Rumors of the M1005 Stresemann began early last year and it was widely expected that we would see it hit the market sometime in late 2018. The year came and went without such an announcement suggesting that the release had been pushed back with a new estimated arrival set for the first quarter of 2019. The wait is now over as word of the upcoming M1005 Stresemann finally broke today from the Netherlands courtesy of our friends at Appelboom. This new model will join the M805 (2015) and the M405 (2016) in the same finish. The M1005 will be the largest model to sport the anthracite stripes and is a welcome addition to a line that hasn’t seen a refresh in some time. The last M10xx model not host to an ultra limited Maki-e or Raden finish was the M1005 black released seven years ago in 2013. In case you’re new to the blog or brand and may be unaware of the origins of the Stresemann finish, allow me to explain from where the designation derives. The former foreign minister of the Weimar Republic and Nobel prize recipient, Gustav Stresemann (1879-1929), had a proclivity for wearing suits with thin stripes which became something of a defining trait. After a time, people started drawing parallels between Pelikan’s now well-known striped pattern and the Stresemann look resulting in the nick-name that has persisted to this day.

The M1005’s anthracite finish will be derived from cellulose acetate. Like its predecessors, the cap, section, and piston knob will be made of black resin offset by palladium plated furniture. The M1005 is a hefty pen measuring 5.79 inches long when capped and weighing an impressive 1.14 ounces. The stated ink capacity is something like 1.35mL. The trim on the body includes two rings at the piston knob and one on the section while the cap will sport two bands at the lip with a palladium plated single chick logo on the crown. The nib is a monster sized shard of 18C-750 gold completely plated in rhodium, giving it a monotone appearance that blends nicely with the rest of the aesthetic. The sheer size of the nib imparts a springy feel with an added character largely absent from the rest of the Souverän line-up. It should be available in the standard sizes of EF, F, M, and B with the caveat that the EF version will likely run you extra. Pricing will vary by vendor and country with current details suggesting that those in the U.S. shopping overseas can expect to pay somewhere around $600-650 before any discounts are applied. Domestic pricing here in the U.S. has yet to be announced but will almost certainly be a few hundred dollars more (I’m guessing somewhere in the $800-900 range). Unlike the prior models of the same finish, I would not anticipate either rollerball or ballpoint versions to accompany the fountain pen. The M1005 Black/Anthracite Stresemann is slated for a mid-February release putting it out about a month ahead of the 1929 Herzstück. It looks like this will be a special edition release rather than a regular addition to the line. This means that these won’t hang out for long once the production run is over.

I adore my M405 and M805 Black/Anthracite versions of this finish but they do pale somewhat against the M815 Metal Striped which came out last year. I can’t help but feel that the Stresemann should have been what the Metal Striped is. Because I already own two different sized pens with the same finish, I feel comfortable passing on this one but I’m sure this will be a must have for many, particularly those who have lamented the lack of new and relatively affordable finishes amongst the line’s flagship. I have heard many comment that the release of this one would equate to instant grail status. The only active production Souverän now missing the anthracite pattern is the M605 line and I’ll be interested to see if Pelikan makes moves to remedy that in the next year or two.

UPDATED 1/19/19: Post updated with higher resolution as well as additional photos. The text was also updated to reflect the fact that this will be a special production model instead of a regular addition to the line-up.