What Parkers Have Joined Your Collection Lately?

[Paul-in-SF]

On 6/23/2021 at 10:50 AM, sansenri said:

Besides collecting appeal, which the do have, they are really nice pens to use, as long as you are not expecting flex nibs (and if you exclude that, the nibs are really good). Ergonomically the Centennial is one of the most ergonomic designs out there (at least for my hand).

 

On 6/23/2021 at 12:15 PM, como said:

+1. Parker Duofold Centennials are just really good solid writers, very comfortable to hold and generally smooth without any flow issues.

 

All true, but they have one design flaw that tends to spoil my enjoyment: there is no inner cap, so the only thing keeping the air out and the nibs from drying out are the cap threads. Mine still seem to last for upwards of a week, which isn't bad, but not as good as I like. 

[TheRedBeard]

11 hours ago, IThinkIHaveAProblem said:

I tend to believe that Parker at the time was facing two things:

1) ballpoints were the future, so production costs had to be cut since the fountain pen market was shrinking; and

2) I honestly don't think anyone knew the plastic was going to be so bad long term.

 

If you look back, you can find paperwork (the internal news letter) that Sheaffer had, bragging about Forticel being used in their pens, how 2nds could just be ground up and used again, instead of wasted, how it was more consistent and how they thought it was a great plastic! ... BUT as people who own touchdowns know; it also shrank, especially around the tail, where it would break and render the barrel unusable  

I honestly, in this case, don't think they knew that it was not stable, in fact, in the newsletter, they brag about how its MORE stable than Radite (celluloid)

http://www.richardspens.com/ref/gloss/R.htm

 

it's right there on the second page, under "new plastic" :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OeD_fqks-QQVYANniA7NhrZh1Q10522c/view

(this link is from the PCA archive: https://pencollectorsofamerica.org/reference-library/sheaffer/ )

 

I think Parker was likely under the same impression WRT Polystyrene.

 

Re. the "high quality" argument: Marketing can make anything seem high quality. (NG51 anyone?...)  And since the fit and finish on the 61s is excellent, people had no reason to doubt the quality of the pen. It strikes me that the 50s was also a time when "science" was going to save us all, and was the most used buzz word in marketing of the time. It seems as though everything was "scientifically developed" in the 50's. 

So, if "science" designs a NEW plastic... it must be superior to the old one right?... or so the logic would likely have gone.

 

In this rare instance, I am willing to give Parker the benefit of the doubt. I don't think they knew that the 61s would self destruct over time. Generally I am EXTREMELY cynical when it comes to businesses, but in this case? I don't think that 1950's Parker would play games with their flagship.

 

TODAY's Parker gets no such pass. TODAY's Parker I assume KNEW about the problems with the NG51, and didn't care. They have their money, and QUARTERLY earnings reports are all they care about. No long term view for the future, just the next bonus cycle. 

 

All that said, I DO wish 1950s Parker had just used Lucite... 😕 

1 out of my 2 of my 61s has a barrel that is cracked at the threads due to shrinkage, and is therefore basically useless.

Too bad too, 'cause otherwise, it's a great pen. Fills fast, writes great.

And no, I'm not really looking for another barrel, the same thing will just happen again.

And another barrel would likely cost more than I am willing to pay to save the pen, so if I can't get one locally for real cheap, then eventually that pen will become a donor. Sad really. 

 

 

Thank you for useful opinion. And I certainly agree with you on p.2... 

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

8 hours ago, TheRedBeard said:

Thank you for useful opinion. And I certainly agree with you on p.2... 

 

 

oh, and regarding the subject of this thread:

Last night I picked up a Flighter 45 for 6 bucks.

 

[Carguy]

A Surf Green (or Caribbean Green) P61 that I’m currently flushing the capillary cell on and going to ink shortly.

 

Absolutely my favorite 61 color!

[inkstainedruth]

6 hours ago, IThinkIHaveAProblem said:

 

 

oh, and regarding the subject of this thread:

Last night I picked up a Flighter 45 for 6 bucks.

 

 

SWEEEET!  That's a great price!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

SWEEEET!  That's a great price!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I couldn't believe it, 14 mins left and it was at 1cent...

then at 5 mins left it was at 11 cents...

yeah, his shipping charges are higher than they should be, but uhm, 6bucks? yeah, well, even after the shipping, its still cheap

it can now join the 3 other flighters and 1 coronet that I have. In fact, I have NO 45s that are not metal barrels... and never had! ive had a gold one, but I sold it.

