Many of my long-time readers have noticed fewer posts from me in recent months. This is largely due to burnout and chronic fatigue, making it hard for me to find time for writing. I obviously dedicate my remaining time to my family, but I haven’t abandoned the blog. My interest in this community and in Pelikan remains strong, even if I can’t write as much right now as I would like. Still, I remain committed to my mission to bring you all of the Pelikan news, reviews, and in-depth articles that I can. September 1st passed with little fanfare but it marked the tenth anniversary of The Perch. There was no celebration, just the satisfaction of a decade of connecting others with this brand. To celebrate this milestone birthday, I would once again like to host a contest where one lucky winner will receive a 2024 Pelikan M200 Golden Lapis fountain pen and ink gift set purchased from Fritz Schimpf, a top-notch fountain pen retailer out of Germany. Read on for details about how to enter the contest.
UPDATE 12/8/24: The Perch’s 10th Anniversary contest ended on 12/1/24 with perhaps more entries than ever before received. Well wishes and everyone’s take on their grail pen were greatly appreciated. The differences between how people view grail pens and the large variety of pens offered to fill those roles were fascinating. There were over 215 entries this year, not including the additional entries received from social media. I’m very pleased to announce that Natalie Haskins was selected as this year’s winner of the Pelikan M200 Golden Lapis Pen & Ink gift set. Thanks to everyone for playing my game!
Pelikan’s M200 Golden Lapis fountain pen launched in September, designed to match the corresponding Edelstein ink which is a vibrant blue hue embellished with a golden shimmer. The M200 is a demonstrator with gold-plated trim and features Pelikan’s piston filling mechanism. These are great everyday writers for anyone who enjoys using fountain pens or even for someone just looking to get into fine writing instruments. You can find out more about this model in my recent review.
Here is how to enter;
1. Make sure that you are subscribed to this site via e-mail (or your WordPress account if you have one). You can use the link below or you can sign up via the widget in the side bar to the right. Don’t worry, The Perch never spams you. If you are already following the blog (thank you), you can skip directly to step 2.
2. Leave a comment below, answering the following question; “What is your grail fountain pen?” For me, it is the Toledo, pens unmatched in beauty. Your grail may not even be a Pelikan but bonus points if it is (just kidding). What constitutes a grail pen is subjective and will vary from person to person. Perhaps it is an unobtainable pen due to price or one not available due to scarcity. Let me know the pen that would be yours absent all barriers. The two steps outlined thus far will earn you one entry into the contest.
3. Similar to prior years, I will again allow one additional entry per person, this time via Instagram. There is a post on my account (scan the QR code or click on the image below) that you will find featuring some of my personal grails and tagged #ThePerchIs10. All you have to do is follow my Instagram account AND like that particular post in order to earn a second entry in my contest. Feel free to leave a comment if you’d like. Please make sure that you’ve also left a comment below and not just on Instagram.
I hope that the instructions are straight forward and that the experience will again be fun for everyone. I have kept the rules very similar to past contests on this site. The contest will run from the time of this post through December 1. Everyone 18 or older is welcome to participate (except residents of Quebec, Canada and where prohibited by law). By subscribing to the site, you may choose to be alerted to new posts which will ensure you are up to date with all of the latest Pelikan news, events, and my own extensively researched articles not available anywhere else. Please make sure to spread the word about this contest as I would love to reach everyone who enjoys fine writing instruments before the deadline so that everyone can get in on the fun.
Contest Terms & Conditions
- The contest will run from the time of the announcement on Monday, November 11th, 2024, until midnight eastern standard time (23:59 EST) on Sunday, December 1st, 2024. The winner will be notified via e-mail within 72 hours of the close of the contest. They will then have 72 hours to respond before they forfeit the prize, and an alternate winner is chosen.
- Only one winner will be chosen to receive a brand new Pelikan M200 Golden Lapis fountain pen and ink gift set. The nib will come in a medium width and the set is guaranteed to be brand new. This pen and ink set has a U.S. MSRP of $290. The prize is not transferable to another person.
- The contest is open to people worldwide (excluding residents of Quebec, Canada and in countries or states where such a contest is prohibited by law) to persons aged 18 or older. Up to two entries are allowed per person in accordance with the instructions outlined above and below. Myself, my family, or anyone else directly associated with The Pelikan’s Perch are excluded from consideration.
- To take part in the contest, first click to subscribe to this site via e-mail or your WordPress account. You can use the link above or sign up via the widget in the side bar to the right. If you are already subscribed, you can skip to the next step. Once subscribed, just leave a comment below letting me know the answer to the question; “What is your grail pen?” Both tasks must be completed for an entry to be considered valid. All comments are subject to review and approval before becoming valid entries. In rare instances, a genuine comment may inadvertently be flagged as spam by Akismet and may not be available for consideration though every reasonable effort will be made to prevent that occurrence.
- A single extra entry via the social media platform of Instagram will be available this year. To gain an additional entry; simply follow The Perch’s Instagram account AND like the contest post featuring my grails. This is not a substitute for subscribing to the site and commenting on this page. Any social media entry not following steps 1 and 2 above will not be considered.
- The winner will have submitted a valid entry or entries and be selected by me based on the response provided below. The judge’s decision is final.
- Neither Instagram nor Meta is in any way associated with this contest. This blog has no affiliation with Pelikan or Hamelin and this contest is completely independent of those entities as well. There is no sponsorship for this contest. The pen was purchased by Joshua Danley of The Pelikan’s Perch from Fritz Schimpf for the sole purpose of this contest. By providing your information on this forum, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.
