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Today I walked into my favorite pen store to buy some new ink-colour bottles. There were no bottles yet only cartridges. The saleswoman told me that there will be another Safari coming out in a few weeks and that it will be dark green, Has anyone heard the same news?

I'll cite GoldenBear from penechange.de. There are rumors for two new releases. Plus neon ink? Could be fake though.

I just received by purchase on Ebay a fountain pen about which I had never heard before -- the Syll "Patrick Baudry special edition -- apparently manufactured for Syll by Dupont Pen in France. The Ebay seller wrote this about the pen: Item for bid is the Luxury and exclusive Syll fountain pen [They're not in business anymore]. This is a limited edition pen commissioned by the French government in 2003 to commemorate the French astronaught and UNESCO embassador, Patrick Baudry. It was done in collaboration with DUPONT pens. Here are the details: Year of manufacture: 2003 Mirror finish enamel in black with a hint of red... depending on the day Big semi-hooded 18k gold nib, rhodium plated Two end cabuchons... resembling jet engine air intakes Limited edition 139/500, the number is engraved on the cap lower ring Pen is heavy and amazingly luxurious. I bought it in 2004 in Paris for $2000. The pen comes as it was bought in France in 2004, brand new, with papers, plastic sleeve, wooden box, fabric cover, and outer box. Reducing my collection. Please bid if you understand the quality and rarity of this pen. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. My winning bid was $207, and with tax and $15 shipping from Oklahoma, my total was $234. The pen takes the International Standard converter and cartridges, but didn't come with a converter (a surprise). However, I have many spare converters, so I put a Stipula converter in the pen, and it fit and filled perfectly. I filled it with Mont Blanc Irish Green ink. Filled thusly, the pen weighs 68 grams. Its length is 13.5 mm (about 5.375 inches). Here are some photos that I took (comments follow photos): It is difficult to see in the third photo, but on the side of the nib is the number 750 to indicate that this is an 18K nib. The nib appears to be Rhodium-plated over the gold. From my writing sample, one can see that the pen is a smooth, wet writer. When writing, I noticed from the nib a consistent, slight, pleasant give, which allows some intentional variation in line width, but I wouldn't characterize this nib as "flexible." In no way could any reasonable writer feel that the nib is like a "nail." The pen, at 68 grams in weight, has heft to it, although I wrote with the cap off. Out of curiosity, I tried to post it, and the cap does not securely post. The cap snaps securely onto the barrel over the (divits?) visible in the fourth photo, but it is easy to disengage the cap when one wants to. The color of the pen is as described by the Ebay seller; depending on lighting, there is at least a "hint of red" in the finish. It's quite an attractive pen and feels expensive in the hand and when writing, similar to other Dupont pens. I tried looking up the pen on the internet and found nothing of value thereon. Syll has a website, but it no longer references this pen, as Syll is not a pen company. This was a special edition. If, in fact, my Ebay seller was correct in stating that he paid $2,000 for this pen back in 2004 in Paris, then my winning bid price of $207 was an amazing deal. There is no question in my mind that paying $234 (all-in) for this pen was a very nice value, regardless the price paid by my seller. Does anyone on FPN know anything about this pen model? Was it really a $2,000+ pen when issued? Has anyone had any experience with the pen?

