I made some pictures of my Magnum pens and while doing that I made a small technical comparison between the Pelikan 100, the Magnum and the Pelikan 100N that I post here.
Pelikan Magnum as the predecessor of the Pelikan 100N
Apart from the arguments concerning the Portuguese order of 1600 Magnum pens with EMEGE (capital letters) engraved around the TOP CAP already shared earlier in this thread, there are more arguments that make me believe the Magnum was the predecessor of the 100N.
Pelikan Magnum is aesthetically closer to the Pelikan 100N but I believe that the Pelikan Magnum shares more technical similarities with the Pelikan 100 than with the 100N. This makes me think it was produced alongside with the Pelikan 100 and before the 100N.
I list my arguments below with some pictures to illustrate:
- Nib
The Magnum nib is very similar to the earlier Pelikan 100. The etching pattern with horizontal parallel lines of the engraved “Pelikan -14- Karat” is the same as the one found on the early Pelikan 100 produced from 1930 to 1937. As to size Magnum is just a fraction longer and wider. The major difference is that it has engraved one triangle in the base of the text. Remember that Pelikan Magnum, according to the Portuguese order document, started production at least in the end of 1935 or early 1936.
Note the following pictures for reference:
Picture 1 and 2 - Pelikan Magnum Vs Pelikan 100
Early and late Pelikan 100N nibs that I know of never used this horizontal parallel pattern.
- Threads in the internal shaft
Again the Pelikan Magnum and Pelikan 100 share the same technical specification and use the same thread per inch, as can easily be seen in the picture hereunder. Pelikan 100N (on the left) uses a totally different thread.
Picture 3 - Piston shaft threads and blind cap arrows
- Arrow imprint indicating rotating side
The arrows are not easy to see in the above picture because both Pelikan 100 and especially Pelikan Magnum blind caps are not perfect, but they are there. Pelikan 100N never used the arrow imprint that I know of.
Picture 4 - Magnum Blind cap arrow zoom
- Connective barrel/rotating knob collar
Again this part of the Magnum shows more resemblance to the Pelikan 100 than to the Pelikan 100N pen. The collar is larger when compared to the shorter collar used on the Pelikan 100N.
Picture 5 - connecting collar, piston shaft and cork holder
- External piston shaft
The piston shaft is similar on the Pelikan 100 and Magnum, as can be seen in the picture above. Pelikan 100 and Pelikan Magnum are the first 2 on the left.
- Cork locking mechanism
Still in the same picture, the piece used to hold the cork in place is also similar on both Pelikan 100 and 100N. This piece that you can see in the top of the shaft holding the cork, is locked in place only by a tight “pressure fit”, it does not have a left thread like the Pelikan 100N (on the right).
There are other technical similarities that are shared by all 3 pens, like the metallic ring used to reinforce the celluloid barrel in all early Pelikan 100, Magnum and Pelikan 100N.
Picture 4 - Metal ring underneed the sleeve
Was Pelikan Magnum only sold in Portugal? I have no knowledge of Pelikans Magnum being found outside Portugal, Brasil or the former Portuguese African colonies (all countries where Monteiro & Guimarães was the Pelikan representative/importer) but….
How was the Portuguese importer able to have a unique model produced and engraved with his name by Pelikan itself?
This is a mystery I would love to know more about!
Has Pelikan used the Magnum as a prototype for the Pelikan 100N? I believe so…. and also feel that the Magnum is a Pelikan pen model by itself and not a Pelikan 100N variant.
Edited by piscov, 03 February 2015 - 12:28 AM.