Now we’re talking! That’s the first thing that leapt into my mind when news broke last evening of the next release due out from Pelikan. You might recall a story featured on this blog in August 2021 that detailed Pelikan floating the notion of a series of pens whose designs were derived from one of the company’s many historic posters. That back catalog is deep and, in addition to being vehicles for advertising, many of Pelikan’s historic posters were works of art, created by some of the early twentieth century’s notable artistic talent. Three different prototypes were previewed in 2021 and a survey asked respondents to vote for their favorite. Aside from a few unsubstantiated rumors, little has surfaced since, leading many to believe that the concept had withered and died on the vine. With Pelikan having a lot on its plate already, there was little optimism that we’d see the concept brought to life anytime soon, until yesterday that is. The company surprised us with the rather unexpected news of the new Souverän M600 Art Collection – Glauco Cambon Special Edition. Not only is this a concept and design that’s a bit unique amongst Pelikan’s pantheon of pens, the actual construction of this M600 takes a twist all its own. As if that weren’t enough already, this is just the first in a projected series of special edition fountain pens that Pelikan has planned. Hannover must be listening because this is just the direction that they’ve needed to go in order to breathe some life back into the brand. Read on to learn all of the exciting details about this upcoming release.
Continue readingTag Archives: New Release
Assorted Goings On In Hannover
On occasion, tidbits of information will trickle out of Germany, each one not really worthy of a dedicated post of its own, but the aggregate sometimes makes for interesting reading. Obviously, we are all still processing the news regarding Pelikan International Corporation Berhad’s sale of their core stationery business and are anxiously waiting to see what the new French caretakers of the brand will do with our beloved fine writing instruments. Personally, I feel like we are engrossed in some kind of action movie, apprehensive about what kind of fate might befall our beloved hero. We will simply have to be patient and wait to see what happens, but I would caution everyone to try and maintain a neutral stance until more information comes to light. To that end, I will tell you that I have reached out to the Hamelin Group for comment on the situation. While I don’t expect much in return, I will continue to pursue any leads that I find and report back to you. Since there is not much more to report on that front at the moment, here are a few tidbits to tide you over in the meantime.
Continue readingNews: M1000 Raden Red Infinity
There is something extra special about getting wind of not just one but two new fountain pens back-to-back. Late last night, I wrote about the M200 Pastel-Blue fountain pen due out in mid-June. Nibs.com was the first to bring news of the next Raden model to hit the streets as well, the M1000 Raden Red Infinity. The M1000 model line has had some heavy hitters in the Raden category over the last 10-15 years. These have included the Moonlight (2011), Sunlight (2013), Starlight (2014), Sunrise (2016), Green Ray (2020), and White Ray (2021). For these ultra-exclusive models, artists employ traditional Japanese techniques to embellish the cap and barrel of a standard M1000 with small pieces of shimmering abalone shell. Every piece is crafted by hand which accounts for the relatively few models made and their correspondingly high price tag. Each pen is signed by the artist and hand numbered using the Maki-e technique. Similar to recent past releases, this will once again be a limited edition run of just 400 pieces available worldwide. Pelikan’s product literature states that “The design pattern has no beginning and no end and stands for continuity which is a lucky design that implies long family happiness, prosperity, development, and professional success.” Availability is anticipated for some time in June 2023. Read on to learn all that we know of this new Raden model.
Continue readingNews: M200 Pastel-Blue Special Edition
I know that many of you have been anxiously waiting for the day to come when Pelikan announces the release of an M200 Rose Quartz Special Edition but I’m here to tell you that today is not that day. Looking back on historic trends, that announcement doesn’t usually come until August, and it has even been as late as October so you will have to be patient a while longer. That doesn’t mean you have to go away empty handed. Pelikan took to their social media channels today in order to announce the newest pen off the factory floor, the M200 Pastel-Blue Special Edition. If this newest addition to the Classic line is giving you that old familiar feeling, that might be because it bears a striking resemblance to the M200 Pastel-Green (2020) from three years ago as well as the M200 Gold-Marbled (2019). Sparingly used in the past on only a handful of models, Pelikan has really embraced white resin over the last decade. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least ten different models that have used that material in recent years, more than all of the prior decades combined. This new M200 is slated for a mid-June launch and retailers should be taking pre-orders anytime now. Read on to find out what you can expect from Pelikan’s newest fountain pen.
