Pelikan

Pelikan is a German manufacturer of fine fountain pens and other writing, office and art equipment, credited with the invention of the differential-piston filling method.Their "true" history began with the model "100" and the modified 100N (both fountain pens), which sparked the genesis of the company's distinctive styling.

The modern-day flagship line is known as the "Souverän", consisting of the M300, M400, M600, M800 and the M1000. Pens with vermeil embellishments, called Toledo, are manufactured in the sizes of (new-style) M600 and M800, and they're respectively referred to as M700 and M900. Pelikan is notable for manufacturing many of their pens using Cellulose acetate, instead of the more modern plastics used by most other major pen makers.

There is also a more modest "Tradition" line of fine fountain pens, really an extension of the Souverän line, which is mechanically very similar, but less elaborately decorated, and shipped with gold-plated stainless steel nibs, rather than the solid gold nibs of the Souverän pens. This line includes the M200, M150, and M100. The Souverän and Tradition lines are also notable for their easily replaced nibs, which are somewhat interchangable between most pen models. Many of the pen models are also available as ballpoints, mechanical pencils, and so forth; their model designations have the same number as the corresponding fountain pen, but a different prefix letter.

Pelikan is also a manufacturer of Limited Edition pieces, their first being the acclaimed "Blue Ocean" Demonstrator in 1993 leading to the 2005 "Caelum". Pelikan also makes entry-level fountain pens and fountain pens for school pupils, for example "Pelikano" and "Future," as well as a high capacity "Level" pens, filled from a special squeeze bottle through a valve in the blind end of the barrel. In recent years Pelikan also ventured into some "Special Edition" pens, where an unlimited number of a given pen is manufactured but only within a limited period - usually a year. All the pens in this series are named after a city.

Pelikan's fountain pen ink is called Pelikan 4001. Pelikan also makes Pelikan Fount India, a deep black Indian ink which, unlike most Indian inks, can be used in fountain pens. It is very water-resistant. Additionally, the company makes Pelikan Drawing Ink A, which is not suitable for fountain pens. It should be used with a dip pen.

External links

* [http://www.pelikan.com/ Pelikan] (Official homepage)
** [http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US.CMS.displayCMS.1264./index.html fine writing instruments] (Pelikan's official site for their higher quality pens)
* [http://www.penpedia.com/w/index.php?title=Pelikan History of the Pelikan company ] (The Penpedia)
* [http://www.penexchange.de/english/limited/index.shtml Limited Edition History]
* [http://www.pentrace.net/penbase/Data_Returns/full_article.asp?id=428 Pelikan Reference] (at Pentrace)
* [http://www.cajunpen.com/html/pelikan_sizechart.html Pelikan Size Chart] (by Cajun Pen Shop)
* [http://www.ruettinger-web.de/e-index.html Infos for Pelikan fans and collectors]
* [http://www.welt.de/webwelt/article850103/HP_klagt_gegen_Pelikans_Billig-Tinte.html HP sues Pelikan]