What Do You Think Of The New Pelikan 120 Special Edition?

[4lex]

Pelikan released a new edition of 120 model. The only difference will be in the engraving of the nib. Apparently it will cost 189 euros.

I used to have a vintage 120 and it is a great pen. I am tempted to get this one but the price seems a bit over the top. Something closer to 100 euros would make more sense to me. Do you think it is worth the money? Or is it better to try and get mint vintage 120?

[sargetalon]

That is a subjective question and answers will vary. I personally don't think that it is worth the money being asked. I think Pelikan is not intending this to come across as a school pen but that is what it is styled after and it's hard to think of it as otherwise. It has been 61 years since the release of the original and I know that there has been inflation, increased cost of materials, and wages since then but 189 euros (~$169 USD) is just too much for a pen that originally retailed for 7.60 deutsche marks. You can get a near mint model from the 1950s or 60s for a fraction of the price. Hard to justify this new release.

[Dickkooty2]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/303574-m120-special-edition/?do=findComment&comment=3556019

 

In 1957 when the 120 was 7.60 DMs, I was a GI and there were 4.25 DMs to the dollar. And a beer was 80pfs. We were paid in scrip which you could only change to DMs on base to avoid a black market.

 

Kein schlechter Deal für ein einfacher Soldat.

[dfo]

That is a subjective question and answers will vary. I personally don't think that it is worth the money being asked. I think Pelikan is not intending this to come across as a school pen but that is what it is styled after and it's hard to think of it as otherwise. It has been 61 years since the release of the original and I know that there has been inflation, increased cost of materials, and wages since then but 189 euros (~$169 USD) is just too much for a pen that originally retailed for 7.60 deutsche marks. You can get a near mint model from the 1950s or 60s for a fraction of the price. Hard to justify this new release.

 

 

I absolutely agree. It is kind of like waiting sixty years and purchasing a new special edition Lamy Safari for $300. It will appeal mostly to collectors.

Edited February 6, 2016 by dfo

[vPro]

You can find near-mint examples of the original 120 for like €35 on eBay?

[4lex]

Thanks, I decided to pass on this one. Although REALLY mint 120 are not that cheap as some suggested, they have a very nice steel nib. Unless I hear some good things on the nib on this SE, vintage it is.

[The Good Captain]

Much contemplation, but you just never know...

[Bo Bo Olson]

Suggest a near mint on Ebay....quickly before the price skyrockets.

I have one with a perfect still gold plated nib.

Let you have it for $120.

[ScienceChick]

I picked up a 120 (55-65 version) this summer for $34 on that auction site. The nib has all its plating, the piston works smoothly and it writes like a Pelikan should. Get 'em before they're hot. For me, I prefer vintage to a re-issue.

Edited February 7, 2016 by ScienceChick

[Calabria]

I got my first Pelikan in 1988, it was a M100 and about 40DM, and is my favorite model still. You can get NOS versions now, but the prices have gone up to 80, 100, and now about 140 $.

 

I would like this reissue in the 40$ price range. I saw a similar reissue of a green-black M150 or 200 (I forget) about ten or fifteen years ago for about 80 Euros, and thought it was too pricey but cute.

 

I think Pelikans pricing policy on entry level piston fillers is misguided - if they had a 40-60$ recession or "Wirtschaftswunder" pen, I bet a lot of first-time buyers would be seduced into buying it, and then move on up. I remember my first gold nib M400 - which my dad bought me - was about 120 DM - or Euros. And I've been hooked ever since, so it wasn't a bad deal for Pelikan!

 

I'm certainly not going to pay close to 200$ for a steel nib color-of-the-year raspberry neon vanilla shake version of the M200.

[arcadeflow]

I got my first Pelikan in 1988, it was a M100 and about 40DM, and is my favorite model still. You can get NOS versions now, but the prices have gone up to 80, 100, and now about 140 $.

 

I would like this reissue in the 40$ price range. I saw a similar reissue of a green-black M150 or 200 (I forget) about ten or fifteen years ago for about 80 Euros, and thought it was too pricey but cute.

 

I think Pelikans pricing policy on entry level piston fillers is misguided - if they had a 40-60$ recession or "Wirtschaftswunder" pen, I bet a lot of first-time buyers would be seduced into buying it, and then move on up. I remember my first gold nib M400 - which my dad bought me - was about 120 DM - or Euros. And I've been hooked ever since, so it wasn't a bad deal for Pelikan!

 

I'm certainly not going to pay close to 200$ for a steel nib color-of-the-year raspberry neon vanilla shake version of the M200.

