Compiled from 6 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
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.
Ink in a glass bottle; Pelikan doesn't say dye or pigment on the pages we could read
Price range
$$$5–20 per item
Rate it
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
Made by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023. Made in 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. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
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 traces the company to a Hanover ink factory. The same bottle and line also carry Royal Blue and Brilliant Black.
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. 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.
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 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 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 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.
