Two Parker questions: Nassau Green P51 color, and size of Oversize Vacumatic

[Paul-in-SF]

I have received two pens today, about which I have doubts. 

 

Starting with the Oversize Vacumatic: this one is 140 mm or 5.5" long. It is black, with 3 cap rings and an aluminum Speedfiller (I think that's what it's called), says Made in France, and the nib is 18 karat. The nib says: 18K Parker Vacumatic Reg T.M. Importe du (and the rest is inside the section). There appears to be something on the barrel between Parker and Made in France, but it seems to be only a rather large dot and no number, so I don't know if it was a date code. My question is whether Oversize is the right model name for this pen. (Edited to add: the pen has one jewel on the cap, no jewel on the blind cap; also, I got the nib out and the rest of it says "Importe du Canada 36." The nib appears to have been 2-tone originally, although most of the plating has worn off except where it was protected by the section.)

 

The other pen is a Parker 51 Vacumatic with a plastic filler, a gold filled cap (1/8 14K), and I can't find any imprint on it anywhere (isn't it usually below the clutch ring?) The clutch ring itself is completely devoid of any hint of gold plate, so I suspect it was always its current silver color. The most important point is the pen color -- it was sold as Nassau Green, but the color is definitely blue. The blue is however difficult to identify. It is much lighter than the Cedar Blue pen I have (and the color sample on Richard's Pens); in fact, in daylight, it appears to exactly match my Aerometric Teal Blue. But they didn't make Teal Blue Vacumatics, did they? I'm returning the pen but I'd like to be able to tell the seller with some authority what color it is. 

 

Any help greatly appreciated. 

[FarmBoy]

Is the 51 a single jewel or double jewel? 
 

 

[joss]

Pictures of both pens would be interesting (and helpful)!

 

On the Vacumatic: catalogs or advertisements of 1930s-40s Parker pens that were made/assembled in Europe are scarce but the model name of the largest Vacumatic was changed from 'Oversize' to 'Maxima' from 1937 onwards, together with the introduction of the Speedline filler. This can be seen in the 1937 US Parker catalog. If European Parker pens follow the same logic then your Speedline filler Vacumatic pen is a Maxima. What is the diameter at the cap band and what is the number of feathers on the nib? The single jewel feature is a bit odd, maybe.

 

[Paul-in-SF]

9 hours ago, FarmBoy said:

Is the 51 a single jewel or double jewel? 
 

 

 Single jewel.

[Paul-in-SF]

4 hours ago, joss said:

What is the diameter at the cap band and what is the number of feathers on the nib?

 

Diameter at the cap band is 14.43 mm. There are 9 feathers on each side of the arrow on the nib. After reading the Richard's Pens page on Vacumatics, I figured it would probably be a Maxima, the only size that approaches 140 mm. I wonder if the blind cap is a replacement from a post-1942 Maxima. 

 

I can try for a photo of the 51. The other pen is in pieces waiting for a new diaphragm. 

[Paul-in-SF]

I have done a photo in daylight of the Parker 51 and a few other color-related pens that I already had. The first photo is natural daylight, the second one is with a software color enhancement (sorry, it looks like my finger strayed into the picture on the left). The colors left to right are: Blue Cedar, Navy Gray, Teal Blue (Aerometric), the Vacumatic in question, Midnight Blue and Plum (included because of how hard it is to capture the color correctly in photos). The first photo is natural, the second photo has had a software automated color enhancement filter applied. 

 

[Paul-in-SF]

While I'm at it, here's a photo of the Maxima, taken apart, sans diaphragm. The gold furniture is in good shape, I don't see any brassing at all. The barrel has no imprint except for a small Parker and Made in France running horizontally below the cap threads. The clip style is called Split Feather, I believe. When it's back together and working, this should be a nice, stately black pen. 

 

[joss]

Thank you for the pictures. Your Vacumatic resembles the pen that is shown in this FPB thread, including the barrel imprint, albeit with different nib and clip. The blind cap is likely original to the pen. Does the split feather clip on your pen mention Parker or Plexor? 

[Paul-in-SF]

21 minutes ago, joss said:

Your Vacumatic resembles the pen that is shown in this FPB thread, including the barrel imprint, albeit with different nib and clip.

 

Thanks for the link. My pen's clip appears identical to that one, there is neither Parker nor Plexor on it (did I identify the style incorrectly as split feather?). 

 

Interesting speculation that the manufacture date is post-war (makes sense) and maybe around 1950 (although mine has no visible date code that I can find), plus the similarity to UK-made Duofolds of that era. I have a black UK Duofold that is very similar in size (longer but slimmer) and shape, but an aerometric filler. 

[bsenn]

Some 51 vacs were made from aerometric material. I have a burgundy example.

 

Here is a listing for a pen from https://parker51.com/index.php/for-sale/51s-for-sale/

 

JV8. PARKER “51” Vacumatic in more uncommon aerometric Navy Gray plastic used as repairs after regular Dove Gray plastic was unavailable.  Excellent cap with no dents or dings.  No imprints.  14k medium nib.  Completely restored and working, $250

 

Brian

[FarmBoy]

Navy for Dove and Burgundy for Cordovan. 
 