I'm pretty happy with the purchase

 

[Yohaanrods]

I happen to find a P51 that belonged to my great grandfather. Seems to write like an architect nib ( after years of usage I assume) 

[inkstainedruth]

Family heirlooms are always nice to have.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Yohaanrods]

True

[chromantic]

Don't think I've posted in the Parker forums since I switched to Pelikan but just ordered a P51 from Valentina - 

"Extremely Rare Teal Blue and 1/10 12k gold-filled [cap] and 14k nib ... Teal Blue only made from '48 - '53, after that was different and became Turquoise"

Even though I moved on, I've hankered for a nice 51 and this caught my eye as I was scrolling through her newsletter; the price seemed reasonable so I went for it. Yama-dori, maybe?

[Sheptonian]

This unusual beauty (received as a gift).

 

I rather like it.

 

 

[JotterAddict62]

These arrived on Friday.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154512252228

 

Another early no tip protector Jotter in coral. A 2nd Gen. Jotter.

 

I swapped out the white LL pencil with a coral LL pencil for the matching set.

[Carguy]

33 minutes ago, JotterAddict62 said:

These arrived on Friday.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154512252228

 

Another early no tip protector Jotter in coral. A 2nd Gen. Jotter.

 

I swapped out the white LL pencil with a coral LL pencil for the matching set.

Love the coral Jotter. Have you found anyway to use the LL pencils? It seems I’ve read something about using a Bic BP insert but that sounds like a pain.

[JotterAddict62]

1 hour ago, Carguy said:

Love the coral Jotter. Have you found anyway to use the LL pencils? It seems I’ve read something about using a Bic BP insert but that sounds like a pain.

I know I have a few of the LL refills that still work. I am organizing my pen stock for the CPS in Sept./Oct.and came across a 1st year Jotter cap with a hole in the button for

the chain [ post office Jotter ]. I did not know I had a 2nd one.

[JotterAddict62]

On 7/7/2021 at 9:46 AM, Sheptonian said:

 

 

On 7/7/2021 at 9:46 AM, Sheptonian said:

This unusual beauty (received as a gift).

 

I rather like it.

 

 

I do like the clip on that one.

[Sheptonian]

8 hours ago, JotterAddict62 said:

 

I do like the clip on that one.

Thanks.  The Varsity's clip is even more interesting in profile - quite a departure from Parker's other clips in 1963.

 

 

 

 

[motox]

i had a jotter way back in my younger days. being a kid, i broke the plastic in the middle. recently bought a france made jotter with the steel barrels, black and victoria purple. it reminded how much i loved this pen. i bought another black plastic jotter (also france), and 2 vintage parker jotters (ss and dark blue). the vintage pens feel solid especially in the clicker. im hooked.

 

looking into the urban im twist ss.

[chromantic]

My Teal 51 arrived today. It appears to be in beautiful condition overall, a 1/2" diagonal scratch on the lower barrel, not that deep, though I can feel it when I run my finger over it, and fortunately not really visible due to the darkness of the color, then a tiny pin-point sized dent on the cap, again barely noticeable. The jewel is wonderfully translucent.

 

And it came inked, too, so I was able to test it out right off. It looks like they flushed it but didn't account for the water left in the section and there's a washed out blue remaining; a fair amount was around the section when I uncapped it. I did my best to clean out the cap with damp, rolled up paper towel as I didn't want to fill the cap with water like I did the barrel. Writes smoothly enough, I guess, the watery remains is running out so will have to wait for thorough flush and refilling with probably Yama-dori.

[Man O War]

On 7/11/2021 at 6:16 AM, Sheptonian said:

Thanks.  The Varsity's clip is even more interesting in profile - quite a departure from Parker's other clips in 1963.

 

 

 

 

 

What a neat clip!  Never saw that before on a Parker.  I think it's better looking than the clips of today and on par with the "classic" clip of the simple arrow clip on older Parkers.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers,

Ryan

[JotterAddict62]

These are today's auction picks for 7/24/21.

 

 

These did not warrant an auction report.