Restored A Vintage Pelikan Today

[idawood]

I always wondered, about the reasons which made Pelikan pens so famous. Although, I have to admit I never used any Pelikan pen before. A few days ago, I saw an ad for an old Pelikan pen in the second-hand marketplace, so I took a gamble and purchased this Pelikan 400NN. It was a remote transactionss so I was not sure what was the condition of the pen. Images did not show any significant damage. I bought this pen for 70USD. Today I received the pen and as expected piston was almost jammed. With extra care, I could turn it. But luck was on my side, and when I tried to unscrew the nib section, the section opened without any resistence. The pen was clean. I flushed it with clear water. I applied silicone grease on the piston and piston started to move like new. After assembling it back, I filled it with Waterman Inspired Blue. The pen writes beautifully. Now I understand why some people were crazy about these vintage nibs. The nib is smooth, and with a flex, I have not experienced with any other pen.

 

This is not a review just sharing my experience with my first Pelikan although a vintage. Below are some of the images. Hey! I forgot the important part. The pen came in original box with matching Mechanical Pencil and Ballpoint.

 

 

 

[joss]

Great find; 70 USD for a 3 pen set with original box surely is a real deal!

 

The black striated version of the 400NN is very distinctive and less common than the tortoise striated version.

 

It continues to impress me that these vintage Pelikan 400 pens, despite being around 60-70 years old, are commonly found with perfectly working mechanical parts.

[idawood]

Yes, I was amazed at how the pen started working with some love considering its age. You are absolutely right about stripes that were the first thing I noticed when I opened the box. When I bought the pen, I had the impression that it is just a black body. But the stripes on my particular pen is not black they are more greenish.

 

Here are the images of box and the whole set. The small round container has mechnical pencil leads and nothing is used from it.

Edited February 9, 2018 by idawood

[biancitwo]

Vintage Pelikans are special. They are workhorses and write beautifully. And, the 400NN is the best of them. Love to have a black stripe to go with my green and tortoise. Great find.

[BillH]

Gorgeous! What a wonderful find, all three together. Well done

[Matlock]

The 400 series, 400, 400N and 400NN are very special. My favourite is the 400 because of the early nibs but everyone has their choice pen. So far I have not been able to get hold of a 400N but I am still looking. I have 3 400s, 3 400NNs and 1 500NN.

[idawood]

The 400 series, 400, 400N and 400NN are very special. My favourite is the 400 because of the early nibs but everyone has their choice pen. So far I have not been able to get hold of a 400N but I am still looking. I have 3 400s, 3 400NNs and 1 500NN.

 

Can we categorise it as Pelikan Addiction?

[Matlock]

 

Can we categorise it as Pelikan Addiction?

 

Oh yes

[sargetalon]

Thats a great pen at a great bargain. Its amazing how robust these older models are. Ive always said that the vintage Pelikan nibs are second to none. Glad you could get it back to writing shape so easily. Enjoy!

[mana]

That set for $70? Wow, crazy good price for a really nice set!

[jmccarty3]

Congratulations on a tremendous find. I love my 400NNs.

[idawood]

Congratulations on a tremendous find. I love my 400NNs.

 

Ok so here emphasis is on "S". Apprently every vintage Pelikan lover has more than one.

[mana]

 

Ok so here emphasis is on "S". Apprently every vintage Pelikan lover has more than one.

 

Yup, that tends to be the case... they just seem to multiply all on their own. It's like magic Some call it 'Pelikanitis', some 'Pelikanphylia', others 'Pelikanmania'...

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321774-i-have-pelikanitis/

 

[Runnin_Ute]

That is a gorgeous set. I have bid on ebay some 400's (NN's?), but haven't been fortunate enough to get one. Yet. Someday.

[Christopher Godfrey]

idawood, you certainly got a bargain there! Well done (and gambled! We'll make an addict of you soon enough!)

 

The black stripes may not be considered quite as valuable as the tortoise brown ones, say; but I would expect to pay anywhere around 200USD for such a pen in restored condition (and well done on that, too! You now have a "restored" 400NN); however, for the complete set in original case...?! No idea; but some of those eBay sellers might be asking masses more for a set like this.

 

Sargetalon used the word "robust": exactly the one I like to use, too.

 

Now go and write lots with it! Welcome to the ranks of Pelikan owners.

[idawood]

idawood, you certainly got a bargain there! Well done (and gambled! We'll make an addict of you soon enough!)

 

The black stripes may not be considered quite as valuable as the tortoise brown ones, say; but I would expect to pay anywhere around 200USD for such a pen in restored condition (and well done on that, too! You now have a "restored" 400NN); however, for the complete set in original case...?! No idea; but some of those eBay sellers might be asking masses more for a set like this.

 

Sargetalon used the word "robust": exactly the one I like to use, too.

 

Now go and write lots with it! Welcome to the ranks of Pelikan owners.

 

I sure got lucky here. The set in the original box and even look at the paperwork. That paper seems 50 years old. The restoration was no trouble. No doubt these pens continue to serve even after decades. And for the set like I this I bet eBay seller will ask a lot. I feel this whole set was left unused. I can't believe nobody even tried the mechanical pencil. As for the rank! I think I am just baby Pelikan... ........................ at least for now

[Bo Bo Olson]

I hated mechanical pencils all my life, including Jotters...way back in the day. I won a 400NN, 450 MP, and a 455 BP (a normal real cruddy '50's BP...I even have two from that era from that time '@'55- +, and it was right back up memory lane. )

 

After years of sitting in the old etui unused, I 'accidentally' tried that 450 MP....for 6 weeks I wrote only with it....what great balance the MP has. It's out in my pen cups....who needs 'grey inks'.

 

Rick Propas(sp?) says a Pelikan only needs silicon grease about every 3 or more years....don't over grease it .......just because.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Bo Bo Olson

[biancitwo]

Love to see how your 400NN writes. Regardless of the size, flex, ball, or stub, every 400 nib I have tried writes beautifully.

[AL01]

That's a nice Peli!

 

Is it a gusher with Waterman ink?

 

(Inspired blue was my first ink bottle... Pilot black was my first FP ink ever, and Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue was my first cart ink.)

[LanceSaintPaul]

Yes, this is a real sweet spot in pen collecting! Welcome.