You can easily protect yourself from the "until it's too late " situation n eBay by messaging the seller before you bid and asking if the pen is genuine and not a copy. If there is no response then you know what the answer probably is. If the seller confirms it's the real thing and it turns out to be a copy eBay will refund the buyer. It's as simple as that. No risk.
I have 3 Pelikan M205 Pens (Black, Olivine, Smoky Quartz) and i really love them! More than my TWSBI Diamond Minis, which are great pens! Pelikan really knows how to make good pens, thats for sure! Always good and smooth writers! Have fun with yours!
Thanks for the review. I own several of the old style M200 and they are reliable workhorse pens. The M200 are about the same size as the (M)400 pens but without the gold nib and they are not available in the Stresemann (green striated) finish. There is an M250 which is an M200 but with a gold nib. I've reduced buying used pens on ebay for some months now as the prices (at least here in europe) have risen sharply. People were not able to spend their money on a vacation so it's lying around and the fingers are itchy to buy something. I've noticed the higher prices on a lot of collectible things. The good thing is that it seems to affect mostly known brands like Pelikan, Lamy, Waterman etc. but not the obscure small brands which don't exist anymore. So I have to navigate a bit more to find an interesting pen with a reasonable price.And of course there still are the chinese brands (PenBBS, Jinhao, Moonman etc.) which always have some very interesting new models and/or finishes.
Congrats on your ebay score, James! You are in pain and you don't know why, welcome to middle age. Also, thanks for your recent PenBBS 469 review. I have not been interested in that one as it seemed busy and gimmicky, but your and chrisrap52s reviews are swaying me for some reason. Thanks, again!
Buying on eBay I try to look for pens that either are so numerous that it's not cost effective to copy (and because I like my Esterbrook pens 😁), and I also try to find domestic sellers that seem to not have a clue what they're selling. Fairly decent photos are a necessity, as well. Another type that is not copied as much are some of the really antique pens. I picked up my Mabie Todd Swan C2 (1912ish) from a seller that was an antique store, but obviously didn't really deal in pens, and couldn't bother to do a little research. When I got the Mabie Todd, a guy at my apartment building asked, "How do you know it's not a fake?" Pretty easy to do, in this situation. Old, somewhat oxidised hard rubber. A truly flexible 14K nib. And most of the Mabie Todd pens I've seen are from England, and this was a New York one. He might not be able to tell, but I did my homework before I got it.😁 I love my old Esterbrook pens. The first fountain pen I had that was a decent writer was a grey Esterbrook J, sadly lost when I was in college. So, I now have a few. Like you said, hunt a bargain, if you can. I refuse to pay much more than half what a fully functional, restored one sells for. And that's only been one, so far. I try to keep it under $20. Might need a new ink sac, but that's easy on an Esterbrook, and almost all lever fill pens. And I've gotten a few that are still in working order, with the original ink sac in great shape. Esterbrook was extremely well made and durable! My Eversharp Skyline pens again weren't over $20. The more well worn one had a new ink sac, and the other one looks almost new, but needed a new ink sac. The first one was from a seller that wasn't exactly honest. His pictures hid the scuffs and dings, and fairly heavy brassing. He said that the nib was flexible, and I'm pretty sure I can use it on carbon copies... But, it's the best writing extra fine I have, and was only $20, and the wear means I have no problems with carrying it around. And where else can you get a gold nib for $20? 😁 Great looking Pelikan! I'd like to get a b Pelikan 100N at some point (mainly because that's what Einstein used at Princeton. 😉) But if I don't find one that is in my price range... Wasn't for being paid for doing some proofreading for a missionary, I would not have the Mabie Todd. Looking forward to seeing a review of the J! In spite of the "lever fill pens are a pain to clean" thing. Esterbrook isn't. Helps to be able to unscrew the nib. Then it's about like hosing out an eyedropper fill pen. Hoping you are having a great week! God bless!
I've been looking for old pens online and saw a lot of what you're talking about. No close up photos, or just one full body shot that you can't zoom in enough to see detail, no returns. And the starting prices are high. I'm not that adventurous! I hope to find a deal like this one day.
Nice review! I have a used M200 too. But mine has a nib unit which, once screwed all the way down, is a bit "off center" from the barrel. The curious thing is that yours also seems to me to be affected from the same problem (8:00)...
I’m not aware of brands that tend to be easily copied, but I have returned the last two Sailor Pro Gear pens that I’ve purchased from Amazon. I simply will not purchase high end fountain pens from them again.
Did you injure your arm shoveling snow? :-) That's a really nice pen. Ebay is hit or miss. I appreciate your other followers and their great suggestions!
Good to get confirmation that the description which pointed out the topic included buying used pens on eBay and the included time stamps are accurate. 😉
![ฮักเทื่อสุดท้าย - บอย ศิริชัย [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-1PoPoQ-B-k/mqdefault.jpg)
You can easily protect yourself from the "until it's too late " situation n eBay by messaging the seller before you bid and asking if the pen is genuine and not a copy. If there is no response then you know what the answer probably is. If the seller confirms it's the real thing and it turns out to be a copy eBay will refund the buyer. It's as simple as that. No risk.
What do try to fake?... New to fountian pens. Only really look at ones ~$20
I have 3 Pelikan M205 Pens (Black, Olivine, Smoky Quartz) and i really love them! More than my TWSBI Diamond Minis, which are great pens! Pelikan really knows how to make good pens, thats for sure! Always good and smooth writers! Have fun with yours!
Thanks for the review. I own several of the old style M200 and they are reliable workhorse pens. The M200 are about the same size as the (M)400 pens but without the gold nib and they are not available in the Stresemann (green striated) finish. There is an M250 which is an M200 but with a gold nib.
