Parker Duofold 1940-1948

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Duofold Vacumatic Ingenue in striped Blue Laidtone celluloid, a combination of blue, silver, and black strips, which are translucent in the barrel so the user can check the ink level. Ingenue models were also available in striped Maroon and Green. This 4 3/4 inch long pen is date coded 1940, when the striped Duofolds were introduced. They were phased out in 1948. The clip style carries over from the previous Challenger and "toothbrush" Duofold. The Blue Diamond on the clip indicated Parker's "Life Guarantee Contract" against everything except loss or intentional damage. Note the V style unhallmarked gold nib. The plunger is the clear plastic type. They sold for $8.75 and the matching pencil was $4.00.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStriped_1280_01.jpg

Thanks!

[Beechwood]

I dont know why but opinions on this Parker divided a number of people, a great favourite of mine but Ol Griz and perhaps others really disliked them. Your pen looks superb with its diamond and a nice cap band.

 

I used to have a set of the the green version of this pen and its matching pencil in a leather Active Service holder, yet another pen I wish I hadn't sold.

 

 

Edited to see if it made any sense, failed.

Edited August 30, 2017 by Beechwood

[inkstainedruth]

I have a couple of Laidtone Duofolds -- a blue one with a lovely semi flex OF nib, and a red (Dusty Rose?) one that was retrofitted before I got it with a Sheaffer #3 nib; at some point I may swap the nib and feed on it for a more correct one, but for the moment the Sheaffer nib writes okay....

I'm not really a fan of the standard Duofolds, but I think the Laidtone models are pretty. Not sure of differences between models; I was told at one point that the blue one was a Senior ("For Men") model, but don't know a lot about them otherwise. The blue one has a date code of 1st quarter 1941, and the other one the date code is for 2nd quarter 1942.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Duofold Vacumatic Senior in striped Maroon Laidtone celluloid, a combination of red, silver, and black strips, which are translucent in the barrel so the user can check the ink level. Senior models were also available in striped Blue and Green. This 5 1/4 inch long pen is date coded 1944. The Blue Diamond on the clip indicated Parker's "Life Guarantee Contract" against everything except loss or intentional damage. Note the V style unhallmarked gold nib. The plunger is the clear plastic type. They sold for $8.75 and the matching pencil was $4.00.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStriped_1280_04.jpg

[PenHero]

I have a couple of Laidtone Duofolds -- a blue one with a lovely semi flex OF nib, and a red (Dusty Rose?) one that was retrofitted before I got it with a Sheaffer #3 nib; at some point I may swap the nib and feed on it for a more correct one, but for the moment the Sheaffer nib writes okay....

I'm not really a fan of the standard Duofolds, but I think the Laidtone models are pretty. Not sure of differences between models; I was told at one point that the blue one was a Senior ("For Men") model, but don't know a lot about them otherwise. The blue one has a date code of 1st quarter 1941, and the other one the date code is for 2nd quarter 1942.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

FYI - Parker called the red color Maroon.

[inkstainedruth]

FYI - Parker called the red color Maroon.

 

Well, I've also seen it called Dusty Rose. Whatever it's called, it's pretty (although I think the Blue is a little prettier).

A couple of years ago I went out early to the OPS and went to a ginormous antiques mall in Springfield, OH (then back-tracked to the Columbus area). One booth had a lovely Red/Maroon/Dusty Rose/whatever pen and pencil set. I waffled a bit (I don't normally do sets) and decided that the odds were good it wouldn't sell in two days -- that I could always go back on Sunday morning and see if it was still available, after scoping out what Laidtones (if any) were at the show. Instead, I got the Blue one (there was another Blue in the Saturday night auction, but it wasn't as exotic a nib -- so I didn't bid, and just rushed back to the table I'd seen the one I'd been eyeing first thing Sunday morning.... And the dealer even came down a bit on the price.... So no reason to go back to Heart of Ohio (the antiques mall) that weekend. And the other one, the one with the Sheaffer nib on it? Happenstance find in an antiques store about an hour and a half northeast of Pittsburgh, about a week before the Triangle show in June (along with this curio enameled pen which turns out to be a Korean made pen with a Pilot nib and fill system) $10 US apiece, plus tax. Score me!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PaulS]

Don't have one of these at present - but for my money they are attractive pens. I think the colouring is subtle, but prominent enough to make for an attractive pen, and the clip - on the Junior version of this model which lacks the blue diamond - is very reminiscent of the English 'Victory, and the Challenger too, I think ............. plain, and perhaps a nod to late art deco. Like the nib pattern too.

I could be very wrong, but looking at Andreas Lambrou's book, he appears to be calling this one with the 'red', 'pink, silver and black striated' .... but I like the sound of 'dusty rose' - makes me think of another descriptive colour term 'ashes of roses'.

[mitto]

Beautiful pens. Thanks, Jim.

[Estragon]

My contribution:

 

http://i.imgur.com/l0zAjr2.jpg

 

Always wanted to have a striped Duofold Senior from the 1940s in each of the three colorful colors (black excluded - was there a black Senior?). I just finished restoring the last of three, which involved straightening a rather mangled two-tone V-nib.

[langere]

Ah, I didn't know there was a green one - need to get that one too!

