Parker
Pens and Ephemera

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.

If you are looking for a bargain on a Parker Duofold Senior pencil, please take a closer look. Nearly 100 years old, this orange permanite beast is still working well. Twist the tail cap to advance and retract its 1.1mm lead. Click the headline to see easily that it is more than a little flawed. The pencil got dropped years ago on its twist top crown, denting it down on one side. Plus, its permanite outer shell has a bad crack under the pocket clip. 14.1cm.

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.

Did you know that Parker Sonnets come in a miniature version? We didn't until this Parker Sonnet Mono Refresh arrived on our doorstep. It is an adorable little pen whose design pattern is called "chisled carbon." Click the headline for a close-up. Twist the nose cone to advance or retract the ballpoint. These actually don't take Parker-style refills. It takes a stick refill! This one comes with a working black refill, and the pen appears to be in excellent condition with minimal wear. 10cm.

Here's one from the waaaay-back machine: a Parker 25 1/2! This is an oversized eyedropper from some time after the turn of the 20th century! Best of all, it is free of cracks. Sure. It has scratches, wear, faded imprints and some chocolate hazing but who doesn't after 110 years or more? You can see the original Lucky Curve imprint, though it is shallow/faded. The 25 1/2 tail imprint required magnification for us to read it. Click the headline for a close-up of the very early 14k gold Parker #5 nib! It is a great semi-flex that goes from fine to 2mm wide. We soaked out a lot of old ink, but it seems the old ink has sealed the eyedropper shut for now. We didn't want to force it and ruin such an amazing piece of history. 14.1cm capped.

Enjoy the spark of green life this dead of winter with our jade green senior Parker Duofold. Its vibrant color will remind you of lush, warm days ahead. The cap is nearly perfect, but you can see the barrel is dealing with some discoloration. However, compared to many jade Duofolds, this handsome devil is doing alright. Click the headline for close-ups of the cap and barrel, as well as the 14k gold nib! You will write a firm fine line with a bit of drag. Not really feedback as much as a slightly slowing sensation as you write. We did not install a new ink sac, in hopes of helping this pen not to discolor further. However, we can install one for you, if you want. It has a nice "Christmas Tree" inkfeed, too. 13.9cm capped.

Almost Perfect...but not quite. We adore this lapis blue Parker Duofold Senior set. Its blue is breath-taking, especially in the light. However, the barrel is likely about 2 shades darker than the blue of the cap. Click the headline for a close up. The white is still very white in the barrel and cap. The blue is just a couple shades darker. You can clearly see the imprint. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. No cracks or deep scratches in the barrel. There is a scratch you can see on the section near the nib. No brassing on the pen. The 14k gold nib is paired with an original "Christmas tree" ink feed. You will write a very firm, dry fine line with a little feedback. However, it feels to us if this nib just needs some breaking in from use. The more you write with it, the wetter and smoother it will likely get. The matching pencil is lighter in the barrel but it seems to have seen much more use with brassing and some dimples in the metal trim.