1950s Pelikan 400NN & 450 Flexible EF to 3B 14K Nib Tortoise Green Striped Fountain Pen and Mechanical Pencil Set in Crocodile Skin Pouch Item ID: PEL-097

Pelikan 400NN & 450 Set

Manufacturer/Model: Pelikan 400NN & 450 Set/Germany
Year of production: Between 1957-1965
Filling system: Fountain Pen: Piston filling; Mechanical Pencil: 1.18mm Leads (9 leads included)
Nib: Large 14K 585 Solid Gold Nib, EF "Extra Fine" Fully Flexible, writes all sizes from EF to 3B
Material: Celluloid tortoise green striped; Gold filled metal parts (clip, clip-top & cap ring)
Length (pen closed): FP: 131mm ,Posted 148mm; 129mm

Condition and information:
Offered here is a pristine rare and original set of the legendary Pelikan, model 400NN and its mechanical pencil companion the thick version of 450 model. The set comes in its original as sold, unique matching green color leather pouch with a crocodile skin pattern. The 400NN is one of the most beautiful vintage Pelikan pens with its translucent celluloid Tortoise Green striped body. It's often not known that there are virtually no 2 identical vintage Pelikan tortoise pens, even from the same color. The tortoise shell was made out cast blocks of celluloid pattern which was made by hand; than rolled, cut, bored and turned to get the shape of the body under which a transparent sleeve was inserted. There may be similar pens from the same block, but never identical. This is one of the reasons these pens are so beautiful and special.

This is the third series of the 400 line launched in 1953. The first line is the 400 model with nearly flat cap-top and turning knob. The second is 400N which has slightly more pronounced cap-top and turning knob curvature. This last model the 400NN features  more elongated cap-top and turning knob with much more distinct curvature to represent the modern times of the late 50's and early 60's. The "N" nomenclature on each pen model stand for "Neu" meaning "New", therefore in this model NN stands for "Pelikan 400 New New".

Both pens have super crisp stripes, imprints and colors. The fountain pen body is nearly transparent, very clean, where the user can easily see the piston action and the silicone cork as well as read the ink amount in the reservoir. The piston is very smooth, operates as new and takes considerable amount of ink. The silicon piston cork provides great flexible fit to the pen's inner walls and never leaks. Original ebonite (hard vulcanized rubber) elongated feeder provides for a very good ink flow. Most importantly the pen has the original early production ebonite hard rubber feed-ring. Many later production 400NN have a Plexiglas feed-rings which are almost always cracked and will leak ink around the feed making the pen useless. This feed ring cannot crack as it's flexible. All trimmings on both pens are gold filled, thus unlike gold plating, gold filled parts do not wear off.

The nib is one of the best on a Pelikan 400NN we've used. Its amazing how big these nibs are; the nib is 1/3 inside the pen's body. It is a smooth, EF extra fine size, non-scratchy, perfectly smooth writing nib, however with full flexibility. Writing with this nib is extremely smooth and due to flexibility it can produce amazing writing as anyone hopes to achieve with a flexible nib. The pen will easily write any thickness line up to 3B (triple broad) with little pressure while writing. Gentle or no pressure will produce near EF/F. Anything written with this pen will look amazing. The nib has two breading holes for better ink flow and it is elongated large size nib; this was the largest nib Pelikan produced at the time.

The mechanical pencil is precise and responsive with nice smooth clicks. The quality and complexity of its build are nearly unbelievable. The mechanism is made out dozens of solid metal components and the precision is astonishing... Often unknown feature of these pencils is the visual cue the pencil provides when it has a lead inside the tip or when it doesn't, i.e. is it ready to write or not without even touching it or pressing the push button. When there's a lead in the tip, the push button on the top of the pencil stays a just a bit intraced inside the body, as the front tip of the pen stays extruded just a slight bit in front of the cone shaped brass tip. If there is no lead stick in the front tip; then that part retracts completely inside the front brass tip and the push button extrudes back with it and comes to its normal position. This is just one of the examples how far engineers went to design the perfect writing instruments in the past.

The 400 series was the Pelikan flagship pen for many years, all luxurious and limited edition models were based on this model. A truly remarkable Pelikan masterpiece, proven pen in every respect, highest quality build, a pen that performs like a true vintage Pelikan and one that looks stunning, easy to clean and maintain and probably the perfect and most reliable Pelikan pen ever made. The set is in near NOS new old stock condition, minimal to no sings of use, not cosmetic or functional defects whatsoever, a true time capsule.