The Legend

The office products manufacturer Gimborn in the Netherlands was sold in 1931 to Pelikan, but remained a long time under its old name independently. In 1981, the company was integrated into the Pelikan Group, there was no pen with the name Gimborn sold any more.

The series THE LEGEND is considered the parting gift of the company to the Dutch population. The pens were offered for sale almost exclusively in the Netherlands, though some packages show the pens were also sold in England. Pens from this neglected series are only rarely found today.

Pelikan Serie 36 - The Legend

Three LEGEND series were launched: the series 24 each comprised a ballpoint pen and a rollerball in four different versions. The series 37 included two pens. Only the Series 36 contained, besides a twist ballpoint pen, a fountain pen. All writing instruments consisted of a slim metal barrel in five different designs. The fountain pens were cartridge fillers.

Model Production Period Nib
Serie 36 Legend 1980-1988

Steel

Weight Total Length Barrel Length Cap Length Diameter Ink Capacity
0.90 oz 5.67 in 4.25 in 2.36 in 0.39 in 2 x 0.8 ml (cartridge)
25.6 g 144 mm 108 mm 60 mm 10 mm


Serie 36

Serie 36 Reddish brown honeycomb Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1980-1984Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: reddish brownCap Color: reddish brownTrim: gold plated
Serie 36 Grey honeycomb Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1980-1984Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: greyCap Color: greyTrim: gold plated
Serie 36 Black Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1980-1985Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: blackCap Color: blackTrim: gold plated
Serie 36 Chrome/gold plated Low vol. Production Color Details
Production: 1980-1985Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: silverCap Color: silverTrim: gold plated

Silver colored with gold plated rings

Serie 36 Chrome Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1980-1987Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: silverCap Color: silverTrim: silver-colored
Serie 36 Gold Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1980-1988Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: goldCap Color: goldTrim: gold plated

The Gallery Collection

This collection is a little known and relatively unnoticed series of writing instruments. The series within the collection are named after famous artists: Maxim, Goya, Renoir and Monet. Each series consists of a set of fountain pen and ballpoint pen, each in different color variations. The collections was created especially for export to the Benelux countries, France and Great Britain. Production prior to 1995 falls within the period when Pelikan Holding AG was headquartered in Switzerland. During this period, production contracts were agreed which are no longer documented.

Who ordered these collections, and where were the pens manufactured?

responsible for the advertising brochure for this Collection was the company Pelikan Belgium BV. Pelikan Belgium BV existed only until the end of 1994th. In early 1995 there was a merger of Pelikan Belgium BV and Pelikan Nederland BV (in Zevenaar - formerly Gimborn) the new company Pelikan Benelux BV was based in Belgium.

Presumably, this Collection was therefore intended as a farewell gift of Pelikan Belgium BV, similar to how it was done a few years earlier with the series The Legend of Gimborn in the Netherlands.

The pens wasn't produced by Pelikan himself. There are many indications that the series The Legend and The Gallery Collection were prepared from one and the same company. The red-brown honeycomb pattern of Legend Series 36 can also be found at Goya P50 and P30 Renoir again. The caps of the rollerball from the Legend Series 24 corresponds to the design of the caps from Monet P10 from the series of the Gallery Collection. But who was the manufacturer now, will probably no longer be ascertained, here one can only speculate.

Pelikan P70 Maxim

"For people with experience and style. When you write with it, it gives you the feeling of confidence, discipline and authority …"

So the description of the pen begins in a Dutch Prospectus. In fact, the writing instrument feels good in the hand due to the weight of the metal barrel and cap.
The polished stainless steel nib is partially gold plated. The engraving reads: PELIKAN IRIDIUM POINT

Model Production Period Nib
P70 Maxim 1994

Steel, partially gold plated

Weight Total Length Barrel Length Cap Length Diameter Ink Capacity
1,11 oz 5.41 in 4.11 in 2.38 in 0.41 in 2 x 0.8 ml (cartridge)
31.6 g 137.5 mm 104.5 mm 60.5 mm 10.5 mm


P70 Maxim

P70 Maxim Green marbled Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, part. gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Logo as of 1938 (two chicken) Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: greenCap Color: greenTrim: gold plated
P70 Maxim Brown marbled Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, part. gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Logo as of 1938 (two chicken) Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: brownCap Color: brownTrim: gold plated
P70 Maxim Chrome Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, part. gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Logo as of 1938 (two chicken) Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: silverCap Color: silverTrim: gold plated
P70 Maxim Black Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, part. gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Logo as of 1938 (two chicken) Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: blackCap Color: blackTrim: gold plated

