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Pen Review Revisited: Pelikan M101N Grey-Blue Fountain Pen

December 7, 2019

I don’t revisit reviews of specific pens very often. There are so many new releases that it’s tempting to keep plowing forward and chasing the next hot thing, even though its often equally valuable to reconsider previous opinions and see whether additional experience and changing preferences lead me to different conclusions. I need to do the latter more often, and the Pelikan M101N is a case in point.

You may recall reading my review of the Pelikan M101N “Bright Red” from June 2017. At the time, the pen didn’t speak to me, and I passed on acquiring one despite the fact that it had a lot to offer: design inspired by vintage Pelikan pens from the 1930s, Pelikan’s famed workhorse piston filling system, a gorgeous (and practical) ink window, and a 14k gold nib. I thought that the size was what held me back, but after a lot of reflection, and having the opportunity to handle other editions of the Pelikan M101N, I think it was simply because the “Bright Red” version wasn’t to my taste.

The Pelikan M101N ships with a 60ml bottle of Pelikan Royal Blue ink, complete with vintage-style label. Pelikan Royal Blue is an excellent ink for everyday writing.

I can’t say the same, however, about this year’s Pelikan M101N “Grey-Blue.” As I’ve said before, the promotional photos of this pen don’t do it justice, and it’s one that you have to see in person before making a decision on it. Not to harp on the benefits of attending pen shows, but if I hadn’t had the chance to pick up this pen at a show, I never would have considered it. The stock pics make the grey-blue material look flat, almost like the generic acrylics found in kit pens, but in person it has the same vintage-style depth as other Pelikan materials. I much prefer the palladium trim to gold.

Pelikan Nibs and the Overall Writing Experience

For the most part, the Pelikan M101N offers an excellent writing experience. It’s an extremely lightweight pen for a piston filler, and after having the chance to use the pen for a more extended period of time, I’ve come to appreciate its size. Unposted, the M101N is still a bit short for anything other than quick notes, but the posted length works perfectly well for me. Fans of the Pelikan M400 Souveran should give this pen a try, though those that find the M400 too slim will probably feel the same way about the M101N.

The nib on the M101N features “Pelikan” engraved in vintage-style script, with no logo.

If there’s one thing that’s kept me from going all-in on Pelikan over the years, it’s the nibs. I don’t dislike Pelikan nibs, but I’ve always considered them a bit “blobbish,” for lack of a better term. When I say that, I mean that Pelikan nibs contain a lot of tipping material - especially the gold nibs - which not only makes them run wider than their stated nib designation but also creates a rounded line with little line variation unless you go with a stock italic or have the nib ground. (The upside to Pelikan using a lot of tipping material is that it gives nib grinders a lot to work with, making them easier to modify, or so I’ve been told.) In my experience, Pelikan nibs write very wet and can pour a lot of ink onto the page, which amplifies the effects of the tipping. I assume Pelikan does this to achieve maximum “smoothness,” which is what luxury penmakers seem to be going for these days, and to Pelikan’s credit, they manage to do this without their nibs being plagued by skipping and babies’ bottoms from overpolishing (unlike another high-end German pen company).

Still not exactly a true “extra fine” nib, but this one writes closer to its true designation out of the box than some Pelikan nibs in my collection.

I’ve generally had better luck with Pelikan stainless steel nibs, such as those on the M120 and the M20X series, and the 14k nib on the M101N, out of the box, feels closer to that writing experience than the nib on my larger Souveran pens, such as the M400, M600, and M800, most of which I’ve had modified. I still wish that the nib on this M101N wrote a finer line for an EF, but it’s still usable for my Jibun Techo planner when paired with an appropriate ink (here, the Pelikan Royal Blue included with the M101N, complete with historical bottle).

After much consideration, the M101N posted isn’t too long. It’s actually a good length for me.

Unposted, however, the Pelikan M101N is too short for anything other than the quickest of notes.

The Pelikan sizing scale, from left: M101N, M120 Iconic Blue, M400, M600, and M800. I don’t yet have a m1000. (But maybe soon?)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Pelikan M101N Grey-Blue will stay in my collection for the foreseeable future. It’s compact size when capped and light weight make it an excellent choice for a shirt pocket pen, and this one has seen a lot of use at the office over the past month.

Currently, site sponsor Appelboom has a couple Grey-Blue pens in stock in the extra fine and fine nib sizes. I purchased the pen pictured here from sponsor Pen Chalet during their Fountain Pen Day clearance sale, but their prices were so good that the pen sold out quickly. Barring a clearance sale, you can find the Pelikan M101N in Grey-Blue for between $480-550, though some retailers have offered flash sales with the pen priced below the $400 mark (which is crazy and absolutely makes the pen worth it). The M101N is an expensive pen, but sits towards the lower-end of Pelikan’s special and limited edition pricing scale for gold-nib pens.

