De La Rue "Pelikan" Pen

[Innes Cate]

Hi All - I found the interesting BHR eye dropper pen in an antiques collectables shop. It is in excellent condition and clearly imprinted on the barrel: PATENT 'PELIKAN' PEN THOS. DE LA RUE & CO.LTD. LONDON. The gold nib has an under/over feed and imprinted: DE LA RU LONDON. It has a collection bulb for the ink. There is a small piece of iridium missing from one of the nib points. The barrel and nib measures 11.8cm but the cap is missing.

One web site puts the pen as rare ca.1895. Another reference quotes "The first manufacture of fountain pens by Thomas De La Rue and Company was in 1881. Between this year and 1905, pens were manufactured under such names as the Swift, Onostyle and the Pelican, which latter trade mark was sold to a German company and today the Pelikan holds its place as the best known pen of German Manufacture". This could be the pen being referred to?

A pen of this significance should be complete so if any Pelikan enthusiast is seeking this half of the pen I would be open to an email of a trade offer. I am a collector of Parker Duofold and Vacumatcis - but do have a beautiful black M800!

Regards Innes

Email: innes.cate@ihug.co.nz