M400, 605, 805 & 1000 glitter with light. FILLING SYSTEM (6/6) A piston filler with a sturdy knob is embellished with two concentric golden loops. Like any other pelikan, it’s imbibed with a system which is usually hassle-free and needs minimal maintenance. The piston end unscrews with three to four rotations and ink is drawn into the pen with remarkable efficiency without any fuss, once the piston is screwed back on. And of course, you can observe some of the live action through the striped windows. A brass spindle connector in the M1XXX provides weight and balance. Everything is glistening gold as you can see the connector nut in the picture. M1XXX fills upto 1.9-2 mL (similar to M800) of ink. These brass piston mechanisms can be dismantled using a 7mm wrench (TWSBI wrench would fit) on the connector nut, in a clockwise direction. On finding the piston mechanism quite snug while filling ink, I did dismantle it to lubricate the piston lip/seal. Although for any other problem, it is advisable to send the pen to Pelikan Germany/Country Authorized Service Center. Also, Pelikan International is quite responsive to facebook messages. NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (5/6) The nib/feed section is screw-fit and comes in a standard 18k two-tone design across four stock widths - EF, F, M & B. It has the standard pelikan design with the usual convenience of a screw-fit section. Like the cousins, the tall & slender nib is efficient. With a big feed, and a spread out nib it looks forward to propel your writing imaginations and moods. The silver of two-tone finish does converge with the golden trims in terms of glitter and glimmer. The tail end specifies the nib-width and composition (18 C, 75% Au) of the gold-alloy used. Three arabesques diverge along the shoulders of the nib with two of them converging near the circular breather hole. The third curve runs across the tines towards the shoulders ending with the tail end of the nib, outside of which a golden decor runs along the shoulders across the tines, before converging onto the iridium tip. There is of-course the dazzling golden mother-baby pelikan logo, resting above the tail. This one in the picture is a Extra Fine nib and writes smooth and is decently wet. No complaints for this piece on out of the box performance. A big black plastic feed (earlier ones had ebonite feeds) with closely spaced fins ensures a good ink buffer and promises wet and even smoother starts. Even with a dipped nib section, it would write a page. In my experience with Pelikan nibs (both with earlier Bock & now in-sourced), the good nibs usually after running 80 pages of my usual B5 notebook, break in to my liking. This nib being a little different with a characteristic spring and a bit of flex, did break in within a month to fit my writing style. I feel that these days these nibs have started to lay a finer line, owing to user recommendation of the Pelikan community. Fortunately some of the mylars & buff-sticks are saved, thanks to these birds. PHYSICS OF IT (5/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING The pen has got the heft in it and I use it without posting. The overall capped length is around 14.6 cm. The total weight of M100X has slightly less than a third of contribution from the cap. The grip diameter is around 1.2 cm and the bit of tapering renders comfort to the fingers. The cap threads are higher up on the section and are non-intrusive for me, since I do not hold the pen very high. It is not a light & small pen and may not comfortable to you at first, I gradually became used to it. The motivation if not anything else, was the Kingsized #8 nib. Uncapped Length ~ 13.5 cmPosted Length ~ 17.7 cmNib Leverage ~ 2.8 cmOverall Weight ~ 35 g (Cap ~ 10 g) Capped and uncapped comparisons with a few of the flock go below for your reference. Top to bottom (m1000, m805, m605 & m400) With an MB149 And an Emperor with the Entire Flock ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) The M1000 retails these days at around GBP 380 (discounted), although it might be available at lower street prices. I strongly feel that this acquisition was a result of an impulse driven bid on the bay, since I had a low expectation of winning the bid in the first place. Even though it’s one of the phenomenally efficient pens with a high degree of nib appeal, I would still value it as a standardised-good value buy. A part of me which loves Pelikan for the great pens they make, rationally feels that the m1000 being a flagship pen, they need to build up its image akin to an Meisterstück 149, to command a high price and appeal, for it sells much below its RRP across internet/offline shops. May be Pelikan can start with a body/barrel combination solely made for m1000 with a custom designed nib. Then again, I would not be able to buy it OVERALL (5.2/6) Historically for me, I did not like the weight/balance of the M1000 pen. However, with frequent use, I found the balance acceptable and then comfortable!! These 18k nibs have a smooth and wet flow. The m1000 nib has a fair bit of flex (modern bit!) with an inherent softness, since with the bigger size of the nib, there is more room for it to move. Being nice and wet writers out of the box, the Extra-Fine nib puts down a fine line, which takes around 35 seconds to dry Visconti Blue Ink on MD Paper. The pen feels balanced for my hands both with or without pressure and given the tapered profile of the section, it has a good grip. This nib runs a tad finer than say a #3776 medium nib, and with some pressure it leaves a wider line. I have used single fills of Sailor Sky High (now Souten), Montblanc Toffee Brown, Visconti Blue, Iroshizuku Yama Budo/Tsuki Yo inks in rotation, and the pen has performed gracefully with all these inks. Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here and in the below links section. Comments & feedback are welcome. So, what is your favourite Pelikan? REVIEWS & LINKS Pelikan M1000 Pelikan M805 Pelikan M605 Marine Pelikan M625 Pelikan M4XX Pelikan M200 Cognac Pelikan Nibs Patent Ink Capacities

Pen Pit Stop : Pelikan Souverän M400 Tortoiseshell Brown (2016) Welcome to the Pen Pit Stop. Here you will find reviews of pens that already have some mileage on them. More specifically, these reviews are of pens that are in my personal collection, and that have been in use for at least a year. I thought it would be fun to do it this way – no new & shiny pens here, but battered vehicles that have been put to work for at least a year. Let’s find out how they have withstood the ravages of time. The fountain pen that enters the pit stop today is the “Pelikan M400 Tortoiseshell Brown”, a limited edition pen released in 2016. Pelikan is one of the best-known European pen-makers, with a long history dating all the way back to 1832 when the company was founded in Hanover, Germany. The brand offers both semi-entry-level pens (like the M200 series) all the way up to their flagship M1000 model. All Pelikan pens adhere to the same classical style, and as such are immediately recognizable. I bought this pen in July 2017. The pen has a stylish business-elegance, with a beautiful orange & brown tortoiseshell pattern that makes it a real eye-catcher. It’s usually paired with a nice brown ink. Pen Look & Feel The M400 Tortoiseshell Brown is a beautiful pen. Pelikan really nailed it with the gorgeous orange & brown tortoiseshell pattern. Everything in the design is just right, and arranged to complement this lovely barrel. The cap, section and piston nob are from a really dark-brown resin, accentuating the brown stripes in the tortoiseshell body. The clip and trimmings are done in gold, that fits very well with the orange tones in the barrel. A 2-toned 14ct gold nib completes the design. All these choices add up to a stunning end-result… this is a pen to enjoy! The tortoiseshell barrel is semi-transparent, making it easy to keep an eye on the ink-level in the pen. I replaced the original F-nib on this pen with an F cursive-italic that I got from fpnibs.com. This nib is a dream to write with, adding some very nice line variation. It definitely enhances the writing pleasure I get from this pen. Like all Pelikans, the cap unscrews with about three quarters rotation, so it’s quickly ready for action. The M400/405 is a smaller pen, but posts easily and securely, giving it a substantial size that is very comfortable to write with, even if you have larger hands. I’ve got smaller hands myself, and typically use the pen unposted. For me, this M400 is just the right size and weight (i.e. featherweight). The pictures above illustrate the size of the M400 Tortoiseshell Brown in comparison with a standard Lamy Safari. The pen is definitely smaller than a Lamy, but still reasonable in size – not so small that’s uncomfortable (and if you find it too small uncapped, you can simply post it). Pen Characteristics Build Quality : build quality is excellent. The pen looks really polished and refined. The pen also withstands the passing of time without any problem. After four years of use, it looks good as new. The barrel is semi-transparent, making it easy to judge ink level. Weight & Dimensions : about 125 mm when capped – and as such a rather small pen. It’s also definitely a featherweight. If you prefer pens with some heft to them, the M400/405 model will not be your thing. Posted – the pen becomes about 150 mm long, and fits even larger hands. Filling System : this is a piston-filler, that holds quite some ink. The piston is made from plastic, but works really well. Pelikan are known for their excellent piston mechanism. Nib & Performance : the M400/405 Souverän pens have gold nibs. This one comes with a 2-toned 14ct gold nib, that really suits the aesthetics of the pen. The nib unit can be exchanged quite easily, and is compatible between the M120/M200/M400/M101N models. Being able to change nibs is a significant plus in my book! Price : 325 EUR at the time, including taxes. Not cheap, but also not too expensive for a gold-nibbed stunning-looking pen. In my opinion you get great value for money. Conclusion My Pelikan Souverän M400 Tortoiseshell Brown is a beautiful classic-looking pen, that is a real eye-catcher with its orange & brown tortoiseshell barrel. A pen to enjoy, and a writer’s dream with the nice cursive-italic nib that I added. It is one of the treasures in my pen collection, and I’m so glad I bought it!

