All Pens and Ephemera

Pelikan first developed the Pelikan Graphos system for technical drawing in the 1930s. This appears to be one of those sets from before the war, although we aren't certain. In theory this pen fills with ink, but we aren't sure how or if this one does. It is a large boxed set with what appear to be 4 nibs that are missing. There are 3 widgets of some sort to the right of the pen in the box, and one of them is potentially missing...unless it is installed in the pen and we are too ignorant to know. Click the headline for a better look, and for a look at the top of the slightly beat up original case/box.

Quite possibly the best daily driver fountain pens out of Japan, the Sailor 1911 is a must have for most all fountain pen enthusiasts. Also extremely popular are the demonstrator model. This green Sailor 1911 demonstrator looks about as close to new as a pre-owned pen can look. Best of all, it comes with its original boxes and a leather carrying pouch! Click the headline to see the close-up of the nib. It is marked H-M. This means it is a "hard" (firm) medium writer. It is a Japanese medium, which means it is closer to a European or American fine. We also find it to be a dry writer that sounds and feels a little scratchy as it writes. 13.5cm capped.

Brilliantly turning the bow of a violin into the pocket clip of this limited edition Montblanc Johann Strauss rollerball pen, the world's most famous pen maker "scores" another great hit. New Old Stock, this luxury pen pays tribute to the great composer. Not only do you get a booklet about him, you also get a little hand-crank music box playing his "Blue Danube" waltz. Clearly, the set comes with its original box. Guaranteed authentic.

Sleek black gleams against the silvery trim of this Dunhill Cubist ballpoint pen. It has a great faceted design for an easy grip and unique look. Complete with its original box and papers! It comes with a working refill that writes a nice black line. 13.8cm.

In our own personal collection we have a Pelikan P40 Pura that is probably the most reliable daily driver that we have. We can't imagine this one would be any different. Complete with its original box and travel pouch (not photographed) this is a luxurious workaday pen. This one is gently used with only light wear. It fills with standard international cartridges. You will write a smooth fine line that might be a shade on the dry side depending upon the ink you use. 14cm capped.

Pelikan shocked its die-hard customers by eliminating the red-striped design from its line about 10 years ago. Bold, without being gaudy, these pens became a little harder to find, though the company has recently reintroduced the color. This mid-sized R600 model looks about as close to new as you can get. We include a new working refill. The logo sports a golden mama pelican with two chicks on a black background. It comes with its original box. 13.2cm capped.

In the 1990s, Pelikan started having a ton of fun with its standard issue Souverän pen designs. This Pelikan Souverän R730 is an especially nice rollerball pen with a sterling silver cap and tail cap. The tail cap is perfect and there is only one shallow dent in the side of the cap you can see in the photo. Click the headline for close-ups. In real life, you will easily find the dent if you are looking for it, but you will easily miss it, if you aren't looking for it. The rest of the pen comes with minimal light wear from use. You also get a working blue refill with the pen. 12.5cm capped.

Did you know that Parker Sonnets come in a miniature version? We didn't until this Parker Sonnet Mono Refresh arrived on our doorstep. It is an adorable little pen whose design pattern is called "chisled carbon." Click the headline for a close-up. Twist the nose cone to advance or retract the ballpoint. These actually don't take Parker-style refills. It takes a stick refill! This one comes with a working black refill, and the pen appears to be in excellent condition with minimal wear. 10cm.