--- title: "Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red: 62.5 ml Bottle & Paper" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-4001-brilliant-red/" description: "Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red explained: a bright red fountain pen ink in 62.5 ml and 30 ml bottles and cartridges, 40 s dry time, copy paper behavior and origin." category: "Accessories" type: "Fountain pen ink" published: 2026-10-30 updated: 2026-10-30 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 6 products: - name: "Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red fountain pen ink, 62.5 ml bottle" brand: "Pelikan" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "Ink in a glass bottle; Pelikan doesn't say dye or pigment on the pages we could read" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023" model: "4001 Brilliant Red, 62.5 ml (329169); 30 ml" mpn: "329169" gtin: "4012700329165" url: "https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/tinten/4001.html" --- # Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red: 62.5 ml Bottle & Paper > Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red is a bright red fountain pen ink sold in a 62.5 ml (2.1 fl oz) glass bottle, a 30 ml bottle and 5-cartridge packs. Mountain of Ink measured a 40-second dry time and medium water resistance, with no feathering on friendly paper but some on copy paper with larger nibs. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-4001-brilliant-red/ - Category: Accessories - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-30 - Updated: 2026-10-30 ![62.5 ml Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red bottle beside a red swab card, with ruled paper marked up in red inset](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/pelikan-4001-brilliant-red-illustration-16x9.png?v=353e07b9) *The 62.5 ml Brilliant Red bottle, drawn in proportion, with a swab of the ink.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red fountain pen ink, 62.5 ml bottle | Pelikan (by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023) | Germany | Germany | Ink in a glass bottle; Pelikan doesn't say dye or pigment on the pages we could read | – | $$: $5–20 per item | - Made in (Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red fountain pen ink, 62.5 ml bottle): Germany. Pulp Addiction's listing for the 62.5 ml Brilliant Red bottle says Pelikan's inks are made in Germany, and Pelikan's English product page for the same bottle size in Royal Blue lists Germany. Pelikan's German 4001 page doesn't state a country, and the English page for the red bottle refused connections when we tried on October 30, 2026. Source: https://pulpaddiction.com.au/products/pelikan-4001-ink-bottle-large-brilliant-red ## Key takeaways - Pelikan's German site lists Brilliant Red in 30 ml and 62.5 ml glass bottles and in GTP/5 packs of five large-capacity cartridges. - Mountain of Ink measured a 40-second dry time, medium water resistance, low shading and a dry flow. - On 20 lb copy paper the same review saw some feathering and a few dots of bleed-through with larger nibs; on fountain-pen-friendly paper, none. - Pulp Addiction describes it as a light, bright red with a slightly orange tinge and not water resistant, and suggests it for marking papers. - A 62.5 ml bottle is about 78 fills of a 0.8 ml LAMY Z28 converter. ## What is Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red? **It is Pelikan's standard bright red fountain pen ink, part of the 4001 line.** Mountain of Ink calls it a bright medium red, and its review concludes it is a good basic red: well-behaved but rather dry. Pulp Addiction describes a light, bright red with a slightly orange tinge. Pelikan's German site says the 4001 name first appears in a document from 1897 and that the formula has been perfected down to the smallest detail. Ink is where Pelikan began: our [Pelikan history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/pelikan-history/) traces the company to a Hanover ink factory. The same bottle and line also carry [Royal Blue](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-4001-royal-blue/) and [Brilliant Black](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-4001-brilliant-black/). ## Brilliant Red specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Pelikan, Germany | | Code | 329169 (62.5 ml); barcode 4012700329165 (Pulp Addiction) | | Bottles | 62.5 ml (2.1 fl oz) glass; 30 ml (1 fl oz) | | Cartridges | 4001 GTP/5, five large-capacity cartridges (Pelikan Germany) | | Water resistance | Medium (Mountain of Ink); not water resistant (Pulp Addiction) | | Dry time | 40 s, medium nib, Rhodia (Mountain of Ink) | | Flow / shading / sheen | Dry / low / low gold sheen (Mountain of Ink) | | Price band | $$ ($5–20 per 62.5 ml bottle) | Pelikan's German site says the shape of the 4001 bottle lets you tip it on its side to draw up the last drops. We found no bottle dimensions, so our cover draws the bottle in proportion. **Fills per bottle** (bottle volume ÷ filler capacity, rounded down): | Filler | Holds | Fills per 62.5 ml bottle | Fills per 30 ml bottle | |---|---|---|---| | Pilot CON-40 converter | 0.4 ml | about 156 | about 75 | | LAMY Z28 converter | 0.8 ml | about 78 | about 37 | | TWSBI ECO piston | 1.76 ml | about 35 | about 17 | ## How does Pelikan Brilliant Red behave on copy paper? **It feathers a little and shows a few dots of bleed-through on 20 lb copy paper, mostly with larger nibs.** That is Mountain of Ink's finding, and the only copy-paper test we found. On Rhodia, Tomoe River and Leuchtturm paper the same review saw no feathering and no bleeding, and medium show-through. A fine nib is the safer match for [copy paper](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hammermill-copy-paper/). The dry flow, which the reviewer notes while writing in a LAMY Safari with a medium nib, helps keep lines tight on cheap sheets. ## How fast does Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red dry, and is it waterproof? **It dried in 40 seconds in Mountain of Ink's test, and it isn't waterproof.