- The prize will be mailed to the winner via the United States Postal Service using whatever modality is most economical. The winner’s response to my notification e-mail must include a valid shipping address. I will ship the gift set within 7 days of receiving a valid shipping address from the selected winner. The Perch is not responsible for misdirected or lost packages.
- The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary.
- Persons may only win one prize from this site within a 12 month period meaning the winner from the year prior (2023) is ineligible for this contest.
- The Pelikan’s Perch reserves the right to publish the winner’s name to this blog. Neither the blog nor its administrator can be held liable for lost/delayed e-mail, typographical errors, or technical failures.
Thank you for your entry and good luck to all!
My grail fountain pen would be a handmade glowing red urushi pen
I love to read your blog..
My grail pen is the M800 clear transparent demonstrator I saw a few years ago online.
Burnout and chronic fatigue are tough. I hope they become less overwhelming for you.
Very new to my pen journey, so am yet to find a holy grail. Enjoying reading and learning, and hope to attend a pen show next year to try in person.
Congratulations on the 10th anniversary! I really appreciate your blog as it’s been a great source of information throughout my journey of learning more about Pelikan pens – much easier to navigate the written word versus watching videos nowadays. Hope you can take as much time as you need to process through the burnout.
As for grail pens… it’d be great if it existed and I could afford it, but a M800 in the style of the infinity Raden along with a BB or BBB nib would be amazing in my opinion. Otherwise finding a nice quality vintage Pelikan with an OB or OBB nib is another grail of mine.
I have my grail…a Toledo. But in my case, it is the smaller 710, which is the perfect combination of weight and usability.
Pelikan is the only company that produces perfect perfect pens at all price ranges
My grail is a sailor KOP with a zoom nib- which doesn’t exist and likely won’t ever. But it would be amazing as a lover of both zoom’s and the KOP!
A 1970ish Pelikan 120 that does not leak where the nib fits into body of the pen. It was my first fountain pen $5 at a downtown office supply store. Perfect in every way.
Though it’s not very original, I am drawn to the Montblanc 149 – generous size & weight, large gold nib, piston filler with unique and useful ink window, classic style. Silver trim.
Gotta be a sailor KOP piston filler.
My grail pen is the Pelikan m1000 Maki-e Kingfisher. I love birds and am a biologist by training, and this is probably the most beautiful pen I’ve ever seen. I never expect to own this pen, but who knows, maybe if the right windfall comes along!
My first fountain pen was a M100 with the bird beak clip and the engraved pelikan cap. Lost it in a move. That’s what I’d love to have back
My holy grail is a month blank Skywalker.
So many to choose but….. I would be in heaven if I was able to get my hands on the PELIKAN 2020 M1000 Maki-e Kingfisher Limited Edition
This would be my absolute dream
Never really had a so called grail. But, if I did, the Pelikan M405 Stressemann would be on a short list.
My grail is the Namiki Rakucho. A true grail, because once I had enough money they stopped being available. Now they are available again but unaffordable at a new price. Always out if my reach, but choose enough to taunt.
My grail pen would the the Montblanc Fountain Pen Masters of Art Homage to Gustav Klimt.
Love the Pelikan Perch and sorry to hear you are burnt out.
It’s too bad that residents of Canada are disqualified to participate in the contest.
Good luck everyone.
My grail pen would be a Pelikan from the 1940s.
There are a few pens I’d like. As a grail … Lighthouse of Alexandria from Pelikan’s 7 wonders series. There are also a lot of great m6xxs in the city series.
My grail fountain pen is the Montblanc Masters of Art Homage to Gustav Klimt 4810. I love it. I also enjoy reading your blog and your posts on Instagram! Thanks for all the work you do!
The Toledo 910 White would be my pick. Beautiful pen.
My grail pen is the 2001 SE Pelikan “Originals of their Time 1935 Lapis Blue”.
Pelikan’s M101N re-releases fit my hand perfectly, and the faux lapis with gold is amazing. Ah well, maybe someday… 🙂
My Grail Pen is a lipstick red Montblanc Muses Marilyn Monroe or a Raden pelikan 1000.
My grail pen would be the Raden Black Infinity M1000.
I truly appreciate all of your efforts, Joshua. I understand the need to prioritize things in your life. All information you share is still read and enjoyed, no matter how infrequent. Thank you for all you do.
My grail pen would be a Parker Duovac from the 1940s with green and brown stripes that would match my grandmother’s mechanical pencil. I love the pencil and would dearly love to make a set.
BTW, congratulations on your 10 year anniversary!
Hi, I have chronic fatigue (ME/CFS from long COVID) and am sending so much love your way. Please rest up and take care of yourself as best you can. Please try to feel less guilt for being less productive, you deserve ease and downtime.
I just got my first Pelikan, and your blog was very helpful—the rose M205 in broad on super sale for FP day. Can’t wait for it to get here!
My grail pen is the namiki raden pine needle, the combination of sparkles plus nature plus geometry and a smooth wet writer is the dream!
Hard to choose just one, the Souverän would certainly be at the top percentage.
My grail is the Pelikan m800 and I currently have three of them. The are phenomenal pens… grail pen, desert island pen… they are my all time favs!
There are several “grails”. I love the look of the Toledo Pelikans; you have good taste. I also love fancy urushi and I have never owned a Nakaya, so that is also a kind of grail. I don’t own a Montblanc either, so that would make a third one: a MB 149, I think. In all cases I’d go for a stub or a cursive italic nib.
The original 1931 Toledo is currently top of my grail list!
Thanks for the giveaway! My grail pen would be a hand-turned Oparex pen!
My favorite fountain pen is a Toledo M700. I like it because of it’s smaller size, as I have
medium size hands.