Pelikan P50 Goya

Fountain pens from this series within the collection are those which are most likely to be found today. But they are for me (Otto Lütkemeyer) also the pens with the most anomalies that I could see so far.
A Dutch leaflet describes the Goya as follows: 'Original pen with an artistic approach. They are wonderfully thin and light. If you take a Goya in the hand, they feel connected to the distant past. As if they write on the sunny marble Roman villas and Spanish palaces, surrounded by the sounds and the smells of the blue sea and green hills. Picturesque.
Available in marbled green, grey and brown'.
I was greatly surprised when I found two other variants that are unique to the series Goya: silver plated / guilloche and maroon honeycomb pattern.
Furthermore, in individual pens, deviations compared to the other models can be found:

  • The pen with the red-brown honeycomb pattern bears on its cap top an imprint of the Pelikan logo - in all other pens in this series, this logo is missing.
  • The green marbled pen has a gold-plated steel nib engraved with '© Pelikan' and Pelikan logo, while in all the other pens the gilded steel nib is engraved with 'IRIDIUM POINT W. GERMANY' (in some cases without the W.).
  • The biggest difference is probably found on the grey marbled fountain pen. The decorative ring in the middle of the barrel usually is engraved 'Pelikan GERMANY'. This fountain pen bears instead a dedication engraving: 'JOSE ROMERO Paris W.G.' Such an engraving represents a significant intervention in the manufacturing process.

Who knows what surprises this series will bring us!

Model Production Period Nib
P50 Goya 1994

Steel

Weight Total Length Barrel Length Cap Length Diameter Ink Capacity
0.65 oz 5.35 in 4.02 in 2.32 in 0.35 in 2 x 0.8 ml (cartridge)
18.45 g 136 mm 102 mm 59 mm 9 mm


P50 Goya

P50 Goya Green marbled Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: green marbledCap Color: green marbledTrim: gold plated
P50 Goya Grey marbled Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: grey marbledCap Color: grey marbledTrim: gold plated
P50 Goya Brown marbled Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: brown marbledCap Color: brown marbledTrim: gold plated
P50 Goya Silver guilloche Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: silverCap Color: silverTrim: gold plated
P50 Goya Gold guilloche Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: goldCap Color: goldTrim: gold plated
P50 Goya Reddish brown honeycomb Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Logo as of 1938 (two chicken) Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: reddish brownCap Color: reddish brownTrim: gold plated

Pelikan P30 Renoir

The Dutch brochure describes the fountain pen Renoir as follows: 'Professional and tasteful. You need not be a patron of the arts to write with the pen. It is in a class of its own. Exclusive. Inspirational. Modern and traditional at the same time. Only different. You feel good when you write with it. Reliable from beginning to end.'

Model Production Period Nib
P30 Renoir 1994

Steel

Weight Total Length Barrel Length Cap Length Diameter Ink Capacity
2 x 0.8 ml (cartridge)


P30 Renoir

P30 Renoir Reddish brown honeycomb Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: reddish brownCap Color: reddish brownTrim: gold plated
P30 Renoir Black Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: blackCap Color: blackTrim: gold plated
P30 Renoir Chrome Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: silverCap Color: silverTrim: gold plated
P30 Renoir Gold Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: goldCap Color: goldTrim: gold plated

Pelikan P10 Monet

In an advertisement, this fountain pen is described as practical at the same for the home, while studying and at the office. It is always ready for serious, extensive paperwork. A joyful artwork.

The pens have nibs with different engravings. One is '© Pelikan' and carries the Pelikan Logo, the second nib is engraved 'IRIDIUM POINT W-GERMANY'.

Model Production Period Nib
P10 Monet 1994

Steel

Weight Total Length Barrel Length Cap Length Diameter Ink Capacity
0.67 oz 5.33 in 4.02 in 2.28 in 0.35 in 2 x 0.8 ml (cartridge)
19 g 135.5 mm 102 mm 58 mm 9 mm


P10 Monet

P10 Monet Burgundy Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: burgundyCap Color: burgundyTrim: gold plated
P10 Monet Light red Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: redCap Color: redTrim: gold plated
P10 Monet Black Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: blackCap Color: blackTrim: gold plated
P10 Monet Chrome Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: silverCap Color: silverTrim: gold plated
P10 Monet Green Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: greenCap Color: greenTrim: gold plated
P10 Monet Blue Low vol. Production Color
Production: 1994Nib: Steel, gold plated Leaflet: SonstigeLink opens PDF documentThe Gallery Collection
Logo: Without Logo Low vol. Production
Barrel Color: blueCap Color: blueTrim: gold plated
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