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Pelikan 100 (ca.1942) - the eighth generation
Green indicates the changes from Pelikan 100 (ca.1940).
Cap top; material: cellulose acetate, shape: conical, flat cap top edge, logo: new two chicks logo on the top and “Pelikan GÜNTER WAGNER” on the lateral side.
Cap tube; material: cellulose acetate, shape: 2 cap holes (one hole facing each other)⁽¹⁾, two incised rings (roulette)⁽²⁾, grooved at the level of vent holes around the inner wall.
Clip; shape: nickel-plated drop clip.
Nib⁽³⁾; material: (non-plated) chromium/nickel (CN) - steel, shape: round vent hole, logo: (“CN” is circled)
Pelikan
CN
Feed; material: ebonite, shape: slanted tail, three lamellae.
Nib socket; material: ebonite, shape: short (12 mm).
Grip section and barrel; material: one piece injection molded transparent acrylic resin, shape; flat top edge, tapered.
Sleeve; material: cellulose acetate.
Filling system; material: injection molded cellulose acetate with black elastomer seal (modified type)⁽⁴⁾, green transparent acrylic resin piston rod⁽⁵⁾, shape: smooth turning knob.
Dimensions;
As of June 26, 1942, only standard (black/black, black/green) 100 were allowed to be produced for the domestic market (Pelikan Schreibgeräte)⁽⁶⁾.
On August 13, 1942, Günter Wagner announced that only the model 100 without metal cap rings were to be produced for the domestic market⁽³⁾ (this was the eighth and last generation of the model 100, and often called "wartime model" by the Pelikan fans). At that time, brass used for cap tube rings was a strategic material. Let alone the nib, the gold was removed from the surface of all the metals. CN nib was no longer plated, and the nickel-plated drop clip was also introduced around this period. Montblanc also made wartime fountain pens without metal cap rings in this period, (Montblanc No. 134).
On March 19, 1943, Deutscher Reichsanzeiger announced that all production of fountain pens and their spare parts would be illegal as of May 1, 1943. At the same time, however, the company received the special instruction from the government that the company should shift their production quota from domestic to foreign destinations⁽⁷⁾. So, it seems that Günther Wagner drastically reduced or stopped the production of the model 100 for the domestic market (Pelikan Schreibgeräte, FountainPen.it).
Note;⁽¹⁾The presence of vent holes is not consistent (GoPens).
⁽²⁾Some pens have no roulette, just like the cap tube of the first generation.
⁽³⁾The CN nibs aside, there seem to exist low quality iridium tips (万年筆おやじの備忘録)(Fig.1-1). My guess is that the restricted use of raw materials made the quality control of osmi-iridium difficult.
⁽⁴⁾Please see Pelikan 100 (ca.1942).
⁽⁵⁾Green transparent acrylic resin piston rod is sometimes seen in the model 100, but, acrylic resin was no longer used in the filling system of the Pelikan fountain pens, as far as I know.
⁽⁶⁾Presumably, the standard model 100, the standard model 100N, and the economy model Rappen were allowed to produce for the export market.
⁽⁷⁾Because the raw materials needed for military production—such as iron ore, oil, and rubber—had to be imported from abroad, the Nazis imposed strict controls on their limited foreign currency reserves. To secure foreign currency and avoid a trade deficit, exports were promoted in a manner that bordered on compulsion. While export companies were given priority access to raw materials, they were also required to generate foreign currency through exports. The Nazi government and Switzerland maintained particularly close ties, especially with regard to trade (SWI swissinfo.ch).
Pelikan 100 (ca.1942)
My collecion.
Pelikan 100 (Wartime model)
By courtesy of Christof Zollinger.

Pelikan 100 (ca.1942) - the seventh generation
Green indicates the changes from Pelikan 100 (ca.1940).
Under the circumstance as stated above, Günter Wagner did their utmost—or was forced to do so—to produce the model 100 for the export market with limited resources and manpower. The government needed to earn foreign currency for the war effort.
My pen has the same specifications as the 7th generation, with the main difference only the nib being 14 carat gold, which indicates that it was intended for the export market. Aside from the piston seal, this is a very decent fountain pen that used new materials and the latest technology⁽¹⁾. As can be seen from the advertisement below, Günter Wagner was running ads outside Germany—e.g. in occupied France—at least until 1944. Günter Wagner was likely producing fountain pens like this for export until the latter stages of World War II. Probably only a very small number of people could afford to buy a fountain pen with a gold nib like this, but considering that the German people could barely afford to buy the wartime model 100 mentioned above, this is highly ironic.
It is known that as of March 31, 1944, the production of the model 100 was only legal for the export markets (Pelikan Schreibgeräte). But, after that, the model 100 was no longer mentioned in the official price list (Pelikan-collectibles). Many sources assume that at that time point, the company at last ceased the production of the model 100 (for the export market) in Germany (FountainPen.it), and that the model 100 was discontinued (Pelikan-collectibles).
However, judging from the large number of pens with injection molded acrylic resin in proportion to their production period, the company presumably continued to produce spare parts until after World War II (Pelikan Schreibgeräte).
Note;⁽¹⁾Perhaps for that reason, even though they date from the war years, this generation of the model 100s is the most commonly found on the secondhand market such as eBay.
Pelikan 100 (ca.1942) for the export market?
My collection.
The advertisement of Pelikan 100 and Auch-Pelikan set (1944)
It appeared in the L'Illustration in 1944. L'Illustration was France's first weekly illustrated newspaper, published in Paris from March 4, 1843, to August 19, 1944.

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