I was very happy when I bought my Pelikan Stone Garden F fountainpen! Every shop was sold out. My retailer has ordered the pen in Luxemburg. 2 days later the pen was deliverd. It was a normal M-800, but it was the first blue one without strips. It becoms my everyday writer!
I just got my grail pen. It is an M400 tortoiseshell brown. That is the size Pelikan I can comfortably use.
My grail is now and forever will be a Danitrio Yokozuna dragons. I fell in love after seeing one at a show and have been chasing it ever since.
My grail? So many, but I would say the Pelikan Souveran M600 Fountain Pen in Tortoiseshell & Red
My grail is a Taccia Winter’s Breath
My
I would like Pelikan 1000 in brown or else a Montblanc 149,either would make me happy.
There are many expensive pens that I want that many would call “grails” but I don’t classify a high cost as qualification enough for that title. For me, the only things that I would personally call “grail pens” would be a factory demonstrator Montblanc 149, or a perfect condition Montblanc 139. I might also add on a 1950s celluloid Montblanc 149 in perfect condition for an extremely low price as a more attainable grail for me, although most people know what they have when it comes to those. As for Pelikans, while I’d like to have a Toledo someday, my grail was the Renaissance Brown M1000 before it existed; now that it does and I have it, I am content.
Sorry to hear about the burnout, hope you will recover soon, enjoy your family and write nice posts in the next ten years! Thank you for what you have done so far.
My grail pen is the 100n Toledo. It is the mix between the iconic 100n and the unique Toleo.
My grail pen is a 90’s Toledo with the yellow gold nib. Deep etchings, beautiful flex nib. I spent years working my way up to it and I have a large collection of some really amazing fountain pens as a result. Unfortunately, since I found the Toledo, I’ll ink up one of the other pens and use it for a couple of days, then….clean it and go back to the Toledo. I’ve even quit buying new pens!! I seen to have lost the “thrill of the hunt” for pens, but on the positive side, every time I pick up my Toledo I enjoy it just as much. Not a bad outcome, I’d say.
Sorry to hear about the burnout – I completely understand. I appreciate all that you’ve done, including helping me contact Pelikan to facilitate the repair of my M400.
My grail used to be a Duofold (my first fountain pen was a parker 45 that I found in my parents’ drawer), but since Parker isn’t Parker anymore, any M1000 would do the trick, but a Pelikan M1000 Raden Black would be the grail.
My grail pen will be an urushi finish of some sort. Still not sure of the pen. A Nakaya Piccolo, Pelican M800, and Edison Elysian are the top contenders.
Anything urushi/maki-e. Pelikan or any of the fine Japanese ones.
Congrats on 10 years! I drool over the M1000 Raden Infinity, Red or Black, I’m not fussy.
My grail right now is the Pelikan M800 Stone Garden 💙🧡
My grail fountain pen is a Pelikan M800, and I was able to purchase one this month after receiving some money from a relative!
I have all the pens I really long for, I think. If I had a grail it would be something from Tamenuri Studio in some shade of pink or turquoise.
Lately I am not sure about the grailpen. I see them all equally, and simpler pens with different nibs all have their spots. For a grail I would go with pilot743 po nib. Or something like yukari royale or custom urushi just because they are so high end.
“What is your grail fountain pen?”. It will be a Makie and urushi edition of Pelikan M800.
I was away from WordPress for a while and now I see that many sites I subscribe to have gotten tired of blogging. I hope you continue. My grail pen would be a platinum 3776 urushi maki-e. I lost the one pelican pen that I had in 2001. So actually any pelican pen would be a grail pen for me. I now have so many pens in the hundred dollar range and I don’t dare buy any more.
Since I have my M1000 being shipped, my grail would be a MB Hemingway fountain pen
My grail pen is the M805 Ocean Swirl. Such a beautiful pen!
I have always wanted an M600 Stressemann. I think it is the most sophisticated pen ever made. It has a unique blend of class, color and style, and exudes an aura of power and professionalism that never fades or goes out of fashion. Let me add, also, that though I remain quietly in the background, I look forward to each newsletter and admire the dedication, work and information you include in each one.
Hi there! So sorry to see that you are suffering from burnout! Here’s hoping you are resting and taking time for yourself. Remember, one day at a time and slow and steady wins! I recently discovered Pelikan fountain pens and have fallen unabashedly in love with them! Therefore, my grail pen is the M1000 Souveran Renaissance Brown with a Fine Nib. Every time I go to my local pen shop, I try their store model and hope and pray that one day I will be able to add this lovely pen to my small Pelikan collection. Thank you for this contest, the wonderful blog and sharing your deep knowledge of Pelikan pens! Take care!
I have so many great pens including 10 Pelikans, but I think a grail pen would be a MB Writers edition Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
I love all my pens but my Grail pen(s) would be the Pelikan M800 40 year anniversary and the MontBlanc Calligraphy Solitaire.
My Grail pen is a Mont Blanc 149!
Grail pen would be a Pelikan Hunting.
M215 with a custom nib or the Pelikan Lighthouse of Alexandria.
My grail pen is the Pilot Vanishing Point Twilight. I was just entering the fountain pen world in 2015 and didn’t understand it was a limited edition and hesitated to purchase it. I’ve regretted it ever since.
Congratulations on ten years! You are largely responsible for my stable of M800 and M1000 fountain pens; I love them, especially my M1000 EF which is a superb writer. I don’t have a grail pen; my favorite of them all (today) is my OMAS Unicef Gina Lollobrigida silver pen, which has its own personality and never fails me. Good luck with the fatigue!
I don’t think my grail pen exists, at least stock. I’d love to see a smaller pen (an M400, for instance) get the special edition Pelikan M1000 Raden or Maki-e treatment, just the most niche of niche, high-end goods. And while I know there are artisans who could create said pen. That’s something I may need to work toward.
