Grail unlocked: Pelikan M800 Tortoise!!

Hello, beautiful..

I just achieved my first-ever holy grail pen! It required sacrifice and tears, but the loss of my beloved Visconti Skeletor (to a very good home) is worth it to unlock this epic level-up.

The Pelikan M800 Tortoise was rereleased in 2013 as a limited edition, and quickly sold out. They now regularly sell for $1k+ and rarely sit long on the resale market even at those prices. This beauty has been gently used and is in impeccable condition, coming with original box and papers. The nib is also rare, the discontinued Italic Broad.

Upon receipt I immediately inked up with J. Herbin Lie de Thé, an ink that had previously proven so dry that it would not flow through a Pilot EF nib, but which came into its own through the generous italic broad nib and feed of the Tortoise. I have zero italic skills to speak of so simply played around with lettering on the page, trying different angles of hand and handwriting, seeking the sweet spot and some harmony between my writing style and the pen.

I wouldn't mind getting an EF nib for the pen so that I could use it for daily writing, but then again I have several great daily writers and something this rare should probably be kept something like in reserve and protected from the daily grind. Either way this is a pen I shall cherish for years to come.

 

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Squad goals

My Striated Blue & Stresseman with a friend's M800 Tortoise at the May FPAu Sydney Chapter meet.

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Impure thoughts #3: My orange crush

Montblanc Writers Edition Hemingway. Photo credit: Montblanc

Jonathon Deans' recent acquisition of the rarefied Montblanc Hemingway, his longtime grail, has inspired in me a new pen crush. The Hemingway is a vision of strong orange and black, squat and solid in form, with clean lines and a stunning Montblanc nib. It really is a fabulous pen and one of the most sought-after Montblancs of all time. Hemingways generally go for more than $2k, which sadly places it well beyond my current reach, making this one grail pen that I'll likely never own.

There are, however, other options! The vivid red-orange colour of the Hemingway references the legendary Parker 'Big Red' Duofold of yore, an iconic pen that is another must-have item for serious fountain pen collectors. Due to its elevated status many other pen manufacturers have paid homage to this look besides Montblanc, giving poor folk like me a few red-orange alternatives available at only two- or three-digit prices, rather than four!

One such pen is the limited edition Sailor Realo produced for the Classic Fountain Pens 25th anniversary, produced only as 88 examples and now long since sold-out; and of course the Parker Duofold re-issue itself, available in International and Centennial (the larger of the two) sizes.

CPF 25th LE Sailor Realo. Photo credit: Classic Fountain Pens

Parker Duofold. Photo credit: Parker Pens

The most recent manufacturer to pay homage to this look is Pelikan, with their limited edition M800 Burnt Orange fountain pen. When I first laid eyes on this pen I liked it well enough, but did not fall in love. Compared to the shimmer of the striated Souveran models its resin body seemed flat and dull, despite the strong orange tones. At that time however I was an uncultured oaf ignorant of the history of this look and design, and did not recognise the context of the look. Now that I am so much more learned and cultured the Burnt Orange just seems to make sense to me, and my new appreciation of its aesthetics has been swiftly followed up by a new craving to make one my own!

Pelikan M800 Burnt Orange. Photo credit: Pelikan

In the future - when I grow up, perhaps - I would love to acquire a Montblanc Writers Edition Hemingway fountain pen. Until then the Burnt Orange will sate my orange crush quite admirably.

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