What Parkers Have Joined Your Collection Lately?

[NumberSix]

Delivery time!

 

Parker 21 (M) - black

Parker 51 Demi aero (M) - black

Parker 51 Demi hoop (F) - burgundy

Superchrome Blue-Black

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by NumberSix

[NumberSix]

Inked up the black P21 with Superchrome. Bottle was full and smelled fine.

 

This is a fantastic ink! I was expecting it to look purple, but it looks like a proper blue-black. (maybe just a hint of purple when you smear it) It's flowing well, but it doesn't bleed or ghost on Leuchtturm or my cheaper paper. And as promised, it dries pretty dang fast.

 

Will it eat the pen? Probably. But how long will it take?

Edited August 2, 2020 by NumberSix

[NumberSix]

Earlier this week, I received this lovely cocoa Aero 51 from our very own Carguy. It's a finer nib than I usually like in my vintage Parkers, But I fell in love with the color and had to have it. This wet Bad Black Moccasin is a perfect match for the nib.

 

 

[Carguy]

Very glad you are enjoying it! ☝

 

I just got ANOTHER blue Aero 51 that will soon be repurposed into a white fantasy Kullock 51.

[Matlock]

Just got a 1943 51 to complete my date set, I now have an example of every 51 vacumatic.

[mitto]

I bought a lot of 49 Parker 51s from a antique dealer. Some are in good to excellent condition while others are in need of replacement parts. Or the pens themselves may be used as parts to complete some 51 project pens. Fortunately the nibs on almost all are in goood conditin.

[JotterAddict62]

Last week the P51 mustard DJ demi showed up. It was a parts pen, the barrel will need a Pro to fix up the crack. I will look in my parts bin for all of the internal parts.

I will have to be on the lookout for a cap.

[christof]

Last week the P51 mustard DJ demi showed up....

Wow! I didn‘t know that Demis were offered as DJ‘s.

c.

[JotterAddict62]

Wow! I didn‘t know that Demis were offered as DJ‘s.

c.

The barrel measures 56mm and has date code .5. on it. Could it be a full size with a short barrel?

Edited August 10, 2020 by JotterAddict62

[aimi]

I think I might have posted about this when I first acquired it, but I am in possession of a NOS golden pearl major with plastic speedline filler. It also seems to have quite the flex nib (on a USA vac, nonetheless!). Maybe from COVID boredom, I'm *dying* to test this pen out, but at the same time, I can't bring myself to fill the pen because of its NOS status, and I have other flex nibs to entertain myself. I'm almost thinking of selling it to maybe buy a user-grade vacumatic, but gosh is it pretty. Has anyone bought and used a NOS vac here?

Edited August 11, 2020 by aimi

[alexwi]

I think I might have posted about this when I first acquired it, but I am in possession of a NOS golden pearl major with plastic speedline filler. It also seems to have quite the flex nib (on a USA vac, nonetheless!). Maybe from COVID boredom, I'm *dying* to test this pen out, but at the same time, I can't bring myself to fill the pen because of its NOS status, and I have other flex nibs to entertain myself. I'm almost thinking of selling it to maybe buy a user-grade vacumatic, but gosh is it pretty. Has anyone bought and used a NOS vac here?

 

Hi Aimi,

 

Let me see if I got this right... You don't want to ink a brand-new pen so it stays brand-new, so instead you'd rather sell it and buy a used one?????

 

Considering that the Spanish Flu went on for about two years, that's likely to be how long this pen's presence will torture you.

 

Alex

[aimi]

 

Hi Aimi,

 

Let me see if I got this right... You don't want to ink a brand-new pen so it stays brand-new, so instead you'd rather sell it and buy a used one?????

 

Considering that the Spanish Flu went on for about two years, that's likely to be how long this pen's presence will torture you.

 

Alex

 

I definitely suspect that too... woe!

[inkstainedruth]

 

Hi Aimi,

 

Let me see if I got this right... You don't want to ink a brand-new pen so it stays brand-new, so instead you'd rather sell it and buy a used one?????

 

Considering that the Spanish Flu went on for about two years, that's likely to be how long this pen's presence will torture you.

 

Alex

Some people would keep the pen pristine and not use it, especially if it's a vintage pen like a Vacumatic. Me? I only have one vintage pen that would might be considered NOS, a Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral with the nib sticker on the section. Paid $14 for it at an antiques fair a few years ago Christmas. Do I use it? Yes! (Well, after I had it checked out to make sure that it didn't have any problems like a rusted spring before I put ink into it... ) In fact it's currently inked up with (diluted) vintage Skrip Permanent Royal Blue. And I'm actually happy that my Plum Demi 51 (which is ALSO currently inked up, with Diamine Tudor Blue) is "user grade" -- cost me less money than a minty-minty one would have, and it's a lovely writer.

But there are people on here who are "collectors", and those people would not be like me. They would be storing their pens in nice display cases (and then often try to buy a user-grade replacement to actually write with.