We, Fritz Schimpf, have shared our passion for the art of writing since 1880. One of our main distinctive points is that we are always trying to offer our clients the best fitting writing instrument for their type of handwriting and hand size. Especially fountain pens and their ability to have a positive influence on the handwriting as well as the writing comfort they offer are our favorite writing instruments. While the existing variety of different forms and sizes of pens nearly always makes it possible to find a fitting pen for each client, the variety in nibs has decreased over the last years. Due to our experience with clients we have wanted to bring back part of the variety in nibs thus enabling us to offer the perfect nib for every client. Thanks to the cooperation with Montblanc we have managed to widen the offer with an exclusive collaboration. The Montblanc x Fritz Schimpf Sonderedition Italic 100 is based on the Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand Platinum Line fountain pen (146P). The nib, the heart of the fountain pen, is a 14-K gold nib with a special cut we defined together with the excellent nib masters at Montblanc. This special cut enables the nib to offer different stroke widths. Nibs like that are called Italic nibs. Over 50 years have passed since the last time Montblanc had an Italic nib in its assortment. Due to the different widths, Italic nibs enhance the individual characteristics of each handwriting and create a unique and distinctive typeface. Thanks to the chosen width, the vertical stroke is around 0,7 mm, the horizontal stroke is around 0,3 mm the Montblanc x Fritz Schimpf Sonderedition Italic 100 fountain pens are ideal for small and medium handwriting. In order to get the maximum stroke difference effect it might be necessary to adapt the way one holds the fountain pen. Please have a look at the different writing samples which have been written with Fritzrot (our special ink) on our DIN A5 correspondence paper. The Montblanc x Fritz Schimpf Sonderedition Italic 100 fountain pen is recognizable by the engravings on both sides of the nib (Italic 100 and Fritz Schimpf). Once one gets accustomed to the nib the writing properties are fascinating. The Italic 100 fountain pen seduces the writer to playfully form letters, perceive their form, change it and rediscover the own handwriting anew. We are expecting the arrival of the Montblanc x Fritz Schimpf Sonderedition Italic 100 fountain pens by mid October 2017. They will be available exclusively at our shop and are limited to 100 pieces. Should you wish any further information or to pre-order please send us an email to service@fritz-schimpf.de.

I have seen sailor make special edition and custom made pens to many clubs and groups. Any thought of how does the process take place? Has anyone here requested from sailor something similar? What is the minimum number of pens required to order?

Parker IM Metallic Pursuit Fine Nib Special Edition Fountain Pen Only $69.99 2 Days Only https://www.pensandpencils.net/products/parker-im-special-edition-metallic-pursuit-fine-nib-fountain-pen

