Pen, Fountain
Object number2018.7.3 a,b
Manufacturer
Pelikan Holding AG
Date1976-1978
OriginGermany
MediumPlastic; Metal; Ink
Credit LineGift of Tim Menees
DescriptionBlack plastic fountain pen. Wide cylindrical body with rounded bottom and green transparent window on grip area. Metal nib. Twist-off black plastic cylindrical cap, slightly tapered, with gold metal clip and gold metal band at bottom.DimensionsLength x Width x Depth (a-b together): 5.188 x 0.563 x 0.688 in. (13.2 x 1.4 x 1.7 cm)Length x Diameter (a): 4.688 x 0.5 in. (11.9 x 1.3 cm)
Length x Width x Depth (b): 2.5 x 0.563 x 0.688 in. (6.4 x 1.4 x 1.7 cm)
Marks(a)
Exterior face of the nib has engraved text "FABER / [logo] / CASTELL".
(b)
Side has text "Pelikan 120".
Gold metal band around base has engraved text "PELIKAN 120 GERMANY".
Historical NotesPart of a collection of supplies used by cartoonist Tim Menees during his career as a cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and as a contributor for the Pittsburgh Quarterly. Menees grew up in Seattle and worked as a reporter and columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer before moving to Pittsburgh in 1976. Menees was the cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette for almost thirty years. Since 2006, he has been a frequent contributor to the Pittsburgh Quarterly. Menees purchased this Pelikan 120 pen and filing rock (2018.7.8) around 1976-1978 because it could handle India Ink. These were used until about 1990. He stopped using these because of ink spilling. He switched to markers, both Sharpies and other marker-type pens. According to Menees, cartoonists always tried different types of pens to see what worked. He used the larger markers (like 2018.7.2) to shade grey, because brown copies as gray when in black-and-white.
Previous owner
Tim Menees
Related institution
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(founded 1927)
On View
Not on view
c. 1988
c. 1988
1967
1980
Signature Pen Company
