Oldish Pelikan

[PekkaT]

So,

 

I won from an Finnish on-line auction Pelikan pen.

I would like to get some information about it.

 

It's (allmost) 5" long capped, black with (dark) green translucent slits in the barrel.

(Well, if dark green can be translucent.)

Piston filler.

 

Haven't tried it yet, so I can't say how it writes.

 

Nib has text 14C - 585.

However, the golden rim in the cap says Pelikan 400.

 

I'm quite a newcommer what it comes to old fountain pens and so all information about this is very wellcome!

 

(To be honest, I was wondering do I have some "Pelikan 585" with Pelikan 400 cap?)

 

Thanks, everyone, in advance!

[KCat]

I can't help with identity without a picture but hopefully someone can.

 

One bit of info though: 585 has to do with gold content, not model number. a 14K nib will usually read 14 - 585 (at least on modern pels) while an 18K is 18K-750. 400 is the model number. There are other things that would help us narrow down the age of the pen. Is the cap top flattend or conical? Is the piston knob flattened or conical? Is there knurling on the piston knob? Is the logo on the cap screen printed or engraved? (engraved may be the wrong term, I don't know if the older logos were engraved or molded but at any rate, they are not flush and have usually have a painted fill vs. just a flat shiny painted on logo.

 

You can go through the pics on several sites to narrow down the year - one good place to start is Rick Propas' site.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/penguin0/pelikans.html

 

i can only add that the "400" on the cap band doesn't show up on my modern Pels so I'm guessing at least it is pre-'97

 

would *really* help if you could take a picture or even a scan of the pen and the cap logo.

 

or do you perhaps have to original auction location with pics?

 

edited because I can't type "logo" apparently.

Edited April 28, 2006 by KCat

[PekkaT]

would *really* help if you could take a picture or even a scan of the pen and the cap logo.

 

or do you perhaps have to original auction location with pics?

Thanks, KCat!

 

...but on the other hand now I feel totally stupid, because I don't know how flat it is supposed to be to be "flattend" or conical conical

 

(And to be honest just now I feel too lazy to Google at all.)

 

Propas' site looks good - I think I'll stay there a while or two

 

I think the original auction picture is quite good, so here's the url: http://riemun.huuto.net/auctionimages/d/07...4e35bf-orig.jpg

 

Thanks, again

 

Pekka

[KCat]

...but on the other hand now I feel totally stupid, because I don't know how flat it is supposed to be to be "flattend" or conical conical

well, that's why i recommended Rick's site - you should be able to see pics of various 400s and see the knob and cap detail in terms of conical shape or flattened. It is hard to describe so pics are important. I really didn't expect you to be able to figure out "conical" vs. "flat" without seeing pics of the differences. No one could do that as i gave no reference point.

 

I do see that the cap has the "engraved" logo so it is definitely an older pel. (pre-'97)

 

No knurled knob rules out the 100s. So feel confident we're looking at a 400.

 

My guess from the picture is that it is a early 1950s 400. The 400N and 400NN had more conical piston knobs. The 400NN had a sort of "pointy" cap end (compared to the typical flatter 400 cap end). Modern 400s I have seen (but can't swear when the change took place) have a gold band between the piston knob and the barrel, and 1.5 cap bands (vs. just one). After '97, the logos were screened on vs. engraved or impressed. I can't tell anything about the material in that pic - was it particularly dirty when you got it? or is the lighting just poor? The green striated material has been used for decades by Pelikan in various models so I don't think it's of much help in making any kind of date of manufacture determination. But i could be wrong.

 

Any other info on the cap band? W. Germany vs. Germany?

 

Can't see the nib - but nib designs vary. I see in my book a 400 nib from 1952 has no pelikan on the nib itself. It looks like that's the case in the picture. looks like most Pel gold nibs after 54 had the pelikan logo on the nib as (vs. just the word "Pelikan")

 

If it writes well and functions properly, you have a very nice little pen.

[PekkaT]

No knurled knob rules out the 100s. So feel confident we're looking at a 400.

 

My guess from the picture is that it is a early 1950s 400. The 400N and 400NN had more conical piston knobs. The 400NN had a sort of "pointy" cap end (compared to the typical flatter 400 cap end).

 

I can't tell anything about the material in that pic - was it particularly dirty when you got it? or is the lighting just poor?

 

Any other info on the cap band? W. Germany vs. Germany?

 

looks like most Pel gold nibs after 54 had the pelikan logo on the nib as (vs. just the word "Pelikan")

 

If it writes well and functions properly, you have a very nice little pen.

Thanks, KCat, once again.

 

And please please, forgive me, but I just feel too lazy to take more pictures of that pen.

You see, May Day is just behind the corner and we've (my wife and I) been cleaning the house like crazy to rest that day and relax. And celebrate spring after long, long - and dark and cold - winter.

 

Anyway:

 

The cap end is flat, no pointy at all.

 

No, the pen isn't dirty and maybe the lighting is poor, but the pen is black. Only when looked against direct sunlight the green slabs can be seen.

 

There's no other info on the cap band. Just Pelikan 400.

 

The nib has text Pelikan and Pelikan logo.

 

Yep, I just filled it with ink and gave a try.

Have to say it feels great!

(And if I dare to say, better than my Ivory M400.)

 

Thanks again,

Pekka

[KCat]

The cap end is flat, no pointy at all.

 

No, the pen isn't dirty and maybe the lighting is poor, but the pen is black. Only when looked against direct sunlight the green slabs can be seen.

 

There's no other info on the cap band. Just Pelikan 400.

 

The nib has text Pelikan and Pelikan logo.

 

Yep, I just filled it with ink and gave a try.

Have to say it feels great!

(And if I dare to say, better than my Ivory M400.)

 

Thanks again,

Pekka

ah... i misunderstood your color description.

 

I've never actually seen a black 400 so have no idea about the green translucent areas you're seeing. still - sounds like it's not as old as '52. But not terribly new either. Wish I new when the piston rings were started. Or that someone who did would chime in!

 

don't need anymore pics so don't worry about it. Don't know what you spent on it but it sounds like a good pen and an enjoyable pen and that perhaps matters most. Is the nib springy? or stiff? just out of curiosity.

[PekkaT]

Don't know what you spent on it but it sounds like a good pen and an enjoyable pen and that perhaps matters most. Is the nib springy? or stiff? just out of curiosity.

I paid 10Euro (including shipping, 65 cents ) for it (about 12.34USD).

 

I think the nib is quite stiff.

 

Regards,

Pekka

[KCat]

i think you got a very good deal indeed.

 

Enjoy!