No. 126 PL
The 126 PL was made for a short period of time between 1935-38. The "PL" denotes the pen's mesmerizing platinum lined colour, or "platinschwarz" as it was referred to in catalogues. Different patterns can be found on PL pens. Some have less concentric circles and some are more intensely concentric.
The first series of Meisterstück pens completed their run in the mid-1930s and were replaced by the 10x series Meisterstück safety pens that brought the flat-top design we love so much! Very soon after the launch of the 10x series came the 12x series, which was almost a 10x but with the Stoßfüller or push-knob filling system. According to a catalogue from the 1930s, the 126 replaced the No. 30 Meisterstück push-knob model before it.
Soon after the introduction of the 12x came the 13x series with its telescopic piston. All three series - the 10x, 12x, and 13x - were available simultaneously in the market for a short time before the safety and Stoßfüller were phased out and the 13x reigned supreme through the 1940s.
The clip found on the 12x series was the exquisite tie clip introduced by the 10x and carried forward by the 13x series.
The 126 measures 15.5cm posted and 12.5 cm capped. Compare this to the 134 in the picture, and notice that it is surprisingly shorter but has more girth.
The PL was advertised as "popular in this colour as a gift", in old catalogues of its time.
L to R: 146G, 134 war-time, 126PL
Jordi Lopez -a long time collector of vintage MBs and generous contributor to this website - explained to me (see interview ->link) that he believes there were three versions of the 126 PL:
First version - Made in Germany for the German market with the "Meisterstück" imprint on the cap, and with a long cap top. This is the rarest version, with white gold plating on its furniture.
Second version - Made in Germany but for the Danish market, without any imprints and with a shorter cap top. This looks like the pen featured in our review.
Third version - Made in Denmark, with "De Luxe" imprinted on the cap top.
The 12x series was available in size 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9. But the PL colour was only made for the 122, 124, 126, and 128.
As seen in the picture here, the 126 came in a variety of designs apart from PL, like hatched guilloche (S), pearl marbled (P), and glatt (G).
For bibliography, see Resources page -->link