All 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.

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.

You just can't overlook the stunning beauty of the green-and-quartz pebble design of this beautiful Franklin-Christoph 46 fountain pen. In near-mint condition it steals everyone's attention. The only think that might impress you more is that it has a 14k gold semi-flex nib. We think it was intended to be a full-flexi, but it feels firm fine when we write with it. You'll need to engage the flex with a little more intentionality. This oversized pen also includes its original standard international converter. No pocket clip on the cap. That is just how these came. 13.5cm capped. Click the headline for close-ups.

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.

American-made luxury pens are a rare treat in modern manufacturing, but this Cross Townsend rollerball pen was a staple of the 1990s. Gold-plated sophistication makes this pre-owned pen a must. Our pen shows some wear from use, but there are no dents, cracks or engravings. The cap has a tight snap closure. We include a free refill with this classic pen. 15cm capped.

Metallic Turquoise is really stunning on this limited edition Kaweco Art Sport fountain pen. It is in like-new condition with minimal, if any, wear. These pens only use standard international cartridges, and this one comes with an unopened one in its barrel. Seemingly undipped or used, the steel nib does not appear to have ever seen ink. As such, we haven't dipped it and given it a spin. Included is a Kaweco tin that has space for two pens. Pen measures 10.5cm capped.