Fountain Pen Review: Pelikan M200 Demonstrator Anthracite Fine

1) First impressions

I have always liked the demo models especially when the filling system is not with cartridge. I have seen this pen for the first time online on ebay, but the various models were always among auctions and the final prices plus shipping costs were not worth spending over the candle, despite its gray actracted me, more and more. One day I stopped at the shop Cartoleria Dettori in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy) to see which pen they had and it was there and looked at me and it looked like it was waiting for me. So I bought it.
The box was a classic Pelikan soft cardboard with a hard cardboard inside with warranty, loading and maintenance booklet.

2) Aesthetics and finishing
The pen is "diamond" polished transparent gray plastic with gold plated trims. Like all other Pelikan pens it is perfectly assembled with no imperfections or smudged and it seems better than in photos.

3) Design, size and weight
As I have already written, the pen is in transparent grey plastic, with classic cylindrical shape, curved ends and cap tip with golden pelican. The clip is shaped like a pelican beak with eyes at the beginning. There is a golden ring at the base of the pin for piston movement. The pen measures 125 mm capped, 121 mm uncapped, 146 mm posted, 57.5 mm cap lenght, 12 mm body diameter, 13 m cap diameter, 9.5 mm grip diameter. The size is average-regular and its weight is of gr. 13.8. When in use the pen is well balanced, comfortable and easy to handle with and without cap which, weighing very low, has almost no effect.

4) Nib design and performance
The gold plated stiff steel nib measures 19 mm in length and wingspan 6.5 mm. The stroke is fine and I chose it because it was the only way I found it. Compared to the medium of the M150 is definitely a fine stroke and probably the nibs are of the same series. However, it is flowing and smooth on all types of paper. The ink doesn't dry easily in the nib but does not stay too much even on paper.
The classical feed system is in plastic with horizontal strips. The nib is unscrewable like all Pelikan nibs and can be replaced with one from the same series, as well as allowing easy maintenance of the pen.

5) Filling system
The M200 has a classic piston filling system operated directly at the extreme end of the body. The system components  are in plastic because the pen is in a low level class.
Considering the classic three drops to extract immediately after filling, the pen can hold a quantity of ink that allows prolonged use without the fear that the ink will end ahead of schedule. In any case, pen grip and nib are compatible with Stipula Netto Netto and Visconti traveling ink systems .

6) Cost / Value
When I saw the pen on ebay, italian auctions ended always around € 70.00 plus shipping costs and the foreigners buy-now were € 60.00 plus shipping costs to Italy and then they were equivalent. Then I bought it on January 17th, 2008 at the dealer Cartoleria Dettori in Cagliari and I paid it € 60.00 new, and considering that is a demo out of production and that the pen is really beautiful in this transparent gray, I believe I have done a good deal. Warranty, for all Pelikans, is for 3 years but I think I will never benefit of it if has the same reliability of the M150.
I feel good buying at Cartoleria Dettori where in the past I could buy some rare pieces on behalf of members of FPN, too.

7) Overall opinion and conclusions
Considering as advertising the information collected on FPN, on eBay auctions and on the Pelikan site, I can say that they have well described the pen even if the light changes everything in a photo. In my collection the pen is placed in an intermediate position, not so much for the value, which is average-low, but for the peculiarity of the pen, now rare, which was also produced in other demo (and non demo) colorations. Undoubtedly I would buy the pen again, and I suggest to anybody that found a M200 still around to take it for collection or personal use and not as an investment.