If you think the M101N Grey-Blue might interest you, I wouldn’t wait to pick one up, as the pen is already getting harder to find. Since Pelikan releases the M101N only in special edition colors, there is no “standard” version available for purchase at any given time. Pelikan typically announces the annual M101N release during the first part of the year, and stock usually lingers through Christmas, with some editions remaining available for purchase for a year or so afterward. It doesn’t look like that will be the case with the Grey-Blue, however.

Disclaimer: I purchased this pen from site sponsor Pen Chalet using affiliate credit generated through the Pen Chalet affiliate program, which is one way I support the blog and acquire products for review. This post contains affiliate links.

In Pens Tags Pelikan M101N, Pelikan, Fountain Pen, Pen Review
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Pen Review: Pelikan M101N Bright Red

June 24, 2017

Pelikan's annual release of its vintage-inspired special edition M101N fountain pen has become a bit of an event, with collectors anxiously awaiting each announcement. Pens in the series have included the M101N Tortoiseshell Red, the M101N Tortoiseshell Brown, and the M101N Lizard. All recreate the look and feel of vintage Pelikan pens from the 1930s. Many thanks to Appelboom for loaning me this year's model, the M101N Bright Red. 

The Bright Red acrylic does a fairly nice job of mimicking the appearance of vintage celluloid.

Appearance and First Impressions

The Pelikan M101N is larger than I originally anticipated. For some reason, I expected this to be a smaller, almost "pocket-sized" fountain pen. That's not the case - it's a decent sized pen at 4.5" unposted and 6.2" posted. Pelikan packages each pen with its customary white "penvelope," and includes a special bottle of Pelikan 4001 blue "Konigsblau" ink with a vintage-inspired label. It's very attractive packaging, and certainly complements the pen. 

A nice bonus - this Pelikan 4001 vintage-style "Konigsblau" ink bottle.

To me, two things make the M101N's design distinctive: the cap and the ink window. The cap features an elongated "cap head," with the clip set lower on the cap than you would ordinarily see. It's an interesting look - again, vintage-inspired - but it's not really my thing. The pen also sports 24kt gold trim, and I do appreciate the double cap band. The yellow ink window offers nice visibility, and on this particular pen it provides some variety to what would otherwise be a solid red pen.  

A close up of the nib, ink window, and "Bright Red" acrylic

You all know that I'm a sucker for red pens, and Pelikan did a nice job with the marbled acrylic. You can tell that they tried to mimic the look of vintage celluloid, and pull it off fairly well (at least to the casual observer). The acrylic doesn't have the camphor smell or warmth of real celluloid, but it's still visually attractive. Both the piston knob and the "cap head" (Pelikan's term) are made from synthetic resin, which supposedly "polishes itself as it is used - meaning that Bright Red continues to shine." Huh. I've never heard that one before, but the material is shiny. Take it for what it's worth. 

Writing Experience

Like nearly all Pelikan pens, the M101N is a piston-filler. And like nearly every Pelikan pen that I've written with, the piston mechanism worked smoothly without a hitch and held a fair amount of ink. The 14kt gold fine nib was moderately wet and wrote what I would characterize as a traditional medium line. Again, this is something I notice with every Pelikan pen out there, and generally recommend that readers purchase one Pelikan nib size down from the size they actually want, if they haven't had the opportunity to try the pen themselves at a pen show. To get a truly extra-fine nib, you'll likely need to have the nib ground.

Vintage-inspired engraving on the Pelikan M101N Bright Red

The M101N is a very light pen, and would serve nicely as an everyday writing instrument. Posted or unposted, it was comfortable to use, though I found the length a bit too "in-between" for me. The pen was slightly too short unposted, and slightly too long posted. Keep in mind that this reflects my personal preferences more than anything else, but I'd say that this is a pen you'd want to "try before you buy," especially at the price point.  

View fullsize Pelikan M101N Capped
View fullsize Pelikan M101N Unposted
View fullsize Pelikan M101N Writing Sample (Fine Nib)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Pelikan M101N is a solid pen, and provides an outlet for those people who appreciate the style of early vintage Pelikan, but may prefer to stick to modern writing instruments as their daily users. Though I'm one of those people, this particular model doesn't really speak to me aesthetically, and if I was to purchase an M101N my personal tastes gravitate more towards the Brown or Red Tortoiseshell models than the Bright Red. If you like the look of this pen, however, it's a Pelikan, and Pelikan's are great writers that should provide you with years of reliable service. 

You can purchase the Pelikan M101N from Appelboom for around $450 (excluding VAT). The M101N pens sit at a high price point, but they are special editions made in smaller production runs, and in any event the pricing is fairly consistent with Pelikan's other high-end piston fillers with a gold nib. While it's a special edition that won't be around forever, as a practical matter these M101N pens tend to remain in stock for at least a couple years.

Disclaimer: Appelboom loaned me this pen for review purposes, free of charge. Many thanks!

 

In Pens Tags Pelikan, Pelikan M101N, Special Edition, Limited Edition
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