Meet the new Pelikan Special Edition Souverän 605 White-Transparent. This new edition is pure and gentle. Its white and partially transparent barrel is created using cellulose acetate and high-grade resin while its trims are refined with palladium coating. The fountain pen features a 14K gold nib plated in rhodium matching the piece. Available in fountain pen and rollerball, this shiny and beautiful novelty features a special gift box and it will available by mid October 2017. Do not wait to make your pre-order emailing us at: info@iguanasell.com

To tell you the truth, I am heavily biased towards two of my pelicans - one is a M400 white tortoise, other is the blue striated M805. The M8XX usually considered to be the logical next step to M4XX/6XX, if some logic is still left. As with the model numbers, there is a general increase in nib size & specs, in addition to overall dimensions, when you move from M4XX to M1XXX. I also love the Souverän M 625 with dazzling sterling silver trims (Ag 92.5%). Although the blue-striated M805 in a way alludes to the 1929 classical green-striped design with a differentiated version of the striped translucency. Been a while since I wrote a review. This is a review I loved to do. Also, here is the link to the same review on my blog: The M805 Review DESIGN - THE STRIPED TRANSLUCENCY (5/6) The M800 comes in three gold-trimmed standard designs, two striped translucencies - Green, Blue and the Classical Black with a Green Ink Window, across four standard different nib widths - EF, F, M and B, although a tipped italic nib is available with a special edition. Sometimes a M800 Red also chips in. The M805s now come in silver trimmed versions of Striped Blue and Black/Green Ink Window now with monotone rhodiated nibs. Personally, I prefer the earlier two-tone nibs on these. There are several special editions of M8XX starting with the m805 demo, m800 brown tortoise, the recent m800 burnt orange which is creating a lot of fire these days, after the m805 Stresemann. The M805 hints the subtle craftsmanship associated with building this writing instrument. It’s superb balance somehow ensures all the necessary weight and balance for writing. The barrels made up of highly polished pelikan famed ‘cellulose acetate’ with its diamond cut contours, partially reveal the necessities like the piston end or ink level, while concealing the irrelevant ones. I feel that this blue stripes reveal quite conservatively compared to the green. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vN_i0x_9Vkw/VgqAwB1h83I/AAAAAAAAFiI/oWHJnXSEuFo/s1600/DSC_6389.jpg The blue stripes innately reflect both light and dark while preserving a formal appearance of the souverän as the silver palladium plated trims continue to stand out. The translucency is subtle but useful at the same time to note ink levels. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4GkInYxF2xw/VgqAwobD_sI/AAAAAAAAFiM/oUuuN5Felyc/s1600/DSC_6393.jpg The sleeve has deeply shining blue stripes and reveals itself with ambient light. It’s sleek and smooth to touch. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M-PSLhWSWgU/VgqArRRleTI/AAAAAAAAFh8/kHZsKijV0KM/s1600/DSC_6395.jpg The white dazzle is matched throughout the pen starting from the famed finial and the clip, through those concentric bands in the cap, before finally converging with the dual piston rings. While the white tortoise plays with light with phenomenal efficiency, the blue stripes have their conservative thoughts about exposure! (Pradeep aka pgd84 should like this pic ) http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HKt-S86L0Pw/VgqA1EpXffI/AAAAAAAAFiU/LrCXGIde1xA/s1600/DSC_6397.jpg The cap feels substantial and unscrews with a single turn, revealing a dazzling two-tone nib. The grip reveals another knot of white glitter, towards the nib end. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke6RMLlQ6QU/VgqA--u8BDI/AAAAAAAAFi8/FTdPYRoTbss/s1600/DSC_6402.jpg Two concentric white bands with a palladium plated crown embossed with the pelikan logo, adorn the cap with a signature pelican beak-shaped clip. The thicker bottom band carries the brand imprint of PELIKAN SOUVERÄN GERMANY. A high degree of polish gives it a gleam which can coax the lustre of the bands. The logo on the finial is the one embraced by Pelikan post 2003, that of a mother pelican and its chick, gleaming in brushed palladium. You can observe the staged pillar caps of M400, 625 and 805 glittering with light. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4sXhoscpxSQ/VgqBEwa61eI/AAAAAAAAFjY/tdfBFmtkuwg/s1600/collagecap.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (6/6) A piston filler with a sturdy knob is embellished with two concentric loops. Like any other pelikan, it’s imbibed within the system and is hassle-free. The piston end unscrews with three to four rotations and ink is drawn into the pen with remarkable efficiency without any fuss, once the piston is screwed back on. And of course, you can observe some of it live through the striped windows. A brass spindle connector in the M8XX provides weight and balance. Everything is glistening white as you can see the connector nut in the picture. M8XX fills upto 1.85 - 2 mL of ink. These brass piston mechanisms can be dismantled using a 7mm wrench (TWSBI would fit). I don’t really find a need to do that unless there is a fault which can be addressed at home. For any problems, it might be better to send the pen to Pelikan Germany/Country Authorized Service Center. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HqGqr1KuF_Y/VgqA9WOLd9I/AAAAAAAAFio/7vQ1ychkJGk/s1600/DSC_6419.jpg NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (6/6) The nib/feed section is screw-fit and comes in a standard 18k two-tone design across four stock widths - EF, F, M & B. It has the standard pelikan design with the usual convenience of a screw-fit section. Like all cousins, the nib is both exquisite and efficient. With a big feed, and a spread out nib it looks like a real delight. The silver of two-tone finish does converge with the white trims in terms of both glitter and glimmer. The tail end specifies the nib-width and composition (18 C, 75% Au) of the gold-alloy used. Three arabesques diverge along the shoulders of the nib with two of them converging near the circular breather hole. The third curve runs across the tines towards the shoulders ending with the tail end of the nib, outside of which a golden decor runs along the shoulders across the outer tines, before converging onto the iridium tip. There is of-course the dazzling golden mother-baby pelikan logo, resting above the tail. This one in the picture is a Fine nib and writes smooth and wet. No complaints on out of the box smoothness. Some ink always manages to creep on the surface of this nib. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7VweTHjHvDk/VgqA_gz9nxI/AAAAAAAAFjA/D7mhxz9IjPc/s1600/DSC_6453.jpg A big black plastic feed with closely spaced fins ensures a good ink buffer and dearly promises wet and smooth starts. Even with a dipped nib section, it can write a page. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ESn9Ya-lD4c/VgqA_15LMhI/AAAAAAAAFjE/QwpZ3dRnkQA/s1600/DSC_6455.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING The pen has got some heft in it but it is very comfortable for me unposted. The overall capped length is around 14.1 cm. The total weight of M80X has more than a third contribution coming from the cap. The grip diameter is around 1.1 cm. The cap threads are higher up the section and are non-obtrusive even for a higher grip. Uncapped Length ~ 13 cmPosted Length ~ 16.4 cmNib Leverage ~ 2.3 cmOverall Weight ~ 29 g (Cap ~ 11 g) Capped and uncapped comparisons with some pens like Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi, Pilot Custom 823 & a MB146 go below for your reference along with another family pic. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yI3D629hjko/VYZWVtWmUWI/AAAAAAAAEpQ/nBA0-yX7x-I/s1600/014.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wGjWaqmP_tQ/VYZWYo3cT6I/AAAAAAAAEpY/Xy-kqy2fQLw/s1600/015.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKRvVUnJtLo/VatxdhNisxI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/yAypHzfnwZc/s1600/DSC_4574.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (5/6) The M805 retails now at around GBP 290, though it might be available at lower street prices. I do not feel this pen was an impulse buy for me, since I had carefully decided before getting to a M800/1000 level. I would not undervalue this rating by much, because I feel it’s one of the phenomenally efficient pens in this segment. It could be your daily workhorse or your part-time poet, does not matter! OVERALL (5.6/6) These 18k nibs have a smooth and wet flow. The nibs have a decent spring with an inherent softness in them although without any noticeable flex. Being extremely wet writers out of the box, the Fine nib puts a relatively thick line, which takes around 20 seconds! to dry a (Hail!) Iro Tsuki-Yo line on MD Paper. The pen feels extremely well balanced for my hands. (However, for Pelikan 4001 blue ink, it takes 30 seconds). These nibs do run a size wider than Japanese. Compared to this the M1000 tines will be much easier to flex, however I find the M1000 too unwieldy for my hands. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xGEF4monnrw/VgqBFcss81I/AAAAAAAAFjc/LQUVBDboVqo/s1600/DSC_6458.jpg Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here. OTHER REVIEWS & LINKS Pelikan M605 Marine Pelikan M625 Pelikan M4XX Pelikan M200 Cognac Patent Ink Capacities MB 146

