From 1910, the company which predominantly produced dip pens recorded hundreds of options in their catalogue. It was unusual to find such variety. The dip pens were so varied, in part, due to the use of a multitude of materials, including; tonkin pipe, Brazil pipe and German sump pipe as well as wooden options in polished and matte finishes, ebonite and glass options. All the pens have variety within their material grouping too, with rounded and sleek designs alongside more angular offerings. Most impressive of all the pens were produced were the highly prized (and suitably priced) ivory and mother-of pearl options. Franz: The Perkeo joins the ranks as one of the recommended starter pens. The only thing to consider is the fact that a converter is not supplied with the pen and is an additional expense. But hey, the Lamy Safari and/or Al-Star does not come with a converter either. I love that the Perkeo takes a standard international one! Well, what else can I really say differently about the Perkeo that the three ladies above haven’t yet? Ditto? Hehehe… =) The bear paw likes it a lot! But seriously, if the colors appeal to you and you’d like to try an inexpensive pen with some facets, go get one of these. I for sure did and not just because it’s blue. =) My Perkeo in Old Chambray finish. #ilovebluepens Roz: I wrote as much as I could with this pen. The length of the Kaweco fit my hand nicely, and since it was so light I could write with it posted and unposted. My only (mild) struggle was with the triangular section. At the beginning, it would take me a bit to work my way to a comfortable grip on the section – after a few times of writing with this pen, I got to a point where only minor mid-writing adjustments needed to be made. Initially, their vision of innovative writing products was not as profitable as hoped and, as you will see, the company changed ownership several times. The first instance that we see the Kaweco brand name appear is with Heinrich Koch and Rudolph Weber when they took over the Heidelberg dip pen company in 1899. The name ‘Kaweco’ came from the founders surnames; KOch, WEber and COmpany. Although we now know the brand as Kaweco, initially the name referred to only one fountain pen series. The majority of the manufacturing process was completed by hand using a workforce of 25 skilled workers who produced the pens and also ebonite eyedroppers. The nibs used were imported from the US company, A. Morton who were based out of New York.

Roz: My first impression of the Kaweco Perkeo was how attractive and friendly its colors were. While the colors are solid and the pen has no sheen or gloss to it, I think the facets really give it a subtle eye catching quality.Katherine: The variability on these nibs is surprising — my boyfriend and I each own one, and mine writes like a dry EF, and his writes like a wet Fine, even when inked with the same ink. Both are smooth and decent writers, but the variability in flow and tipping was surprising! Note: The Perkeo pen we used for the In the Hand photos above was the Indian Summer finish. During our review process, we focused on using Katherine’s Cotton Candy Perkeo shown below. The Cotton Candy’s grey cap

The 1970s had seen the writing instrument become much cheaper due to mass production and outsourcing, however beneficial this may have been to customers who had once been priced out of certain pens this posed a longer term issue for the entire industry. Having moved from in-house production of parts for the majority to outsourcing most parts was economically disastrous and the structural changes in production methods, threatening even the most well-established manufacturers ,like Kreuzer or Mont Blanc...Ultimately, Kaweco was forced to close its doors in 1980 amid financial difficulties. H & M Gutberlet gmbh meets Kaweco It was in 1909 that a patent for the Kaweco safety pen was obtained, the model featured an innovative screw thread at the turning knob of the mechanism to prevent ink leakage. I don’t need any more fountain pens (obviously!) but when I do, I’ll no doubt be looking at another Lamy. Franz: These Kaweco Perkeo pens fascinate me. It is a substantial pen compared to the Kaweco Sport and the colors may be subdued but at the same time they are enthralling. The fine facets of the barrel makes it an elegant looking pen and makes the Perkeo stand out. The ones that Katherine had were F nibs. Unsurprisingly, they wrote well out of the box with no issues for me. However, between the two pens that Katherine had for us to try out, I did notice a difference in the line width despite both pens being marked as F. One was drier than expected and the other flowed quite well. Aesthetically, the nib seems to be disproportionally too petite for a “regular” sized pen. Or maybe that’s just me.This release coincided with the 10th anniversary of Kaweco and 25th anniversary of the original Heidelberg dip pen factory. The anniversaries were celebrated in an article featured in a local newspaper which listed each of their 88 employees by name. One thing that has come from researching this company's intriguing history is that they have always existed with a sense of pride over their work and products and it was never purely the achievement of the owners but rather a collective effort which was richly documented and celebrated with photographs and written recollection - but i digress. Kaweco’s foundations began in Heidelberg near the University city of Bonn, an ideal location as its college town status particularly of the arts and science meant that reliable writing instruments were in high demand. The writing instrument industry had begun to boom with the creation of the steel nib which slowly overtook its predecessor the Goose Quill. Mercents Carl Luce and Friedrich Enßlen started out in 1883 with the production of wooden dip pens as well as the sale of imported steel and gold nibs. The triangular grip didn’t bother me very much since the corners were well rounded. I find the triangular grip on the Perkeo to be more comfortable than the Lamy Safari with my grip. Pen Comparisons Closed pens from left to right: Conklin Duragraph, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Prera, Pilot Metropolitan, *Kaweco Perkeo*, Kaweco Sport, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari Posted pens from left to right: Conklin Duragraph, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Prera, Pilot Metropolitan, *Kaweco Perkeo*, Kaweco Sport, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari Unposted pens from left to right: Conklin Duragraph, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Prera, Pilot Metropolitan, *Kaweco Perkeo*, Kaweco Sport, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari Pam: Other than a clip, this would a great EDC. It doesn’t take much to uncap, it’s a postable pen (no lost caps!), and light! Again, some see the weight as a disadvantage, however, the construction of this pen should be able to stand up to a trip to the washing machine. Ink stains not withstanding.

