Parker 51 Vac Without Date Code

[Florida Blue]

Hello fellow FPNers!

 

I purchased this 51 Vac today at a flea market for the grand total of $5. I was super excited to find a 51 (of any variety) for such a sumgai price, but upon closer inspection, I came away with a few concerns.

 

I searched the barrel, even with a loop, and there is no date code or PARKER "51" anywhere on the barrel. However, there is a deeply impressed "5" on the underside of the hood. Does anyone have any idea what the 5 means and why there would not be a date code on the barrel.

 

The pen in question is a dove gray 51 Vacumatic. It is a later model that is single-jewelled with the transitional cap (1947-48) that has the long arrow clip and wide cap lip that has "PARKER" on the front.

 

Here is a photo of the hood:

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF5363_zps6lnzd6x7.jpg

Edited November 5, 2015 by Florida Blue

[Parker51]

Perhaps the pen was made at the time pen codes were put on Parker 51s but its barrel was damaged and replaced at later date after barrels were no longer marked.

[Blue_Horseshoe]

The barrel could've been previously smoothed down.

[Ron Z]

The first year barrels had the date code on the end of the blind cap near the tassie. This is speculation, but having handled NOS Vacumatics (not vac 51) that never had a date code stamped on the barrel, its possible that it has a replacement barrel.... or it has worn off, or never got one. Stuff happens.

 

For $5 I would not be at all concerned if the pen is in decent shape.

[Florida Blue]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

I had wondered about what you guys said, either it received a replacement barrel or the code was worn away. It could be a replacement barrel as the hood seems noticeably lighter than the barrel. That scenario seems plausible as I can find no remnants of a date code and barrel doesn't seem to have buffed or polished.

 

Any idea of the "5" on the bottom of the hood?

[northlodge]

Is it posssibly UK made? They produced a Navy Grey Vac 51 in 1949 which I have seen without a date code.

[Florida Blue]

Is it posssibly UK made? They produced a Navy Grey Vac 51 in 1949 which I have seen without a date code.

 

The cap states "Made in U.S.A." on the back, so I don't think it can be that. I did compare it to my Navy Gray 51 Aero and my other Dove Gray 51 Vac and it seems to be Dove Gray.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Florida Blue

[mariom]

Navy grey was an Aerometric colour. If it's a Vac, it's a dove grey.

[northlodge]

Navy grey was an Aerometric colour. If it's a Vac, it's a dove grey.

 

You are following the rules too slavishly!

[kirchh]

Navy grey was an Aerometric colour. If it's a Vac, it's a dove grey.

Not necessarily.

 

--Daniel

[Ron Z]

Not necessarily.

 

--Daniel

 

Quite true. I've seen Vac 51s in gray Parker VS plastic.

[ThomasB]

As far as the no imprint/date code, I would opine a replacement barrel...Re the "5" imprint on the underside of the nose cone, now that is unique--I have never seen it before...Note it appears to be aligned directly down from the cone opening, if that counts for anything, but to me would indicate a purposeful imprint

[Florida Blue]

Re the "5" imprint on the underside of the nose cone, now that is unique--I have never seen it before...

 

I also haven't seen or read anything about that as well. It does appear professionally stamped, so it may have come out of the factory that way.