Since 1929, the Pelikan pen has been recognized as one of the premier German pens. Beginning with the introduction of a revolutionary piston filling mechanism, Pelikan pens have continued to rely upon their mechanical innovation and reliability, rather than slick marketing. From the early 100 and 100N pens of the 30s and 40s, through the sleek hooded nib designs of the post war era, Pelikan produced a line of pens with something for every level of the marketplace. This is not surprising, Pelikan is perhaps one of the world's largest ink and office supply manufacturers, their having a very wide selection of fine pens is not surprising! In the 1980s, the company made a change form the slim, metal look, to a more traditional approach, with the introduction of the Soverain series. The M400, M600, and M800, later followed by the M300 and M1000 brought the look of Pelikan back to the classic vintage look of the 50s. These pens have become synonymous with high quality and reliability, and today, Pelikan pens enjoy a reputation for being among the best pens available.