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I am in the middle of doing research on the 6 pens that were given by Eisenhower to key WW2 personnel, in particular the pen given by Eisenhower to Cunningham which I think is the only known pen still to exist and is stored in a museum. There are letters which record these pens from 1943 between Parker and Eisenhower and a single hand written letter from Cunningham to Eisenhower saying thanks for the pen. There are two key concerns in my mind: 1. The colour of the pens is described by Parker as being khaki tan, this is not the name of the colour simply a description. The pen in the museum has a colour that could not be described as khaki tan, much closer to cocoa. 2. It is said that elsewhere (not in the Parker or Eisenhower corresponce) that the filing system on these pens was unique, which I take to be not Vacumatic. I find it hard to imagine that this could be the case although the museum image of the pen said to be from 1943 does not appear to show a blind cap. I find it difficult to imagine that Parker would have produced 6 Parker 51s in 1943 that were in any other colour than their general range and also with a filling system that was not Vacumatic. It is possible that two pens were given to Cunningham, one in 1943, and also a 1948 aero cocoa, both pens could have had an inscription which from memory reads something to the effect 'to Andrew Cunningham, Mediterranean Commander' 1943 team. My guess would be that the earlier pen was actually a Parker 51 Buckskin, the second 1948 having been placed in the 1943 Parker case by the Cunningham family. I know very little about the 51 Buckskin other than they are very rare now, was the colour regarded as being exclusive at the time, perhaps even reserved as presentation pieces? The current position is that I have asked the museum for more photographs, they have not been able to remove the cap. In summary, I am looking for assistance on four questions: 1. Does anyone know if any of the other 5 Eisenhower gift pens continues to exist. 2. Is it logical that Parker could have done a run of 6 pens in a unique colour. 3. Is it logical that Parker could have made a 51 filling system in 1943 that wasnt a Vacumatic and that run being only for the 6 4. How limited was the production of the Buckskin 51, was there any sense of it being restricted to presentation pens. For ease of reference I show the Parker 51 Buckskin and the exhibit from the museum.
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