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

Montblanc Great Characters John F. Kennedy Special Edition Fountain Pen in Navy Blue: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” - John F. Kennedy I recently acquired this beautiful pen from the Fritz Schimpf online store. The pen arrived packaged extremely well. It took awhile to arrive likely due to delays caused by Covid-19. I have using this pen almost non-stop since it arrived a month ago. My review below, deviates somewhat from the standard review. I do give a final review at the end. The pen comes in a large, navy blue box, along with a very informative book about John F. Kennedy and the specific details of the pen which commemorate his life, with warranty certification on the back page. The pen comes in two color variations – Navy Blue and Burgundy precious resin. The Navy Blue was manufactured first and comes with platinum detailing which perfectly accent the deep blue. The pen is crowned with the Montblanc snowflake logo. As is typical, Montblanc recently announced they would no longer be making the Navy Blue color variation. John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. He was the youngest man elected to that office, at the age of 43. He came from a wealthy and powerful family, but forged his own way. He was not a great student, but graduated from Harvard University. The Burgundy color represents this achievement. After graduating, John entered the U.S. Navy, which the Navy Blue commemorates, and was stationed in the South Pacific during World War II. Although seriously injured, John survived the war but his older brother Joseph did not. The 3 rings on the cap of the pen commemorate the 3 brothers – John, Robert and Joseph. John’s initials are engraved in the clip. JFK’s dream was to put a man on the moon. The “moon lander” is engraved in the nib, which commemorates that final descent upon the surface of the moon. Summary: 1. Appearance & Design: 10 Strong, clear navy blue resin finished with brilliant platinum accents. Well-proportioned with attention to detail. 2. Construction & Quality: 10 Everything about this pen exudes a high quality of construction and beauty. 3. Weight and Dimensions: 10 This is a pen with some weight to it but is very nicely balanced. The cap, however, does not post. Weight: 56.81 g Length: 14.5 cm Length, uncapped: 12.5 cm 4. Nib and Performance: 10 The nib is a BB (double broad), and is exquisite! It is very smooth and is moderately wet. It wrote perfectly out of the box. I have not written through 3 fills of ink and it is performs flawlessly. 5. Filling System and Maintenance: 10 This is a piston filler and performs fantastic. As mentioned above I have filled this pen 3 times (with typical flushing in between): the first time with Waterman Serenity Blue (my standard for new pens), the second time with Montblanc JFK navy blue ink, and this third time with Sailor Manyo Sumire. The pen cleans nicely between fills and the piston works well. 6. Cost & Value: 10 The Navy Blue color is no longer shown on Montblanc’s website. The retail price of the burgundy color is $1,035.00. For the quality of this pen, I think this is a reasonable price. The attention to detail and overall balance exceed the other Montblancs that I have had. 7. Conclusion: 60 out of 60 = A perfect 10!* This pen has great meaning to me. It is a reminder of a very special time in the life of my family. As a result, I saved and purchased this pen for reasons that revolve around my father mainly. My father also served in the Navy in the South Pacific (as well as in Europe) during WWII. And he worked in the space program as a director throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s, which included all the Apollo missions to the moon. My father-in-law worked as a director at NASA during this time. So this pen has special meaning to me, especially the blue color variation. I had heard that Montblanc has stopped making the navy blue color. So, when I approached Sebastian at Fritz Schimpf, I did not expect that he would be able to find one for me. But Montblanc has just a few left, and he was able to get one and have BB nib put on it directly from the factory. What was really great is that Fritz Schimpf sold it to me for a great price! They also included a bottle of Montblanc JFK ink as well as Fritz Schimpf Fritzrot – both are fantastic inks. The JFK is a bit dry but has is a great color with a reddish-coppery sheen. The Fritzrot is a luscious burgundy red - like a great pinot noir - and is moderately wet. On top of all of this, Sebastian monitored the entire shipping process from the store to my home. He would email me with updates each week, and when it appeared to be lost, he was able to track it down and move it on to me. But, he informed me that if the shipping company could not find, he would order a new one with a new nib and send it out overnight. What customer service! I can not say enough good things about Fritz Schimpf! In conclusion, this is an exquisite pen – truly a grail pen for me! Yes, it has special meaning, but the pen itself far exceeds my expectations and is superior to any other pen I own. IMHO, Montblanc has created a masterpiece here. *For those that know me, I am a bit of a perfectionist and rarely give high marks. So, for me to rate a pen this high is very unusual. While I wish that the cap would post, I knew that it did not when I purchased the pen – the website was very clear about this. So I could not take a point off for that. Disclaimers: I am not affiliated with Fritz Schimpf. I purchased the pen from them, but all opinions are my own. While I love this pen, any opinion I may hold of John F. Kennedy as a politician or any decision he made, is not given, included nor intended in this review.

2012 Montblanc Writers Edition Jhonatan Swift M Nib The Art Of Engrave Montblanc Special and Limited Editions Nibs I am a Montblanc collector, and as someone have already known, I have a great interest in special and limited editions of the company. It is true that, as a good purist, I started with a 149, which has been followed by several others 149´s and Meisterstuck pieces, but my collection has focused on the writers edition, expanding to great characters and donation pen. In short, special editions and limited editions. It is not my intention to comment about the virtues of the special and the limited editions of Montblanc, because all of you surely know them, someone have their opinion, many like them, some do not, anyway. What I wanted to share on this occasion is to invite you to an incredible trip, to discover a world in miniature, which passes, largely, unnoticed to the naked eye, and even more if we have some years; to know in detail the work of decorate the nibs of special and limited editions, and let us surprise with “ the art of engrave " Have you ever seen Gulliver's belt, or the difference in size between him and the citizen of liliput on horseback? I will be sharing the nibs that are in my collection, and I will appreciate that you get excited and upload the photos of yours special and limited nibs. Let's start. Enjoy it. FEAMAT

