Question Regarding Pelikan M400 Vintage

[Albinoni]

Just a quick question re the Pelikan M400 vintage fountain pen, is the vintage M400 slightly bigger than new M400.

 

Also did the M400 ever come with 18kt gold nib.

[Bo Bo Olson]

No 18 K nib, unless exported to France where to be gold it had to be 18 K.

 

 

The vintage 400's '50-65 nibs, out side of a D=daur/manifold...rare, is the nail's nail. In vintage the nibs were chosen by the original owner at the corner fountain pen store. Semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex are standard....the '80s-97 has a very nice springy nib, like a 200.

The post '97 are fat blobby, semi-nails developed especially for the Ball Point Barbarian, who had not got three minutes to learn how to hold a fountain pen. Vintage is narrower than modern. A vintage B=modern Fat M.

 

The '50's 400&400n and semi-vintage '82/3- '97's 400 are the 'same' size*; standard...like an Esterbrook DJ.. The new one with the piston ring...should be the same.

The 400nn, is a medium-large pen with the same girth. Took me some two years to give the edge to the 400nn over my '90's M400 in balance......the 400 in all versions is a very well balanced pen.

 

*The amount of difference is very miniscule, a cap may be a half a centimeter longer or shorter; but when I hold my 500, 400n or the '90's M400 they are all the same.

[sargetalon]

For total length, goes approximately as follows;

 

400: 126mm

400N: 128mm

400NN: 130mm

M400: 127mm

 

No 18C nibs on the standard models that come to mind.

[Bo Bo Olson]

400: 126mm rats...didn't check my 500. Perhaps I'll luck out and get that other 400 I'm interested in.

400N: 128mm close.
M400: 127mm

 

400NN: 130mm

[Albinoni]

For total length, goes approximately as follows;

 

400: 126mm

400N: 128mm

400NN: 130mm

M400: 127mm

 

No 18C nibs on the standard models that come to mind.

These figures are with the cap posted I presume, wow the 400nn is longer by a mm

[sargetalon]

Not posted. Just total length with the cap properly screwed in place over the nib.

[Albinoni]

Not posted. Just total length with the cap properly screwed in place over the nib.

Ok thanks for that.

[Bo Bo Olson]

The 400's are standard sized....the 2-4 mm make the 400nn a medium-long pen.

I had not noticed my 400n was "longer" than my 500 or '90's M 400...but I was not looking for it.

The 500 made '51-54 is a gussied up 400. Has a rolled gold cap and piston cap.

Edited November 28, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Rick Propas]

Let's be clear, please, that the "M" designation DOES NOT apply to the pens made in the 1950s, 60s and early 70s. It is used ONLY to distinguish between more modern piston and cartridge fillers, i.e. M30 vs P30

[Albinoni]

Let's be clear, please, that the "M" designation DOES NOT apply to the pens made in the 1950s, 60s and early 70s. It is used ONLY to distinguish between more modern piston and cartridge fillers, i.e. M30 vs P30

Ok so a vintage M400 will be called a 400 instead I guess.

[twdpens]

Also did the M400 ever come with 18kt gold nib.

 

No, but older (pre-1997) M600s (and other models of this size, eg M7xx models) had 18k nibs and these pens were the same size as the M400. The nibs of these pens are totally compatible with the M400 so it is quite likely that the nib was swapped at some stage.

 

Note that current M600s have a slightly longer nib so although the thread is the same there is a risk of the nib touching the end of the cap.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

[sargetalon]

Ok so a vintage M400 will be called a 400 instead I guess.

 

The dates of the 400 shake out approximately like this (done from memory on the fly so I could be off by a year or two but this is pretty accurate)...

 

400: 1951-1954

400N: 1955-1957

400NN: 1957-1965

M400 "Old Style": 1985-1997

M400 "New Style": 1997-Present

[Bo Bo Olson]

Will bow to a better memory....I'd not bet a beer on it, out side the 500.

400='50-54...500 '51-54

400n=55

400nn=56-65

 

What was the better features of the 400n, outside a couple mm in size? If any?

Now that was something I'd not known or noticed...in for the longest time the 400-400n were outside of budget.

Then this week two 400's, a Ibis, and a P-391.

This year a 500 and a second Celebry.

 

I do recommend both the Celebry and the P-391as having very, very nice springy true regular flex nibs....

 

Sigh....a year with out a new ink.

I can start using the 'oh well' inks.

[sargetalon]

What was the better features of the 400n, outside a couple mm in size? If any?

 

I believe that it was just modernization of the look. A slightly longer barrel and a more pointed/rounded piston knob. Cap was a bit longer too I believe. Nothing new really outside of a subtle change in look which I guess was too subtle since it only lasted for one year.

[DrCodfish]

"Nothing new really outside of a subtle change in look which I guess was too subtle since it only lasted for one year."

 

That is the xplanation I have heard in other quarters.

[Albinoni]

Bit out of topic here but does the 400nn hold more ink than the M400.

 

Thanks

[sargetalon]

Bit out of topic here but does the 400nn hold more ink than the M400.

 

Thanks

 

Yes, I belive that is the case.