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Pelikan 100N (ca.1938) - the second generation
Green indicates the points that differ from Pelikan 100N (ca.1938).
Stating from 1938, Günter Wagner gradually replaced ebonite with celluloid (or cellulose acetate). The company moved toward newer material(s), first for cap tube, then for cap top (Fig.4), and finally for filler mechanism(Pelikan History). By 1939, ebonite was gone from Pelikan pens, except for foreign production (e.g. Milan)⁽¹⁾. This fountain pen appears to date from the early stages of the transition from ebonite to celluloid (or cellulose acetate), with celluloid used only for the cap tube.
Another feature of this pen is that the nib is made of 18 carat gold, which was destined to the French market. The nib is engraved with
Pelikan
18
KARAT
GERMANY
The hallmark is also engraved below that.
There is no sign of the “millesimal fineness” marking that would typically be found on nibs from this period, indicating that this is a special nib manufactured in Germany at the time. Furthermore, the cap tube is engraved with the standard “Pelikan” engraving rather than the “Pelican” engraving commonly found on fountain pens with 18 carat gold nibs. Could this be because the pen was manufactured in Germany?
Note;⁽¹⁾Pelikan Hannover relocated its ebonite machinery to Pelikan Milan, Italy around 940 (Pelikan Schreibgeräte).
Pelikan 100N (ca.1939) - the second generation
Green indicates the points that differ from the Pelikan 100N (ca.1938) as shown above.
Compared to the 100N model above, the transition to the new material is nearly complete. The cap is now made entirely of celluloid. The filling mechanism is also made of celluloid. The section, however, is not made of celluloid; it appears to be made of cellulose acetate, which offers more durability than celluloid. Instead of a notch, there is a ridge inside of the piston guide, which prevents the piston rod from rotating, and converts the rotating movement of the turning knob to the forward and backward movement of the piston rod (Fig.5).
As of 1939, precious metal model lineups were only 100N variants (all 100 variant precious metal model lineups already had been discontinued). Furthermore, by the end of March 1939, all precious metal models for the domestic market were discontinued (Pelikan Schreibgeräte). From then on, precious metal model were exclusively destined for the export market ("Pelican” catalog 1939)⁽¹⁾.
As from October 11, 1939, model 100N was was fitted with chromium/nickel (CN) nibs for the domestic market⁽²⁾, as the use of palladium nibs was forbidden by the government (Pelikan Schreibgeräte).
Note;⁽¹⁾As IBIS in the catalog had gold nib, all fountain pens in it should be fitted with gold nibs.
⁽²⁾It seems that pens were were still fitted with gold nibs for the export market. As this pen has a gold nib, this pen may be for the export market.
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