Since 1993, Pelikan has released limited edition fountain pens for specific target groups based on the successful M800 and M900 Toledo, but in 1997, under the title "Originals of their Time", the company began introducing a new concept of limited edition fountain pens. This was intended to bring vintage fountain pens back to life in the modern age, so that more collectors would be exposed to the masterpieces of the past (Pelikan Schreibgeräte).

The first of "Originals of their Time" was a re-edition of the model 111. The model was introduced as Pelikan Gold in 1930 and renamed the model 111 in 1931. It was, so to speak, an upscale version of the model 100. Thus, the limited edition fountain pen is therefore called “1931 Gold"⁽¹⁾. At the time, it was not possible to determine how many the model 111 pens were produced retroactively, so the limited edition was 5,000 pens (Pelikan Schreibgeräte).
 
It is known that the 1931 Gold was made based on the drawings of the time (EuroBox). A comparison of the “1931 Gold” and the original (the model 111) is described in detail in Pelikan's Perch. The main differences are that the nib, cap band, and sleeve of the "1931 Gold" are made of 18 carat gold⁽²⁾ (the originals are all 14 carat gold)⁽³⁾. The material or shape of the feed, collar, section, barrel, seal, and filling system are slightly different. Especially, the cap top and cap tube are made of celluloid. In the original 111, the cap unit was made of ebonite until 1938. It is unclear why Pelikan did not make the cap out of ebonite. The engravings on the cap top and nib are also slightly different from the original (Fig.2-2, 3-1). On the other hand, the milled turning knob, piston guide and section are made of ebonite, and the barrel is made of celluloid, identical to the originals. The old four chick logo on the cap top (Fig.2-1) and the arrow on the turning knob (Fig.6) are also reproduced exactly. As a result, the appearance is exactly the same as the original at a glance (Fig.1-3)⁽³⁾.

The original 111 had three patterns (diamond, barley, and wave) on the sleeve (Pelikan-collectibles, Pelikan-guide), but the 1931 gold used only barley pattern (Fig.5) .

The shape of the nib is somewhat similar to the nib of the original 100 series, but the actual writing feel when filled with ink is quite different from that of the original, being stiffer (or less flexible) (of course, individual impressions may vary). The feed and collar appear to be the same as the M200 and M400. In fact, it is compatible with the M200 and M400 nib units. The original cap had vent holes to prevent ink dripping due to negative pressure in the cap, but in the 1931 Gold, the vent hole was omitted, perhaps due to the improved ink holding capacity of the feed⁽⁴⁾.

As stated in Pelikan's Perch, the joint between the section and barrel has been moved behind the cap threads. The original had an ebonite section joined to a celluloid barrel, with the cap threads engraved on the celluloid side; on the 1931 Gold, the cap threads are engraved on the ebonite side, not the celluloid (Fig.4). This is probably to improve the durability of the threads. I have seen cracks and chips on the celluloid threads of the 100 series several times. This is probably due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between celluloid and ebonite and the stress caused by opening and closing the cap. Pelikan may have decided that ebonite was more resistant to these stresses.

The 1931 gold uses a synthetic polymer seal in place of the cork. This was probably to facilitate the installation of the seals and to improve the durability of the seals.

Thus, the 1931 Gold is a fountain pen that attempts to faithfully reproduce the original while incorporating modern technology throughout⁽⁵⁾. Of course, this fountain pen can stand up to daily use (although the price is not practical), but care should be taken when posting the cap. The cap is made of celluloid and the cap lip is not guarded, so there is a risk of cracks in the cap lip if you try to force the cap on.

When this fountain pen was first released, I saw several online posts expressing disappointment that the nib unit was different from the original. Perhaps Pelikan could have made an exact replica, with a collar and feed made of ebonite, a cork seal, and a nib identical to the original. However, this would have been too costly, and Pelikan probably did not do so for fear of a flood of troubles and complaints from users who were not accustomed to old-style fountain pens.

Coincidentally, 1997 was the year that the M600 became one size larger and the M1000, the largest fountain pen in the Souverän series, was launched. For users accustomed to the size of the M800 and unfamiliar with the 100 of yesteryear, a fountain pen like the 1931 Gold, which looks slim and compact but has a solid length (between the new style M600 and M800) when the cap is posted (Fig.1-4, 1-5)⁽⁶⁾, must have seemed rather novel.

Note;⁽¹⁾According to the catalog, the name of this pen is "Originals of their Time 1931", and although it does not have "Gold", it is customarily referred to as "1931 Gold" for the sake of convenience to distinguish it from other 1931 series.
⁽²⁾There is an anecdote that when the 1931 Gold was released, the Japanese distributor thought it was "gold-filled" instead of "solid gold" and made a mistake in setting the retail price (Pen Cluster).
⁽³⁾The change from 14 carat gold to 18 carat gold was probably an upgrade for the limited edition, but if Pelikan had made the same limited edition today with the rising price of gold, they might have stayed with 14 carat gold to "stay faithful to the original".
⁽⁴⁾However, there were some pens reported where the outer diameter of the section end was too large for the inner diameter of the cap, and in that case, the cap was too snug, and ink leaked when the cap was removed (万年筆評価の部屋). These problems of manufacturing precision and materials became more pronounced in the following 1935 Jade.
⁽⁵⁾Let there be no misunderstanding, the 100 series, including the original 111, were fountain pens of such a high degree of engineering that they can still be used today if well maintained and handled with care.
⁽⁶⁾In Japan, the 1960s and 1970s were the heyday of fountain pens such as the Pilot Elite, which were compact and slim, but could be extended to a comfortable writing length when the cap was posted.