Pelikan "ibis"

[Tincansailor]

Was cruising EBAY and found this Pelikan "Ibis" - Wasn't really looking for one. I remember BoBo talking about them in one of his posts. If it didn't have the OB nib I probably would have passed. But I figured why not, I bid pretty low and thought most likely I wouldn't get it. But low and behold - I won! When I received it, I was floored, as it was in fabulous shape, the pictures on Ebay didn't give it justice.

 

I flushed her out to make sure all was clean and filled up with my "test ink" Waterman Mysterious Blue and "OH MY!" This is the best nib so far -- Wet, Juicy and Smoooth. It has that wonderful OB line variation. I was in heaven!

 

What I can't understand is why these don't go for higher prices, as they are wonderful pens. I think they are every bit as good as the vintage upscale Pelikans and MB's. Is it that nobody knows about them or did I just get the luck of the draw? Anyway, thanks to BoBo for passing on the information in his posts on vintage Pelikan nibs and the "Ibis"

 

The pictures are the best I could do with a phone.

 

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

I don't know a lot about the Ibis pens. Any idea when yours was made? And congrats on getting the nib for a good price -- I have a 1950s era Pelikan with an OB nib and I love it; but it was NOT an inexpensive pen.....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mana]

You got lucky and while that nib is not original to the pen (Ibis pens should have Ibis branded nibs) it seems like a really good purchase, great little pens.

 

Those vintage Pelikan nibs are quite something else, Ibis ones too, have one that is wonderfully flexy. The thing is, being originally second tier pens those tend to have not aged well at all, most of the ones Ive seen have cracks as the celluloid used in them wasnt exactly top tier and the barrel walls are quite thin especially at the threads.

 

Ive actually bought two and both barrels had cracks at the rear threads which basically led to the barrels disintegrating as I tried to remove the filling mechanism. Well, got one awesome Ibis nib and one Warranted out of those deals plus spares. Anyway, enjoy the pen, it seems lovely.

[Tincansailor]

I don't know a lot about the Ibis pens. Any idea when yours was made? And congrats on getting the nib for a good price -- I have a 1950s era Pelikan with an OB nib and I love it; but it was NOT an inexpensive pen.....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Hi Ruth

According to the Pelikan-Guide the postwar Ibis started production back up in 1949, production officially ceased in 1954. though some "special"markets continued (Swiss) until 1956. Yes, that is a glorious nib.

Edited August 10, 2019 by tincansailor

[Tincansailor]

Hi Mana

 

Yes, I am definately lucky, it almost seems it was stashed away for 60 years. Still can't believe it. Just wonder if the later versions could have had either or on the nibs?

[sargetalon]

You got lucky and while that nib is not original to the pen (Ibis pens should have Ibis branded nibs) it seems like a really good purchase, great little pens.

Let me clarify a point about the nibs. Ibis 130s are frequently found with either the Ibis or 100N nib. Both are correct. The 100N nib was available as an option at the time of purchase and could be installed in place of the ibis inscribed nibs, I believe for an added cost.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Glad for that info....for a second I thought I had the wrong nib on my OF Ibis. Mine is similar to the one shown, but mine must be a bit older, in my nib marking is just before the piston knob and not on the nib.

My nib is maxi-semi-flex. (semi&maxi is always pure luck to have outside Osmia.)

I was under the impression that Pelikan didn't start nib marking until late '54 and was common on the 400n. I have a \54 transition, no barrel marking and nib marked 400 tortoise.

Both the 100n and the Ibis were made until or through 1954.

 

I did not know....nor was there much info on the Ibis.....saying it had a gold nib, that was very good. The 140 the next version also had a great nib.

 

There were times when I could have gotten an Ibis relatively cheaply on German Ebay.....but couldn't put 2 &2 together that it had a good or even a very good gold nib.

I got mine as part of a live auction lot............and even before I bid when I pressed the nib to my thumbnail to check flex.....I realized how many years I'd been foolish in not getting one.

 

 

The nib of the Ibis and the 140 seem similar outside my markings. The body of the Ibis is slight tad longer longer. The cap of the 140 is longer...which makes it match the 400 for length and balance

Both eyeball to the same width..

The Ibis cap don't sit well on the 140. Nor the 140's cap on the Ibis.

For no reason I could tell, the posted Ibis which is a tad longer feels thinner and not quite as solid as the 140.

For me the 140 feels thicker and balances a tad better than the slightly longer Ibis..

 

Looks like I'll have to bring out the OF 140 and OF Ibis, as soon as I empty out some pens, to do a longer than empty pen scribble.

 

I don't know if the Ibis only came in black or not.

I know there were more colors in the 140's...I have a green striped and black 140.

Edited August 11, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[Tincansailor]

Let me clarify a point about the nibs. Ibis 130s are frequently found with either the Ibis or 100N nib. Both are correct. The 100N nib was available as an option at the time of purchase and could be installed in place of the ibis inscribed nibs, I believe for an added cost.

 

Thanks for the info sargetalon,

 

So, not only did I get a great pen for an unbelievable bid - It came with a nib upgrade! What more can one ask for

 

Bo Bo - Will be curious to know how your 140 and Ibis "scribble" turns out

[Erik Dalton]

Great catch. Enjoy your Ibis.

[oldrifleman]

I have one that I really like it. It is marked and has a BB nib. The nib is a Pelikan marked nib. Mine shows some brassing and the normal surface scratching. It writes really nice and I got it at a great price

Edited August 12, 2019 by oldrifleman

[Bo Bo Olson]

I somehow ended up with more OBB or OB nibs than BB or B nibs of that era; often different makers.

