Pelikan 'gekko' Review

[Tadeyev]

A little pre-history:

I have always liked the Pelikan pens of my friends I had tried out; for some reason however I never seemed to have gotten one for myself- until now!

 

Like many others here at FPN, when I saw the Kyokko and Gekko limited edition (200 pens) back in 2005, I fell compeltely in love, but the fact that all the dealers were selling these pens as sets, even though they were released as separate pieces, made such a purchase simply impossible. (After all, even the single pens were going for about $ 2,500 each when they first came out. Furthermore, why have two of the same pen, even if they have subtley different colors?)

 

Every now and then I would come across a pair, sigh wistfully, and email the particular dealer if he would sell them separately, to no avail. (Buy them both and sell the other one was the standard reaction). Finally, one day, a dealer (Chow, of ‘The Scribes Chamber’) succumbed to my proposal, and low and behold, the Gekko was mine! (For the reasons behind my choice, see below).

 

I am far too positively biased to gve any numerical ratings; you will have decide that for yourself.

 

 

Packaging

 

 

As a collector of rare Japanese tea chawan and sake cups, I am used to the ‘cult of the box’ with Japanese articles, and the Pelikan Gekko is no exception on this point, coming as it did in a paulowina wood box signed by the artist in traditional fashion. Quite different from here in the west, the traditional connection that artisanal objects have with their box is very strong in Japan; the signtaure and seal on the box acts as a proof of the article’s origin, and the box even retains a kind of spiritual connection with it. You have to see it in light of the fact that in Japan, hand made articles created for daily use are not considered to be less valuable than their ‘pure art’ counterparts. So in this sense, there is no fancy sculpted package, but a very pure and traditional packaging, entirely in keeping with the subtle and artistic nature of the Japanese ‘Raden’ inlay work used on this pen.

 

 

 

 

Appearance & Design

 

The Gekko, or ‘Moonlight’ pen, created in Raden work by Norio Matsuda, was for me the most beautiful of this Pelikan offering. Why? Well, it seems to bring the best of both worlds. With its silver colored trim, and more outspoken green/blue tint in comparison to the Kyokko, which has gold colored trim and is predominantly purple-toned, the Gekko, when seen from the lengthwise side also has clearly purple tints. So you get everything. (This seems to be due to the use of Australian sourced shell by Matsuda for the Raden work on the Gekko, as opposed to the Japanese shell used for the Kyokko). Also, I find black against purple less attractive, and am not so crazy for gold trim on a pen like this.

 

Raden work like this is an art unto itself, as the manipulation, cutting and thicknessing of the shells as well as the application to the work involved is a very delicate task indeed. I particularly enjoyed the cap, made up of many tiny bits of Raden first glued into place then filled in, finally finished with the Pelikan logo in Maki-e on top.

 

 

 

But why even Gekko or Kyokko to begin with? Well, quite simply, this pen is probaly the only one I have seen that in my mind is a true visual synthesis of East meets West.

 

Whereas Maki-e pens are deorated with Japanese techniques used as a totally independent external layer on the outside of a western styled pen, these Raden pens actually reinterpret the typical striped appearance of a standard Pelikan pen in a totally Japanese manner, which I find amazingly subtle. (Don’t get me wrong, I love Maki-e pens also and have several !)

 

 

Construction & Quality

When I first tried to use it, big problems, as it didn’t write a bit after filling!

Actually, it wouldn’t even write when dipped, which was the giveaway….As others have mentioned here, the nib had clearly been coated at the factory (not by the dealer!), even though you could’t see anything, and it wouldn’t pick up a drop of ink. Several flushings with water and a bit of washing liquid and ammonia added did the trick however, and all was well in the end.

 

 

Weight & Dimensions

What could I possibly add about this? The Gekko is the same as the M800, for me just perfect in terms of weight, length and feel in the hand. Unlike other pens I have, it feels quite different in the hand during writing whether it is used posted or unposted, even though the cap is not particularly heavy. However, I always write unposted, and in any case, the signature of the Raden artist in Make-i is just at the end of the cap on the body when it is posted, so in order not to take chances in inadvertently rubbing it, better to write unposted anyway.

 

 

Nib & Performance

Both the Kyokko and Gekko are only offered in medium; I normally find medium nibs of all sorts far too wet and wide for my taste. However, this medium writes just like a fine, especially when filled wth my favorites like Private reserve Ebony Purple or Purple Mojo.

 

I am not a person who will spend a lot of time on nib adjustment; anyway for me this nib is perfect in every way. It has enough flex to be very expressive and still fine enough when using no real pressure to make tiny margin notes. What more could I want?

 

Filling System & Maintenance

‘Classic reliable piston filler
’ as the form says: well I can’t add much to that which hasn’t been covered by other Pelikan users here. Indeed since most of my pens are converters, it really is a pleasure to use a proper filling system like this. I wish more pens were out there with this classic system inside! This pen also travels well; no leaks or problems after several flights.