As for a NOS Vac? No, don't have one of those. At this point, I pretty much have all the Vac colors I want (and can afford -- although I'd like to actually see a Silver Web someday, I suspect the price tag, even without it being NOS, would make me pass out from sticker shock... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[aimi]

Some people would keep the pen pristine and not use it, especially if it's a vintage pen like a Vacumatic. Me? I only have one vintage pen that would might be considered NOS, a Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral with the nib sticker on the section. Paid $14 for it at an antiques fair a few years ago Christmas. Do I use it? Yes! (Well, after I had it checked out to make sure that it didn't have any problems like a rusted spring before I put ink into it... ) In fact it's currently inked up with (diluted) vintage Skrip Permanent Royal Blue. And I'm actually happy that my Plum Demi 51 (which is ALSO currently inked up, with Diamine Tudor Blue) is "user grade" -- cost me less money than a minty-minty one would have, and it's a lovely writer.

But there are people on here who are "collectors", and those people would not be like me. They would be storing their pens in nice display cases (and then often try to buy a user-grade replacement to actually write with.

As for a NOS Vac? No, don't have one of those. At this point, I pretty much have all the Vac colors I want (and can afford -- although I'd like to actually see a Silver Web someday, I suspect the price tag, even without it being NOS, would make me pass out from sticker shock... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

That's exactly where I am, Ruth. I would probably be even more happy if my pen were user-grade (with the same nib of course). I lack neither the cash nor the pens to really need to ink this up, but yet there's nothing like trying a new nib to see what its characteristics are like.

[carola]

 

That's exactly where I am, Ruth. I would probably be even more happy if my pen were user-grade (with the same nib of course). I lack neither the cash nor the pens to really need to ink this up, but yet there's nothing like trying a new nib to see what its characteristics are like.

So, do it!

[Estycollector]

I've got two pens that arrived NOS that I use. One cost maybe $20 and the other near the same. I find I enjoy things more when they work. The two '42 "51's" provide pure joy to carry several times a week and use.

[christof]

The barrel measures 56mm and has date code .5. on it. Could it be a full size with a short barrel?

 

Hello JotterAddict

 

Honestly, I am not a expert, that's why I quickly checked the Parker "51" book on page 68:

 

Quotation:

 

" Parker came up with the idea of proucing a smaller version of the 51. Introduced in 1947, it was hoped that such a product would appeal to women who may have found the full sized pen slightly too large to comfortable write with....

 

...The arrival of the Demi coinced with the final full year of production for the Vacumatic filler. By this point, production of the original doubl-jewelled pens had all but completely stopped, and Demis were therefore of the more modern single-jewelled design with a round ended barrel..."

 

I also checked my own Demi. It has datecode 8. And I also tested the double-jewelled blind cap of a full size pen on it and it works fine. (To be honest: it looks great!)

 

C.

Edited August 12, 2020 by christof

[NumberSix]

I received this red Parker 21 mark II pencil a month or two ago, as part of a matched set with a P21 pen.

 

This is a great pencil. It’s about 5” long. There’s an eraser if you remove the silver cap, but of course it does not work after 50+ years. I loaded it up with this excellent Pentel 2B.

 

 

[JotterAddict62]

 

Hello JotterAddict

 

Honestly, I am not a expert, that's why I quickly checked the Parker "51" book on page 68:

 

Quotation:

 

" Parker came up with the idea of proucing a smaller version of the 51. Introduced in 1947, it was hoped that such a product would appeal to women who may have found the full sized pen slightly too large to comfortable write with....

 

...The arrival of the Demi coinced with the final full year of production for the Vacumatic filler. By this point, production of the original doubl-jewelled pens had all but completely stopped, and Demis were therefore of the more modern single-jewelled design with a round ended barrel..."

 

I also checked my own Demi. It has datecode 8. And I also tested the double-jewelled blind cap of a full size pen on it and it works fine. (To be honest: it looks great!)

 

C.

May have to talk to FarmBoy, he knows more than me [ for sure ] .

 

Ken

Edited August 13, 2020 by JotterAddict62

[pajaro]

Some people would keep the pen pristine and not use it, especially if it's a vintage pen like a Vacumatic. Me? I only have one vintage pen that would might be considered NOS, a Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral with the nib sticker on the section. Paid $14 for it at an antiques fair a few years ago Christmas. Do I use it? Yes! (Well, after I had it checked out to make sure that it didn't have any problems like a rusted spring before I put ink into it... ) In fact it's currently inked up with (diluted) vintage Skrip Permanent Royal Blue. And I'm actually happy that my Plum Demi 51 (which is ALSO currently inked up, with Diamine Tudor Blue) is "user grade" -- cost me less money than a minty-minty one would have, and it's a lovely writer.

But there are people on here who are "collectors", and those people would not be like me. They would be storing their pens in nice display cases (and then often try to buy a user-grade replacement to actually write with.

As for a NOS Vac? No, don't have one of those. At this point, I pretty much have all the Vac colors I want (and can afford -- although I'd like to actually see a Silver Web someday, I suspect the price tag, even without it being NOS, would make me pass out from sticker shock... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I bought one new 51 in 1970. I use it. The other 51s I have are rarely used, and usually just to check them out. I have had NOS pens that I saved to look at and later sold them. Most of my pens are just collection items. Some are sentimental for some reason. I use one 51, 3 or 4 MB 144s, one Sonnet Firedance (red and black swirly lacquer). And a Parker 75 sterling cisele for green ink. Outside the house, ballpoints (cannonfodder). And one cocoa demi 51 set.