Thank you for the fantastic resource you’ve created around some really great products/tools.
My tastes are modest, but sometimes very fine. In the world of pens (or possibly the world itself) the thing that I covet most is the Pelikan Souverän M800 Fountain Pen in the Cream and Blue Special Edition.
Probably sounds dumb but my grail was the Pilot Vanishing Point. I had (and have) more expensive pens but there was just something about a retractable fountain pen I could use on my job. I longed for one! Sadly after I got it I discovered it just isn’t comfortable with my grip. I still have it as it was the pen I just HAD to have but it sits unused. From time to time I think about selling / trading it but I just can’t bring myself to do that.
Glad to see your posts; take what time you require. Need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. As for the grail, either a MB Agatha Christie or Pelikan’s Polar Lights.
Mine would be a Toledo.
My grail pen would be custom pen made just for me, using wood from my father’s first sailboat and resin.
Congratulations on 10 years! I’ve always found your blog to be a treasure trove of information and you’ve helped me with researching some of my older Pelikans.
Thank you for doing such a wonderful giveaway too.
My grail pen is a pilot decimo. Sorry you are burned out. I do have several PELIKANs I love. Especially my 600s.
After seeing the Concorde de la Place of a friend, that would be my grail. Or any of the white tortoise pens.
I also wanted to say to Joshua, I know you’ve been through a lot, especially as a doctor during Covid. In my opinion, you should take whatever time you need for yourself and your family. That’s what matters most. We know you will be here when you can.
My grail pen would be an early Pelikan flex nib.
My grail is the Pelikan 1000 years of Austria! Love the design and I’ve had so much fun in Vienna.
My grail. Pelikan M1000
I have 2 “grail” pens and both were surprise gifts from my wife. One is a Pilot Custom 823 that was a birthday present and the other is a Pelikan M600 with Red Stripes. Love both of them
I don’t think I have a real grail now, but a Nakaya in a rare color is probably the closest thing. (I used to pine for the green and blue Originals of their Time, but then I got them!). Thank you for this wonderful site and all the great posts!
My grail pen would be an Aikin Lambert — I don’t know the name, but I like it.
Either M1000 maki-e version is on my grail pen list, meaning for me, financially unavailable. I think they are beautiful and I really appreciate the artistry.
My grail pen would be an early 1931 Pelikan Toledo, because I already own a Pelikan M910 Toledo in Yellow and an M900 Toledo in Black.
My grail pen would be an Omas Paragon (or similar) in Arco Verde celluloid.
Simple – any of the Pelikans – I have several 200 fountain pens and one 400 fountain pen. They fit my hands wonderfully, better than others of similar size like the Pilots.
I love the Pelikan 1000 with Green Stresseman stripes and a black cap. For me it represents the unattainable Holy Grail. I retired 5 years ago and with a modest pension, just can’t contemplate buying it. Still, the Pelikan M 1000 remains in my list of fantasises which I hope I might be able to purchase sometime in my life.
I’ve wanted the M600 Red o’Red for some time, or the m620 Madrid. The M450 Tortoiseshell Green with the gold cap hits all the buttons, as does the near-mythical M600 Tortoiseshell Brown. But when I say the M910 White Toledo, that just blew me away. (If they put it on an M6xx chassis, even better, although I know that’s not their practice. One can dream, though.) So my grail pen is the White Toledo.
Hi, Joshua, take good care of yourself and all the very, very best.
Grail pen? mine would be any of the M1000 Maki-e Japanese Koi LE.
Dear Josh, Thanks for your great contributions to the Pelikan community over the last decade!
My grail pen is a Souverain M600 (green and black).
Cheers!
I have only just gotten into fountain pens, and have no idea what my grail pen would be! I would like a very nice pocket pen I think; the Penquisition Touchstone in Orange and Green is so gorgeous, I suppose that can be my grail for now.
As of today, my grail pen is the Pelikan M800 “Spirit of Gaudi”. It is a wonderful pen and has a very exotic case.
My grail pen is a simply superb, reliable M800 (green demonstrator) with a double broad oblique nib, ground flawlessly to my left handed style. It writes flawlessly on the dry-side to assist rapid writing with my left hand. Kindly note: in daily use over almost three decades. I don’t mean 99%, I mean 100% flawless performance. I must have laid down over 50 miles of text and yet, it simply performs! I have owned many fountain pens since beginning at age 6, 66 years ago. Many I’ve loved but, none ever performed better. How best to define grail? Well, this M800, with simple routine flushing and cleaning has consumed literally gallons of inks. Whether using ink of varied brands and colors, it writes and writes and writes comfortably indoors + outdoors in the cold, onboard airplanes wherever I go. As my most trusted pen, it is my grail. Were I to suggest a close second? It has to be my white gold 1931 with a modified stub that glides across most any paper. Nothing compares to my two favorites considering what my heavy left hand asks a fountain pen to do. Neither would ever be traded. Hopefully, my son will enjoy them after I’m gone!
My grail pen is the Pilot Custom 823 in Amber. I pair it with Diamine Gingerbread. It is a juicy-wet, super-smooth writer with tons of ink that I can carry everywhere. At the recent Pelikan Hubs 2024, for my city, the pen stole the show. Amongst the other expensive pens like Pelikan (M800 was there) and MontBlanc (someone had their grandfather’s vintage Meisterstuck 149), mine was the smoothest.
There are so many pens I still want to try and/or buy. It is hard to name just one. A grail pen for me would have to include the Waterman Edson Sapphire – such a lovely looking pen. I would also have to include the Montegrappa Frankenstein L.E. Not forgetting the M805 Ocean Swirl.