Dear fellow Pelikan enthusiasts, We did an interview with Jana Jegella (Global Marketing & Product Manager of Pelikan) and published it on Youtube. We discussed some interesting thins, about the history of the brand, the values, but also new upcoming products (some interesting scoops!). Oh, and we also host a giveaway (always interesting!) Check it out on our channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTtzs3-3Elc P.s. we will have a factory tour video of Pelikan later this week on our channel as well, so subscribe to the channel if you don't want to miss a thing!

Finally! After a seven year long wait Pelikan has announced another Souverän M1005. We are very happy. They are scheduled to arrive by mid or end of February 2019. We are offering the Pelikan Souverän M1005 Special Edition Stresemann fountain pens for pre-order in our shop (https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Neuheiten/Pelikan-Souveraen-M1005-Special-Edition-Stresemann-Kolbenfuellhalter.html). We recommend to use "Vorauskasse" (pre-payment) as payment option for the pre-order. Once the pens have arrived we will notify our clients so they can realize the payment. We offer the M1005 with nib sizes F, M and B for € 433,61 and the EF nib size for € 467,23 without the German VAT of 19%. Should you wish any information or place a pre-order you can send us an email to service@fritz-schimpf.de. Regards, Fritz Schimpf

Pen Pit Stop : Pelikan Souverän M400 White Tortoise Welcome to the Pen Pit Stop. Here you will find reviews of pens that already have some mileage on them. More specifically, these reviews are of pens that are in my personal collection, and that have been in use for at least a year. I thought it would be fun to do it this way - no new & shiny pens here, but battered vehicles that have been put to work for at least a year. Let's find out how they have withstood the ravages of time. The fountain pen that enters the pit stop today is the "Pelikan M400 White Tortoise". Pelikan is one of the best-known European pen-makers, with a long history dating all the way back to 1832 when the company was founded in Hanover, Germany. The brand offers a broad range of fountain pens, from the semi-entry-level M200 series all the way up to their flagship M1000 model. All Pelikan pens adhere to the same classical style, and as such are immediately recognizable. I bought this pen in January 2017, and it was my first "expensive" pen (after the Lamy Safari and AL-star). This pen simply enthralled me with its beauty, and I had been oogling it for some time. I finally caved, and decided to get it as a New Year's gift to myself ;-) Pen Look & FeelThe M400 White Tortoise is simply a beautiful pen, with gold accents that nicely complement the white body. But the true beauty of this pen comes from the "binde", which is just stunning with breathtaking yellow-gold-orange-honey stripes. The whole fountain pen radiates class and elegance, from the detailed engraving of a mother pelican & chick on the cap's finial, to the beautiful two-toned golden nib. True pen-candy ! I had some initial fears that the white resin of the pen would acquire ink-stains - after all, this is a piston-filler that you stick into the ink bottle. But that doesn't seem to be a problem. Of course, I respect my pens and make sure to wipe them clean after filling them from the bottle. After more than two years of use, my M400 looks good as new - and I intend to keep it that way. Like all Pelikans, the cap unscrews with about three quarters rotation, so it's quickly ready for action. The M400 is a smaller pen, but posts easily and securely, giving it a substantial size that is very comfortable to write with, even if you have larger hands. I've got smaller hands myself, and typically use the pen unposted. For me, the M400 is just the right size and weight (i.e. featherweight). If you like larger and heavier pens, this model will not be for you - in that case you should probably look at the M800 pens (which are larger and also heavier due to the metal used for their piston construction). The gold nib on my pen is an M-size, which writes really wet, and looks more like a broad. This is typical for Pelikan nibs, which tend to be a size larger than their designation. The modern nibs are often referred to as nails, but that doesn't really bother me. Having no hands-on experience with vintage flex & semi-flex nibs, I just don't know better ;-) The pictures above illustrate the size of the M400 White Tortoise in comparison with a standard Lamy AL-star. The pen is definitely smaller than a Lamy, but still reasonable in size - not so small that it gets uncomfortable (and if you find it too small uncapped, you can simply post it). Pen CharacteristicsBuild Quality : build quality is excellent. The pen looks really polished and refined. The pen also withstands the passing of time without any problem. After two years of use, it looks good as new. Of course - because of the white colour - you should take extra care, and wipe off excess ink after filling. Weight & Dimensions : about 125 mm when capped - and as such a rather small pen. It's also definitely a featherweight. If you prefer pens with some heft to them, the M400 model will not be your thing. Posted - the pen becomes about 150 mm long, and fits even larger hands.Filling System : this is a piston-filler, that holds quite some ink. The piston is made from plastic, but works really well. Pelikan are generally known for their excellent piston mechanism.Nib & Performance : the M400 Souverän pens have gold nibs. The one on my White Tortoise is a beautiful two-toned M-nib, that is a wet writer. You should be aware that Pelikan nibs are typically a size larger than their designation. My M-nib definitely writes like a broad. I quite like that you can buy the Pelikan nibs separately. If you accidentally damage your nib, you can simply buy a new one. I also like that the nib units are interchangeable between the M120/M200/M400/M101N models. Price : about 280 EUR, including taxes. Not cheap, but also not too expensive for a gold-nibbed pen. In my opinion you get value for money. ConclusionMy Pelikan Souverän M400 White Tortoise is a true beauty with tons of elegance. I can still stare for minutes at the reflection of light in the binde. Truly amazing. I truly loved the pen the day I unboxed it, and it's still one of my favourites today. So the answer to the question "would I buy this pen again?" is easy: of course I would! Without hesitation!