In 2012 Montblanc introduced another Masters for Meisterstück series of pens. The L'Aubrac is the second in series: 2011 Meissen2012 L'Aubrac2014 Moonpearl2016 Firenze Alligator2018 James Purdey & Sons.Like the other pens from the Masters for Meisterstück or Great Masters series it was made to pay tribute to master craftsmen of other traditional products than writing instruments. Three versions were made: Special Edition (fountain pen and rollerball; matching cuff links, key ring and money clip)Artisan Edition (50 fountain pens)Atelier Privé Edition (8 fountain pens).All versions were created in mind with the typical French knives made by Forge de Laguiole in the L'Aubrac region. The Special Edition is made from grenadille wood and sterling silver decorated with the typical rivets and historical Laguiole engravings. Only the clip is platinum plated. The Montblanc emblem is made from mother-of-pearl. A knife matching the pen's design also is available from Forge de Laguiole. It follows the general shape of the previous Masters for Meisterstück pens with a 146-sized 18K gold nib and no ink window. Body and cap are wider compared to the regular 146-sized Meisterstück fountain pens but share the same size for the gripping section. The wider cap and body result in a slope between gripping section and barrel. The cap closes softly. The weight without ink is c. 55.6 g (for comparison: Montblanc Solitaire Petit Prince/c. 62.6 g & Montblanc Alexander von Humboldt/c. 68.1 g). This pen was pre-owned but has not seen much (any?) use and came to me for Christmas fitted with a medium nib. One of my lucky finds in 2018! It feels similar to any Solitaire Meisterstück with some added width due to the wooden overlay. It is very well made and the engraved sterling silver parts and mother-of-pearl star are just beautiful yet understated and not flashy. The rivets and wood show no defects or flaws. Only the slightly different color of the platinum plated clip are a little bit distracting from the otherwise harmonious design. On my pen the wood is very dark and almost black; the wood on my Alexander von Humboldt is slightly lighter and shows more brown tones. This really is a luxury version of the classic Meisterstück pens with the additional decoration and nice materials which really deserves some attention. The medium nib writes a nice, smooth, true medium line. More info can be found on Montblanc's site: https://www.montblanc.com/en/discover/limited-editions/artisan-editions/l_aubrac-special-edition.html The German version of the catalogue can also be found in the web: http://www.x-v-x.de/download/Montblanc_LAubrac_Broschuere.pdf Those are the pictures of my pen I took this afternoon: P1440277 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440291 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440295 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440298 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440302 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440303 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440304 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440308 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440309 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440310 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440315 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440321 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440330 by pensninks, auf Flickr P1440331 (1) by pensninks, auf Flickr Cheers Michael

Hi folks, This year for the holidaysI decided to treat myself to a tiny Pelikan! There was a seller on amazon offering the 101N for less than $300. I'd been fancying one for a while, but of course they are usually pretty spendy. At that price, though, game on! The pen is not very large, being the same size as a vintage 100n. I like this size a lot, having a few 400s and other older pens. I have pretty big hands, but love the way the small pens balance and handle when they are posted. I also enjoy larger pens as well, such as my Scribo and M800. I can see the size would be an issue for people who like to write with a baseball bat, but I imagine most folks would enjoy the portability and elegance of one of these in the toolkit. It comes in a posh "I'm so fancy" sort of box: I worked out the box is actually 130 times the volume of the pen, which seems like a lot. Especially when it doesn't hold very much: Or, to put it another way: Hmmmm. One of the things I admire about Germany is the progress they have made on environmental matters. Not so much here. So, to the pen. Honestly, it's a beauty. Here it is sitting on its fancy box: Super styley hang-tag! Here are a couple of details. First the binde, which on mine is perhaps a slightly bluer blue-grey. A very pretty colour with a nice shimmery effect. I can't tell for sure if it's a binde or the body, by the way, but the construction looks really like a vintage Pelikan. If forced to guess, I'd say that it's a cellulose binde over a body made of the same stuff as the ink window. When you look "up" the body towards the piston it is really quite translucent and the binde has that slightly "draggy" feeling I associate with cellulose. Here is the top of the cap. I LOVE the engraving here (sorry about the fluff in the picture. That was me, not Pelikan!): Here are a couple of beauty shots! So how about filling and writing? The piston action is simply superb, smooth and positive. I know people say this all the time, but the Pelikan piston really is the best in the game. Here's a picture of the nib. It's a terrible picture, but I wanted to show the cool 1940s nib engraving! It looks like the nib is scratched in the picture, but it's not. Just needed a wipe! The nib was terrific right out the box. Not a lot of line variation, but a nice spring, very smooth, no hesitation, skips or any other naughtiness. It's one of the nicest nibs I've tried in a long time. Here's a writing sample, with apologies for the scrawl: So there you go. A very elegant, handy little pen, with rock solid construction and really impressive vintage references (and a "free" bottle of ink and a box your cat can live in after you take out the pen). The cat in the room is, of course, the price. At $500 or €500, this is not a bargain. It's cute, it's fun, it has a lovely nib, but really! For $300 or €300 it's a solid deal, with character, reliability and not a little flair. I'd say that if you were thinking of one, at any price up to $400 or €400 you will feel you got your money's worth and a wee bit more! Thanks for reading, and take care, Ralf