 

Erick

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Sac Duofold button filler in Black, the same filling system as the original Duofold. Sac Duofold models were also available in striped Blue, Maroon and Green. This 5 1/8 inch long pen is date coded 1941. Parker did not mark button fill pens with the Blue Diamond Guarantee and also gave them plainer unhallmarked gold nibs. The catalog says the Duofold nibs are 14 karat gold. They sold for $2.95 and the matching pencil was $2.00. Blue Diamond Vacumatic models were not cataloged in black. Sacless Duofold Vacumatics, Sacless Duofold Sub Deb Vacumatics and button fill pens were available in black.

http://penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStriped_1280_05.jpg

Thanks!

[rskorbas1]

I think these striped Duofolds are great, I have one in Dusty Rose dated 1945. What I'd really like to get is one with a 1948 date code. If anyone has one that they're willing to part with, please let me know. The color doesn't matter, I'm just interested in finding one dated 1948.

 

 

Thanks,

Rich Korbas

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Sac Duofold Lady button filler in Green, the same filling system as the original Duofold. The Green color includes green, gold and black elements. Sac Duofold models were also available in striped Blue, striped Maroon, and Black. This 5 1/8 inch long pen is date coded 1942. Parker did not mark button fill pens with the Blue Diamond Guarantee and also gave them plainer unhallmarked gold nibs. The catalog says the Duofold nibs are 14 karat gold. They sold for $2.95 and the matching pencil was $2.00. It's hard to see from the plating loss, but the cap band is plain.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStriped_1280_06.jpg

Thanks!

[Estragon]

A BIN auction for a beautiful black striped Duofold in the Junior size (non-blue diamond, vac filler, 5 1/8") from five star pens just ended on eBay:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Old-Stock-1940s-Parker-Duofold-Vac-Filler-Black-Unusual-Model/122679505121?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

 

Instead of having the typical, thin, double cap bands it had one thick plain one, as on the pen Jim just posted. Looked like it had perfect transparency too: scarcely any ambering whatsoever. I nearly nabbed it, but was able to convince myself to pass since it wasn't a Senior.

 

Jim noted that blue diamond models (including the Senior) were never made in black. The only exception may have been a BD Duofold vac desk pen in this color, as was discussed in this old thread:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/98516-black-striped-duofold-desk-pen/

Edited September 2, 2017 by Estragon

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Sac Duofold button filler in Blue, the same filling system as the original Duofold. Sac Duofold models were also available in striped Maroon, striped Green, and Black and featured a Visometer visible ink section. This 5 1/8 inch long pen is date coded 1941, as you can see from the highlighted imprint, and has three narrow cap bands. Parker did not mark button fill pens with the Blue Diamond Guarantee and also gave them plainer unhallmarked gold nibs. The catalog says the Duofold nibs are 14 karat gold. They sold for $2.95 and the matching pencil was $2.00.

http://penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStriped_1280_07.jpg

Thanks!

[inkstainedruth]

Did not get photos taken of mine yet, but I took a look at them last night and the blue one looks a lot like the one PenHero posted the photo of -- button filler, and three cap bands. The other pen was somewhat shorter, and I think it had a single plain cap band, although wider.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Duofold Vacumatic Senior in striped Blue Laidtone celluloid, a combination of blue, silver, and black strips, which are translucent in the barrel so the user can check the ink level. Senior models were also available in striped Maroon and Green. This 5 1/4 inch long pen is date coded 1941. The Blue Diamond on the clip indicated Parker's "Life Guarantee Contract" against everything except loss or intentional damage, though this example's is mostly worn away. The barrel is stamped PARKER DUOFOLD over MADE IN U.S.A. Note the Arrow style gold nib typically seen on Vacumatics. The plunger is the clear plastic type. They sold for $8.75 and the matching pencil was $4.00.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStripedBlue_2048_08.jpg

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Parker Duofold Vacumatic Debutante in striped Maroon Laidtone celluloid, a combination of maroon, silver, and black strips, which are translucent in the barrel so the user can check the ink level. Debutante models were also available in striped Blue and Green. This 4 3/4 inch long pen is date coded 1942. The barrel is stamped PARKER DUOFOLD over MADE IN U.S.A. The 14 karat gold nib is stamped PARKER over PEN over MADE IN over U.S.A. The plunger is black. They sold for $5.00 and the matching pencil was $2.95.

 

Photographed with a 14 karat gold case Longines pocket watch.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStripedMaroon_2048_09.jpg

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Parker Duofold Vacumatic Junior in striped Blue Laidtone celluloid, a combination of blue, silver, and black strips, which are translucent in the barrel so the user can check the ink level. Junior models were also available in striped Maroon, striped Green, and Black. This 5 1/8 inch long pen is date coded 1941. The barrel is stamped PARKER DUOFOLD over MADE IN U.S.A. Note the Arrow style gold nib typically seen on Vacumatics. The plunger is an aluminium Speedline type. They sold for $3.95 and the matching pencil was $2.50.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStripedBlue_2048_10.jpg

Thanks!

[Carguy]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Parker Duofold Vacumatic Junior in striped Blue Laidtone celluloid, a combination of blue, silver, and black strips, which are translucent in the barrel so the user can check the ink level. Junior models were also available in striped Maroon, striped Green, and Black. This 5 1/8 inch long pen is date coded 1941. The barrel is stamped PARKER DUOFOLD over MADE IN U.S.A. Note the Arrow style gold nib typically seen on Vacumatics. The plunger is an aluminium Speedline type. They sold for $3.95 and the matching pencil was $2.50.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/ParkerDuofoldStripedBlue_2048_10.jpg

 

I have this exact pen....never knew why the cap bands were different but if this is the Junior then that must be why. Figured since it had the metal speedline filler it must be full-size. Either way, I picked it up for a sweet price and it writes fantastically!

 

 

 

Thanks!