Barrels will almost certainly not be dated. 
 

Wild found pens may have the original, color mismatched, hood. 

[Paul-in-SF]

On 7/26/2022 at 11:41 AM, Paul-in-SF said:

 

Thanks for the link. My pen's clip appears identical to that one, there is neither Parker nor Plexor on it (did I identify the style incorrectly as split feather?). 

 

Interesting speculation that the manufacture date is post-war (makes sense) and maybe around 1950 (although mine has no visible date code that I can find), plus the similarity to UK-made Duofolds of that era. I have a black UK Duofold that is very similar in size (longer but slimmer) and shape, but an aerometric filler. 

 

The next question for me is whether this Maxima will take the standard size diaphragm or the oversized diaphragm? 

[joss]

It will depend on the dimension of the Vacumatic filler that is installed in your pen. Pentooling has the dimensions of the standard vs oversize (lockdown) filler, which may give you an idea of the filler in your pen and which diaphragm it takes.

[Paul-in-SF]

4 hours ago, joss said:

It will depend on the dimension of the Vacumatic filler that is installed in your pen. Pentooling has the dimensions of the standard vs oversize (lockdown) filler, which may give you an idea of the filler in your pen and which diaphragm it takes.

 

Thanks, this is actually a speedline filler (aluminum that doesn't lock down) and I guess the dimensions changed between the lockdown and speedline fillers. Pentooling doesn't seem to have any measurements for the speedline fillers, but now I'm pretty sure it would be the standard/maxima size diaphragm, since it is a Maxima. I've ordered a couple (because chances are I will mess up the first one) and when they get here I'll know for sure. 

[es9]

Speedline Maximas appear with both standard and OS bushings/pumps, right? Is there any major difference between them? For example, is one a “senior maxima” and the other just a “maxima”?

[Paul-in-SF]

12 hours ago, es9 said:

Speedline Maximas appear with both standard and OS bushings/pumps, right? Is there any major difference between them? For example, is one a “senior maxima” and the other just a “maxima”?

 

If you're asking me, I don't know. Parkercollector dot com lists a Senior Maxima (thicker and longer) and a Maxima starting in 1937 through (at least) 1940, but doesn't speak to the size of interior parts.

 

But I received an OS diaphragm and it was clearly too large, the open end wouldn't even fit in the barrel on this pen. Since this pen was made in France, it may not follow standard sizes (Senior length, regular Maxima thickness), and may have been made post-war. 

[FarmBoy]

Base the choice of diaphragm on the size of the filler sleeve. (The part that the diaphragm slides over.)

 

[Paul-in-SF]

On 7/28/2022 at 4:30 PM, Paul-in-SF said:

I've ordered a couple (because chances are I will mess up the first one) and when they get here I'll know for sure. 

 

They finally arrived today. These (standard/maxima size) diaphragms do seem to fit. 

 

On 7/25/2022 at 4:29 PM, Paul-in-SF said:

The nib says: 18K Parker Vacumatic Reg T.M. Importe du (and the rest is inside the section)

 

When I disassembled this pen, I could read the rest of the nib. It finishes "importe du Canada 36." So now I'm wondering again, if that "36" is a date code, for 3rd quarter 1936, meaning this pen was made much earlier than was suggested above. It seems unlikely since the speedline filler didn't start until 1937, but on the other hand, since both the pen and body were made in France chances are this is the original nib. If not a date code I have no idea what the number could represent. 

[es9]

I’m still confused: is there a difference between a senior maxima and a maxima? Or are they the same and Parker just switched the side of the pump at some pt? 

[joss]

10 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

When I disassembled this pen, I could read the rest of the nib. It finishes "importe du Canada 36." So now I'm wondering again, if that "36" is a date code, for 3rd quarter 1936, meaning this pen was made much earlier than was suggested above. It seems unlikely since the speedline filler didn't start until 1937, but on the other hand, since both the pen and body were made in France chances are this is the original nib. If not a date code I have no idea what the number could represent. 

 

36 indeed seems a logical date code for 1936 although it is too early for the Speedline filler. The Vacumatic book mentions that the French Parker Vacumatics were in fact received from Canada and England. So the "Made in France" imprint on your pen barrel might also be understood as "Partially assembled in France". A nib that was produced in the third quarter of 1936 in Canada and then imported into Europe may well have been assembled in a French Parker pen in the course of 1937. However, the streamlined and "single jewel" style of your pen rather dates it to the 1940s.

Is the 1936 nib a replacement? The comparable pen in the other thread carries a more generic 18K Parker nib. On the other hand, the 9-feather nib is correct for a Maxima and not really a common nib that is laying around to serve as replacement. Wartime period regulations forced pen companies to use-up any stock parts, maybe this also included nibs that were made a few years earlier.