M805 Stresemann
In the early morning hours of Saturday, December 13th Pelikan announced to the community via its Facebook page for Pelikan International that something new was coming. It was described as the reinterpretation of a classic and an image of just the silhouette of a pen was provided with a short caption. Of course, this generated no shortage of speculation and commentary throughout the weekend. I saw quite a range of guesses as to what was in store, many of which seemed to be hoping for some new variation of tortoise. Thankfully, Pelikan did not keep us waiting for long and, just 48 hours later, they have made the announcement that in 2015 they will be releasing an M805 with a new binde (pronounced BIN-duh) dubbed Stresemann. Binde is a German word that describes the colored/patterned sleeve that is fitted around the outside of the barrel of a pen. It is more of a historical term as the old birds had a barrel with a separate binde to provide the coloration. I believe that this is still the case though for the M8xx series and up but does not hold true for the smaller Souveräns.
What then is the reinterpreted classic? The famous Stresemann binde previously available in green, red, and blue is now going to be available in ANTHRACITE, a rich charcoal color. For those of you not familiar with the term Stresemann, it is a term that has been used to describe Pelikan’s classic pinstripe appearance with green and black stripes. It is the nickname of the Souverän series and was derived from the Secretary of State of the Weimar Republic, well-known for wearing striped trousers. It looks like this color will be available as a fountain pen (M805), roller ball (R805), and ball point (K805). An exact release date is not available at this time.
Personally, I like the looks of the new M805 and appreciate the bit of variety that this new color injects into the line-up. The M805 is a nicely sized pen and fits the ideal for many enthusiast though will prove too big for some. The color is subtle and conservative but still striking and very much in keeping with the classic cultural sensibilities out of Hanover. I’m very much looking forward to its release in 2015. What do you think about this new addition?
M805 Stresemann
R805 Stresemann
K805 Stresemann
Update: Some information suggest that these will likely be available in the first quarter of 2015 with February looking like the probable month. MSRP is anticipated at 470 € but I expect the fountain pen will have a street price of 20% off or approximately 100 € cheaper ($470).
FB Post #1: “2015 a classic is going to be reinterpreted. What do you think, what model could it be? The solution is going to be presented on Monday ;-)”
FB Post #2: “Gracious, precious and elegant: Next year the ‘Stresemann’ is going to be presented in a classic anthracite. Do you like it?”