Continue readingNews: M800 Special Edition Green Demonstrator
One of the first special edition fountain pens from Pelikan in modern times was the M800 Transparent Green Collector’s Edition which came out in 1992. Clamor from customers in the United States resulted in the production of that pen, an unnumbered model, which was well received. It preceded their first ever limited edition, the M800 Blue Ocean, by just one year. In that run of 5000 pens, each piece was individually numbered. We were off to the races after that with Pelikan releasing a number of Special and Limited editions annually. That Transparent Green M800 has always been a looker. It was known to have been a favorite of Gerd-Rüdiger Lang, founder of Chronoswiss, so much so that it served as the inspiration behind 2002’s Styloscope. Fast forward to the present day and Pelikan brings us back to where it all started. News broke yesterday of the Souverän M800 Special Edition Green Demonstrator. Due out sometime in mid to late April, this model will hit shelves just in time for the spring foliage. Rather than a straight rehash of an old favorite, this new model actually features a re-design of Pelikan’s iconic trim, something that’s sure to generate a buzz. Read on to learn about all of the details surrounding this new M800.
Continue readingNews: M1000 Maki-e Phoenix Limited Edition
Today brought news of another new release out of Hannover, this one quickly following on the heels of the upcoming Souverän M800 40 Years Anniversary limited edition due out next month. If you will recall, Pelikan kicked off the 2022 season with their M1000 Maki-e Snow, Moon, and Flowers limited edition. Pelikan’s next release will again be another high end Maki-e model, this one titled Phoenix. The last time we got two Maki-e releases in a single year was 2019 when both the Five Lucky Bats and Japanese Umbrella debuted. These are always ultra-exclusive models made in very limited quantities with a price tag to match. Pelikan’s promotional literature states;
“The Phoenix is surrounded by numerous meaningful legends. Phoenix is a legendary spiritual bird in Chinese mythology, appearing in myths, ornaments, works of art, and architecture in East Asia. It is often depicted as a symbol of virtue, wisdom, beauty, and goodness. Phoenix also has the meaning of harmony, peace, femininity, beauty, prosperity, expansion, ascent and success. According to Chinese legends, phoenix represents the entire universe. The phoenix‘s head represents the sky, the eyes are the sun, the back is the moon, the legs are the earth, and the tail is a planet.”
The Maki-e Phoenix utilizes the oversized M1000 chassis, made in Germany, and decorated in Japan. This model is slated to arrive sometime in November 2022.  As is the tradition with many of these ultra-limited pens, this will be an edition of just 123 pieces available for worldwide distribution.
Continue readingNews: Pelikan Souverän M800 40 Years Anniversary LE
Pelikan’s original model 400 was manufactured throughout most of the 1950s as well as the first half of the 1960s. The model would experience two major revisions over its production run, but it ultimately proved to be a great success for the brand. Times change and the company moved away from that iconic design for a number of years, with the Merz & Krell 400NN of the 1970s being a notable exception. That classic style which was so popular in its day saw a revival in 1982 when Pelikan launched the first Souverän fountain pen, the model M400. The black/green color combination featuring the “Stresemann” striped pattern was again alive and well and little changed from that 1950s model upon which it was based. Like its predecessor, the M400 was well received, a win that the company desperately needed at the time. The early 1980s marked a turbulent period in the company’s history, one rife with financial trouble and the M400 played its part to help turn Pelikan’s fortunes around. Forty years later and the Souverän series of pens remains a mainstay in the brand’s portfolio, its design is as iconic now as it ever was. In honor of that that forty-year anniversary, Pelikan is releasing a new limited edition fountain pen, the Souverän M800 40 Years Anniversary limited edition. The design of this new pen is meant to commemorate those features of the Souverän that have made their mark over the years. Read on to learn all about this newest limited edition fountain pen out of Hannover.
Continue readingNews: M205 Apatite Special Edition Demonstrator
Pelikan has been releasing special edition demonstrators to match their annual Edelstein Ink of the Year since 2015. These pens have invariably belonged to Pelikan’s lower tier Classic line which includes the M200 with its gold plated trim and the M205 with its silver colored chromium accents. Since their inception, these gemstone inspired models have been a popular and highly anticipated mainstay of the company’s annual line-up. Pelikan ended any speculation about what an Apatite inspired fountain pen might look like today with news of the upcoming Classic M205 Apatite. This is the eighth pen designed to match Pelikan’s Edelstein line of limited edition inks. The M205 Apatite joins a distinguished group which includes the M200 Golden Beryl (2021), M205 Moonstone (2020), M205 Star Ruby (2019), M205 Olivine (2018), M200 Smoky Quartz (2017), M205 Aquamarine (2016), and the M205 Amethyst (2015). Some of these models are now quite hard to come by thanks to their curb appeal and popularity. The Star Ruby (2019), Moonstone (2020), and Golden Beryl (2021) took the concept a step further and included a shimmer effect embedded within the barrel and cap, a feature which does not appear to have been included on the M205 Apatite demonstrator. Pre-orders should be going live in this week with the official release slated for some time in November 2022. Read on to learn all that we know of this new model thus far.
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