The Pelikan 100N is not merely a fountain pen; it is an emblem of refinement, craftsmanship, and historical resonance. Introduced in 1937 as the successor to the already successful Pelikan 100, the 100N represented the maturing of Pelikan’s design philosophy. The “N” stood for Nachfolger—successor—and indeed, this pen carried forward the virtues of its predecessor while introducing refinements that would set new standards in writing instruments.
The 100N was born into a turbulent era. Its production spanned the late 1930s through the Second World War and into the post-war years of reconstruction. During this time, Germany’s industrial identity was fractured, yet Pelikan managed to maintain a reputation for quality and technical excellence. The 100N became one of the most recognisable pens of its time, cherished by both academics and professionals. It was more than a tool—it was an expression of status, intellectual seriousness, and durability in uncertain times.
Design-wise, the 100N featured a larger barrel than its predecessor, allowing for greater ink capacity and thus longer writing sessions without interruption. The ink window—clear and tinted in shades of green—was a hallmark of Pelikan engineering, a detail that has inspired countless imitations. Its celluloid barrels, often in shimmering green marbled or tortoise patterns, lent the pen an aura of restrained elegance. The clip, shaped as a pelican’s beak, became iconic. Beneath the surface, the piston-filling mechanism, perfected by Pelikan in the 1920s, had already secured its place as the most reliable system of its age, and in the 100N it was executed with a smoothness and efficiency admired even today.
The nibs of the Pelikan 100N are another part of its legend. Fashioned in 14-carat gold, often with exquisite flexibility, they allowed for a writing experience that was both expressive and precise. These nibs could glide across paper with the gentlest of pressure, yet respond to the nuances of a writer’s hand in a manner that modern rigid nibs rarely replicate. Collectors today prize not only the durability of these nibs but also the individuality they bring to handwriting—a quality that made the 100N especially beloved by writers, scientists, and thinkers.
There is also a story that the Pelikan 100N was among the pens used by Albert Einstein. While conclusive evidence is elusive, the tale persists that Einstein, with his preference for German pens, relied on the 100N during his most fertile years of thought. The association lends the 100N a certain intellectual mystique: a pen suited to the rigour of theoretical physics, capable of keeping pace with the mind that reshaped our understanding of the universe.
After the war, as Germany was divided and industries sought new footing, Pelikan continued to produce the 100N into the early 1950s. By the mid-decade, it gave way to the Pelikan 400 and then M400 series, which bore a more modern aesthetic and heralded a new age for fountain pens. Yet the 100N never lost its aura. Its presence is still felt among collectors and writers, not only for its technical virtues but also for the historical weight it carries. It is a cultural history: a pen that survived war, that embodied German precision, and that perhaps rested in the hand of Einstein himself.