A very Special M800

January 18, 2010

That's an interesting perspective. The factory and different reps have given this answer before, as well as others.

It does not explain why they have produced other models (M250s, M400s, M450s, M600s) with tortoise bindes since, but not the M800.

It's hard to understand their reluctance.

this is Pelikans view on th tortoiseshell

Will the tortoiseshell colour become available again, either as a permanent product or a limited edition?

"Pelikan stated that they are aware the tortoiseshell colour was very popular and that they have considered producing it again. They stated that the material used to produce the tortoiseshell is especially made for Pelikan and that this results in extremely large minimum order quantities. Therefore, at the moment, it would not be economically viable to produce a run of pens which are able to be sold at a reasonable cost. They will reassess this often."

full article at http://www.nichepens.co.uk/acatalog/Pelikan_Factory_Visit.html

January 27, 2010

Maybe a few collectors that are "important" to Pelikan are on the nay side with regard to re-issue??

Just speculating....

January 27, 2010

You know, John, I don't think so. To be perfectly honest I have no idea why they won't do this except that they always seem to have to discount the modern tortoise pens they make. I suspect that there is not a large enough broader market beyond a small circle of friends.

But this, too, is pure speculation.

Maybe a few collectors that are "important" to Pelikan are on the nay side with regard to re-issue??
Just speculating....

January 27, 2010

You know, John, I don't think so. To be perfectly honest I have no idea why they won't do this except that they always seem to have to discount the modern tortoise pens they make. I suspect that there is not a large enough broader market beyond a small circle of friends.

But this, too, is pure speculation.

Maybe a few collectors that are "important" to Pelikan are on the nay side with regard to re-issue??
Just speculating....

I have a question. how scarce tortoise m800 is,

rick? how many are they available? I've seen someone say it's very rare that in Japan(where lots lots of

fountainpen collector live) less than 10 are known to exist in the country. however, you're very good at locating them.

so It's just out of curiosity. if it's not correct, your guess is also welcomed.

Edited January 27, 2010 by pelicanachic

January 30, 2010

If we are to take Pelikan for their word, perhaps a concerted effort among FPN members to convince Pelikan that a new M800 tortoise would sell is in order. Over in the Mont Blanc forum there is a project I've seen wherein members are signing up for a special order pen to be made with or by Mont Blanc. The prospective buyers hope that MB will agree to a limited run knowing how many buyers they'll have in advance. I haven't read through the whole thread, so I don't know how successful the idea has been, but perhaps the same idea could work here.

January 30, 2010

superb pen

February 2, 2010

I have a question. how scarce tortoise m800 is,

rick? how many are they available? I've seen someone say it's very rare that in Japan(where lots lots of

fountainpen collector live) less than 10 are known to exist in the country. however, you're very good at locating them.

so It's just out of curiosity. if it's not correct, your guess is also welcomed.

My best guess is that no one knows how many were made. As I have stated elsewhere I do not believe that the tortoise was built for any special purpose except that the three traditional Pelikan colors are green, black, tortoise, but that the tortoise never sold well.

Unfortunately German companies are required only to keep records for fifteen years, after which they destroy them. Thus my speculation that no one knows. And, given that, I am just barely bright enough to not want to hazard a guess. Were I to do so, I would speculate that there are more than most of us would guess.

February 2, 2010

Interestingly enough, I'd speculate that certain pen runs could indeed be profitable for Pelikan, but that they are instead focusing on some limited editions that the general market research is showing them as their direction (Silver Screen anyone ?). And Pelikan's certainly hitting the mark (on the lower cost fountain pens (e.g., the new red M205).

But I do think that they miss the enthusiast market side of things by not working more closely with the fountain pen community as some other pen makers do on some of the "mid-range" cost pens. Items like the M600 or M800 tortoise lines or alternately, the orange and jade M320 colours in larger sizes would all be snapped up by the community. Fountain pens are, after all, very much a specialist marketplace in today's economy, and therefore, the thrust of developing a certain fraction of new models or reviving of old models should reflect the marketplace.

As for the quantities of these pens necessary for profitability, I'd have to ask just how many of the Indian Summer pens were necessary to reach the desired goal. If a run could be made for that pen line successfully, I'd suggest that the tortoise lines could also make money for Pelikan.

The question for those of us here in FPN would be how to focus and communicate the interests of many of us in a manner where Pelikan would take heed of these and manufacture the pens we ask for. This I can't offer any (informed) insights on, as I have no direct knowledge of how Pelikan works as a company.

John P.