Pelikan M200 Citroenpers

[AndyHayes]

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/P200CP1.jpg

 

First Impressions

I bought two of these pens because I wanted to add a bright yellow pen to my collection and because the price was so good. The other, fitted with a broad, went to my better half. It's a limited edition of 1,200 pens. The Citroenpers pens arrived promptly from the publisher buried in a cut-out in a book. The books went into the bookcase, they were after all the sideshow!

 

Appearance & Finish

The pen is bright yellow with cold coloured trim and clip and a black piece on the end with the Pelikan logo silk-screened in gold. The top of the pen screws off once it is twisted three quarters of a turn.

 

Design/ Size/Weight

It's a Pelikan M200 when all is said just in a different colour. It's a small to medium pen and after a Pelikan M805 it feels very light.

 

Nib Design & Performance

The nib choice was fine, medium or broad gold plated steel. I wanted something a bit better so I picked up a nib, still attached to a pen from Niche Pens in the UK. The nib is from a 400 and is of the two-tone variety. I managed to get an oblique medium, but have to admit that it has not been the great pleasure that I thought that it would be. There seems to be little in the way of line variation. My M805 has a broad oblique nib, which is a pleasure to write with and there is a noticeable line variation. I didn't try the nib from the supplier that came with the pen. That has gone back into the M200 "special" that donated the M400 nib and onto electronicBay

 

The Filling System

Standard Pelikan piston system. It never ceases to amaze me the hassle that people will go through, that's me included, filling pens when there is this system, which has to be superior to all of the others that I have come across.

 

Cost/Value

It was cheap. Much cheaper than the publisher advertises it for. The nib nearly doubled the cost. You would have to own a Pelikan, any Pelikan to realise its value. If you haven't got one yet in your collection then get one.

 

Overall Opinion/Conclusion

Cheap and dependable fountain pen and a good entry into Pelikan pens. I was disappointed by the nib, but that should teach me for trying to be clever!!

[Brian]

Thanks for the review. I do agree Pelikan makes very good writing instruments for the money and hope that with all the pressure of the pen marketplace that they do not forget the essential value of a good pen, e.g., that it must perform well as a tool designed for writing.

 

It seems now more than at anytime in its recent past that the pen business is moving into many discrete price point camps: inexpensive pens that peak at up to about $100 that make great writers (and sometimes not); moderate to mid-range pens at $100 to $200 or so that cost a little more due to design or materials; mid-range expensive pens from $300 up to about $1,000 or so; the upper range expensive pens going from $1,000 to $5,000; and on and on. And despite the high cost for some of these "writing instruments" while there should be some correlation of writing performance to cost, it doesn't always hold true.

 

 

[Keng]

Thank you for the review Andy. From the photo can I conclude that the yellow is more towards mandarin yellow much like the colour on the Duofold?

Edited July 3, 2007 by Keng

[andyk]

Andy,

 

Nice review, pleased that you are happy with your various Pelikans, sorry the OM nib didn't work out, I have always wanted to try one of these but wasn't sure if I would like it.

 

Recently bought one on ebay for a Sheaffer Balance II (at least I think it is an OM, the seller didn't know much about it), might even be an OB have nothing to compare it with except a BB Pelikan nib which writes with a simliar thickness.

 

To cut a long story short, nib writes well, but for me more of a signature nib rather than a regular writer, but at £15 inc p&p for an 18ct nib can't really complain.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere that an italic nib is better for good line variation than an oblique one, which is designed to compliment particular writing styles. maybe somebody that knows more than me can clarify.

[AndyHayes]

Thank you for the review Andy. From the photo can I conclude that the yellow is more towards mandarin yellow much like the colour on the Duofold?

 

I haven't seen the Duofold, but I have seen pictures of it and I would say that they are very similar.

 

[Dutchpen]

Right: the pelikan M250 citroenpers with 14K TT nib (F) and gold ring on top of cap

middle: parker duofold mandarin yellow L.E. (M nib)

left: lamy safari yellow fountainpen (F)

 

 

 

 

Lennard

Edited July 24, 2007 by lennardvanzwam

[fpfanatic5]

I believe that an oblique nib is not intended to produce line variation, it is just a standard nib with one of the tines is lower than the other to make it easier for those who write to the left of their hand (assuming you are a righty) instead of straight out. I think what you are looking for is an oblique italic.

[Kalessin]

Many oblique nibs produce a bit of line variation anyway. There's a great info section on nibs with pictures of nib profiles on Richard Binder's website, at http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref.htm, just scroll down until you see the right category.

 

Edited December 13, 2007 by Kalessin

[Have Fun]

These pens are now 6 years old so what model are they likely to be? the M200 or the M250 which has been discontinued ?

 

Will a 6 year old "new" pen require a little maintenance before its first inking?

[Jarno]

The 250 has a solid gold nib, right? These pens have goldplated nibs, which make them of the 200 type, they are advertised as such.

 

Regards,

 

Jarno.

 

[AndyHayes]

Update

 

After the initial excitement the pens have been been rarely used and sit in the case looking pretty. At £41 ($82) each with the limited edition book and shipping to the UK they provide good value. I still think that the upgrade to the two-tone gold nib is worthwhile if only to give you a wider choice of nib, but there is obviously a cost involved. In the end it was only their diminutive size that stopped them being in regular use. If you can bear the size then I would advise getting in touch with Aldert to get yourself one.

Edited September 1, 2008 by AndyHayes