I've reduced buying used pens on ebay for some months now as the prices (at least here in europe) have risen sharply. People were not able to spend their money on a vacation so it's lying around and the fingers are itchy to buy something. I've noticed the higher prices on a lot of collectible things. The good thing is that it seems to affect mostly known brands like Pelikan, Lamy, Waterman etc. but not the obscure small brands which don't exist anymore. So I have to navigate a bit more to find an interesting pen with a reasonable price.And of course there still are the chinese brands (PenBBS, Jinhao, Moonman etc.) which always have some very interesting new models and/or finishes.
Congratulations for your buy. I have the blue one and like it very much.
What a fun find...congrats!
Congrats on your ebay score, James! You are in pain and you don't know why, welcome to middle age. Also, thanks for your recent
PenBBS 469 review. I have not been interested in that one as it seemed busy and gimmicky, but your and chrisrap52s reviews are
swaying me for some reason. Thanks, again!
I don't have the M200, but my M215 Rings is one of my favorites to write with. Purchased it from a great person on fpgeeks page. Thanks for the video!
Buying on eBay I try to look for pens that either are so numerous that it's not cost effective to copy (and because I like my Esterbrook pens 😁), and I also try to find domestic sellers that seem to not have a clue what they're selling. Fairly decent photos are a necessity, as well.
Another type that is not copied as much are some of the really antique pens. I picked up my Mabie Todd Swan C2 (1912ish) from a seller that was an antique store, but obviously didn't really deal in pens, and couldn't bother to do a little research.
When I got the Mabie Todd, a guy at my apartment building asked, "How do you know it's not a fake?" Pretty easy to do, in this situation. Old, somewhat oxidised hard rubber. A truly flexible 14K nib. And most of the Mabie Todd pens I've seen are from England, and this was a New York one. He might not be able to tell, but I did my homework before I got it.😁
I love my old Esterbrook pens. The first fountain pen I had that was a decent writer was a grey Esterbrook J, sadly lost when I was in college. So, I now have a few.
Like you said, hunt a bargain, if you can. I refuse to pay much more than half what a fully functional, restored one sells for. And that's only been one, so far. I try to keep it under $20. Might need a new ink sac, but that's easy on an Esterbrook, and almost all lever fill pens. And I've gotten a few that are still in working order, with the original ink sac in great shape. Esterbrook was extremely well made and durable!
My Eversharp Skyline pens again weren't over $20. The more well worn one had a new ink sac, and the other one looks almost new, but needed a new ink sac. The first one was from a seller that wasn't exactly honest. His pictures hid the scuffs and dings, and fairly heavy brassing. He said that the nib was flexible, and I'm pretty sure I can use it on carbon copies... But, it's the best writing extra fine I have, and was only $20, and the wear means I have no problems with carrying it around. And where else can you get a gold nib for $20? 😁
Great looking Pelikan! I'd like to get a b Pelikan 100N at some point (mainly because that's what Einstein used at Princeton. 😉) But if I don't find one that is in my price range... Wasn't for being paid for doing some proofreading for a missionary, I would not have the Mabie Todd.
Looking forward to seeing a review of the J! In spite of the "lever fill pens are a pain to clean" thing. Esterbrook isn't. Helps to be able to unscrew the nib. Then it's about like hosing out an eyedropper fill pen.
Hoping you are having a great week! God bless!
I've been looking for old pens online and saw a lot of what you're talking about. No close up photos, or just one full body shot that you can't zoom in enough to see detail, no returns. And the starting prices are high. I'm not that adventurous! I hope to find a deal like this one day.
Nice review! I have a used M200 too. But mine has a nib unit which, once screwed all the way down, is a bit "off center" from the barrel. The curious thing is that yours also seems to me to be affected from the same problem (8:00)...
Great vid. Will look for one. Greetings from Switzerland
Good luck!
I might get the white one. I love the size cause the Eco is a little big
I’m not aware of brands that tend to be easily copied, but I have returned the last two Sailor Pro Gear pens that I’ve purchased from Amazon. I simply will not purchase high end fountain pens from them again.
Did you injure your arm shoveling snow? :-) That's a really nice pen. Ebay is hit or miss. I appreciate your other followers and their great suggestions!
Ha! I let the snow sit. By lunch today most was gone, tomorrow should finish it off.
Love your videos, would appreciate your opinion. Is it worth it?? Is it too small for a man ? Is it a pocket pen? Thanks in advance
I have a MB Meisterstuck from 2008. This nib is very smooth actually.
Is this nib maybe in a Broad size also quite as smooth?
I can't say how it would compare to the nib in the MB, but the Pelikan Broads are good and smooth.
@@JG3Reviews thank you
Maybe I also try the Lamy ones (B) as my budget is smaller.
Have you ever removed the piston to add silicone grease? If so, how did you do it?
I followed this procedure: thepelikansperch.com/2014/08/30/how-to-lubricate-a-pelikan-piston/
@@JG3Reviews thanks. So you have not pulled out the piston?
🤓👍
How often do you reply to comments, James?
Fairly often. I do sometimes get swamped with offline work and family activities and miss some here and there.
It's interesting how you can date Pelikans by how many chicks there are in the logo.
40 bucks!
😇🩵🙏🙌
You, Jimmy Page, Tony Blair, and I have something in common. Do you know what it is?
I feel like I should, but I'm blank.
@@JG3Reviews The Palmer crease/Simian line on your palm of palms. I like to think it signifies genius.
I knew that about Blair, but not Page. That must be what it is. Genius! 😆
@@JG3Reviews I agree. Great videos, Keep on keepin' on.
5 minutes into it and still talking about eBay…
Good to get confirmation that the description which pointed out the topic included buying used pens on eBay and the included time stamps are accurate. 😉