Mk1 blue marble Centennial questions

[Heinkle]

Hi all,

 

I just used the well-known auction site to purchase a Blue Marble Centennial, which I'm pleased to say is broadly in good condition for the price. The cap and nib are in very good condition, while there is some light scratches on the blind cap, and a bit of corrosion around the section rings (might replace the section) and then most noticeably at the rear gold rings (which almost look silvery now). I've yet to clean or ink it.

 

I wanted to ask two things:

• Is it usual for a Mk1 Centennial to be missing a date code on the blind cap? This pen doesn't have one and part of me wondered if there was quite a large step-down between the gold rings and the blind cap, i.e. could it have been replaced explaining the gold ring wear? Perhaps unlikely, but I have a Mk1 green marble International that has "Parker", "Made in the UK" and a date code.
• Is this the original box? I thought clamshell boxes came later in the 90s/early 2000s (the catalogue includes references to the Parker 100, which I don't think was ever produced alongside the blue/green/maroon marbled Centennials). As an aside, I'm shocked at how nice/weighty these cases are compared to the cheap cardboard ones Parker now makes for Duofolds.

 

Welcome your thoughts,

Thanks,

 

Michael 

[jchch1950]

I bought one Parker Centennial inNew York Joon's Store ,it came with a different box. If I'm not wrong it was wood one. About the date I don't have the pen with me to verified if it have or not.

[Barry Gabay]

My later streamlined Centenniel Duofolds came in that box. They were the checker-design; don't recall correct name. Citrine, brown,  & green each came in that box. I also bought a black International Duofold which came in that box. All were purchased new. 

[Sheptonian]

Hi Michael,

 

Thanks for your pictures - the marbled blue Centennial Mk 1 was the pen that I yearned for over many years.

 

Taking your questions in order:

 

• If the imprint is not on the blind cap than you should find it on the rear of the cap, my Centennial and Internationals from 1990 and 1991 all have imprints on the rear of the cap.  My International from 1994 has the imprint on the blind cap.  The cap imprints follow the following pattern - (halo) "PARKER" over "MADE IN UK" over the date code.  The halo is the original, symmetrical design from the late 1950s.

• The box is not the original one,  The Parker arrowhead design on the lid is from 2000 or later.

 

I hope that this helps.

 

 

[Heinkle]

Thank you Sheptonian, you're absolutely right - not the easiest to see, but there is indeed Parker, Made in UK, IIIQ on the cap just above the ring.

[Sheptonian]

Glad to have been of assistance.  You are right about those cap imprints - they certainly are not the easiest to spot!

[TheRedBeard]

The box is not original for Centennial. 

This is a kind of universal box that has been used for a range of Parker models post-2000 in the UK - it could accommodate smaller and bigger pens and one or two ones, etc. 

I have seen Rialtos, Sonnets, P100s sold in that box.