Parker
Pens and Ephemera

Parker mastered marketing during the Great Depression. Instead of reducing the price of flagship Vacumatics and Duofolds, Parker Thrift Time pens were essentially Parker Duofolds with bargain-basement pricing. Barely even advertised, these pens were actually decent sellers at stationary and pen shops and helped keep Parker afloat during the darkest days of the Depression. On the collector market, they can be a little difficult to come by. Here is a fully restored green marble Parker Thrift Time with a still-working grey-marble pencil. Click the headline for close ups.

It seems a misnomer that Parker Duofold Jr. pencils are called juniors. They are about the same length as the seniors, just a little thinner. There's only one little dimple in the golden tail topper. The rest of the vintage pencil shows a little wear from use and brassing. The tail-twist mechanism works great, advancing and retracting the 1.1mm lead. There's a spare lead but no eraser under the tail topper. 13cm.

It is the height of the Great Depression. Parker's annual sales have crashed from $5M a year to just over $1M. Most of the competition has folded under the strain. Unwilling to discount the flagship luxury Duofold pens from $10 to a much more affordable $3.50, Parker created a new "thrift" pen for those who still want a good pen but cannot afford the opulent Duofold of just a year or two ago. Thus was born the Parker Duette. This is a Parker Duette Jr. set that has been fully restored with a new ink sac. Parker barely even advertised these pens, and they are a little harder to find than Duofolds. Brassing and discoloration detract from the vintage pen. However, it comes with a very flexi 14k gold nib that goes from extra fine to roughly 2mm! It is scratchy, but a worthy sacrifice for 2mm flex. Pencil works and has spare leads. Each is engraved with "Buster Brown Shoes." We suspect this was set for a top shoe salesperson or from corporate headquarters. Pen measures 11.2cm capped.

Finding "clean" lapis blue in vintage writing instruments is difficult in our modern age. The white flecks are nearly perfect in the blue barrel. It has a nice, deep, crisp imprint, too. There are no significant dents or scratches. A little brassing can be found. The pen works well. You can easily advance or retract the 1.1mm lead with a twist of the tail cap. Remove the golden tail topper to reveal the remains of the hardened eraser with spare leads below it. 13cm capped.

Parker Duofold pencils are remarkably made and engineered devices. Nearly 100 years after its manufacture, this black-and-pearl design still works great. Senior length, this pen is a great sample of these vintage pencils. It has some noticeable wear from use. The tail topper has a little denting from a drop and a few little dimples on its side. Traces of brassing can be seen. It writes well with a 1.1mm lead that advances smoothly with a twist of the tail topper. 14cm capped.

Dignified and confident is the aura of this senior-sized Parker Duofold pencil in a burgundy and black design. It advances and retracts a 1.1mm lead with a smooth, easy twist of the tail cap. It has a little wear, but there are no cracks and minimal brassing. The streamlined black topper has a few little nicks from drops and such. A very nicely engraved signature graces the back of the cap. It appears to read "Charles M. Auriett." The last name is difficult to read; the "A" is definite the U, R, and I all look the same. Maybe it is really "Auuett," but that seems unlikely. Possibly "Arruett." Although nicely engraved, it is easy to overlook by anyone watching you write. No eraser but some spare leads. 13.1cm.

Juicy, fat nibs are far too few in our opinion. However, if you like wet, broad nibs the way we do, you will love this streamlined black Parker Duofold Jr. Our fully restored vintage pen comes with a fresh ink sac. Click the headline for close-ups of the nib and shiny black goodness of this streamlined beauty. It isn't in mint condition, but it is pretty stunning if you don't mind some cap marks above the threadline and around the tail from posting. No cracks. No engraving. No deep scratches. The photo shows the deep imprint pretty clearly. 12cm capped.

Parker Vacumatic celluloid bordering on perfection is difficult to find...but here it is! More than just crack and scratch free, when you hold this beautiful azure pearl Vacumatic barrel up to the light, the ink-view parts are insanely close to new-out-of-the-factory yellow-green. No amber! For many people that makes this a museum worth vintage pen. It helps that it has a 1st quarter 1936 date code and a double jewel design. The jewels are black, not blue striped. Click the headline for close-ups. The filling unit is black plastic and not the original aluminum. The 14k monotone gold nib writes a very smooth medium line...but is not two-tone. Unlike the pen, the matching pencil is heavily used but still working...and from a different year. Pen measures 13cm capped.