Filling Mechanism: Vacuum Filler

Blue Parker Vacumatics seem more difficult to find these days, but we lucked out with this Debutant-size double-jewel model from 1941. We restored its aluminum speedline filler with a new diaphragm. The barrel is too dark to see the ink, but it is working well. The pen has some wear from use and visible brassing on its cap band and jewels. Click the headline for close-ups. We tuned the nib after shooting the nib photo. You will find it writes a smooth medium line. The clip is on tightly. A great vintage pen daily user. 11.9cm capped.

Looking fresh from 1942 comes this near mint Parker Vacumatic Long Major fountain pen. Our vintage pen is fully restored with a new diaphragm. With barely any trace of wear on the cap or barrel, the most impressive thing is the barrel clarity. It is lightly ambered but very easy to see through. No brassing. Click the headline for close ups of this golden pearl beauty. Its 14k gold nib still has most of its two-tone plating intact. You will write a firm, extra-fine line that can be a little scratchy. 13cm capped.

Persian blue is one of our Sheaffer favorites. This Sheaffer Sentinel is an especially attractive vintage pen. The vacuum-fil filling system has been restored and works well. However, we are noticing an issue with it as it writes. The firm extra-fine 14k gold nib writes nicely, but it seems to deposit a little blob of ink every couple words. There is a dent on the right side of the cap, too. The rest of the pen looks fine with a little wear from use. This pen sports its White Dot on the tip of the blind cap! Really neat feature. 12.7cm capped.

The original Sheaffer Valiant came with a vacuum-fil filler system. The color is a rarer umber brown. There is a little light wear from use. There is no brassing, no cracks or deep scratches. You can see in the photo that the cap pushed a little of the softer barrel plastic back where it closes. This vintage pen was restored by the great Sherrell Tyree, who is a renowned Sheaffer expert. You will write a smooth fine-medium line with its two-tone 14k gold Triumph nib. Oh, and it has nice ink-view window clarity. Click the headline for close-ups. Wide bodied and 13.3cm capped.

Stunningly well restored by Sheaffer repair super star Sherrell Tyree, our Sheaffer Admiral is a great example of the company's "ebony & pearl" design. They actually used flakes from abalone shells harvested from the kelp beds off the California shoreline. It looks gorgeous set in that polished ebony celluloid. As you can see in the photo, the barrel's barber pole viewing window is a little ambered but still clear enough to see through. Click the headline for a close-up. Extra-fine nib aficionados will be excited to learn the pen's 14k gold nib has an "accountant" point. (Not marked accountant nib but we've handled enough to know the real thing.) Better, yet, it writes a smooth extra-extra fine line with a "feather touch" to the paper. If you love Japanese extra-fine nibs, this is a rare American vintage nib that gets THAT fine. Overall, the pen has a little wear from use. No cracks but a few nibble marks on top of the cap. 13.9cm capped.

Don't be so quick to blow past this rather average looking Parker 51 set. More than a double-jewel set from 1946, these writing instruments offer something extra special. A very close examination will reward you with hallmarks for solid 14k gold. The caps are gold-filled, but the pocket clips, tail-jewel tassie and pencil's nose cone are all solid 14k gold! This was a special upgrade feature that is rather uncommon in the wild these days. We are selling these pens for our friend and legendary pen repairman Stuart Hawkinson who replaced the diaphragm in the vintage pen. No engravings mar the caps. The pen cap is dent free. The pencil has a small impression on the back of the cap. Under close examination the pen shows a fair amount of wear from use but no cracks or ugly scars. You will write a nice extra-fine line with the 14k gold nib of the pen. The pencil uses 1.1mm leads. Click the headline for a close-up.

Perfectly plated two-tone 14k gold arrow nibs on Parker Vacumatics are difficult to find. Click the headline to witness a really beautiful nib up close. You'll write a wet medium line with a little feedback. Our Parker Vacumatic Major is a nice pen in its entirety. Made in the third quarter of 1942, who knows what action this vintage pen might have seen. Yet, we suspect it mostly saw a well protected desk given its lack of cracks or deep scratches. Just some general light wear from use. It was engraved with the name John D. Parks. Decent barrel clarity. It was recently restored before we obtained it. It comes with a 1947 version of the pencil that comes preloaded with a 1.1mm lead. It is a little more worn. Pen measures 13.5cm capped.

We love finding Parker Vacumatics that are still in close-to-new condition. This vintage pen still has a light-yellow barrel clarity! It is no longer that green-yellow from right off the line, but it is still pretty good. No cracks, minimal--if any--brassing. We restored this pen with a new diaphragm. The biggest "flaw" is that its pocket clip spins, even though it is securely on the pen. The blue diamond was Parker's indicator that this pen was guaranteed for the life of its first owner. You will write an extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib. There is a little feedback, but this is a pretty good XF writer. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.8cm capped.