My grail pen is the Pelikan M800 Burnt Orange.
My grail would be an M800 Grand Place, I just really connect with that colorway
My grail pen is the M600 Glauco Cambon. Maybe one day!
Congratulations for the 10 year jubilee! My grail pen is an Aurora Limited Edition Benvenuto Cellini. Since it came out, I had some opportunities to buy, but I always missed it for another reason. I believe that is all about the grail pen, you never get it 🙂 Aside of it, I would say every upcoming m80X… 😉
My Grail pen is the Toledo 910. Probably I won’t be able to purchase one in my lifetime but it’s a dream. If it could have an italic nib it would be heaven on earth. I’m a traditional calligraphy and illuminating artist and I love everything related with writing instruments for different purposes and scenarios, to communicate and bond one soul to another through the magic of graphic signs called letters.
I’m sorry to hear that you’re fatigued and burnt out. I hope you’ll find some time to rest, reset and recharge.
I have quite a few fountain pens now as I have been using and collecting them since high school. I am massively coveting the Tamenuri Studio pens – they are so beautiful, and that is the problem, even if I had the budget for one now which I don’t, I wouldn’t know which one to choose, he makes too many beautiful pens and they are different and unique and it’s impossible choose between them.
Estimado Joshua, Felicitaciones por los diez años de tu Blog y espero, como todos, continuar leyendo tus análisis y acertadas conclusiones y que estés gozando de buena salud.
Mi Santo Grial… la pluma Fuente Pelikan Souverän M600 Tortoiseshell-Brown, con un plumín flexible.
Y aprovechando la oportunidad, que tengan todos un feliz fin de año lleno de manuscritos.
So sorry to hear about our burn out. What you have built here is an invaluable resource cherished by all. Please do take care and pace yourself. The best Pelikan is next year’s special edition 😉
As for the grail pen, that would be the pen I used growing up in middle school. I had two – a Parker Vector (which I still have), and a Hero pen (329)? The latter is a grail, because none of the modern Hero pens come close to that writing experience, and I do miss it!
My grail pens are #1 M800 Pelikan green ….and #2 Namiki Emperor Carnelian.
My grail pen is the Montblanc L139 with a long ink window!
Hello, my grail fountain pen is the green and black Pelikan M400. I really enjoy using it.
My grailpen was the Parker 45 when I was 14 years old and that started an endless love for fountainpens. Now, 46 years later many Pelikans light up my daily life, the Parker still lies between them, but the M600 is the most fitting and therefore my grailpen.
For me there is no such thing as a grail pen. But I do have a grail nib. Cursive italic, ground by FPNibs in Spain. It is a Pelikan nib, I use it with different M20x Pelikans.
I don’t really have a grail pen, but I know I want a complex maki-e pen in the collection and I guess that this is my current grail then.
My grail pen is a Pelikan M640 “Polar Lights” from the Celebrating Natural Beauty series.
I have my Holy Grail. I have been writing with a pen since I was a child in school, and every day I went by the store to see an unattainable green Pelikan in the window. Today my main goal is a green Pelikan M1000 just like the one I remember.
I had always believed that a “grail pen” was silly. Then, when confined following heart surgery, and alone at home except for a senescent dog who slept most of the time, I spent my days buying and restoring old pens. One night it came to me that I do have a grail pen: the Pelikan 400, year of issue (1950) in either green or tortoise brown stripe. Some months afterwards I attended a pen show, found and purchased them both. The brown one came with its matching mechanical pencil and they were in the original, if rather worn, leather and metal case. I haven’t inked either of them, but take them out and admire them. I do use other Pelikans, some made for children and others in higher-price classes. I love the brand, and would love to win this set.
My Grail Pen is the Pelikan m1000
My grail pen does not yet exist. I am saving up to have a custom pen made that will fit a Pelikan M1000 nib unit.
I have been using fountain pens for a long time, but have never spent a great deal of money on any one single pen. Love using fountain pens and bought a new Pelikan M400 and straight away the writing experience was amazing. My grail pren is a M800, but, would also love a Conway Stewart Churchill. One day!
First of all, belated 10th anniversary of your excellent website, Joshua! Secondly, thanks for doing this giveaway 🙂 As for my grail pen, that’s a tough question because there are so many desirable pens (including several Pelikans), but my first choice would be an original OMAS Extra Paragon fountain pen in Arco Bronze celluloid 🙂
I don’t really have a grail pen, or I allready own it, as I have 2 pelikans 400 that I love so much (ona classic green and one tortoise)!
Maybe a nice Pelikan 100 or 120?
My grail Pelikan is the 900 Toledo. My non-Pelikan grail is the Montblanc Edgar Allan Poe from the 90s, which is only obtainable on the secondary market at unaffordable prices. Congratulations on your fine blog.
Grail pens are chaseable shape-shifters. Once attained, are they still grail pens? Yes, actually, they are. One of my first ones was a Pelikan Souverän in the Stresemann-look and happily, fortuitously, I had the opportunity to make it a M1005.
Another grail pen, which eventually (and with not even a year’s worth of wait) materialized as a self-gifted birthday affair (ordered for one, received on the next, more or less) is the Nakaya Decapod Twist (aka-tamenuri), which is one one of the most gorgeous pens out there, even if the cynic might accuse it of being a pimped-up 3776.
And the Demonstrator M805 had been a grail pen… until I was a little disappointed with the nib — which, somehow, I always am a little, with M8XX models. (Whereas I love the smaller and of course the M100X nibs.)
Anyway: Congratulations on ten years of doing the same thing so consistently to such a consistently high standard. You are a boon to the community of crazies! Love & all the best.