I was given a Parker Sonnet 2018 special edition, of the Metro variation of the special edition. This was a pleasant surprise - I did not even know that there were Sonnet ballpoints before I joined FPN last year. The Metro variant of the special edition are pens with black bodies and chrome-coloured caps with a city map pattern over the metal. The black plastic body feels like some sort of organic material, not unlike MB's "resin" plastic, to the touch. The map pattern's tactile sensation is matte. Metro pens have palladium trim. Pictures of the Metro fountain pen can be found in this thread: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/348767-parker-sonnets-sterling-metro/ Here are some more pictures of the pen. This pen has datecode P, standing for the 4th quarter of 2017. The pen is not very light; it feels substantial and well-made. In comparison to a Jotter flighter the pen is noticeably heavier. In writing with an oil ink refill it does not require any pressure. Gel refills are even easier to write with. In comparison to the Jotter concerning writing, the Jotter kind of makes me write faster. The Sonnet, as a result, can feel more leisurely and relaxed.

Hello again! This is my review of the 90th Anniversary Edition limited release of the Montblanc Meisterstuck 149 with a medium nib. I this was the third pen I purchased as part of my birthday splurge, and is also the third Montblanc that I own (second 149). Conventionally, I would never dream of buying a 149 in-store, as Montblanc decrees that no lower price than their dictated one be displayed on their new products. However, I was wandering around my local shopping centre, and saw a 149 with a sale tag on it in the window of Ernest Jones. Due to the lack of a box and it being a display piece, the price listed was but 40% of the usual list price for the pen, so I simply couldn't resist! As an aside, the images got butchered by the uploader somehow, so if you wish to see the intended images, I have a Flickr link at the end with the highest quality versions. Dimensions Presentation and appearance Fit and finish Filling system Ergonomics Nib performance Closing thoughts and conclusion Dimensions Length capped - 144mm Length uncapped - 130mm Nib length - 28mm Section length - 16mm Section diameter lo - 13.3mm Section diameter hi - 12.8mm Presentation and Appearance Having not come with the original box, I can't fully comment on this aspect of the pen (they gave me a standard 149 box for the pen to take it home). From what I have seen though, the 90th AE packaging is merely a standard 149 clamshell presentation box, but with a completely redone graphic set on the cardboard outer sleeve. Perhaps somewhat dissatisfying considering the price and significance of the pen, but it seems that sometimes 149s come with the large square box with an ink bottle, and others with the smaller-than-Pelikan's snap close box, so no comment there... I am sure you have all seen a 149 image before, and the majority of you will likely have watched a video or read about them somewhere, so forgive me if you have read this before (you are free to skip if you feel as though it sounds like a less catchy marketing dossier). In my opinion, and that of a great number of others, the 149 exudes 'presence', in that whilst it is not necessarily my largest pen (that goes to the OMAS Paragon) nor my most outwardly flashy pen (probably a title taken by the Homo Sapiens Crystal), but it is the one that you are aware is there, and more often than not the eye is drawn to. Whatever your opinion on the 149's appearance, whether you like it or loathe it, you will likely be hard-pressed to argue that it isn't a classic design, and at that, one which has remained so since its conception and will probably last long after this current peak in fountain pen interest we seem to have found ourselves in. There are three words that my friends and colleagues generally use to describe the pen; classy, elegant and stylish - even to the uninitiated this pen has an impact, moreso than others. Whilst I was not initially a huge fan of the 149 style, over the past year of owning my 149, then 146 Pt Line, and now this one, I have found myself increasingly appreciating the aesthetics and styling on the pen. To me it just looks right!? The 90th Anniversary Edition features a significantly different nib imprint to that of the usual 149 line. Instead of the bi-colour or tri-colour finish, the nib is wholly rose gold, and a large '90' dominates the surface, with the MB logo and 4810 being shifted down and up respectively to make way. The 90 is filled with tiny stipples, which really highlights the number, and works exceptionally well with the rest of the pen. Something that I believe is a major feature of the Montblanc design is their attention to detail. The subtle hatching in the letters of the cap band. The precise spacing of the gold bands. The stippling within the 90 on the nib to accentuate it. All these little things combine to form a beautifully well executed package. (My attempt at showing the difference between the standard yellow gold on