Pelikan Souverän M815 Metal Striped I did not plan to buy it. Only when Pelikan announced M1005 I got more into M805 Stresemann and M815. And so it is. On pictures it is very similar to Stresemanns – black, silver stripes on barrel, palladium plated rings and clip. But to naked eye it is a different species. Or maybe an alfa-male example of the species. It is like Stresemann but on steroids. It is not the first M815 – the previous one was M815 Wall Street, released in 1995, and was a limited edition. The difference between Special and Limited edition ? “Limited” is limited in NUMBER of pieces (ie. Wall Street was limited to 4500 worldwide). Special Edition is also limited but in TIME – it is produced only in a certain year or period. So it is hard to say how many copies was produced. M815 is one of Pelikan 180 Anniversary line– “180 years of passion Speccial Edition”. BASICS (10/10) Well, it is a modern Pelikan and M8xx and Souverän series. A rather large pen, 141.5mm long capped, and 127.2mm uncapped, rather light but due to brass piston mechanism (and size) slightly heavier than other Mxx Souveräns. And heavier then MB 146 too (M800 is 5g heavier then MB 146 and M815 ads even more - 12g total difference). A lot was written about those pens in many different reviews - filling mechanism, ease of nibs removal, general design etc. so I concentrate on differences. PACKAGING and DESIGN (9.5/10) Souverän M815 comes in a striped box (surprise . It is a paper/carton box, nothing more sophisticated. After opening a flap held by tiny magnets the pen is presented diagonally, “hovering” in the box. Initially unboxing was slightly different as the pen was in a plastic sleeve and with price/model tag on the clip, but of course, I removed it for pictures. As mentioned before, it is similar to Stresemann but only In general design and on pictures. I do not have a Stresemann now, but compared them side by side in my local ( and very friendly) pen shop “Pióroteka”. Stripes on M805 Stresemann are very different: more subdued, not as sharp and shiny, grey stripes on Stresemann are wider then black stripes. M815 is the other way round – silver stripes are thin, black space between them wider. Stripes are sharper, metallic, and elegant. The difference is really much bigger to the naked eye then on any picture I saw before. The stripes on the barrel are brass and palladium coated. One cannot feel them with touch – after fusing them with barrel material it is coated with lacquer, and gloss finished. As in other Mxx5 trimmings are obviously “silver” – in this case palladium plated. Nib exactly the same as in M800 but rhodium plated. In my case it’s medium. A difference with other M80x series pens is ink window. The barrel is not translucent so just before the threads, there is an ink window. In my opinion, it complements the pen both practically and visually. WEIGHT and HANDLING (9,5/10) It is heavier. Heavier than M800/M805. To be exact – the barrel is heavier. Cap weights exactly the same as in my M800 – 9g. The barrel (without ink) weights 27,6g and is 7g heavier then M800 and even heavier then M1000 (2,5g). Weight difference is obviously due to brass stripes. Wight is distributed differently than in M800 – a centre of gravity is moved 3 to 4 mm to the front. And that is why it handles perfectly. If you have a M800 and wondered if a heavier M815 would suit you – the answer is YES. It is very comfortable even in long runs. Of course, it is a big pen so could be pain for someone with small hands. NIB and WRITING (8,5/10) Another area without real differences to M80x series. 18c-750, monotone, rhodium plated nib, available in F, M and B, and EF with additional charge. Very slight spring but do not expect line variation. In my pen there is a medium nib and its very reliable, very smooth, rather wet and slightly broader than typical medium, and I like it. I have M800 with a fine nib and it is one of my workhorses but I usually skipped it then wanted to write for pleasure, for “steam of consciousness” writing etc. This one will be much better. Other Pelikan nibs I’m using are gold fine in M250 “old style”, gold OB in M250 “old style”, fine in M400 (modern) and bunch of vintage nibs – most of them with different levels of flex. And I do like them all, sometimes due to differences. SUMMARY Well it is my first review on FPN. And I’m glad that is a review of a pen not yet reviews (according to review index and search). And I’m glad that it is a Pelikan review and a pen I really wanted, and it did not disappoint me at all. It is great Pelikan, a great pen. At the same time it is elegant and bold. Its realizable as all Pelikans, VERY comfortable (for me even more then M800). I do recommend it - grab it while it is still available in some places. (PRICE: well it is expensive. But I will not discuss money I got a good deal and I’m happy. I would probably buy it even for a full price.)

Coming from my home base in California, USA - A new discount from paperinkpen.com: Today through next Wednesday I'm offering 20% Off Regular Pricing on all Pelikan Souveran Fountain Pens in Stock Please use code: fpn20 to receive your discount. Discount is taken during checkout. As always California Residents: We Pay Your Sales Tax! Thanks for peeking in. I look forward to serving you. Dave macaddicted Paper, Ink, Pen is a California based authorized Pelikan reseller. Not responsible for typographic errors. Offer is subject to change without notice. Have a nice day!

Save 35% off MSRP on Pelikan Extra-Fine (EF) Nib Fountain Pens in Stock at Paper, Ink Pen with discount code extrafine MSRP Regular Price extrafine PriceStresemann M805: $850.00 $680.00 $550.80 M805 & M800: $760.00 $608.00 $492.48 M600: $555.00 $444.00 $359.64 M405: $495.00 $396.00 $320.76 M400: $500.00 $400.00 $324.00 Through Sunday September 9th save on any of our Pelikan Fountain pens in stock with an extra-fine nib. California Resident? We pay your sales tax! Discount is taken during checkout. Please remember to use the discount code: extrafine Stresemann M805: MSRP $850.00 Regular $680.00 extrafine Discount $550.80 M805: MSRP $760.00 Regular $608.00 extrafine Discount $492.48 M800: MSRP $760.00 Regular $608.00 extrafine Discount $492.48M600: MSRP $555.00 Regular $444.00 extrafine Discount $359.64M405: MSRP $495.00 Regular $396.00 extrafine Discount $320.76M400: MSRP $500.00 Regular $400.00 extrafine Discount $324.00 Thanks for looking in. Discount ends at 11:59 pm PDT, Sunday September 9, 2018. Paper, Ink, Pen is an authorized USA dealer of Pelikan fountain pens located in California, USA.

Anyone know how the stripes are created in the Pelikan Souveran line up? Is it just a metallic paint? Are there any precious materials in the composition? Is the process different for the fountain pen vs the ballpoint or rollerball? I've got a green straited M400 and M600, a tortoise M400 and K400, and a blue straited K400. Would love to know more about how these pens are made. I'm sure I've seen this information somewhere, but I can't recall it.

I had my briefcase stolen a few weeks ago. The one thing in it that has turned out to be a real problem to replace is a Ruby Red M600 Special Edition, with a Binderized nib from Richard Binder. Even with the power of Google Search, I've not been able to find one, either new or used. I'd certainly appreciate any leads you might have to track one down. Thanks! Dennis