 

Great point. I also have a problem with the M200, as it is a small pen, there is not any bigger piston Pelikan unless you pay like 2x/3x/4x the price for a M600 which is still not long enough, more like a M800 is needed. I can't understand why they don't have a steel lineup and then the luxury Souvereign. If I need a sub $200 pen I certainly can't get a Pelikan because they don't offer me anything the size I need for that price. Piston pens are hard to come by in decent size if you don't want to pay a premium for it. Only TWSBI does full sized piston pens in the sub $100 range. Under $200 I'm not sure I can find anything from Japan, I can only think of the Bexley pens from the USA that sometimes offer piston models under that price. I would pay 3x the price of a TWSBI pen if Pelikan made it, something uncrackable without bling and a great steel nib. But they want to be the new Montblanc...

[Calabria]

 

Great point. I also have a problem with the M200, as it is a small pen, there is not any bigger piston Pelikan unless you pay like 2x/3x/4x the price for a M600 which is still not long enough, more like a M800 is needed. I can't understand why they don't have a steel lineup and then the luxury Souvereign. If I need a sub $200 pen I certainly can't get a Pelikan because they don't offer me anything the size I need for that price. Piston pens are hard to come by in decent size if you don't want to pay a premium for it. Only TWSBI does full sized piston pens in the sub $100 range. Under $200 I'm not sure I can find anything from Japan, I can only think of the Bexley pens from the USA that sometimes offer piston models under that price. I would pay 3x the price of a TWSBI pen if Pelikan made it, something uncrackable without bling and a great steel nib. But they want to be the new Montblanc...

It's a race to the top

[4lex]

It's a race to the top

 

Well you can get Pilot Custom Heritage 92 from Japan for $100. With postage and custom it comes to $140. I don't know why people buy Japanese pens from UK or US retailers at all. They double the price.

[4lex]

 

Great point. I also have a problem with the M200, as it is a small pen, there is not any bigger piston Pelikan unless you pay like 2x/3x/4x the price for a M600 which is still not long enough, more like a M800 is needed.

M200 is not a small pen. It is a regular size pen. M600 is a big pen, M800 is oversized pen. Conway Stewart Dinkie is a small pen. There is no need for a FP to be as long as Bic Crystal even if the people who grew up on Bic think there is.

[Lam1]

M200 is not a small pen. It is a regular size pen. M600 is a big pen, M800 is oversized pen. Conway Stewart Dinkie is a small pen. There is no need for a FP to be as long as Bic Crystal even if the people who grew up on Bic think there is.

 

Of course, this is "your" opinion, and you are entitled to it, but it does not make this the absolute truth.

 

What is a regular size pen? Where is it written down that the M200 is the gold standard for regular size? Perhaps 50 yeas ago when almost all pens were of around that size, one could say that, by default, that was the "regular" size. Nowadays the market realized that there is demand, and therefore the "need", for larger pens. If by regular we mean median, then, sticking to the Souveran line the "regular" would be the M600 (which, by the way, is just about 1 mm longer than the M400. The difference is really in the width).

 

Just because someone feels comfortable and happy writing with a certain pen, it shouldn't be assumed that everybody would, much less "should", feel comfortable or happy with that pen (the same applies to just about everything).

[4lex]

Of course, this is "your" opinion, and you are entitled to it, but it does not make this the absolute truth.

 

What is a regular size pen? Where is it written down that the M200 is the gold standard for regular size? Perhaps 50 yeas ago when almost all pens were of around that size, one could say that, by default, that was the "regular" size. Nowadays the market realized that there is demand, and therefore the "need", for larger pens. If by regular we mean median, then, sticking to the Souveran line the "regular" would be the M600 (which, by the way, is just about 1 mm longer than the M400. The difference is really in the width).

 

Just because someone feels comfortable and happy writing with a certain pen, it shouldn't be assumed that everybody would, much less "should", feel comfortable or happy with that pen (the same applies to just about everything).

 

Just to get the facts right... M400 is 127 mm, M600 is 134 mm.

You are basically saying that average size is synonym for regular size. I am saying that regular size is the size average person will find comfortable if writing for a prolonged period of time.

It is a fair argument that average FP user no longer uses his pen to write for any length of time, and that may explain why FP are growing in size. It is not a new phenomena. MB146 grew from 134 mm celluloid version in the 50s (the last really good pen they made IMO) to 142 mm in 70s.

Historically most pens were around 122 to 138 mm mark. Aurora 88 was 134 mm, Easterbrook J 128 mm, 1930 Parker Duofold was 129 mm.

You could always get oversized pens but they were not as prevalent as today.

[fplover01]

Personally I consider the M600 to be a regular sized pen. The M800 fits my hand even better, it would be nice if Pelikan would do a budget steel nibbed version of it. The M1000 is rather oversized. I have used both M600 and M800 pens for prolonged writing with excellent results.