Image replicated with thanks and all credit to Kaweco - ' The first safety fountain pen patented by KAWECO, D.R.G.M. 224101' Kaweco has a long history starting in 1883 when it was originally known as the Heidelberg Dip Pen Factory. One of Kaweco's earliest models was the eyedropper-filling Perkeo. Featured in the 1908 catalog, the fountain pen was made of ebonite with a gold, iridium-tipped nib. One would have to carry the pen with the nib pointed toward the sky, otherwise, it would leak. Not exactly ideal when compared to today's pens. Yet, at the time, it was an improvement over carrying a pot of ink with a dip pen. I wasn’t sure how I’d get on with triangular barrels but I was happy to discover I can write with them no problem. As mentioned above, I find this nicer to use as the grip is smoothed out. Roz: I admit at the top of my lungs that I know nothing about nibs! However, I liked the line width of the Kaweco’s nib and I only needed to make minor adjustments to my horizontal tilt for a smooth writing experience.Unlike the Perkeo, this pen thankfully does have a clip. This can get attached to my planner and popped in my bag without issue. This feels as light as the Perkeo, if not lighter. It does however, feel more sturdy to hold and use. All the parts fit together perfectly and there’s no movement on the lid or barrel.

Katherine: The Perkeo is a little weird to me. My initial reaction was “ooooh facets!” then “hm… the facets on the body and cap are different…” I like the colors overall, but have clear favorites. saw the release of the Liliput made from Aluminium and described as the small but giant pen. The liliput was a great success and the development of the Special Series (which brought the Sport and twist pencils up-to-date) established Kaweco as a recognisable brand once again. Gutberlet attributes much of the success of Kaweco to the history of the brand and the sensitive nostalgia of the design of Kaweco’s products which although link to historical products, connect with modern technology and styling. To this day, Kaweco ensures that design and quality are at the core of their ethos whilst developing classic designs and innovating new takes on the iconic look and feel of Kaweco.Pam: Honestly, the pen is a GREAT example of a starter pen for those who want to try out a Western sized nib. For the price, the design and the nib performance, the Perkeo is a contender to be a great starter pen. Will it surpass the Lamy Safari or the TWSBI Eco? Maybe not, but depending on what you are looking for, why not try the Perkeo? Pam: For the times I “crave” for a “chubby” line width, I gravitate towards a Kaweco EF nib. What I love about the Kaweco EF nib is that it creates a very round line that can sometimes compliment my writing style. Roz: I think the Kaweco is a really fun pen and I enjoyed trying it out. It was an easy writer (after some adjustments) and it fit my hand size quite nicely. Pam: The Perkeo is pretty light, just like the acrylic Kaweco Sport, which is both an advantage and disadvantage in my book. I find that in pens that are too light, I tend to bear down harder on the paper. Yet for portability and journaling purposes, the weightlessness of this pen made it really easy to start and continue using with little fatigue (if I don’t bear down). Interestingly enough, the disadvantage of weightlessness that I pinpointed on the Sport, was offset by the length and size of the Perkeo. It was a joy to write with.