(Pasted from the original passgae from my blog: http://minglau.blogspot.hk/2017/06/pelikan-souveran-m800-renaissance-brown.html) Pelikan Souveran M800 “ Renaissance Brown” Special Edition Review I always tell myself that I don’t need so many fountain pens, I always tell myself that some very cheap Chinese Fountain Pens actually write quite well especially after I fine-tune them to my liking, and I always tell myself that a piston-filler pen is just a springe with a nib attached. I even always tell myself that while I like big fat pens, the M800 is too fat for my small hands. But it turned out that when Pelikan announced the release of this M800 Special Edition, I was attracted by the promotional-photo and immediately pre-ordered it.There’re many reasons for people to love a Pelikan, but I got my own special reason for not being able to deny this pen: The guys from Pelikan set the pen on a high-quality, classic picture frame and shot the promotional-photo! We’re in the professional Photo Printing & Framing business, that photo just made me mentally attached to this particular pen - it looks like this is THE PEN for a picture framer, the theme of this pen matches our business very well. Moreover, we do a lot of our art/photo printing jobs on Germen papers with customers’ great satisfactions. It’s natural to love German pens when we love German papers. “German-engineering”, what else? For those who are new to the fountain pen world, here is some of my brief knowledge about Pelikan, Pelikan is the family symbol of one of the early owners, and the firm started as ink manufacturer and later switched to the production of fountain pen with a patented differential piston-filler mechanism. Like many other pen manufacturers, Pelikan underwent up and down throughout the history, and the ownership was transferred several times, but nowadays it still be able to maintain its reputation as one of the best German-quality pen manufacturers. I think one of the formula of success of Pelikan is the periodically release of a special edition pen, and the special editions are usually based on the familiar existing models with the change of body material or colour schemes, so they don’t need to completely redesign a pen or incorporate new tooling, additional cost (and selling price) is kept low while the careful choice of the special edition materials are always stunning and impressive, and give significant differentiation to the standard product line and more importantly, maintain existing customers’ royalty, very clever. This M800 Renaissance brown is one of those. PackingSo here we go into the actual pen, though it’s a special edition, there’s nothing special with the packing, it’s exactly the same as the standard Souveran line. The pen is protected inside a white pen porch, but this is just part of the packing and nothing more than a good looking bubble-wrap replacement, the elastic band is cumbersome and won’t last long if it’s really used as a pen porch. Body/DesignThe basic shape of this special edition is the same as the standard M800, just that the standard black cap and the strapped celloid barrel are changed into the stunning brown acrylic. Some people argued that the beauty of an acrylic material is nowhere comparable to celluloid, I think if one’s willing to invest, one may get elegant acrylics, such as what Pelikan demonstrated in its great-looking special edition pens. The M800 is the second largest pen in the Souveran line-up, many people suggested that it’s already too fat to grip comfortably and too back-heavy for a long writing session. I got the same feeling especially as my hands are small even for Asian’s standard. I like heavy pens, but back-balance can be a problem even if the pen is not really heavy, interestingly, the balance with the cap unposted is already bad enough that posting it doesn’t create additional badness for me. If you prefer a daily writer or a work-horse pen, perhaps stop at the M600. As with all Souveran pens, the M800 has a golden ring at the tip of the section, it looks nice but I’m worried that the plated gold will flake off over time due to ink corrosion, it is a common problem for golden rings located that close to the nib. To slow down ink corrosion process, Iron-gall inks should be avoided, clean and dry the pen thoroughly and don’t leave it inked when you don’t plan to use it for a long time, I know, it’s easier said than done specially if you’re an ink-holic. Additional information about iron-gall inks, quite a lot of them are blue-black inks, they are at least slightly acidic and can corrode the metal parts of a pen faster than PH neutral ink (sadly I learnt it from experience but not a book). If it’s that bad, why people like iron-gall inks? They are quite archival-safe and water resistant, together with the blue-black colour they can be the best ink for business purpose. Filling MechanismPelikan manufactured the first differential piston filler fountain pen, if a piston-filler is a must-have in your collection, the Pelikan is a must-buy. The black finial (it’s actually a very dark brown) is the piston knob, a quarter of anti-clockwise turn will trigger the brass piston mechanism. This brass piston is robust and should last for many years, it adds heft (some people including me translate a bit of heft into quality) to the M800 over its smaller siblings with plastic pistons, but it is a double-edged sword for people like me with small hands, the back-balance problem gives me some less than peasant feeling when writing. It’s interesting to operate the piston, but the truth is, I dislike wiping a pen after dipping it into an ink bottle (and this pen is too fat form some bottles), I prefer syringe-fill me pens with no exception even for a Pelikan which is one of the best piston-fillers. Am I wasting a piston-filler in this regard? May be not, the Pelikan’s nib-unit can be screwed out easily for a quick syringe-fill. With a C/C pen, I’ll have to remove the barrel, then remove the convertor before I can do a refill, which is more troublesome.The barrel is slightly translucent, it’s ok to hold the pen under strong back light to check the approximate ink level. NibThe pen comes with a standard M800 medium-grade 18K gold nib, with beautiful 2 –tone nib-work. It’s a hard nib but not to the extent of a nail, It’s easy to get a bit of line variation and ink shading with ease, there is a slightly stub-characteristic for this nib. It seems to be well-known that Pelikan pens write a bit wider and wetter than many other pens of the same nib-grade, it is not the case here, I think the flow’s just average or even slightly on the dry side, for example it’s dryer than a Parker Duofold M and even a Pilot C74 F. I even compare it with a MB144 B as well, I know it’s unfair to compare M and B nibs, but the 144 is much wetter to an out-of-proportion extent. Forgot to mention, I inked it with 2 of my familiar J.herbin inks which are also in my other pens for fair comparison, I didn’t try it with Edlestein ink yet as I received mine just a week ago. My conclusion The Pelikan M800 may be a bit fat and back-balance for some people to write comfortably, nevertheless it is an iconic fountain pen to be respected, and by throwing in a bit more money at the right timing, you’ll be able to avoid the standard, mass-produced M800 and get a special edition which is more unique and exciting due to the eye-catching material used. It’s not only a writing tool, but a jewel as well. If you ever come across a SE(or even a LE) and you know you want it badly, don’t wait as they will be sold out real fast. Contact: minglau@trailstudio.com.hk

