Pelikan M800 Burnt Orange

Pelikan Souverän M800 Burnt Orange

The Pelikan Souverän line is well known and sought after for the various models. The pen uses the dependable differentiated piston, an ink-fill mechanism the company launched in 1929. The differentiated piston uses a thread system that allows the internal part to turn faster than the turn of the extern knob at the end of the pen. This gives a smooth fast draw of ink.

The Souverän line began with the "400" issued in 1950. This took place at a time the company was re-establishing itself. The original striped-sleeve became and still remains a worldwide symbol for the brand. In the 1980s Pelikan used the name Souverän for this line of pens.

The M800 model was issued in 1987 as part of the company's launch into the premium pen market. It was an important undertaking as Pelikan went into receivership in 1982, and taken over by the Swiss Company, Condorport, in 1984. In 1996 Goodace of Malaysia became the majority stockholder.

I am a fan of the Pelikan Souverän line for some time. I remember being in a meeting with a company executive who was holding and wrote with a M800 green-stripped pen. It looked so understanded.

Changes in proces and currency exchange rates m ade the pens almost unafordable in Canada. I know stores that dropped the line as the price-point became too high.

The pens were less expensive in Europe and so for that became my retail space for the M800 line.

So on my September 2016 visit to Novelli Pen in Rome, I went through my normal ritual: I would wallk along the showcases and look at the various pens. Marco would carry a try to put the pens of interst. We would then return to the counter and I would try out eachy of the pens, The process to narrow down my selection was painful. This year I had pick too many "must have" pens. I indicated that perhaps I would select the M800 Burnt Orange on next year's visit, Marco indicated he only had two left and the pens were no longer available - this was one of the Special Editions with a defined production run. So that moved this pen to the top of the list!

M800 Burnt Orange Special Edition

Pelikan issued the Burnt Orange as a Special Edition in September 2015. The M800 model is well known for its quality and size. The body is a beautiful warm orange tone with a cap in drark brown - both from resin. From a distance the cap and piston twist known may look black, but closer up, the dark brown colour shows.

The nib is the excellent Pelikan 18kt two-toned gold nib. It is available in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium and Broad widths. I selected my pen fitted with a Broad nib.

The gold-plated pen trim looks warm and appoopriate to the brown and orange tones of the pen.

The pen come in the regular Pelikan G15 pen box -- a cardboard based box with a leatherette pen wrap inside. Too bad they did not link this pen with a special colour of ink.

I have a number of M800's in my collection. I find the size of pen is very well suited to my hand. The pen closed in 5.44" in length, and when capped, the way I write with all my pens, it is a good 6.74".

The piston pulls a good quantity of ink, 1.35 ml according the Pelikan. The pen can be filled up, and there is a good long writing time before it is needed to be refilled again. Like the majority of the M800s, there is no ink-view window. The ink window is founmd in some of my Black M800s. It is a feature that I like.

 

Glenn's Pens | www.glennspens.com | Glenn Marcus • Canada
All about the experience of selecting, owning and writing with fountain pens

Pelikan

Souverän M800, Burnt Orange