The Parker 51 Colors Survey

[diplomat]

I want to thank the community for such impressive response: until today <B>70</B> members participated to the poll and <B>441</B> "51" were assessed, I think we have here a pretty representative sample of the "surviving" 51s (yes, I know they were millions...).

Not to muddy things, but how did you arrive at the 441 value?

You asked if we "had a pen of each specific color", not "how many pens we had of each specific color".

I have 55 "51"s by myself.

If you asked "how many pens we had of each specific color" I would guess you'd derive a MUCH HIGHER number of pens.

 

But interesting poll.

 

Yes, Glenn you're right. But I think there is not such a poll in FPN where one can cast multiplies votes on the same entry.

To keep an international register of the 51s owned by FPNers would be a great idea. Lots of statistic data from that list.

 

Should we do it?

[Glenn-SC]

Wow!

Creating such a database would be very interesting and, if you're not careful, extremely huge!

[northlodge]

I have four (2 x black, Blue & Teal) plus three quarters of a plum.... I picked it up for pennies in a car boot sale because the bottom of the barrel is missing. ( My plea under WTT / WTB came to nought). I did come with a very broad nib, so I might just end up stripping it down.

 

The blue one has a strange cap, or rather a strange clip, no arrow just Parker written down it. It was suggested it is a Danish model, but I don't really know.

[sasaul]

I rotate between using my Forest Green (Fine) and Cocoa (Medium) Aerometric P51s.

[PAKMAN]

I've had and sold two dove gray 51's just couldn't get to love them. I have a Cedar blue with gold cap and sold a demi Cedar blue. I have owned 3 and sold 2 blacks. The one I retained is in a near perfect set with gold caps and a 51 box. My burgundy will never be sold.

[Carguy]

I love my 51's and I have 11.....

 

1 Buckskin Beige Vac DJ

 

2 India Black with GF Cap Vacs

 

1 Cedar Blue with GF Cap Vac

 

1 Teal Blue with GF Cap Aero

 

1 Midnight Blue with silver cap Vac

 

2 Burgundy with GF Caps Aeros

 

1 Forest Green with GF Cap Aero

 

1 Navy Gray with Chrome Cap Aero

 

1 Midnight Blue Demi Vac with Lustraloy Cap

 

Still looking for a plum and of course, dying for a Nassau Green DJ.

 

I wish they had made one in Rage Red - I just like that color for some reason!

Edited November 27, 2009 by Carguy

[karmakoda]

Did anyone ask already? Is there a site where we can see the colours? Some side by side reference would be very helpful to this survey. Because I would have to call my one P 51 "old navy cruiser faded hull gray, or green".

I didn't see that in the listed colors.

Cheers

Greg

[Glenn-SC]

Did anyone ask already? Is there a site where we can see the colours?

Try http://www.richardspens.com/

 

Go to "Reference Pages"

Then "Profile: The Parker "51""

 

The pen colors are at the bottom of the page.

[karmakoda]

Did anyone ask already? Is there a site where we can see the colours?

Try http://www.richardspens.com/

 

Go to "Reference Pages"

Then "Profile: The Parker "51""

 

The pen colors are at the bottom of the page.

 

Thank You! Excellent site. I referred another FPN member to it this morning, but I have not diligently explored there myself.

My P51 is definately a Nassau (sage) green, but it has a filler mech from a 51 Special. Is that possible? The cap looks like stainless with a pearlescent jewel.

[diplomat]

Thank You! Excellent site. I referred another FPN member to it this morning, but I have not diligently explored there myself.

My P51 is definately a Nassau (sage) green, but it has a filler mech from a 51 Special. Is that possible? The cap looks like stainless with a pearlescent jewel.

 

Mmmm... :hmm1:

 

You sure that your pen is not a Forest Green, maybe with some discoloration? Or a green 21 super with a 51 cap?

[karmakoda]

Thank You! Excellent site. I referred another FPN member to it this morning, but I have not diligently explored there myself.

My P51 is definately a Nassau (sage) green, but it has a filler mech from a 51 Special. Is that possible? The cap looks like stainless with a pearlescent jewel.

 

Mmmm... :hmm1:

 

You sure that your pen is not a Forest Green, maybe with some discoloration? Or a green 21 super with a 51 cap?

 

I had posted another P51 identity issue with photos of the green pen to compare to the black P51 that was made in England.

http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/cat/3380/display/19269680

 

It is slightly more green than it appears in the photo, but not the forest green, definately a sage color. The nib also appears to be gold, with a large lump of iridium. The pen is not discolored. Usally a discolored pen will show a darker color where the cap has covered it, but it is in great unrestored, original condition. I had seen a Nassau Green pen before and thought at the time, hey that's my pen! But I was looking at other pens too, and did not give it a second thought. It is identical in color to the Nassau green posted on Richard Binder's site

Another interesting detail is that the feed on my pen has a slight "step" in it, almost like a mini scarf joint. If you examine the feed on this Nassau green pen you will see a similar microsopic bump in the feed.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Parker-51,-Nassau-Green,-1945_W0QQitemZ200410885050QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20091127?IMSfp=TL091127194001r38925

Regards

Greg

Edited November 28, 2009 by karmakoda

[gyasko]

In the Parker 51 book,David Sheperd indicates that the last three colors

of the beginning P51 spectrum--Buckskin Beige,Mustard and Nassau Green--

were rarely ever seen in advertising. That gives me the impression that

1)They weren't made until later,but well before 1948(my guess is 1944 or

1945). 2)There was the interruption of WW2 when Parker went to making war

materiels. Parker advertising during that time indicated that the production

of P51's would be cut back out of necessity. 3)Most P51's in those three

colors were made between 1945 and 1948(If someone has a P51 in any of those

three colors made after 1942 but before 1945,then I stand corrected.).

 

 

I have a 1941 Nassau Green. You can't get much earlier than that with a 51.

 

Also, my Buckskin is 2Q 1944.

 

I'm not sure i follow the argument here. The 3 rare colours came out in 1941, but were then not made until the war ended. Is that it?

Edited May 26, 2010 by gyasko

[FarmBoy]

I have all the US colors except for Nassau Green. The NG is my favorite color, but I limited my vote to pens I own, so Mustard for vacs and Flighter for aero.

Overall favorite, by far is the Flighter.

 

My flighter currently is wearing the green ripple section from one of the Bexley after-market aero 51 shells. My Flighter also has a broad stub on it (retip by Greg Minuskin.)

 

Regards, greg

Geez, we hang out to much. I'm also only missing the Nassau. I can see this is going to be tough should one show up at a PPPC.

 

My Minuskin stub is currently in a Forrest Green Aero but I have a factory B in the Flighter that I use for paying bills.

 

We should talk caps at some point since the right cap makes the pen.

 

For the vacs I'm going to go with a 14K smooth gold cap on a Black DJ.

 

Todd

[gyasko]

I was curious about the argument that the three rare colours were not made until after the war. I looked at some ads from the war years and they generally say that the Parker 51 is "most available" in black, cedar blue, grey, and often (but not always) cordovan. That seems to imply a limited amount of the other colours rather than their non-existence.