the left and the anniversary rose gold on the right. Even in optimal conditions it is very difficult to fully capture) The key highlight of the pen which really differentiates it from the main line of Montblanc is the rose gold trim. Now, I would like to take a moment to say that I firmly believe this to be the best application of rose gold I have seen. Period. It is subdued without being overly subtle. It is still identifiable as gold without being garish. Lately, companies across all industries have been using 'rose gold' in their lineups, Apple probably being the main offender here. In many cases, the finish is almost pink, for whatever reason, and the result is a colour that looks more like a random pink metal than gold at all. Here though, the difference is very slight. The colour almost looks as though one has turned the shadows and exposure level down to 25% in a photo-editing suite. This has been the first pen where I feel the colour combination truly speaks to me, as opposed to just 'working well together'. I find myself toying with the pen in my hand and turning it around idly, admiring the 'muted' tones of the trim and its relationship with the main body. Although I wouldn't go so far as to say it is a work of art, I will say that it is about as close to perfection as I think I will find when it comes to matching two colours for impact, contrast and aesthetic appeal / draw. Fit and Finish As you might expect from a pen of this price range, the fit and finish is exemplary, with every edge and seam lining up perfectly and running flush against their respective face. The cap requires 1.5 rotations to be detached, and the threads are smooth with only marginal wiggle room. The piston knob sits fully flush with the barrel when totally done up, and is very easy to screw and unscrew, no hitches or sticking here! The only minor grip I have with the pen is that the snow cap on the finial is perhaps 20deg off from lining up with the clip, but this is something that isn't intended to fully line up (afaik), nor is it apparent enough to notice most of the time. Overall, I have nothing to complain about here. My experience with Montblanc and German pen brands in general has always been one living up to the joke about Ze Germanz and their manufacturing standards. Although there are exceptions, I will go out on a limb and say that compared to many other countries, these exceptions are few and far between when compared to some other regions...who we all know and love... Filling System Yeah, its another piston filler. For those of you who are returning to read my review having read my others (for which I am extremely grateful), you will be aware of my preference for pistons. I won't delve into that debate here, as countless others have covered it before. Suffice it to say, the 149's piston performs excellently; smooth, even and just 'the right' amount of resistance to ensure a pleasant operation. The ink window lies a fraction of a millimetre beneath the cap band when it is capped, which is another nice touch in my opinion, and being clear is very easy to tell remaining ink level. I have always preferred the Montblanc implementation of an ink window outside of demonstrators, as I think that the 50% clear 50% obscured effect they have keeps it out of sight when you want it, and easy to gauge when you need it. I am sure some care more than others about this, and there are likely those of you who couldn't care less, but its the little thing ya know! Ergonomics The 149 is famed for being a gigantic pen, whose size and power doth crush the will of lesser pens, Goliath himself wielded a 149 to reduce the armies of David to nothi- oh wait...yeah...nevermind. The 149 is large. Yes. Is it the largest? Not by a long shot. Length wise it is bested by the OMAS Paragon, Visconti Homo Sapiens, Sailor King of Pens, Custom 823 Demo, and many others I won't name. Girth wise, it is definitely up there, but again, probably not deserving of the belief that it is too big for a mortal to use comfortably for casual writing. Personally, I love the size. I have a quadropod grip, which is likely the reason for my enjoyment of the pen's size, but even when I force a 3 finger grip, it is still definitely usable. The length is very comfortable and sits very nicely against the webbing of the hand. Regarding threads, a factor that I am forced to consider more and more after ultimately having to sell the M805 because of this, the threads are not at all sharp, so even if you hold the pen highly, you will probably find this a non-issue. Balance wise, it is definitely biased toward the back end, though not at all uncomfortably, with the balance point being perhaps 2/3 of the way toward the piston end of the barrel. It feels as though you don't need to push with the pen, just guide it and it is capable of writing under its own weight. I never tend to post my pens, but you can definitely do it here, although should you wish to, you might find a shallow relaxed writing angle preferable due to the ungainly shift in weight introduced by the cap. Overall, whilst not my definitive most