Parker
Pens and Ephemera

Easily mistaken for a Parker Challenger Deluxe, this appears to be a large Parker Thrift Time pen...or possibly another Depression era vintage pen from Parker. We restored it with a new ink ink sac. We find it to be a really handsome pen with some wear from use back in the day. No cracks but heavy brassing on the pocket clip. You will write a nice, wet medium line with some feedback using its 14k gold nib. These pens helped sustain Parker during the Great Depression when most people couldn't afford their premium Vacumatics. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.9cm capped.

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.

Lapis perfection is nearly impossible to find, but we have found it in this Parker Lady Duofold. Our vintage pen looks like it just came off the assembly line. The blue is vibrant, and the little white flecks are white. The imprint start crisp on top and gets shallow toward the bottom...a factory issue not wear. If you can call it a flaw, the only trouble might be that the barrel under the cap is a slightly deeper shade of blue...but we would argue it isn't discoloration. We restored it with a new ink ink sac. No cracks, no scratches, minimal--if any--wear. No brassing. You will write a smooth medium line with its 14k gold nib and original "Christmas tree" inkfeed. Click the headline for close ups. Slender. 11.3cm capped.

We've been making Parker grail pen dreams come true all month. This offering is a 1941 Parker 51 with a sterling silver cap. Yes, it is an elusive first-year pen in dove grey. It is about as minty fresh as a 80-year-old pen can get. No dents or dings in the cap. Minimal wear on the body. The imprint on these double-jewel first year pens is on the tail cap and is crisp and easy to read. The vacumatic filler has been restored with a working diaphragm. You will write a slightly scratchy extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib. We don't really count it as a flaw, but you'll see the hood is lighter than the rest of the pen...a product of age. No aluminum jewels, unfortunately.

It has been a little while since we've had a midnight blue Parker 51. The gold-filled cap nicely accents it. Fill it with the easy-peasy aerometric filler that is so good that the original sac is still good! Now, it needs to be established that this pen was somebody's favorite and heavily used. Click the headline for a close-up. There are many marks (no cracks) on the section and barrel, and there are little dimples all around the cap. You will write a fine line with the 14k gold nib that is also a little scratchy. 14cm capped.

Here it is! The grail pen of all grail pens...a factory fresh 1928 Parker Duofold Senior set in mandarin yellow! Fully restored with a new ink sac, this pen looks as close to new as a 96-year-old pen can. Click the headline for close-ups. Check out the milling on the end caps. So crisp. The imprint is deep and crisp, too. Original nib and "Christmas tree" inkfeed, of course. No cracks or scars. No brassing. This is pretty much as good as it gets. The pencil is in good working order, with just one little blemish on the golden crown of the tail. Pen measures 13.9cm 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.

Let's face it, sometimes we just buy the pen for the nib. Our Parker Sonnet is a hearty and loyal daily writer, but it has a ton of deep scratches and is even missing some of its finish on the tail of the pen. Click the headline for close-ups. Its brass-barrel construction makes it far more durable than other preowned luxury pens. The real treasure of this pen is its bouncy, fine-point 18k gold nib. It doesn't qualify as a true semi-flex nib, but it does have some nice bounce to it. Also included is a Parker converter. This pen also takes Parker cartridges. 13.3cm capped.