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Quick answer
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.
On this page11 sections
The M400 in Black-Green, capped, to scale at Pelikan's 12.5 cm.
Striped cellulose acetate barrel, black resin cap and ends, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, 14k gold nib
Released
1982*
Price range
$$$$over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Colors
Black
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Notes on these facts
Made by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023. Made in 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. Price: example listing. Released: Pelikan's 40 Years of Souverän page says the first fountain pen under the Souverän name came out in 1982; Pelikan's archived pen timeline names it the M400, a revival of the 1950 400.
Colors: names per Pelikan (International), checked October 24, 2026. 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. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
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 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.
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
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 guide; it also appears in our 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 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, 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.
