New Parker 51

[thx1138]

I picked this up recently. NOS but with some very fine scuffing "from drawer life i guess".

Made in England but no date code.

Very tough to refrain from inking it and trying it out.

The box is in really nice condition as well

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to put the photos in. 

Edited December 9, 2023 by thx1138

[stoen]

Hello,

Perhaps these few hints could help dating:

- according to the Parker “51” book, the practice of date imprint was phased out by mid 1950s.

- there is no Parker halo on the cap, so it is earlier than 1960.

- shorter clip also dates into 50s.

 

So, one could perhaps date your pen between 1953-59, at first glance.

 

🙂

 

[Dip n Scratch]

If you have other Parker 51's use them instead. If not... Buy another! I

t will only be new once. Even the chalk marks are perfect & I guess the ink sac is absolutely clear & clean.

[thx1138]

[Estycollector]

I found a Parker 21 that was unused and an Esterbrook Deluxe unused. Since I don't intend to sale either, they are both in use. Using is a personal decision, but for me, the only one who will most likely care is the owner. 

[Format]

5 hours ago, Dip n Scratch said:

If you have other Parker 51's use them instead. If not... Buy another! I

t will only be new once. Even the chalk marks are perfect & I guess the ink sac is absolutely clear & clean.

 

 

That would be my take.

 

People pay a premium price for a new 51 with chalk marks, use it and you kiss good bye to most of your money, typically you could buy two as new 51 Parkers for the price of one new pen.

 

Trying to remember when Parker UK stopped putting the price on the pen, often shown as something like 54/-

 

 

 

[stoen]

The ink sac guard looks like belonging to an early model, AFAIK, @thx1138.

 

 

 

 

[Sheptonian]

1 hour ago, Beechwood said:

 

 

That would be my take.

 

People pay a premium price for a new 51 with chalk marks, use it and you kiss good bye to most of your money, typically you could buy two as new 51 Parkers for the price of one new pen.

 

Trying to remember when Parker UK stopped putting the price on the pen, often shown as something like 54/-

 

 

 

 

I believe that sometimes shops would rub off the chalk mark price for gifts etc., but leave the rest. 

 

The latest chalk marked price that I have seen on a Newhaven pen is this one (c. 1971):

[Sheptonian]

5 minutes ago, stoen said:

The ink sac guard looks like belonging to an early model, AFAIK, @thx1138.

 

 

 

 

 

That is, indeed, the earlier style of filler. It was common on English pens a little longer than USA production, I understand.

 

As for date, I concur with stoen. The pen is mid to late-50s. I have a dated 1954 P51 Aerometric Classic with the identical cap (with the polished lip). My father's undated P51 has the same cap and was bought c. 1956. Both pens are from Newhaven.

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

@thx1138 I'll admit that I wouldn't be able to resist using it.  NOS or otherwise....  Especially with that nib....  But then, I'm not a "c-worder" -- the only vintage pens I haven't used are ones that I haven't had a chance to get repaired.  And why would you NOT want to use the best designed fountain pen ever made?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mark from Yorkshire]

3 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

@thx1138 I'll admit that I wouldn't be able to resist using it.  NOS or otherwise....  Especially with that nib....  But then, I'm not a "c-worder" -- the only vintage pens I haven't used are ones that I haven't had a chance to get repaired.  And why would you NOT want to use the best designed fountain pen ever made?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I’m also not a “c-word” and would use it without hesitation as that is what is made for

[Estycollector]

A white grease pencil can be used to fill in script. 

[thx1138]

I won't be using it for now. I have 20 or 30 old P51's, most of which are Newhaven pens. I have a couple of other NOS 51's somewhere in the pen storage boxes.

 

When I first started hunting down 51's every pen I bought was a stub, broad, or italic/stub. Took me about 10 goes before I managed to get a true Newhaven medium, now I have probably a dozen mediums,  about the same in broad, italic, and stub, and a few lonely unused fines that I boughtby mistake.

 

I tend to avoid janesville pens as the US nibs are too fine for my liking. Not bad nibs, for they write very smoothly, but what the US calls a medium nib I grade it as fine. I have seen very few nibs on US 51's which would meet my definition of broad.

[stoen]

Pens in such a factory mint condition are rare indeed. I would be very reluctant before inking it.

 

As for dating, the pen has same features as my english 1953 burgundy lustralloy Aerometric 51. One specific thing in my pen is its flex nib, which is extremely rare among 51s.

[Format]

3 hours ago, thx1138 said:

I won't be using it for now. I have 20 or 30 old P51's, most of which are Newhaven pens. I have a couple of other NOS 51's somewhere in the pen storage boxes.

 

When I first started hunting down 51's every pen I bought was a stub, broad, or italic/stub. Took me about 10 goes before I managed to get a true Newhaven medium, now I have probably a dozen mediums,  about the same in broad, italic, and stub, and a few lonely unused fines that I boughtby mistake.

 

I tend to avoid janesville pens as the US nibs are too fine for my liking. Not bad nibs, for they write very smoothly, but what the US calls a medium nib I grade it as fine. I have seen very few nibs on US 51's which would meet my definition of broad.

 

 

This is also my experience.

 

Your experience of US v UK nibs is spot on, part of the reason why true broad nibs are sought after within the US.

 

[Format]

6 hours ago, stoen said:

Pens in such a factory mint condition are rare indeed. I would be very reluctant before inking it.

 

As for dating, the pen has same features as my english 1953 burgundy lustralloy Aerometric 51. One specific thing in my pen is its flex nib, which is extremely rare among 51s.

 

 

Very rare indeed, so rare that Binder suggested that a 51 nib couldn't flex because of the lack of space within the hood.

 

This absence of flex on a 51 was why  Arthur Twydle said that this pen changed the handwriting of a nation.

[jchch1950]

4 hours ago, thx1138 said:

 

 

When I first started hunting down 51's every pen I bought was a stub, broad, or italic/stub. Took me about 10 goes before I managed to get a true Newhaven medium, now I have probably a dozen mediums,  about the same in broad, italic, and stub, and a few lonely unused fines that I boughtby mistake.

 

 

My experience has been the opposite. I have many fines and extrafine nibs and no stub, broad or italic ones.

[Estycollector]

Someone will end up with your pen and use it. 

[thx1138]

Thank you all for your thoughts. 

Jchch, buy a couple of 51's from the UK and you have a high chance of getting a broad or stub.

[jchch1950]

2 hours ago, thx1138 said:

Thank you all for your thoughts. 

Jchch, buy a couple of 51's from the UK and you have a high chance of getting a broad or stub.

I will .Thanks.