Posting yet another Pelikan M400 review Have replicated the content with some more pictures in the blog. Happy reading ! Below is a link to the same: Pelikan Souverän M400 Review BACK IN TIME An 180 year old maker of fountain pens and their paraphernalia, coupled with the fact that your collection is rather incomplete without a Pelikan, was enough to provide momentum for my first purchase. Pelikan had launched its first fountain pen back in 1929. As for me, having already witnessed the writing finesse of a steel nibbed M 205, which I had to trade off, it was time to witness the real 14K Gold nib. And of course, these Swiss-incorporated German pen makers are credited with the genesis of piston filling mechanism with a differential spindle gear. It means that the piston knob is also threaded so that it unscrews a bit when the piston moves outward, thus delivering a greater ink-suction. Hungarian engineer Theodor Kovacs is credited with the invention of the original filling mechanism before selling off the patent to Günther Wagner (the man who established Pelikan) in 1927. The M4XX is usually considered to be a logical next step to M2XX. As with the model numbers, there is a general increase in nib size & specs, in addition to overall dimensions, when you move from M4XX to M1XXX. Brass piston fittings in 8XX/1XXX series, render additional weight. The designs of the striped 400/600/800/1000 are pretty linearly recurring over the entire writing range except for several special editions. 405/605/805/1005s refer to the similar pens with silver accents, plated with noble metals (like Palladium or Rhodium), unless it’s a special or demonstrator model. The other model numbers refer to special/limited editions. One such alluring model is Souverän M 625 with sterling silver fittings (Ag 92.5%). And the green-striped M400 embarks the 1929 classical design with a translucent striped barrel. The logos have changed over the years starting from a mother pelican with four chicks to a one-to-one correspondence from 2003 onwards. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vna3fc34jL0/Vatxew7iggI/AAAAAAAAE6U/M9MvUK-tuXg/s1600/Pelikan%2BLogos%2Bcopy.jpg PRESENTATION The pen comes in a standard G15 gift box, constituted of thick cardboard with dimensions in the range of 20 X 9 X 5.5 cm, in a top-bottom slider configuration. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nu3raQTSS6Y/VatvZMo7P3I/AAAAAAAAE4Y/EWWtcS-G_kw/s1600/DSC_0669.jpg On opening the box, you would at once notice a white synthetic-leather pouch, secured by a brown strap with a plastic emblem, which mimics a wax seal. The pouch contains your pen and there is a separator holding the warranty and catalogue beneath. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NcoO_QhOUAw/VatvWzNzbiI/AAAAAAAAE4Q/VaJGaHas6dQ/s1600/DSC_0850.jpg DESIGN - THE STRIPED TRANSLUCENCY (6/6) The m400 comes in five standard designs, four striped translucencies - Green, Blue, Red, Tortoiseshell White and one Classical Black with a Green Ink Window, across four different nib widths - EF, F, M and B although a custom grind is offered for a italic nib by some of the authorised sellers. The m405s now come in silver trimmed versions of Striped Blue and Black/Ink Window with monotone rhodiated nibs. Personally, I prefer the earlier two-tone nibs on them. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hU7WdN95RIU/VatvwS--x1I/AAAAAAAAE4w/FW91EVl9p_k/s1600/DSC_0933.jpg A touch would unveil the subtle craftsmanship associated in building the writing instrument. Through its light-weightiness, it apparently belies any effort for transforming thoughts into words. The black and green striped shaft has stood the test of time since the 1950s. The barrel made up of extremely smooth pelikan famed ‘cellulose acetate’ with its diamond cut contours, partially revealing the necessities like the piston end or ink level, while concealing the irrelevant ones. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H3Z3EPmmOUQ/VatwHE4R95I/AAAAAAAAE44/itQB4A9FSoo/s1600/DSC_4476.jpg Light and dark play differently with the barrels, which dazzles your eyes, rather than the lenses. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1zIiWrL7HGk/VatvusLRveI/AAAAAAAAE4o/NiaxZKgWrxc/s1600/DSC_0852.jpg The striped transparent sleeve gleams in gold with ambient light and these effects proliferate with sunlight. The golden radiance is matched throughout the pen starting from the famed finial and the pelican beak (clip) through the concentric bands in the cap finally converging with the piston rings. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EEq26h9Fqus/VatwRVg7RXI/AAAAAAAAE5I/5ASN8IgzmoQ/s1600/DSC_4478.jpg The cap feels light and unscrews with a single turn, revealing a dazzling two-tone nib. The grip reveals another knot of glitter, towards the nib end. The transparency does reveal the inside works of its piston mechanism. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QhXbrw5dzfk/VatwqCuW_jI/AAAAAAAAE5Y/ZItAwHF10u8/s1600/DSC_4490.jpg Two concentric golden bands with a gold plated crown embossed with the pelikan logo, adorn the cap with a signature pelican beak-shaped clip (with a face!). The thicker one carries the brand imprint of PELIKAN SOUVERÄN GERMANY. A high degree of polish gives it a gleam which can coax the lustre of the gold plated bands. The logo on the finial is the one embraced by Pelikan post 2003, that of a mother pelican and its chick, gleaming in brushed gold or brushed palladium. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EWRZBi0DzIQ/VatxoHkUjfI/AAAAAAAAE6o/ndvoZNfgceM/s1600/cap.jpg The significance of these bands is that somehow they seem to be intrinsically associated with the design rather than just differentiating the aesthetics. FILLING SYSTEM (6/6) A piston filler with a sturdy knob is embellished with two concentric golden loops. Apart from their enchanting looks, like any other pelikan, it's an easy and hassle-free mechanism. The piston end unscrews with three to four rotations and ink is sucked in, with quite a gush, once the piston is screwed back on. And of course, you can observe the thing in action through the striped windows. A plastic spindle connector in the m4XX/6XX limits weight. M4XX fills upto 1.5 mL of ink. However, given the wet flow of the flock, it does not get a long time to use this 1.5 mL. One thing to note here is that these piston mechanisms are not supposed to be dismantled using a wrench. In case of problems other than lubricating the piston seal, it’s better to send the pen to Pelikan Germany/Country Authorized Service Center. Pelikan does have an excellent customer service. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1HYLPTwAYgo/VatwtaPH9yI/AAAAAAAAE5g/DpFL3AXvjVI/s1600/DSC_4516.jpg NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS* (4/6) The nib/feed section is screw-fit and comes in a standard 14k two-tone design across four stock widths - EF, F, M & B. It has the standard pelikan design with the usual convenience of a screw-fit section. Like all its cousins, the nib is exquisite and efficient. With a standard m4xx feed, the nib-section is an ensemble of efficiency and art. And this two-tone finish does converge with the golden trims in terms of both glitter and glimmer. The tail end specifies the nib-width and composition (14 C, 58.5% Au) of the gold-alloy used. Three arabesques diverge along the shoulders of the nib with two of them converging near the circular breather hole. The third curve runs across the tines towards the shoulders ending with the tail end of the nib, outside of which a golden decor runs along the shoulders across the outer tines, before converging onto the iridium tip. There is of-course the dazzling golden mother-baby pelikan logo, resting above the tail. This one in the picture is an Extra-Fine nib and writes smooth out of the box. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nQtpvzkPJHY/Vatwvj0A2sI/AAAAAAAAE5o/3jkz4DSrx2s/s1600/DSC_4532.jpg A standard black plastic feed (earlier ones had ebonite feeds) with closely spaced fins delivers the amazing ink suction allows a good buffer capacity to hold ink with ambient pressure and temperature fluctuations. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1gNx1gskIPw/Vatw-ST1xWI/AAAAAAAAE50/Owq93Xszcx8/s1600/DSC_4540.jpg *My first green striped M400, had a wet yet scratchy nib. No doubt, it drained my entire emotional elation all of a sudden, when I started writing with it. Upon close inspection with a 20X loupe, I found tines misaligned by a considerable extent. But still due to wet flow, it laid a broader line than a pilot 14k medium nib, concealing most of the scratchiness, unless I wrote a looped ‘r’ or ‘s’. The next day, taking the loupe I did spend two hours, routinely lifting the right tine from the middle with my fingernail to align it with the left, although it kept coming back with amazing flex. An hour and a half later, the loupe showed both the tines to be more or less aligned and yes the scratchiness was almost gone. But the inertia of scratchiness still carried on the back of my head. Finally, I sent the nib back for a free replacement. The next m40Xs were gliders right out of the box and needed no such effort. But I did hope a better QC from Pelikan. PHYSICS OF IT (5/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING It does give a comfortable feel to write with the pen with the cap posted. The overall capped length is around 12.5 cm. The total weight of m400 has a third of contribution from the cap and it feels very light without posting the cap. The pen does get some heft from the ink inside the barrel. Uncapped Length ~ 12 cm Posted Length ~ 15 cm Nib Leverage ~ 2 cm Overall Weight ~ 16 g (Cap Weight ~ 6 g) Capped, uncapped and posted comparisons with its cousins - m605 and a m805 go below. A m20X with a steel nib shares the same measurements as a m40X. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Szlbwi8JT7U/VatxFBpMP8I/AAAAAAAAE6A/WI3MKqTWTYQ/s1600/DSC_4556.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKRvVUnJtLo/VatxdhNisxI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/yAypHzfnwZc/s1600/DSC_4574.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpU6_6F8m_M/Vatxb2Ic7tI/AAAAAAAAE6I/jH4ohE7Ic7s/s1600/DSC_4568.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (5/6) The m400 retails at around USD 300 - 400, though it might be available at lower street prices. I was able to get the pens at a good discounted price in an online action at the bay, however the subsequent custom duty was high. I would not undervalue this rating by much, because in the end, I do consider the pen a workhorse. OVERALL (5.2/6) These 14k nibs have a smooth and wet flow. The nibs have a slight bit of spring and softness in them, without any noticeable line variation. Being extremely wet writers out of the box, the Fine nib puts a line which takes around 40 seconds to dry on MD Paper (for the Extra-Fine one, it takes 30 seconds to dry a line-width falling between a pilot 14K Fine and Medium nib) http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mm5HUakG460/Vatxmjq1lwI/AAAAAAAAE6g/mae0Bmz9FvI/s1600/DSC_4582.jpg Some of the links which I can happily share : Nib Adjustment, Souverän M 625, Patent, Piston mechanisms, Gentleman's Gazette Thank you for going through the review. Hope you liked it. Edit: Modified with Hari's inputs (Comments)