I do have an Australian made Snorkel with a factory stub BB nib.....for a Snorkel a bit thrusty. And so unexpectedly maxi-semi-flex.

 

I'd had in mind one of the Fancy Snorkels as a grail pen: President, Ambassador or Saratoga in the rare '50's semi-flex, when a passed Pal in England ran across that maxi Snorkel. So I said good by to the fancy wish, and am happy with a plain Burgundy one.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[mana]

Let me clarify a point about the nibs. Ibis 130s are frequently found with either the Ibis or 100N nib. Both are correct. The 100N nib was available as an option at the time of purchase and could be installed in place of the ibis inscribed nibs, I believe for an added cost.

Thanks for the clarification, new info for me.

[mana]

I have one that I really like it. It is marked and has a BB nib. The nib is a Pelikan marked nib. Mine shows some brassing and the normal surface scratching. It writes really nice and I got it at a great price

07B7EA65-526B-48AD-8BFF-76D58196E80E.jpeg

Now that is a catch! 😍

[christof]

... Ibis 130s are frequently found with either the Ibis or 100N nib. Both are correct. The 100N nib was available as an option at the time of purchase and could be installed in place of the ibis inscribed nibs, I believe for an added cost.

 

Thanks for this information which is totally new to me. Where did you find it?

 

Generally, I made the same experience with "found in the wild" IBIS. I found examples with the following nibs:

 

IBIS nib, Steel

IBIS nib, Gold

Pelikan plain script Gold

Pelikan chevron pattern, Gold

 

...but in both cases of Pelikan nibs, I am under the impression that these nibs are rather pelikan 140 size than Pelikan 100N.

 

C.

Edited August 19, 2019 by christof

[Bo Bo Olson]

IBIS nib, Steel...

(What flex would you put that at. Most said the Pelikan CN nibs had good flex; semi-flex or better, but the one I have; bought loose is 'only' regular flex.

 

Is I think what I first ran across in German Ebay, so never looked any more.

The gold nib of my Ibis was for me a surprise.

 

As a 'noobie' I believed in the gold nib myth. It wasn't until after I ran into Osmia steel nibs and the Geha 790 nib in steel that I wised up. Geha gold nibs were made by Degussa also.

A good steel nib can equal a good gold nib, accent on good.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Bo Bo Olson

[sargetalon]

 

Thanks for this information which is totally new to me. Where did you find it?

 

Generally, I made the same experience with "found in the wild" IBIS. I found examples with the following nibs:

 

IBIS nib, Steel

IBIS nib, Gold

Pelikan plain script Gold

Pelikan chevron pattern, Gold

 

...but in both cases of Pelikan nibs, I am under the impression that these nibs are rather pelikan 140 size than Pelikan 100N.

 

C.

 

I misspoke a bit i see upon re-reading. The Ibis could also have a 140 sized script nib with a 100 style feed and collar rather than the Ibis inscribed nib. I saw it in a foot note somewhere though can't recall where at the moment. I believe it was a price list.

Edited August 20, 2019 by sargetalon

[christof]

 

Thank you Joshua

The early Ibis have the same collar and feed as the Pelikan 100. The 100N collar is larger and the feeder thicker.

Later Ibis can have other nibs, but the ones that I have seen (about 50 pcs.), had always the collar and feeder of the 100. I will take some pictures tonight.

Thanks for the info about the price list. I will have a look at Dominics site, he has posted a lot of catalogs there.

C.

Edited August 21, 2019 by christof

[christof]

Here comes the promised picture:

 

Pelikan IBIS nibs by c_m_z, auf Flickr

 

from top down:

 

- IBIS Steel nib

- IBIS Gold nib

- Pelikan Chevron pattern nib (IBIS 130)

- Pelikan 100N nib

 

(I am missing an IBIS with plain script Pelikan nib.)

 

One can see that the IBIS nibs are smaller than the 100N nibs and that the nib collar of the 100N is larger and would not fit to an IBIS.

 

C.

 

PS: the catalog from 1938 says: "Edelmetall-Feder" which means stainless steel. The catalog from 1951 says: stainless steel or Goldnibs and the catalog from 53 says stainless steel or Goldnibs ( on the same page it's mentioned that the 100N could be ordered with D nibs for extra charge. Maybe you had this in mind?)

Edited August 20, 2019 by christof

[sargetalon]

I cannot recall exactly where I had come across the info. Just one of those things picked up along the way and stored for later. I'll be doing a post on the Ibis in the coming months and usually devote a fair bit of research to these things so I'll try to track down a definitive answer. Lots of post ideas and lots of research necessary for them which is why I've been a bit slower to churn out content lately.

[christof]

Thank you. I am looking forward to your article.

 

C.

 

PS: did you change your post from yesterday or did I misread? Anyway, In this case my answer below from yesterday makes absolutely no sense and we agree that collar and feeder of the IBIS have Pelikan 100 size (except the lenght of the feeder somtimes....)

 

Thank you Joshua

The early Ibis have the same collar and feed as the Pelikan 100. The 100N collar is larger and the feeder thicker.

Later Ibis can have other nibs, but the ones that I have seen (about 50 pcs.), had always the collar and feeder of the 100. I will take some pictures tonight.

Thanks for the info about the price list. I will have a look at Dominics site, he has posted a lot of catalogs there.

C.

Edited August 21, 2019 by christof