Contact

Merz & Krell

Pelikan 120 (Merz & Krell)
Pelikan 400NN (Merz & Krell)

Merz & Krell

Photo by courtesy: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
Head building of Merz & Krell in Groß-Bieberau (Germany)

In the town Gross-Bieberau (Hessen/Germany) Georg Merz and the woodturner Justus Krell built up the writing instruments company Merz & Krell.

The start-up was supported by Friedrich Merz, founder of the famous Merz Pharma.

In its early years Merz & Krell produced fountain pens and mechanical pencils. Today, the company under the name of Senator is an international manufacturer of writing instruments, with production estimated at about one million ballpoints per day.

A demand for larger piston filling fountain pens was expected for the Japanese market. Pelikan therefore commissioned the company Merz & Krell to produce the models 400NN and 120 again. Therefore, between 1973 and 1978, there was a new edition of the models Pelikan 120 and 400NN with small variations from the original fountain pen. Pelikan itself no longer had the necessary machinery to produce these models in-house.

Pelikan 120 (Merz & Krell)

Pelikan had already discontinued the production of the 120 in 1965. In 1973 a new edition appeared. This was manufactured by Merz & Krell and differs in some details from the original model. The filling knob is flush with the barrel as is the transition from the grip section to the barrel. The cap ring is tapered.

Merz & Krell also produced the model 120 in black, a color not being produced by Pelikan before.

The threads of the cap are also different, so the cap of an old 120 will not fit the M & K.

Model	Production Period	Nib
120 Merz & Krell	1973–1977	Steel nib

Weight	Total Length	Barrel Length	Cap Length	Diameter	Ink Capacity
0.49 oz	5.16 in	3.94 in	2.48 in	0.47 in	0.65 ml
14 g	131 mm	100 mm	63 mm	12 mm	0.65 ml

The nib section of the Merz & Krell is´nt comparable with the Pelikan production. The feed differs and the thread is smaller. © Otto Lütkemeyer

A major distinction between Pelikan and Merz & Krell production at the model 120 is the tapered cap ring. © Otto Lütkemeyer

120 (Merz & Krell)

120 (Merz & Krell) M&K Green-Black Series Production Color

Production: 1973–1977Nib: Steel nib

Logo:

Series Production

Barrel Color: greenCap Color: blackTrim: gold plated

120 (Merz & Krell) M&K Black Series Production Color

Production: 1973–1977Nib: Steel nib

Logo:

Series Production

Barrel Color: blackCap Color: blackTrim: gold plated

Pelikan 400NN (Merz & Krell)

Pelikan 400NN - Merz & Krell.

Pelikan had already stopped the production of the 400NN by 1965. In 1973, a new edition appeared. This was manufactured by Merz & Krell and differs in some details from the original model. The filling knob is flush with the barrel, as is the transition from the grip section to the barrel.

The threads of the cap are also different, so the cap of an old 400NN will not fit the M & K.

With the Merz & Krell model, the writing characteristics of the nibs also differ. So far, the nibs of the 400 models were ground as Italic nibs, now the nibs have a ball point which offers no line variance.