Parker
Pens and Ephemera

Across "The Puddle" Parker had a very different line-up of fountain pens in the 1950s. This Parker Slimfold seemed like the child of a Duofold, Vacumatic and 51. It seems to take from the Duofold name, Vacumtic exterior and an aerometric filler like a 51. The filler is all original and in excellent working order. Click the headline for a close up of the left-foot oblique nib made of 14k gold! Right-handed people will likely enjoy this pen more than lefties. Sorry. Yet, righties, this is a smooth beast with nice line variation close to 1mm. It has a little wear from use but nothing egregious such as cracks, deep scratches or bite marks. 12.5cm capped.

One of the very last Parker 51s made with a Vacumatic filler, this is pen was made in the fourth quarter of 1948. We restored this iconic vintage pen with a new diaphragm. It shows a little wear from use, but there are no dents or egregious scratches. Grey suits the pen very well, too. You will write a smooth fine line with is 14k gold nib. We find that it "sings" a little as it writes. This just means it makes a little noise but it isn't scratchy. The blue diamond in the clip meant it came with a lifetime guarantee for the life of its original owner. 14cm capped.

Need a trustworthy vintage pen companion that won't let you down. Try out our fully restored Parker 51 from 1945. We replaced its diaphragm and have it working as good as new. You'll enjoy its smooth, fine-point 14k gold nib. It shows its age and wear a bit. There are rings around the barrel where the either closed or posted. Its Lustraloy cap still looks pretty sharp without any dents and a golden arrow clip. 13.6cm capped.

No vintage pen collection is complete without a Parker 51. We restored this 51 with a new diaphragm. We like the golden pocket clip on the striped chrome cap. It is a nice contrast and we were a little surprised by the lack of silver markings. The pen and cap show a little wear from use, but it still makes for a nice daily user. Made in the first quarter of 1946, it writes really well for 77 years old. The nib was made of 14k gold. You will write a smooth medium line and yet still feel the paper beneath you. The tail's blind cap maintains a perfectly flush feel with the barrel. 13.5cm capped.

Many vintage pen collectors and users firmly believe that the Parker 51 was simply the finest fountain pen ever made. Sleek and modern. Dependable and long lasting. Innovative and almost entirely leak-free. We restored this black Parker 51 with a new diaphragm. It has some wear from use, and its gold-plated cap is speckled with little dark spots that don't polish out easily. Yet, its smooth, medium 14k-gold nib is quite dreamy. We highlighted the crisp imprint from the 2nd quarter of 1945. The blind cap doesn't quite line-up perfectly. 13.7cm capped.

Looking to stay competitive during the Great Depression, Parker created a more affordable line of pens under the brand Parkette. We aren't sure of the model name of this truly handsome pen, but it has a nice clear Parkette imprint. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. It also is one of the few Parker-made pens to have a lever filler. An elegance pervades on this red-and-marble design with gold-plated trim. The clip sports a lot of brassing but the rings are mostly okay. You will write a fairly scratchy extra-fine line with a fair amount of flex with its 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. No cracks but a little wear from use. 12.2cm capped.

On the surface, there might not be a lot to get you too excited about this Parker Vacumatic. And then you write with it. Wow! With a light touch it is a nice medium nib that leans toward fine, but with a little gentle pressure you can get about 1mm line variation! Not a common trait in a Vac from 1942. We restored this vintage pen with a new diaphragm. Its grey pearl design is nice with nickel trim. Dark ambering still permits a little light to see through the empty barrel. It has some wear from use, but there are no cracks or deep scratches. The blind cap-barrel alignment is just a little off. 13cm capped.

Big Red. That is what this classic orange Parker Duofold Senior is known as. A slightly later permanite edition of the vintage pen, this one is extremely close to perfect. Crisp imprint, crisp milling on the ends, no cracks, virtually no wear or brassing. Its only flaw that we can tell is the cap ring is jiggling a little. We restored it with a new ink sac. You can see the imprint and Christmas tree inkfeed in the photo. Its 14k gold nib writes a fine or fine-medium line. 13.9cm capped.