 

The M200 is on the small side, but it is the smallest size that gets the job done. I have written extensively with m200s too and despite preferring the grip of a larger pen, I could write with them any time without needing another pen. The M150 is a really small pen with which I cannot write comfortably. Thats why I sold all of them a while ago (I had 5)

 

What is regular and what is oversize is in the eye of the beholder. There is no universal truth in that. What fits one hand and one writing style doesnt work at all for someone else.

[savingbirds]

 

Well you can get Pilot Custom Heritage 92 from Japan for $100. With postage and custom it comes to $140. I don't know why people buy Japanese pens from UK or US retailers at all. They double the price.

http://www.peneconomics.com/blog/2016/1/29/the-pilot-pricing-puzzle

 

This was an interesting article to read up on (as well as Brian Goulet's recent Q&A addressing the issue). While I'm not a huge fan of Japanese pens, they are of good value for people who want to try a gold nib. The price discrepancy is out of the control of non-Japanese certified dealers, and in short, the pens you get for $100 are "grey market" and more or less damaging to Pilot as a whole.

 

On the topic of the M120N, mine is still in excellent condition for almost half a decade of use (by me, I don't know how long the previous owner(s) had it). It's nice to have a homage to a classic pen, but cutting the price a bit and not include the fancy packaging and ink would be welcome.

[dfo]

 

 

What is regular and what is oversize is in the eye of the beholder. There is no universal truth in that. What fits one hand and one writing style doesnt work at all for someone else.

 

 

While I agree with this assertion, VonManstein is speaking historically and more specifically about the pens manufactured by Pelikan. The M600 and M800 began production in the 1980s and the M1000 in the late 1990s. In the last twenty years, fountain pens have been trending to larger sizes. Personally, I think about the changes to the Omas Paragon, which used to be much smaller. What used to be average is now becoming small. VonManstein is just highlighting these changes.

Edited February 8, 2016 by dfo

[Bo Bo Olson]

A 120, 200, 400 are standard sized pens, like a P-75 or a Esterbrook DJ. They are light and nimble and made for a 8 hour day's use.

Of course of you don't post them they are 'too small'. They at least have balance posted. As does a 600 or a P-51, both medium-large pens.

 

Large pens are clunky....in they have no balance.

But if you refuse for religious reasons to post a pen that should be posted for best balance. Don't complain they are too small.

 

I would not buy a 149-1000 in they are awkward fence posts.

I have one finely balanced Large pen....and it was really a shock to me when I discovered by accident that it was a Large pen in it is posted so well balanced. A Sheaffer Snorkel.

Oh I just remembered my Waterman 52, has great balance posted...but it was made when balance of a pen was a major selling point. Not like today...when it is more a bling fashion statement than working tool.

 

All my other Large pens 146, Persona, Safari, Ahab,...or even my metal Pelikan 381& Celebey are not well balanced, much less nimble. I'm boun d to have one or two more....unfortunately...Dupont

Being so clunky they are not pens I reach for first.

 

IMO when pens became a fashion statement...look at me and my big flashy fountain pen. They were often bought only for status....a Signature Pen.

I have a medium-large '50's 146 that has great balance...posted. I needed the nib, in I was looking to get a maxi-semi-flex to go with my semi-flex and a nib in between from MB '50's.

 

I can remember when C shoes were made...but the button counters said only 10% of the people have that width of foot. Let them cram their feet into a B or wear two pair of stockings for a D.

 

Suddenly fountain pens became too big for shirt pockets...good thing they did away with them, and made 'Man Pouches' so one could transport a fountain pen too big for a shirt pocket.

I find it funny, no one made a deeper shirt pocket for Large clunky pens.....when shirt pockets were invented for fountain pens @ 1895.

 

What many consider 'regular' I find clunky. When I was young, there were few metal fountain pens....the P-75 is a perfectly balanced light metal pen....sterling silver. It is standard sized, and posts very well indeed.

Had it been made even medium-large many would have found it clunky. And Large pens were extremely rare back in the 'good old days' of pens. Sheaffer got into the market heavy with it's PFM....pens for men....IMO a thick clunky pen. Not at all nimble. It was was in my memory of the time so seldom to see I can't remember seeing one 'back in the day'.

Yes, I do know there was always a very small market for the large and Overlarge pens even in the '20-40-50's. That is why they are seldom.

 

Now there are many heavy Large or heavy Large metal pens. That many start off with Large clunky pens and never post them, in that makes them much too top heavy. I can see that. So many beginners want a solid metal pen that won't break on them...in they do not trust plastic to be sturdy.

It takes them a while to learn different.

 

What's really funny.....I use the 'forefinger up' method of grasping a fountain pen...which is perfect for a posted fountain pen.....but defiantly in that grip...Large pens unposted are too small. Posted they are way too clunky.