Filling Mechanism: Button Filler

Big Reds dominate the discussion about Parker Duofolds, but we are partial to this jade green Parker Duofold Junior. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac and a new pressure bar. The cap looks good, but the barrel is heavily discolored. Some brassing is evident. Crisp imprint. Click the headline for close-ups. You will get semi-flex action out of its 14k gold nib. Just go slowly and gently. It normally writes an extra-fine line but you can get close to 1mm wide. It has a little scratch but not too distracting on smooth paper. 11.5cm capped.

We like to call these nibs "farmers' specials." Click the headline for close-ups. When I was just getting started, I bought a Parker pen with a custom ground nib from the 1930s. All the tipping was gone and the nib had likely been broken in a drop. The farmer or handyman fashioned the remaining nib into a smooth writing affair, as it was too expensive to get the pen fixed during the Great Depression. This nib looks just like that. It is a smooth, wet and triple-broad firehose. The pen is a fully restored Parker Challenger Deluxe from 1935. No cracks, some wear and brassing. We gave it a new ink sac. Slender. 11.8cm capped.

Made in the late 1940s or 1950s, we believe this to be a Danish Parker Duofold. Not the most common of finds here in the U.S., it is a fully restored pen with a new ink sac. It has a button filler just like the Parker VS pens in the U.S. It feels like a Vacumatic Maxima in size. No cracks. There is some wear from use and brassing on the clip. You will write a smooth nib that just when we think it writes a fine line...it writes a medium line. Whatever it is, we love writing with it. 13.6cm capped.

There are so many cool things about this Montblanc 20 fountain pen; we don't know where to begin. Pre-World-War-II Montblancs are difficult to find. We restored this orange-hard-rubber vintage pen with a new ink sac. One of our favorite features is that the blind cap on the tail unscrews but DOES NOT come off the pen. When fully unscrewed, it serves as the button for the button filler! Just screw it back down to make it a normal blind cap, again. No cracks, a little brassing & some wear. The barrel imprint is a bit faded out, but you can still see "Simplo" on the top line. Click the headline for close-ups, and you will see the cap imprint clearly along with its very smooth, 14k gold Bock nib with a lionhead. 12.5cm capped.

We don't think we can call this a pure-bred Parker Challenger. It seems to us that some long-ago repair person fitted it with a new cap band and section. We don't think that Parker Challengers ever came with an ink-view window. And although this section fits well in the barrel, the grip seems a size to small for the barrel. Regardless, we restored it with a new ink sac. ANNNND, it is a great writing pen with a delightfully smooth medium-point 14k gold nib! Our vintage pen shows the wear of past hard work, but there are no cracks. Ready for more hard work, this pen can make for a great daily driver. 13cm capped.

Parker Duofolds were the most popular pens of the 1920s, but not everyone could afford one. The Parker Lucky Curve was a more affordable option. It is the thinner, less flashy version. We don't know if this is its original box, but it is a great vintage box with instructions. We restored the vintage pen with a new ink sac. The main part of the cap and barrel are black permanite, and the section and end caps are black hard rubber. Click the headline for close-ups. You will write a nice fine line with its 14k gold nib that also flexes just a little. Light wear on the cap and barrel. Looks pretty sharp. 13.4cm capped.

Mandarin yellow Parker Duofold Juniors are not the most common of colors. Yet, streamlined versions are even more difficult to find. Our vintage pen was fully restored with a new sac several years ago. The photo doesn't showcase the nuance of the colors in the cap and barrel. The of the cap is a couple of shades lighter than the barrel. However, the barrel is inconsistent with some spots darker or lighter than others. The imprint is fairly well worn. No cracks. Minimal, if any, brassing. You will write a buttery smooth, wet fine line with its 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. 11.5cm capped.

We don't often get excited about ringtop fountain pens, but this Parker Lady Duofold is something else. It is pretty close to mint for a 100-year-old pen. Really crisp milling on the top of the cap and blind cap. Deep, sharp imprint that is kinda uncommon for Lady Duofolds. Our vintage pen has been fully restored with a new ink sac. The only real imperfection with the pen is that the cap is several shades lighter than the barrel. Yet, it has a raised cap band, which is often desired. Click the headline for close-ups. Its 14k gold nib writes a smooth fine line with a hint of feedback. It has a "Christmas tree" inkfeed. No brassing. 12cm capped.