comfortable pen to use, it is definitely a tied second favourite for comfort and balance, switching places with the Homo Sapiens depending on my mood and preference on that given day. Aaaas usual, the YMMV disclaimer holds true, and this pen more than most should really be tried out in a store before committing to the purchase if you can do this. Nib Performance The nib is a very very nice 18k rose gold medium. Out of the box, the nib was pretty much exactly how it should be; tines aligned and converging at the tip without being too tight. I did flex the nib a teeny weeny bit at first to get the ink flowing just a tad more, but this was more a personal preference than a flaw. Someone mentioned once that Montblanc now polishes their nibs somewhat similarly to Aurora and Pilot; they are smooth, but with definite feedback. This nib is no exception. Being a medium I kind of expected a glass-like level of feedback -so basically none- but instead was given a pencil like experience. It is still smooth as silk with no hitches at all, but you feel every single change in direction and movement, something I am now strangely fond of. The line it puts down is what I would call a perfect 5 in wetness, making it ideal for any writing paper I am likely to encounter in my daily life. Flow is stunning, an area only my Japanese pens have ever managed to be truly up there in (maybe my OMAS as well?) and I can put the pen to paper after any break for it to work immediately. I have every confidence in this pen performing every time I go to use it, just as it should be. Closing Thoughts and Conclusion If you have lasted this long throughout all my rambling, my thanks. I went in with the intention of reducing the words used, but here I found I simply could not to fully convey my opinion. With this pen I have found myself in the fortunate / unfortunate position of seemingly having found my end game in pens. I have recently been able to try a KoP, Aurora, M1000, Divina Elegance and some other flagship pens in a shop, but each time I tried them I knew instantly that they were not for me, or were immediately uncomfortable to use for one reason or another (though it pained me greatly for the Divina and Sailor especially...maybe in time...). I might find myself getting a CONID or something customised eventually after this point, but as far as I can see it, I can't really go up from here. Though my dream pen is a 149 Blue Hour Skeleton, this is something I likely will never be able to reasonably afford, and similarly, other pens I have interest in, or lust for also fall into this category. Thus, for the first time since starting my collection, I find myself utterly content with that which I have. I paid £340 for this pen (I am pretty sure...), which is an absolute steal considering what I got; limited release of a flagship high end pen, months after it was discontinued. Would I have paid full price for it? No I would not, but if I had known how much pleasure it would bring me later down the line? Definitely yes. Is it worth the price? Again, for what I paid I think it is very difficult to argue that it wasn't, compared too the alternatives. Would it have been worth full price? Perhaps, but it depends on your ability to spend and whether you would value paying for the brand name as a significant portion of the price on top of a special edition. In this price range, there are many alternative purchases; M800 special editions, Pelikan M1000 if you are lucky, Sailor KoP editions, Homo Sapiens, etc. Given that this is a limited release special edition pen, for a not insignificant anniversary of one of the most famous of the pen companies, contesting the value of this pen over another in the price I paid is challenging, especially considering potential resale value down the line. At full listed price, you get into the Nakaya and special KoP range, where the workmanship and artisan value of the final piece is often much higher than a Montblanc, once more we find ourselves considering the point of whether it is worth paying the extra for the Montblanc due to the streetcred it gets, or whether you would rather buy it second hand for closer to its actual comparative value. With the unfortunate demise of my M805 and it passing on into the afterlife of another person's collection, after finally concluding that the discomfort in use just wasn't worth owning it, I found myself rotating less and less into my rotation. It got to the point where I was almost every day, for months, carrying this and the two other pens I have reviewed (HS Crystal and Paragon). I now operate two sets of 3 as my carries; my favourites, consisting of the aforementioned offenders, and my 'not-favourite-but-I-still-really-like' group, made of my Opera Elements, vintage Paragon, 146, L2k Stainless and M400 vintage tortoise. If I am not packing a bag, that trio is the set I will reach for each and every time no exception. Although it has taken a while, and many buys, sells and returns, I believe I have found my favourite three pens in these. Higher quality link: https://flic.kr/s/aHskATRPeG My Personal 'Grand Triad'

