Help identifying a Pelikan

[AcLondon]

Hi everyone, please forgive a fairly regular poster in Montblanc forum, taking a brief trip to Pelikan lands. I won an auction for a lot of two pens, one of which was a montblanc I've been chasing down for a little while. The other is a Pelikan. I know nothing about versions of Pelikan pens and I'd be interested to know what I've picked up. I'm most interested to know: What is it? Is it considered worthwhile having? Is it correct for a particular period or version? Any help much appreciated! AC

[DougS]

101N Tortoise brown

 

Nice score!

[mizgeorge]

Well if that's the bonus pen, the one you were after must be quite something! That's going to be just lovely after a bit of a clean up!

[AcLondon]

Thanks for these positive replies. The other pen was an early 60s Montblanc 149, a gap in my small collection. The price I paid for both  was what I considered my outside limit for the 149. I'd only time for a quick bit of research on the pelikan. I knew it wasn't worthless but I just couldn't pin its model or age down in the short time I had. Any guesses to its date of manufacture?

[OMASsimo]

Great find and much more interesting than a 149! Unfortunately, the pictures are too poor to be certain. But it seems like production could be 1937-48. If the nib is original it’s from 1938. But replacement nibs are very common in those pens.

 

[Lam1]

Congrats on a beautiful and very sought after pen!

 

You may try to find some information on this site

 

Pelikan fountain pens | www.pelikan-collectibles.com

 

I agree with OMASsimo, much more interesting (and valuable) than a 1960's 149!

(and I do like149s)

[stoen]

Pelikan:

-model: 101N Tortoise (officially Brown, aka. Red),

-year: 1938./39. - can be seen from the nib imprint

-version: export - can be seen from DRP on cap top.

-barrel: cellulose acetate (green, no brass ring)

 

All seems legit.

 

A rare and valuable find, definitely worth expert restoring.

🙂

Congrats!

[AcLondon]

Thank you all for these replies.  Thanks, particularly, Stoen, this is exactly the information I was looking for.  I'm glad of the clarification regarding 'Brown' as (unless my eyes are really deteriorating) it looks very red to me.  From my quick root around some of these come with one marbled end rather than two solid red ones.  Does that indicate different models or were there just variations within the 101N series?  I'm sure this question has been rehearsed elsewhere so apologies to revisit it.

 

I won't actually have the pens for a little while but really looking forward to them coming. If anyone wants a trade with a vintage Montblanc I'm very open to it.  I'm trying to contract the energy I spend on pens not expand it!

[stoen]

1 hour ago, AcLondon said:

Does that indicate different models or were there just variations within the 101N series?

Thanks for your question, @AcLondon.

What we now see as “red”, was called “brown” in Pelikan wholesale catalogues for the dealers. Many end users also called it “red” back then and still do.  Here’s a nice collection of historical dealer catalogues’ scans:

https://www.pelikan-collectibles.com/en/Pelikan/Catalogues/index.html

 

I would call it variations. I know Pelikan had batches of standardized parts, which they combined also on aesthetic matching and market demands from the dealers - they were modular. It is generally agreed nowadays, based on quite a bit of Forum members’ individual research that pens with black ebonite cap tubes (no matter what sleeve color) should be called “100N”, while all other combinations were “101N”, although they were the same model engineeringwise. There were also very rare combinations such as brown captop / brown mechanism / brown section tortoiseshell 101N, but I’ve never seen a legit black or brown (red) ebonite cap tube pen with a tortoiseshell cap top (vice versa from yours!). Tortoise 101N with black cap tops and black mechanisms were also available in Europe at that time.

 

There was never a black or gray or green sleeve (aka. binde) 101N, AFAIK.

 

Hope this can help.

🙂

[Bo Bo Olson]

Envy Cubed!!!

 

That is #1 on my wish list.......

[AcLondon]

Some time ago I created this thread and got great insight into the
Pelikan 101n that I had bought as part of a lot with a Montblanc 149.

After an absolute age in the postal system from Belgium, it has arrived.  Just a few photos for you.  If and when the classifieds get

fixed I will offer it up there for any who might be interested.

Thanks again! AC

[carola]

You are giving this pen up? *gasp*

If I didn´t already own one, I would PM you right this moment. 😂

[Bo Bo Olson]

I'm going to tell my wife to double our speculative investment.

Play the lottery twice.

Or next year when the tax refund comes in.

 

Been on my wish for list for half a decade.

[mana]

Oooooh, a lovely 101N... me likey... 😍

[AcLondon]

1 hour ago, carola said:

You are giving this pen up? *gasp*

If I didn´t already own one, I would PM you right this moment. 😂

I'm trying to narrow my collecting to certain Montblancs - a policy that definitely rules out even the finest of other brand's offerings:-)