--- title: "Pelikan Souverän M400: 14k Nib, Piston & Size" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-souveran-m400/" description: "Pelikan Souverän M400 explained: 14k gold nib, differential piston, striped cellulose acetate, 12.5 cm and 14.9 g per Pelikan, M405, Souverän sizes, origin." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-23 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 9 products: - name: "Pelikan Souverän M400 Fountain Pen (Black-Green, F)" brand: "Pelikan" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "Striped cellulose acetate barrel, black resin cap and ends, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, 14k gold nib" released: "1982" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023" model: "Souverän M400" gtin: "4012700994851" url: "https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/premium/souveraen/souveraen-r-400-schwarz-gruen.html" --- # Pelikan Souverän M400: 14k Nib, Piston & Size > The Pelikan Souverän M400 is the smallest pen in Pelikan's gold-nib Souverän line: a striped cellulose acetate piston filler with a 14k gold nib, first sold under the Souverän name in 1982. Pelikan lists it at 12.5 cm (4.9 in) capped and 14.9 g, made and assembled in Germany. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-souveran-m400/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-23 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Pelikan Souverän M400 in black and green stripes with gold trim, capped, drawn to scale at 125 mm, with an inset of the 14k nib](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/pelikan-souveran-m400-16x9.png) *The M400 in Black-Green, capped, to scale at Pelikan's 12.5 cm.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pelikan Souverän M400 Fountain Pen (Black-Green, F) | Pelikan (by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023) | Germany | Germany | Striped cellulose acetate barrel, black resin cap and ends, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, 14k gold nib | 1982 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Pelikan Souverän M400 Fountain Pen (Black-Green, F)): Germany. Pelikan's German product page for the Souverän 400 Schwarz-Grün says "Gefertigt und montiert in Deutschland" (made and assembled in Germany) and "Qualität, made in Germany". Source: https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/premium/souveraen/souveraen-r-400-schwarz-gruen.html ### Pelikan Souverän M400 Fountain Pen (Black-Green, F) colors - Body colors (5 standard, 0 special edition): Black; Black-Green; Black-Blue; Black-Red; Tortoiseshell White. - Per Pelikan (International) (https://www.pelikan-passion.com/int/writing/premium/souveraen/souveran-400-black-green.html), checked 2026-10-24. The 400 colors from Pelikan's series list; the 405 versions there (Black-Silver, Black-Blue, Silver-White, Stresemann) are separate models with silver-colored trim. Tints were sampled from Pelikan's product photos: striped barrel first, black cap second; Tortoiseshell White pairs a tortoiseshell barrel with white parts. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Pelikan's German page lists the M400 at 12.5 cm (4.9 in) capped and 14.9 g; its size table gives 12.7 cm closed and 14.9 cm posted. - It fills by Pelikan's differential piston, and the nib is 14k (585) gold with rhodium decoration, in EF, F, M or B. - Pelikan dates the first Souverän pen to 1982; the M400 shares its size with the steel-nibbed Classic M200. - Pelikan says each one is made and assembled in Germany, and each gold nib is hand-tested. - On Amazon US its tortoiseshell listing had 102 ratings, averaging 4.4 stars, on October 23, 2026. ## What is the Pelikan Souverän M400? **It's the entry pen of Pelikan's Souverän range: a small green-striped piston filler with a 14k gold nib.** Pelikan's German page describes a barrel of striped cellulose acetate made to Pelikan's own recipe, a beak-shaped clip and 24-carat gold-plated rings. Pelikan dates the first pen sold under the Souverän name to 1982, and our [Pelikan history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/pelikan-history/) traces it back to the 1950 Pelikan 400. On Reddit's r/fountainpens it shows up in grail lists and nib-swap threads, and Amazon US's tortoiseshell listing had 102 ratings on October 23, 2026. ## Pelikan M400 specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Pelikan, Germany | | Filling | Differential piston (Pelikan) | | Nib | 14k (585) gold with rhodium decoration; EF, F, M, B | | Barrel | Striped cellulose acetate; black parts in resin | | Trim | 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings | | Length capped | 12.5 cm (4.9 in), Pelikan product page; 12.7 cm in Pelikan's size table | | Length posted | 14.9 cm (5.9 in), Pelikan size table | | Diameter | 11.7 mm (Pelikan); cap 12.7 mm, grip 9.7 mm (Endless Pens) | | Weight | 14.9 g (Pelikan) | | EAN (Black-Green, F) | 4012700994851 (Endless Pens) | Pelikan's two pages differ by 2 mm on length; Endless Pens measures 125.7 mm capped, closer to the product page. ## How does the piston work? **Twist the black knob at the end and a piston inside the barrel draws ink straight from the bottle.