My grail pen would probably be the Pilot Custom 823. Not the most ‘out there’ pen perhaps, but I honestly wouldn’t prefer a pen I’d be too scared to use for how precious it is!
My grail pen would be a Pelikan M800 Cream Blue special Edition.
Hi, My Grail Pen would be a Namiki Emperor Goldfish. A work of art that would write like a dream. Sigh.
Since there is apparently only one in the entire world, my grail pen would have to be the RED Lamy 2000!
Among Pelikans… the M600 Ruby Red, for when Vibrant Orange isn’t enough.
I obtained my grail pen a few years ago – the Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age. This marked my personal pinnacle of fountain pen buying and I am now so much more selective and now I simply do not lust after fountain pens. My first grail pen milestone was a Lamy 2000. I now own two F Lamy 2000s and one M Lamy 2000, so my current grail pen is the Lamy 2000 with a broad nib, which strangely don’t seem too common!
My Grail pen is the M1000 Maki-e Dragon so apt for this year 2024 ;O)
I passed on an m620 San Francisco about a year ago and wonder if I will find one again, so that’s my Pelikan grail pen. I have all the others 🙂
My grail pen… probably a Sailor of some kind, I can only really afford budget pens at the moment!
My grail has recently changed to the Visconti Homo Sapiens Carbon Moiré. I’ll never afford it, but man I wish I could.
My grail pen would be a Pelikan M1000 or a Montegrappa Sophia Loren, either would feel nice in the hand and my writing would be even better than it already is.
Namiki Emperor Vermillion would be my grail pen!
My grail right now is the m800 Ocean Swirl. Beautiful pen… hard to find for a price that isn’t horrifying.
My grail pen is the Montegrappa Venezia Rio Della Toletta in the Pen Addict colloboration version.
My grail pen is the one that makes my handwriting a thing of beauty and the envy of all who read it. I’ve never come close to it yet; most people curse my handwriting. Thank you for your blog.
My holt grail was a pink m600 but I now have this….so Gosh what would be the new Holy Grail pen….I might like an M600 tortoiseshell.
M800.
I know my grail pen would be a Pelikan M1000, but I don’t have a specific model… yet
A red/black M1000 please 🙂
My holy grail pen would be the Pelikan M200 Mars red that Pelikan developed for Barney’s Pen Shop in Washington D.C. Only 100 pieces were made. I did secure the limited run Pelikan made for Fountain Pen Hospital.
My grail pen would be a Pelikan M900 special edition Toledo FP- Beautiful Pen!! Or a vintage True Blue Duofold Parker. Both are at the top of my list.
Grail fountain pen? For me Sailor Pro Gear. Only several limited editions catch my eye, those sold off of course. I even purchased one (remember last months of La Couronne du Comte?) and only got stomach ulcer… Nevertheless, I follow new releases from time to time.
My grail pen is the Namiki Emperor goldfish.
My grail pen would be a Graf Von Faber Castell Pen of the Year 2023; love Egyptology !!!
My grail is the vibrant green (?), well the very green M320. I have the orange and am hankering after the green…
I always wanted a Toledo, and drooled over photos of the original ones and ones sold in the ’90s and early 2000s.
My grail pen would be a m800 Souveran in the light tortoiseshell, with truly translucent binde, and with a cream cap, with a BB nib custom ground by John Mottishaw (or his equal, if there be such) to a cursive italic.
My grail pen is the Pelikan M800 Burnt Orange.
I am already a collector of Pelikan Fountain Pens and I like especially the writing style of the 30ies/40ies/50ies models 100/100N/400. Therefore I already have a few pieces of early 30ies Pelikan 100, but my grail pen would be an original 1929 Pelikan with heart hole nib, bakelite barrel and no cap bands.
A custom black nakaya with a hand-painted tiny happy Moomin. Not solid, just his shape. Preferably silver but gold is nice, too. And such a pen is definitely too expensive for me.
My grail pen is a vintage Wahl Eversharp Doric. I love the designed and I love the wheel clip and Wahl was the first to manufacture them. I don’t know if I can afford it though. I am also planning to get either a vintage Pelikan 140 or 400NN.
Thank you for your wonderful blog.
My grain pen is Wahl Eversharp Doric. I love the design and I love the wheeled clip, Whal was the first maker to introduce those kind of clips. Probably will never be able to afford it though. I am also planning to buy either vintage Pelikan 400NN or 140.
My grail pen: SOUVERÄN® 1000 Renaissance Brown
The phoenix Maki-e. I think that pen is just breathtaking.
hello! my grail pen would be a sailor 1911s. looking forward to have a sailor soon!
My grail pen would be a Waterman Patrician in nacre, with the pearl in pristine condition. I am not sure on even exists.
My grail pen is the Pilot Custom Urushi Red.
I’m so sorry to hear you’re not feeling yourself. Burn out is awful and really takes it out of a person. I hope you feel better soon and find joy and kindness everywhere around you.
On another note, my grail pen would be a pelikan m750. There’s something about the feeling of metal pens in hand.
My grail pen was the M805 Ocean Swirl, but I managed to find one. Now my grail is the Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2.
My grail pen would be anything shiny and silver from Yard-O-Led. Are all Canadian addresses ineligible for this draw or only those in the province of Quebec?
The Montegrappa Apollo Moon Landing limited edition is a grail in the sense that I’m never going to spend several thousand on a single pen, but it would still be soooo cool.
My grail pen would be an M800.
Like you: the Toledo. The bigger one 💗
My grail pen would be the M400 Souverän Tortoiseshell White. It’s so lovely!
My grail pen is Montegrappa Fortuna Mule
Thanks for everything, Josh. You’ve enriched the Pelikan experience several thousand-fold!
