1930s Reco Gold 512 in black chased celluloid. This pen was produced by one of the niche German producers Rik Lei. Their quality was always the highest and this pen reflects that throughout. It is a twist filler with a somewhat darkened ink window and the nib is a Reco 14K OB or OBB with the right hint of flex. There is no brassing, though the barrel chasing shows a touch of wear. You'll go a loooong time before seeing another. Now just $225!
June News
Ahhh, summer. Lengthening days and rising temperatures tempt one to lazy days spent at beach and backyard, a good (or even bad) book in hand.
Here at PENguin Central we have other plans in mind. A massive backlog of pens sits arrayed around me and our goal for June is to get everything, probably more than four dozen pens up on the site for your summertime pleasure. But note that we have a fine selection of Pelikan 100s in green and black, 400sand 400NNs in green and tortoise and we still have both black and green M800s as well as a few of the new tortoise M800s at impossibly low prices.
We also have the following still available:
Parker 51 in yellowstone (mustard), a very nice user grade pen with a late first year cap at a very good price.
A Waterman 0512 hand engraved in superb original condition near mint in the box.
A handful of Italian pens-a gray marbled Ancora, a brown arco
oversize Ancora and a brown striped Montegrappa.
A Ralph Prather replica 51 in titanium and sterling silver
Conklin Oversize Endura Long Cap in red hard rubber
Parker 51 set with 14 K smooth gold caps
Pelikan 140 in black with reverse trim
Pelikan 400 in the really uncommon green on green
Pelikan 500 in seagreen
Pelikan 400N in green
In other news, let me point those of you who have not yet discovered it to Laura Solon’s series, A Pen of One’s Own which can be found on the top navigation bar of the home page.
We’ll keep it short this month, I know you have barbecues to tend, trips to plan and, hopefully, a few pens to add.
Enjoy.
They’re Here!
We now have in stock and ready to ship just four remaining tortoise Pelikan M800s and one matching ballpoint. To meet the competition, we will hold the line on pricing, $600.00 for the pen and $325 for the ballpen, which can be converted to a pencil. A wide variety of nibs available on the pens. These are bound to become classics and to appreciate in value so if you want one get it now.
In 1987, having
gone to the brink of extinction and being
saved by Swiss bankers and Asian investors,
Pelikan built its first oversized pen, based
on the early postwar design of the famed
Pelikan 400. The M800, as the new pen was
designated, was intended to compete with
the larger pens of its long-time rival, Montblanc.
The new pen was a departure and, presumably,
a necessary risk, for the company. The gamble
paid off and over the next few years the
Pelikan M800 emerged as arguably the finest
pen of its era.
New
Products!!
We
are most pleased to announce a new
collaboration with renowned pen and
knifemaker and good friend David
Broadwell to bring you a new line
of custom pens. These are built upon
Pelikan chassis (M/K/D 250-1000)
in custom metals, including, but
not limited to mokume gane and damascus
steels.
For
those of you who want to wear your
allegiance to Pelikan front and center,
we are pleased to offer these belt
buckles. They are cast in bronze
by a leading pen collector who is
also a jewellry maker. They are just
under two inches in diameter and
have a bracket that allows you to
put them on any 1 ¼” belt. We can
also offer them in sterling silver.
The brass buckles are $175.00 plus
shipping and we can supply them with
a belt for $205.00.
This
year marks twenty-seven years of
pen collecting for me. I began with
Sheaffers and Parkers and then looked
to the classical "big four," of
American pendom, Parker, Sheaffer,
Watermans and Eversharp. In the mid-1990s,
I decided to focus narrowly on Parkers.
Then in 1997, I became interested
in Pelikans. More recently I have
added an interest in oversize German
pens, modern and a few vintage Italian
pens and a representative sample
of the classical American greats.
Today my collection is probably
smaller than it was a decade ago,
but far more coherent. For more see
the About Me page.
If you wish to learn more about Pelikan
pens please follow this link
to the illustrated Pelikan History article
I wrote for PenTrace. The purpose
of PENguin is to offer other collectors,
and anyone else who is interested,
first rate, fully restored pens to
add to your collection or for daily
use. All pens offered here have been
fully restored by me or by German
craftsmen who I trust and are guaranteed
to you for two years. (Please note
that this guarantee is not transferrable.)
I want you to be able to use or enjoy
your pens as much as I do.
A
few images from our recent stay in England
and travels through Germany in early 2009.