** Mountain of Ink rates the water resistance medium; Pulp Addiction's listing says not water resistant. Treat a wet page as at risk. For red that has to survive water, see [our waterproof inks roundup](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-waterproof-pens-and-inks/). ## Is Brilliant Red a good red for marking and grading? **Pulp Addiction suggests it as a marking color for grading papers.** The reasons are in the specs: a bright red that stands out from blue and black text, a dry flow that keeps lines from spreading, and a bottle large enough for a long marking season. The 40-second dry time means stacked pages should be left open or blotted. We haven't tested it for marking. ## Does Brilliant Red come in cartridges? **Yes. Pelikan's German site lists the 4001 GTP/5 pack of five large-capacity cartridges in Brillantrot.** It says they fit any Pelikan cartridge pen, such as the Pelikan M200. For other pens, a bottle and a converter such as the [LAMY Z28](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-z28-converter/) works: at 0.8 ml a fill, 62.5 ml is about 78 fills. ## How does Pelikan Brilliant Red compare with Waterman Audacious Red? **Brilliant Red dries a little faster and has more water resistance; [Waterman Audacious Red](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/waterman-audacious-red/) is the other common red for ordinary paper.** | Ink | Bottle | Dry time (Mountain of Ink) | Water resistance | Flow | |---|---|---|---|---| | Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red | 62.5 ml | 40 s | Medium | Dry | | Waterman Audacious Red | 50 ml | 50 s | Low | Slightly dry for Waterman | Both show a little feathering on 20 lb copy paper with larger nibs, per the same reviewer. See our [best fountain pen inks for ordinary paper](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-fountain-pen-inks-for-ordinary-paper/) roundup for the rest of the shortlist. ## What does it cost, and where is it made? **On October 30, 2026, Pulp Addiction listed the 62.5 ml bottle at A$15.00 (about US$10.50), in our $$ band.** We couldn't read a US retailer's page for this color, so check current US prices. **Pulp Addiction's listing says Pelikan's inks are made in Germany.** Pelikan traces its ink business to 1838 in Hanover; Günther Wagner bought it in 1871 and registered the Pelikan trademark in 1879, per our Pelikan history. We couldn't read Pelikan's own page for the red bottle, and we found no release date for today's Brilliant Red formula or word from Pelikan on its ink type. ## Frequently asked questions ### How big is a bottle of Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red? The large glass bottle holds 62.5 ml (2.1 fl oz). Pelikan's German site also lists a 30 ml (1 fl oz) bottle and GTP/5 packs of five large-capacity cartridges in Brilliant Red. ### Does Pelikan Brilliant Red feather on copy paper? A little with larger nibs. On 20 lb copy paper Mountain of Ink saw some feathering and a few dots of bleed-through; on Rhodia, Tomoe River and Leuchtturm it saw none. ### How long does Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red take to dry? About 40 seconds with a medium nib on Rhodia in Mountain of Ink's test, so blot it or wait before closing a notebook. ### Is Pelikan Brilliant Red waterproof? No. Pulp Addiction says it isn't water resistant, and Mountain of Ink rates the water resistance medium, so a wet page may stay faintly readable. ### Is Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red a wet or dry ink? Dry. Mountain of Ink calls the flow dry and the ink rather dry overall, which suits a wet-writing pen and can help on cheap paper. ### Is Pelikan Brilliant Red orange-ish? Slightly, according to Pulp Addiction, which describes a light, bright red with a slightly orange tinge. Mountain of Ink calls it a bright medium red and brighter than the other reds it compared. ### Is Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red good for grading or marking? Pulp Addiction suggests it as a marking color for grading papers. Its dry flow and 40-second dry time are worth knowing before you mark a stack of pages. ### Which pens take Pelikan Brilliant Red cartridges? Yes. Pelikan's German site lists the 4001 GTP/5 pack of five large-capacity cartridges in Brillantrot, and says they fit any Pelikan cartridge pen. ## Sources - [Pelikan Passion (DE): Tinte 4001 (Pelikan's German ink page: Brillantrot in 30 and 62.5 ml bottles and GTP/5 cartridges; name first mentioned 1897)](https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/tinten/4001.html) - [Mountain of Ink: Ink Review No. 2497, Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red (February 2024; 40 s dry time, medium water resistance, copy paper note)](https://mountainofink.com/blog/pelikan-brilliant-red) - [Pulp Addiction: Pelikan 4001 Ink Bottle Large 62.5 ml, Brilliant Red (A$15.00 on October 30, 2026; not water resistant; barcode 4012700329165)](https://pulpaddiction.com.au/products/pelikan-4001-ink-bottle-large-brilliant-red) - [Pelikan: Ink 4001 Royal Blue, historical ink bottle 62.5 ml (made in Germany; the English product page for the same bottle size)](https://mam.pelikan.com/mam/en/pelikan/products/340299) - [Mountain of Ink: Ink Review No. 1637, Waterman Audacious Red (comparison: 50 s dry time, low water resistance)](https://mountainofink.com/blog/waterman-audacious-red) - [The Pelikan's Perch: 4001 and Günther Wagner's lost but not forgotten Pelikan inks](https://thepelikansperch.com/2019/04/19/pelikan-2001-3001-4001-5001-vintage-inks/)