How About This Stubby Little Parker Vacumatic?

February 1, 2019

My not-quite-mother-in-law asked me to identify this Parker pen she's had amongst her antiques. Problem is, I'm not really sure what it is.

It's short. About 118mm, I think. I'm not sure if it's a sub junior, a debutante or something else. And I can't figure out what year it'd be. thoughts? The gold cardboard box in the photos might help, too...

Thanks, all!

Edited February 1, 2019 by MTJohnson

February 2, 2019

Parker Vacumatic Burgundy Shadow Wave Junior size.....Look at the imprint on barrel for date code...

Fred

February 2, 2019

It's a First Generation model (Lockdown filler). I've got one in this color and it's one of my favorite pens -- it's been in constant rotation for roughly 3-1/2 years at this point (I can't even say that about my Plum 51). I know the the Shadow Waves are lower tier model Vacs (lower grade celluloid, and didn't have the same level of warranties) -- but I think they're often prettier than the Pearl models. I was lucky in that mine had already been restored when I got it, and I haven't had to replace the diaphragm or do any maintenance (other than refilling it when needed) except for very recently -- the tassie (metal circle) and jewel the screw on bottom) came off the blind cap (the part hiding the button-looking part at the end of the barrel in your second photo) -- but fortunately I found them, and I just need a little thread sealant (which I might have) brushed on the threads of the jewel). Not bad for a pen that is roughly 80 years old....

Depending on the girth, yours could be a Junior or a Slender Junior, according to the Vacumatic Guide on Tony Fischier's website, which has a photo of the relative sizes between Junior, Slender Junior and Sub-Junior (the Sub-Junior is quite a bit shorter but sounds as if they were phased out around 1934): http://parkercollector.com/vacumaticinfoshell.html (the main article about Vacumatics is here: http://parkercollector.com/vacumatic.html).

Mine has a 4th quarter 1937 date code: 47 (the system of dots for the quarter come later). The date code will be at the end of the barrel imprint, right after it says "Made in USA" (assuming it hasn't worn off over the years).

Hope this helps.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

February 2, 2019

Fantastic! Thank you so much, Freddy and Ruth!

It's real hard to see, but it looks like my pen is from the first quarter of 1938. (Code: 18.) Feel like I could look at Tony Fishier's site all day! And I agree, the shadow waves look fantastic.