An Old Gift : Pelikan Graphos Set

[kl122002]

Hi all,
I received a box of Pelikan Graphos with 6 nibs. They were given by an old gentleman who has decided to end his old stationary shop in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. He is so nice and want me to help him keeping this old Graphos set as long as I can.

This set of Graphos has never been used. Nibs might have some rust but not significant. They just like new after cleaning.

 

I searched Graphos in google and it tells me the Graphos were born in 1930 and ended in 1978. When was my Graphos made? It seems to be post WWII, not later than 1970s?
Besides I notice some Graphos set should have total of 12 nibs instead of 6. Is that mean my Graphos has 6 nibs missing)?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/kl122002/DSC01714_zps4bf3c58f.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/kl122002/DSC01716_zps5fdae818.jpg

Edited April 23, 2014 by kl122002

[bernardo]

Nice set!

 

Are you sure Graphos production ended in 1978? I remember having seen brand new sets at retail stores well in the 90's...

[Ernst Bitterman]

Some sets just have more points than others. This one looks complete. I suspect the 6 in "K II / 6" refers to the points....

 

I don't have my copy of Pelikan: The Brand available at the moment ("GET BACK TO WORK!!"), but once I can get at it I'll check it for the dates that connect to the different styles of lettering used for the company name. Unless someone else beats me to it.

 

You could also have a look in the booklet for a copyright date. It won't tell you how old the set is, but it will tell you the earliest it was made; if the booklet is copyrighted 1973, then the set was made after 1973.

[kl122002]

Thanks !

 

I read from this web store, http://www.jandtsartandcalligraphy.co.uk/online-shop/pelikan_graphos_information.php

it says,

 

 

Pelikan and Rotring had business connections and it would seem that Rotring took over production of the Graphos in about 1978, however like the Ruling and Dip pen nibs which were replaced by the Graphos, this was replaced in drawing offices by the 'technical pen'.

 

And this website (http://hans.presto.tripod.com/scan/graphos.html )

says

 

 

 

The Pelikan company was founded in 1838. The Graphos Indian ink drafting fountain pen for architects and engineers was introduced in 1934. The Graphos pen was sold in sets with one holder and a number of interchangeable nibs. One of the larger sets had a pen holder, sixty different nibs and three ink feeds. Pelikan was reorganized in 1978. After that the Graphos pens were made by Rotring — at that time affiliated with Pelikan.

 

 

I have seen Rotring Graphos before, they just same as the Pelikan's, even the indian ink bottle.

 

I checked the instruction booklet, there is no copyright date, but there is "Made in Germany" only. Shouldn't it be "Made in West-Germany" post WWII? My instruction booklet comes in English instead of German.

Edited April 23, 2014 by kl122002

[alexander_k]

Graphos may have been produced beyond the 1970s but it was superseded by drawing pens in that decade. It produced the best line in technical drawing but the handwriting nibs were next to useless. As for the number of nibs, I remember having at least 30 of them. Unfortunately, they all perished at the fire that destroyed our faculty building in 2008.

[Lorna Reed]

I worked in a drawing office equipment showroom and we stocked Graphos pens and nibs well into the 80s, although by then we sold very few as they were thought to be rather antiquated.

[Ernst Bitterman]

 

 

I checked the instruction booklet, there is no copyright date, but there is "Made in Germany" only. Shouldn't it be "Made in West-Germany" post WWII? My instruction booklet comes in English instead of German.

 

I was struck by that as well once, but Pelikan apparently didn't acknowledge the split until the 1980s-- I've got examples of their stuff from the '50s, '60s, and '70s and they all just say GERMANY.

[bernardo]

So, Rotring took over the production, but didn't stop it.

 

Back to topic, I'm no Graphos connaisseur, but judging from the style of that plastic box, my guess is 60's-70's. In any case, it looks much more recent than my set!

 

This was an antique store find a couple of years ago. It may be pre-war, judging from the velvet-lined wooden case. The pen looks similar to yours, though.

[kl122002]

Thanks for sharing ! I believe the wooden case should be pre war.

The old gentleman told that he had sold a set of 12 nibs. The overall design is quite similar but it has a row that holding the nibs.

I forgot to ask for the old retail price. How much is it during the old days?

[xian112]

Very cool

[cleosmama]

I would like to see how these write. They look very interesting.