Because I’ve always been quite modest in my pen tastes, I have to say a Souverain M600 would be quite a step up for me. I’ve tried one at Atlas Stationers in Chicago, and think it would be perfect for me!
Thanks again!
My grail pen would be the M400 Souverän Tortoiseshell White.
My grail pen has not been discovered by me yet. I do want a Pilot and a Sailor, but I can’t spend the money yet. I think my grail pen will be outrageously novel or very colorful and will cost more than a year’s rent!
Pelican 1935 blue lapis
Nakaya
Maki-E Phoenix
In Pelikan land, my grail is the Toledo. Outside Pelikan land, the Montblanc Hemingway (with any of the Namiki Emperor as close seconds).
My little grail pen is the tiny Pelikan M300.
Glad you’re back! I enjoy your site. Grails are a moving target: since replacing my old 70s 120, and more recently nabbing a 1935 Lapis, I’m trying to fill out my M101N collection – so M101N white gold, M101N Toledo.
At the moment….my grail pen is the PELIKAN Special Limited Edition SOUVERÄN M800 Brown Black. Congrats on 10 years!
I have a list of grail pens and a Souverain M1000 is very high on that list.
My (current) grail pen would be the M1000 Raden Black. That looks like a gorgeous pen…
My Holy Grail, at least at the moment, is the Pelikan 75th anniversary pen. Needless to say, I’ve not tried one, but I’m fairly certain it wouldn’t disappoint. It’s not particularly a beautiful piece of artwork, but it’s a pen that quite often no amount of money can buy, because often none of the 75 pens ever made are even on the market.
My grail pen would be a Montblanc 149 Calligraphy nib. Perhaps a Gustav Klimt homage.
I just purchased my grail pen after waiting 10 years- the 1990s issue Pelican Toledo M900.
The company is so iconic and this pen sits along close favorites, the Streseman M800 and vintage 101N.
My grail pen would be finding a Pelikan M805 Ocean Swirl I could afford. That’s a Pelikan that got away before I broke the M80x $$ ceiling in my Pelikan journey.
My grail pen is the Pilot Murex. Gotta love that one unit of steel barrel and nib. Get well soon and take care
Having recently returned to using fountain pens I don’t really have a grail pen yet – perhaps the Parker pen I had through school! Or the Montegrappa Batman pen so I can pretend to be Bruce Wayne
My grail fountain pen would be an original 1930’s Pelikan Lapis Lazulli 100.
My grail pen would be a Pelikan Polar Lights. I favor larger pens, having four 8XX and two 6XX. The unique shape and finish on each of the pens in the 640 series is visually appealing.
My grail pen would be a black and green M800. There’s just something about the look of that pen that calls to me!
My grail pen is the new David Oscarson Hubble pen. As an avid amateur astronomer I’ve been a fan of Edwin Hubble for a long time and the pen is absolutely beautiful.
Either the Montblanc Miles Davis or one of the Pelikan 7 Wonders of the Ancient world pens. I”m a trumpet player and huge jazz fan, as well as a history person. They speak to me.
Currently it is the cream blue M800 Souveran.
A pelikan M200 in smoky quartz or a mint condition Parker 51 in cocoa are on my wish list. I don’t have a Pelikan yet, but I will this year or next.
Holy Grail I have two: Vintage, a celluloid Montblanc 149; modern the Pelikan Souveran M1000 Raden Black Infinity.
I have two grail pens: the Pelikan Raden, which is sadly out of reach and, like you, the Pelikan Toledo. I currently have three: a 700 yellow and a black in 700 and 900. I’m awaiting delivery of a white 910.
Thank you for all your work on the Perch. I have found it to be an invaluable resource.
Grail: Pelikan m1000 raden green ray. Have loved this pen since the day it was released. I couldn’t justify the price then (though I probably could have swung the purchase with some careful budgeting) and I DEFINITELY can’t justify the price now to pick one up on the secondary market. Ah well, guess it’s likely to remain a grail forever. But I would really love to see it in person one day…
Thanks for sponsoring this contest. I always enjoy reading your blog when you’re up to writing!
My grail pen is a pen whose barrel is large enough my arthritic fingers don’t lock up around it. I am lucky enough a pen pal of mine was experimenting with pen designs and made me a titanium barrel pen with a Joho nib. It is large enough that even on a very bad day I can write.
Although it’s hard to pick one, since I’m currently Pelikan obsessed, my grail is a Pelikan 1931 M101 LE Toledo. Simultaneously demure and powerful. (My M910 Toledo was my grail for a number of years. Completely worth the wait)
Thanks for everything you do for the fountain pen community!
At first I thought of a pen that is one of the most beautiful ever made: the Pelikan M1000 e-maki seven treasures, but for me it is a piece of jewelry to look at, not an instrument to write. I couldn”t focus on using it. So my choice is a pen that is the real grail, because it exists, but no one can buy it: Lamy 2000 red edition from 2013. Only one piece was produced, which was sold at a Sotheby’s auction.
I enjoy your posts very much and I hope you feel able to continue! If money was no object, I would love to have a Pelikan Souveran M800 Stresemann. So elegant.
Me encantan todas las Pelikan m1000, pero mi grial es una Salir KOP en maki-e y con un plumón Naginata Togi en B (de los antiguos, del padre).
Cuídate mucho, me encanta tu blog y tus opiniones. Saludos.
Money as no object, my Pelikan grail pen would be the recently announced M1000 Raden Infinity – Black. I love the M1000 chassis and the nib is a unique experience, the Raden over black is perfect, and without somehow scoring the deal of the century it will not be in my price range.