** Pelikan calls it a differential piston, the mechanism its Souverän pens have used for decades. The stripes are the ink window: hold the pen to the light and you can see the level through the transparent bands. There's no converter or cartridge to buy, so pair it with a bottled ink such as [Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-4001-royal-blue/). ## How big is the M400 next to other Souveräns? **It's the second-smallest Souverän, after the M300.** Pelikan Austria's size table compares the range: | Model | Closed | Posted | Diameter | Weight | |---|---|---|---|---| | M300 | 11.0 cm | 13.0 cm | 9.9 mm | 10.7 g | | M400 / M405 | 12.7 cm | 14.9 cm | 11.7 mm | 14.9 g | | M600 | 13.4 cm | 15.5 cm | 12.4 mm | 16.4 g | | M800 / M805 | 14.2 cm | 16.7 cm | 13.1 mm | 28.2 g | | M1000 | 14.7 cm | 17.5 cm | 14.1 mm | 32.6 g | ![Pelikan Souverän M300, M400, M600, M800 and M1000 closed lengths drawn to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/pelikan-souveran-m400-sizes.svg) *Closed lengths from Pelikan's size table; the M800 nearly doubles the M400's weight.* Posted, Pelikan's table gives 14.9 cm, about the length of many pens unposted. If you want a bigger Pelikan, see our [Souverän M800](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-souveran-m800/) guide; it also appears in our [best luxury pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-luxury-pens/). ## What is the nib like? **A 14k gold nib with rhodium decoration, in EF, F, M or B, and Pelikan says every gold nib is hand-tested.** These are European widths, broader than Japanese ones; our [nib size guide](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/fountain-pen-nib-sizes-explained/) compares them. The nib and feed unscrew together, so you can swap widths. LarryPOST sells M400 nib units and says they also fit the steel-nibbed [Pelikan Classic M200](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-m200/), which shares the M400's size. ## Which version should you buy? **Choose by trim and stripe color; the pens are otherwise the same.** Pelikan's German shop lists the 400 in Black, Black-Green, Black-Blue, Black-Red and White Tortoiseshell, and the 405 with silver trim in Black-Silver, Black-Blue, Silver-White and Stresemann. | | M400 | M405 | |---|---|---| | Trim | Gold-plated | Silver-colored | | Nib | 14k gold, two-tone | 14k gold | | Size and weight | 12.7 cm, 14.9 g | Same (Pelikan) | ## Where is the M400 made? **In Germany.** Pelikan's product page says each Souverän 400 is made and assembled in Germany, assembled by hand and checked, and adds "Qualität, made in Germany". ## How much does a Pelikan M400 cost? **It's in our $$$$ band, over $75 per pen, in the US listings we checked in October 2026, such as Amazon US.** ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between the Pelikan M400 and M405? The trim. The M400 has gold-plated clip and rings and a two-tone nib, while Pelikan's M405 models have silver-colored trim. Pelikan lists them with the same size and weight. ### Does the Pelikan M400 take cartridges? No. It's a piston filler: you twist the black knob at the end of the barrel to draw ink straight from a bottle. ### Is the M400 the same size as the M200? Yes, near enough. Pelikan's Perch says the Classic M200 shares the M400's size; the M200 has a gold-plated steel nib, and LarryPOST sells M400 gold nib units that fit it. ### How much bigger is the M600? Pelikan's size table lists the M600 at 13.4 cm closed and 16.4 g, against 12.7 cm and 14.9 g for the M400, so it's about 7 mm longer and slightly thicker. ### Can you see the ink level? Yes. Hold the pen to the light and the ink level shows through the transparent stripes of the barrel. ### Is the Pelikan M400 made in the USA? No, in Germany. Pelikan's product page says it's made and assembled in Germany. ## Sources - [Souverän® 400 Schwarz-Grün, Pelikan (German product page: 14k/585 nib with rhodium decoration, differential piston, cellulose acetate stripes, 12.5 cm, 14.9 g, made and assembled in Germany; read October 23, 2026)](https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/premium/souveraen/souveraen-r-400-schwarz-gruen.html) - [Pelikan (International): Souverän 400 Black-Green and series list (400 and 405 colors)](https://www.pelikan-passion.com/int/writing/premium/souveraen/souveran-400-black-green.html) - [Limited Editions 40 Jahre Souverän®, Pelikan (first fountain pen under the Souverän brand in 1982)](https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/limited-editions/40-jahre-souveraen) - [Fragen und Antworten (FAQ), Pelikan Austria (Füllhaltergrößen im Vergleich: M300 to M1000 lengths, diameters and weights)](https://www.pelikan.com/de-at/service-osterreich/faq-osterreich.html) - [Endless Pens: Pelikan Souverän M400 (dimensions, colors, EAN codes per color and nib; read October 23, 2026)](https://endlesspens.com/products/pelikan-souveran-m400-fountain-pen) - [Amazon US: Pelikan Premium M400, F, tortoiseshell (102 ratings, 4.4 stars, October 23, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MT02FK) - [The Pelikan's Perch: Pelikan 400 versus M400](https://thepelikansperch.com/2019/03/21/pelikan-400-versus-m400/) - [Goulet Pens: Pelikan Souverän fountain pen model comparison](https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog/pelikan-souveran-fountain-pen-comparison) - [Reddit r/fountainpens: grail lists and nib threads naming the M400 (search RSS, read October 23, 2026)](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/search/?q=pelikan+m400)