 

Cost & Value

Forget it! I am ashamed to tell any of my friends what this pen cost (with a small premium added to the the original price) for fear of them having me declared insane when I leave the room. Nonethless, for me it was worth it, and the pleasure I get from writing with this pen is indescribable. It’s also lovely to look at under various lighting conditions, and since it does not have a depiction or scenery painted on it, I am sure it will look timeless and even modern 25 years down the road.

 

 

Conclusion

I am convinced this pen was worth waiting for and dreaming about...But you will have to make up your own mind about that!

[encremental]

Tadeyev, for a few years now, I have considered the Kyokko and Gekko to be the most beautiful fountain pens yet made. No exceptions. Anytime the 'most beautiful' thing comes up here, I post a picture of them.

 

If one could imagine a sort of Heavenly Pen Room, replete with Skeletons, POAs, Parker Aztecs, LE Serenites, Pelikan LEs and the like, and if I could choose just one (well, maybe two) - then these would be the pens I would reach for without hesitation, and consider my pen collection complete. (I would do something about the M nib, though).

 

You are blessed and I am envious beyond words. Thank you for sharing your Gekko with us. I can see why dealers only sell them in pairs, though - choosing between the two must have been a dreadful trial. Sophie had it easy. Even now, having lusted after the pair of them for years, I cannot say which one I would go for.

 

John

[Tadeyev]

Tadeyev, for a few years now, I have considered the Kyokko and Gekko to be the most beautiful fountain pens yet made. No exceptions. Anytime the 'most beautiful' thing comes up here, I post a picture of them.

 

If one could imagine a sort of Heavenly Pen Room, replete with Skeletons, POAs, Parker Aztecs, LE Serenites, Pelikan LEs and the like, and if I could choose just one (well, maybe two) - then these would be the pens I would reach for without hesitation, and consider my pen collection complete. (I would do something about the M nib, though).

 

You are blessed and I am envious beyond words. Thank you for sharing your Gekko with us. I can see why dealers only sell them in pairs, though - choosing between the two must have been a dreadful trial. Sophie had it easy. Even now, having lusted after the pair of them for years, I cannot say which one I would go for.

 

John

 

Thanks John for your comments. This is what s so great about FPN: a place to share one's obsession with others who have the same passions and interests!

Ciao,

Tadeyev

[Brian]

Nice. A special pen, very rare and beautiful. Congratulations.

[drifting]

That's a beautiful pen and a passionate review. Thanks!

 

Ryan.

[significantpass]

That's a stunning pen!

[buffalowings]

that's a pelikan? ...beautiful

[777]

That is a gorgeous pelikan. Thanks for this review of such an amazing pen.

 

[fabrimedeiros]

Thanks for sharing! What a wonderful Pel! M800 is the perfect size for me too. It's an oversize pen, but not huge as M1000. I used to write with cap posted,

 

what shows all its magnificence and comfort.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

[Tadeyev]

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments and interest!

Of course, it is inevitable that I shall be getting more Pelikan pens in future after this 'first contact' which has been such a pleasure.

[jips123]

This is one of those pens that have bling and chique at the same time, which is quite rare imo.

[theblackpen]

Thank you for the very nice review. Until now I never knew of the existence of this pen.

[dannyboy]

Thank you for your splendid review of an equally splendid pen! I happen to love both the pens in the set and am fortunate to have them in my collection. And I use them--but I chose to get two 14k Pelikan M800 nibs and have them custom ground by John Mottishaw to my favorite left oblique cursive italic. What magnificent writers they are! I certainly understand your reluctance to tell others the purchase price because only a true fan of these pens can understand that even though they cost a small fortune, there's still no way to determine their worth. They are truly priceless in all ways--beauty, craftsmanship, function, and art. Congratulations on your pen and I know you'll never regret getting it!

[Tadeyev]

Great to come across another Gekko/Kyokko lover and thank you for your remarks!

Indeed, I also use the Gekko on a daily basis, as I feel it a shame to let a great pen sit in a drawer. And I will never sell this particular pen, so I am equally unconcerned about my using it lowering the resell value as it were.

 

I just been debating with myself the exchange of the M nib that came with the pen with another, so your nib change has also tickled my interest. I really need to find out more about the possibilities for that. All the best!

[rokurinpapa]

Thank you for your passionate review. Very ,very beautiful pen that cost much labor and time!

 

rokurinpapa

[Russ]

I appreciate your fine review! The photos are a special treat. Few of us will ever see such pens live. Enjoy!

[colormyalphabet]

Oh my god, look at that beauty.

[jpr]

Extremely beautiful pens.

Congratulations!

[breaker]

very nice review

congrats on acquiring such a lovely pen

[saskia_madding]

Man oh man, how I wish that was an M600 size. After trying my M800 demonstrator again, I realized I just cannot write comfortably with M800 sized Pelikans. I would move heaven and earth to snag a Gekko if it was M600 sized!