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.)

We are happy to announce another addition to the fascinating Pelikan M101N series. The Pelikan Special Edition M101N Grey-Blue fountain pen will be available by mid March 2019. The 14-K gold nib is fully rhodinized and comes in four nib sizes (EF, F, M and . The clip and the rings are palladium coated. As usual for the M101N Pelikan delivers the Pelikan Special Edition M101N Grey-Blue fountain pen in a special gift box, which includes a glas bottle of the 4001 royal blue ink. We offer this pen for pre-order for € 332,77 without VAT for the F, M and B nib sizes. Pelikan still charges an extra for the EF nib, our price for EF therefore is € 359,66 without VAT. Please find here the link to our offer: https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Neuheiten/Pelikan-Special-Edition-M101N-Grey-Blue-Kolbenfuellhalter.html Best regards Fritz Schimpf

With the first cold and rainy autumn day here in Tübingen, we are happy to have received news about the next special edition from Pelikan. The Pelikan Souverän Special Edition 600 Vibrant Orange fountain and ballpoint pen really brighten the day. The cap and barrel are made of shiny orange acrylic resin with different hues of orange which reflect the light in a fascinating way. Together with the golden clip and rings the overall impression is very warm. The fountain pen will be offered in four nib sizes: EF, F, M and B. We are offereing these pens for pre-order now. They will be available by mid November. Here is the link to our offer: https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Neuheiten/Pelikan-Souveraen-Special-Edition-M600-Vibrant-Orange-Kolbenfuellhalter.html In our opinion the black grip section and the piston knob would have been nicer if made in the same lovely color and not in black. What are your thoughts? Best regardsFritz Schimpf

Within two days Pelikan is announcing another fascinating fountain pen. Due to be released by mid June the Pelikan Special Edition Souverän M815 Metal Striped fountain pen is up for pre-order at our shop. The M815 has an acrylic body adorned with metal stripes shining in silver. The M815 features a grey ink window behind the section. Further information can be found (in German) here: https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Neuheiten/Pelikan-Special-Edition-Souveraen-M815-Metal-Striped-Kolbenfuellhalter.html Best regards Fritz Schimpf

We are happy to announce a new Demonstrator pen from Pelikan, the Pelikan Classic M205 Special Edition Demonstrator piston filler. It will be available in May 2018 and has a recommended retail price in Germany of € 125.- for the F, M and B nibs. EF nibs are still more expensive in Germany and cost € 138.-. We offer this lovely looking Demonstrator for € 100.- including the German VAT or € 84,04 without the VAT for exports to the outside of the European Union. EF nibs are € 92,77 without the VAT. Here is the link to our offer: https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/Neuheiten/Pelikan-Classic-M205-Special-Edition-Demonstrator-Kolbenfuellhalter.html Regards Fritz Schimpf