Meet the new Pelikan Special Edition Souverän 605 White-Transparent. This new edition is pure and gentle. Its white and partially transparent barrel is created using cellulose acetate and high-grade resin while its trims are refined with palladium coating. The fountain pen features a 14K gold nib plated in rhodium matching the piece. Available in fountain pen and rollerball, this shiny and beautiful novelty features a special gift box and it will available by mid October 2017. Do not wait to make your pre-order emailing us at: info@iguanasell.com

My favourite of the demonstrators. Below is the link to my blog post: Pelikan Souverän M605 Marine Blue So, here goes my review of the m605. The M4XX/6XX are usually considered to be next steps to an M2XX. As with the model numbers, there is a general increase in nib size & specs, in addition to overall dimensions, when you move from M4XX to M1XXX. Brass piston fittings in 8XX/1XXX series, render additional weight to these pens. The designs of the striped 400/600/800/1000 are pretty linearly recurring over the entire writing range except for several special editions. 405/605/805/1005s refer to the similar pens with silver accents, plated with noble metals (like Palladium or Rhodium), unless it’s a special or demonstrator model. The other model numbers refer to special/limited editions like the one reviewed here which is the m605 Marine Blue Special Edition. Another such alluring model is Souverän M 625 with sterling silver fittings (Ag 92.5%). DESIGN - THE MARINE TRANSPARENCY (6/6) Light and dark can play very differently with this pen. The m605 marine has a darker hue of blue which is as elegant as the deep blue ocean and it’s capable of refracting even a tiny shimmer of light with the palladium coated silver loops dazzling in utter consonance. Absence of light makes it adorn an almost blackish blue hue. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EbGwVJGZXLA/Vd2hwV8nyBI/AAAAAAAAFN0/mkuC89g9HMw/s1600/DSC_5582.jpg The blue is remarkably darker than the blue shade of a Pilot Custom Heritage 92. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0tVz2wn40wI/Vd2hukVg4dI/AAAAAAAAFNs/QqDdHt8JJxI/s1600/DSC_5590.jpg The entire pen gleams with a revealing blue and silver with ambient light and these effects do proliferate with sunlight. The radiance is matched throughout the pen starting with a silver gleam from the famed finial and the pelican beak (clip) through the concentric bands in the cap before finally converging with the piston rings. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DrS42sX2yDc/Vd2hs3IgvXI/AAAAAAAAFNk/iecshy1EKOE/s1600/DSC_5588.jpg The cap feels light and unscrews with a single turn, revealing a dazzling rhodium plated nib. The grip reveals another knot of glitter, towards the nib end. The transparency does reveal the inside works of its piston mechanism. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1PvVXxR0ck/Vd2h5_AmgfI/AAAAAAAAFOM/dUefKi-PrYg/s1600/DSC_5600.jpg Two concentric palladium plated bands with a dazzling silver crown embossed with the pelikan logo, adorn the cap with a signature pelican beak-shaped clip. The thicker one carries the usual brand imprint of PELIKAN SOUVERÄN GERMANY. The logo on the finial is the one embraced by Pelikan post 2003, that of a mother pelican and its chick, gleaming in brushed palladium. You can see the distinct outlines of the cap insert here. The bands have an intrinsic association with the design rather than just differentiating the aesthetics element. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xN1Kc33fuI4/Vd2iBapyplI/AAAAAAAAFOk/6VIsqP5pdqM/s1600/cap.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (6/6) A piston filler with a sturdy knob is embellished with two concentric silver loops. Apart from their enchanting looks, like any other pelikan, it's an easy and hassle-free mechanism. The piston end unscrews with three to four rotations and ink is sucked in, with quite a gush, once the piston is screwed back on. And of course, you can observe the entire thing in action. A plastic spindle connector in the m4XX/6XX limits overall weight. M6XX fills upto 1.75 mL of ink. However, given the wet flow of the flock, it does not last for a long time. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUjch5SlNPs/Vd2h7Rtsa2I/AAAAAAAAFOU/uoRgn3z9SkI/s1600/DSC_5603.jpg One thing to note here is that these piston mechanisms for M4XX/M6XX are not supposed to be dismantled as they are friction fit under heat. In case of problems other than lubricating the piston seal, it’s better to send the pen to Pelikan Germany/Country Authorized Service Center. Pelikan does have an excellent customer service. NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (6/6) The nib comes in a rhodiated 14k design across four stock widths - EF, F, M & B. It has the standard pelikan scrollwork with the usual convenience of a screw-fit section. Like all its cousins, the nib is exquisite and efficient. With a standard m6xx feed, the nib-section is an ensemble of efficiency as well as art. And this monotone rhodiated finish does converge with the palladium coated trims in terms of both glitter and glimmer. The tail end specifies the nib-width and composition (14 C, 58.5% Au) of the gold-alloy used. Three arabesques diverge along the shoulders of the nib with two of them converging near the circular breather hole. The third curve runs across the tines towards the shoulders ending with the tail end of the nib. There is of-course the dazzling mother-baby pelikan logo, resting above the tail. This one in the picture is a Fine nib and writes smooth and wet out of the box. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2VTl4bu_hs0/Vd2h5MrKedI/AAAAAAAAFOE/2WVWKksH5mw/s1600/DSC_5643.jpg A standard black plastic feed (earlier ones had ebonite feeds) ensures a good ink buffer for the promised wetness and prevents hard starts. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDXXzk82WrA/Vd2h8WPlGYI/AAAAAAAAFOc/ARajTx329A4/s1600/DSC_5654.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING For me, this pen is quite comfortable to write continuously, while posted.. The overall capped length is around 13.3 cm. The total weight of m605 has a third of contribution from the cap and it feels light without posting the cap. The pen does get some heft from the ink inside the barrel. Uncapped Length ~ 12.4 cmPosted Length ~ 15.4 cmNib Leverage ~ 2.3 cmOverall Weight ~ 18 g (without ink)Capped, uncapped and posted comparisons with its cousins - m400 and a m805 go below for your reference. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Szlbwi8JT7U/VatxFBpMP8I/AAAAAAAAE6A/WI3MKqTWTYQ/s1600/DSC_4556.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKRvVUnJtLo/VatxdhNisxI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/yAypHzfnwZc/s1600/DSC_4574.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpU6_6F8m_M/Vatxb2Ic7tI/AAAAAAAAE6I/jH4ohE7Ic7s/s1600/DSC_4568.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) The m605 Marine retails at around USD 595, it does sound like a rather crazy spend. I have found it frequently auctioned on the bay with the final price dropping to 60% of RRP or even less. You can get a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 for USD 130 or less, although it will lack the finesse of a pelikan. I do consider the pen as a dependable workhorse. OVERALL (5.6/6) These 14k nibs are extremely smooth and have a very wet flow. The nibs are stiff & I absolutely love these nibs since I find myself quite ill equipped for flexible nibs. With a slight bit of spring and softness in them, there is absence of any noticeable line variation. Being extremely wet writers out of the box, the Fine nib puts a line which takes around 20 seconds to dry GvFC Moss Green ink on MD Paper. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSAMdt3eHqQ/Vd2iCdiHHTI/AAAAAAAAFOs/2w7h7D_vrUA/s1600/DSC_5660.jpg REFERENCES Pelikan M4XX Nib Adjustment Pelikan M625 Patent Piston mechanisms Ink Capacities Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

I currently own a lovely Souverän M800 blue stripe, as a newcomer to Pelikans, I'm wondering if all Pelikans(both modern and vintage) can be fully taken apart by using the same method as the M800(TWSBI wrench for the piston, nib/feed can be unscrewed, and be knocked out from the collar)? (Discussing Souverän MXXX and their ancestors such as 400NN) I've read about rare fiction fit nib units, but that doesn't seems like a huge difference? My purpose of this question is that I feel more confident in spending money getting a pen that I know for sure that I can clean the pen thoroughly, apply grease...something like that. Thanks for your answering!

