My name is Joshua E. Danley and I am a hopeless Pelikan fountain pen addict.  My personality has always been a dichotomy between tech enthusiast and champion of many bygone traditions.  I think it’s fitting that the two come together in my love for fountain pens.  I received my first pen, a Waterman Expert, in 2009 when I graduated medical school (I’m a pulmonary & critical care physician by training).  A lack of knowledge and a lot of frustration with the nib/cartridges led me to only briefly use the pen before discarding it and moving on.  I didn’t come back to fountain pens until 2012 when a brochure serendipitously arrived in the mail.  On a lark, I ordered a yellow Pilot Vanishing Point and found The Fountain Pen Network online community.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

So why Pelikan?  When I started collecting fountain pens, I collected everything; Waterman, Sheaffer, Pilot, TWSBI, Parker, Esterbrook, etc.  I had all types of filling systems and nibs and it was a great education in the history and evolution of the industry.  At some point, I acquired a slightly used white Pelikan M205 and was instantly captivated by the piston filling system, clean design, and perfect balance in the hand.  I started seeking out other Pelikans and before I knew it, the flock began to multiply exponentially.  I was so taken with the brand that I started selling all of my prior acquisitions to fund my purchases and haven’t regretted it at all (though I have kept a very select few including the Vanishing Point that rekindled my journey).  Now I collect Pelikan pens exclusively.  To give my collecting a theme, I have focused on acquiring every variation of the M100 to M250 series, though the flock certainly isn’t limited to those lines.  In the pursuit of this collection, I have acquired a lot of knowledge and perspective and now wish to give back to the community, hence this blog.  Over time, I hope to share news, reviews, information, and perspectives on all things Pelikan and I welcome your interaction to help this site grow, thrive and serve as a resource for Pelikan lovers worldwide.  Welcome and enjoy!

For a more detailed background on my fountain pen journey, check out my post titled “Why Pelikan?”

For those who are interested in how I photograph my pens, all of the pen photography on this site is done with a Sony α99 II, Manfrotto 055 tripod, remote release, and either a Sony 50mm f2.8 Macro lens or a 100mm f2.8 Macro lens.  I use either a simple sweep made of heavy white paper with a white bounce reflector utilizing only available natural light or the Foldio 3 tabletop studio.  Post processing is accomplished in Photoshop and generally consist of some levels and color adjustments before rendering the final product that you see on this site.

Disclaimer:  I am an independent blogger who receives no monetary compensation for my efforts here.  The products reviewed are usually purchased by me for my own personal use.  Any products which might have been leant to me by Pelikan or some other third party for the purpose of review will be clearly identified as such.  None of my reviews are subject to any corporate censorship.  The photos on this site are my own unless otherwise stated.  The opinions expressed here are also my own.