My non-Pelikan grail pen is the Taccia Empress Whispering Pond, even more of a stretch than the M1000 Raden, but I adore Taccia’s maki-e and raden work and the nib/feed is a Sailor KoP so you know it’s a good performer.
My holy grail fountain pen would be a Montegrappa Elmo 02 plus. I found your blog looking for information on the Ibis 130 and you had a very well written article.
It’s always a good day when a new posting from The Pelikan’s Perch shows up in my e-mail, doubly so when there’s a chance to win a prize! Thank you for years of interesting reading, Josh.
My grail pen that I DO expect to attain is an M1000 in green and black. A grail pen that I DON’T expect to attain is the Lamy 2000 in Bauhaus Blue (will I regret not getting the new limited edition 2000 in pine green?). My vintage grail pen, which will depend on my luck at pen shows, is a pristine full-sized Carter fountain pen, made in Cambridge, Massachusetts (I’m from New England). They were fully the equal of Parker and Sheaffer in quality, and arguably even superior in aesthetics, with their beautiful colors of celluloid. But because Carter’s made pens only from 1926 to 1932, they’re comparatively rare.
Any grail need not be unattainable but rather within reach provided one is willing to set off in continuous pursuit of it, embrace the toil required and – in our time – be willing to shell out a good few bucks. All well within the realm of possibility.
Raden Starlight.
My grail pen would be a Souverän 400 Silver-White… someday…
My grail pen is a Vintage Pelikan Toledo. Lovely piece of art
My grail pen is a Nakaya Dorsal Fin. Unattainable due to price but its lines, beauty, and craftsmanship really make it a grail. Maybe I should start saving!
My grail pen is actually two pens. First is my Parker 51 aromatic (aerometric) 1956, which I got in 1956 and still use today. It is the still a great fountain pen and a joy to use. The other grail pen I also use regularly is the Lamy 2000, also a classic, although much newer, that is a fine writer, comfortable in the hand for long writing periods and great ink flow. I do modestly collect fountain pens and I suspect that several of the newer less expensive pens that write so well will become favorites over time if not grail category pens. My wish list grail pen is the Pelikan M800, green and black.
Larry B.
My grail pen at the moment, yes, at the moment because will probably continue adding in the future 😊, is a Pelikan Souveran M1005 Demonstrator with 3B nib
My grail pen would be the Pelikan 405 Blue Stripes, this would be the nicest pen in my collection.
Thank you for you work that makes this place so lovely to browse and to read with passion.
My grail would probably be an old-style translucent barreled M800, or an M800 without the metal ring near the nib!
My grail would be the Pelikan Souveran 600 Black Edition. I started at school with a Pelikano and loved to write this one. I’ve lost this pen now but still love to write with fontain pens. Thanks for your work building this site, it is always interesting to read it.
My grail is definitely Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 Heki-tame. The translucent color effect showing through the base layer is done very well and unique!
My grail pen would be the Pelikan M605 Green-White. I love its vibrant green color and would love to use it when writing in my secret diary.
My favourite pen to actually use is probably my purple Pelikano junior in all its plastic elementary school glory!
Love the nib and the wetness of the feed but hate the body, so I suspect my grail might be a something in the line of a Pelikan 200! (The black and custard yellow is my favourite).
Either that or an m100 in perfect nick. A guy can dream…
My grail pen is a sailor with a nmf nib
My grail fountain pen would be the Pelikan M800 Demonstrator Green. I love its translucent design and classic style—it’s a pen I’ve always dreamed of owning.
I would say my grail would the pelican Toledo! Especially love the new ivory version 😍
My grail pen ATM would be a Visconti Homo Sapiens Fountain Pen (Dark Age, 18k). “Grail pen” since I know I’ll never be able to get it. 🙂
Just recently, watching a Hemingway Jones video, I have a specific Pelikan pen as one of my “next few” grail pens. The M1000. But the Toledo is tempting too!
I guess I don’t really have a grail pen. I used to be thinking of Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age, but with no way to try it out before buying, I’m not considering buying it any more. Also my criteria shifted a bit probably.
Pelikans Black/Anthracite Stresemann are nice, but I miss the ability to see ink level. But I haven’t ruled out buying one in the future, so maybe it is grail pen?
I certainly do have a soft spot for slimmer pens – using mainly my Lamy CP1, which replaced my trusty Parker Vector (the original one).
My Grail Pen is a M300 Souveran, Green Stripe. Still kicking myself for not jumping on one some years ago when I learned they were being discontinued. Not only do I care for pocket pens, but I want to have at least one example of each size Souveran. 12/1/24 23:03 est.
My grail pen is a Montblanc 149 in fine point. I have admired the classic look of the Meisterstuck line ever since I first discovered my fountain pen hobby a year ago. I have a Pelikan M250 and Pelikan M800 which have been among my favorite pens thus far.
Joshua,
As the winner of the recent Golden Lapis M200 giveaway I want to let you know how thrilled I am to have this gorgeous pen in my small Pelikan collection. I still can’t believe I won this set so be rest assured it will be treasured and appreciated .
I’m tickled I discovered the Pelikan brand in 2022 when I returned to my fountain pen explorations and am slowly growing a carefully curated collection of them.So the Golden Lapis fits the bill! As I noted in my contest entry, my grail pen is a Pelikan M1000 and I can’t wait to acquire one in the upcoming future.
Joshua,
Thank you again for choosing me and for taking the time out of your busy schedule to regale us with Pelikan’s exploits! Your time and hard work are appreciated and I’m glad that you are sharing your Pelikan Passion with the rest of us!
Happy Holidays!
I’m very happy to hear that the pen arrived safe and sound and I’m glad to have been able to share the joy. Enjoy the pen in good health and Happy Holidays to you as well!