G'day FPN I know the only real answer to this question is 'try them out!' but all the way down here in Australia there seems to be a scarcity of brick & mortar pen shops, so I'd love to hear from you: Is there any rule of thumb for marrying a pen size to a hand size? theres a lot of talk around the forums of large and small hands, but as it's so subjective what size 'large' hands actually are, and obviously the weight distribution of the actual pen in hand plays a huge part in what makes it balanced or not. the Safari I use at the moment is a little back heavy when posted (those pens are really quite long though) so what factors would lead you to decide between an M400, 600, 800 or 1000 apart from visuals or price? heres a picture of my hand for reference, with a pen we all know and love -Kieran

And again an earthly sinful living being gave in to all his desires and bought another enchanting piece of writing instrument. Also replicated the content with additional pictures in my blog, as the images are/will be reduced to a small thumbnail after a short-while by the image hosting service. Happy reading ! Below is a link to the same: The Sterling Pelikan Souverän m625 As you might already know, Pelikan as a company encompasses a rich heritage of 180 years – in manufacturing inks, pens and stationery (177 years to be exact, you can find a bit of history in a previous post and here). In 1929, it released its first transparent Pelikan fountain pen and was credited with the genesis of the piston-filling mechanism, using a differential spindle gear. However, the first of the silvery m625 models does not come until the next 77 years go by . M625 Pelikan launched the Souverän m625 model in 2006, which constituted of a dark blue resin barrel with rest of the visible hardware - i.e cap, piston knob and grip section, carved out of sterling silver (92.5% silver + 7.5% copper giving the required strength while preserving appearance of the noble metal). It was later followed by an aubergine model and a red model with two variations in the cap section. These had a 18k rhodium plated gold nib. Later, they also released a limited batch of m625s with a red barrel and a 14k nib, for the Asian market. The pen comes in a standard G15 gift box, essentially the same packaging as all the other standard souverän models. DESIGN (6/6) It's an amazingly stunning pen encompassed in a standard souverän series design. Closed, the sterling silver cap and the piston knob dazzle with ambient reflections, while the barrel awaits light to bedazzle you. Once exposed to the visible spectrum, a play of light reveals the inside mechanism like a demonstrator. And it's definitely more spectacular to the eyes than it is to the lenses. The barrel is made up of high grade translucent resin and is resistant to scratches in course of normal use. There is also a thin palladium coating on the sterling silver parts to avoid staining of the pen with time. This was confirmed by the Pelikan team. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/pelm625%20002_zpsro9rdxyp.jpg On unscrewing the cap, you will instantly notice a resonance in design with a glittering grip section wholly carved out of sterling silver, along with a rhodium plated nib. So there is either reflection or refraction of ambient light, rendering the m625 with its characteristic trait. The silvery metallic grip is quite comfortable to hold and does not feel slippery, adjoining the barrel with threads for securing the cap. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/pelm625%20004_zpsvyvlrkoy.jpg Twirls engraved around the sterling silver cap run on its surface gleaming with all possible proximate imagery. A few swirls end near the middle, where Ag 925 is etched in between, granting a somewhat finality of trust to the glitter show.The logo on the finial is the one embraced by Pelikan post 2003, that of a mother pelican and a chick, in a brushed silver finish. At the base, imbibed are the words PELIKAN SOUVERÄN GERMANY, which is common across the range of souverän series. The absence of any differential aesthetics in the cap drives the inherent singularity in appearance. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/1-Cap2_zpszdjywgpt.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (6/6) A piston filler with a sterling silver knob surely distinguishes the m625 from other models in the range. Apart from enchanting looks, like any other pelikan, it's an easy and hassle-free mechanism. The piston end unscrews with three to four rotations and ink is sucked in, with quite a gush, once the piston is screwed back on. And of course, you can observe the entire thing in action. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/1-Piston_zpsdurysgvm.jpg NIB (6/6) – ALL THAT MATTERS The dazzling rhodium plated gold nib with an usual iridium tip is tested by hand, and it comes in four main sizes – EF, F, M & B along one special width – BB (extra-broad). Like all its cousins, the nib is exquisite and efficient. With a screw fit mechanism and a standard m6xx feed, the nib-section is an ensemble of efficiency as well as artistry. And this silvery white finish does converge with the sterling silver grip in terms of both glitter and glimmer. The tail end specifies the nib-width and composition (14 C, 58.5% Au) of the gold-alloy used. Three arabesques diverge along the shoulders of the nib with two of them converging near the breather hole. The third arabesque runs across the tines towards the shoulders ending with the tail end of the nib. There is of-course the dazzling white mother-baby pelikan logo, resting above the tail. This one is an extra-fine nib and writes smoothly out of the box. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/pelm625%20011_zpspf1dqnci.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (5/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING It does give a comfortable feel to write with the pen without posting the cap. The overall capped length is around 13.3 cm. The total weight of m625 has a significant contribution from the cap, which is otherwise quite well-balanced. And yes, a substantial cap does make the pen very top-heavy when posted. Uncapped Length ~ 12.4 cm Posted Length ~ 15.4 cm Nib Leverage ~ 2.3 cm Overall Weight ~ 34 g (Cap Weight ~ 17.5 g)http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/pelm625%20013_zpscecl30yk.jpg While not posted, a length of 12.4 cm is quite comfortable for writing because of a thicker girth and a substantial weight, due to the metallic grip and piston-knob sections, although the piston mechanism is made up of plastic rather than brass. (common across m6XXs) http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/pelm625%20014_zpse6jw0uaa.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) Although the m625 retails at excess of USD 700, it is available at lower street prices. I was able to get the pen at a good discounted price in an online action at the bay. I would not undervalue the rating by much, because at the end, the m625 seems more of an art rather than science. As isn't it why we all buy, discuss and share experiences with fountain pens? OVERALL (5.4/6) I adore the distinct red translucent design of the m625 which is embraced with the glistening contours of sterling silver. This pen is blessed with a smooth extra-fine (EF) nib which delivers a thin but a very wet line. The line width closely resembles a Pilot 14k-FM nib. For a relatively dry Pelikan Royal Blue ink, it takes around 12-13 seconds to dry. I could not find any line variation with horizontal and vertical strokes for this one. And yes, nib's a nail too, when it comes to flex. http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag127/soniknitr/m625/pelm625%20012_zps8dlyfwz1.jpg Hope you enjoyed the review. Thank you for your time. Best, Sonik

Hello FPN, I'm not a regular contribuiter here, but I do love writing/schetching and fountain pens. I'm on my 4th Pelikan now.. started slow with an M200, then an M800, M400 and now M1000. To me the Souveran design is the best in the world: fits my grip best and the esthetics are top notch too. Now on to my request. I can get quite obsessed by the "perfection" level of a pen so I end up noticing all kinds of things that probably normal people don't bother with. One of the things I've noticed with my M800 and M1000 is the presence of some rings around where the striated part of the barrel meets with the section. I am adding a picture to show what I mean exactly. This is truly visible only when the the light strikes the pen at a specific angle. I'm just wondering, do your pens have this as well? Thanks in advance for responding and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! PS: please feel free to add your own pictures of this.

We have received a small amount of the lovely Pelikan Special Edition M800 Burnt Orange fountain pens. We offer these for € 440.- (including the German VAT) or € 369,75 without the German VAT. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact us at service@fritz-schimpf.de.