Parker UK Duofold

1953-56
About This Model

Parker Duofolds had been made in the UK since the early 1930s, then generally following the contemporaneous American designs and often using American parts. These are rarely seen today.
During WWII, a second series of Duofolds appeared in England, identical to the Parker Victory except for the imprint.
The far better known UK Duofolds were introduced after WWII, starting with the Duofold NS, New Style. These had arrow clips and were button fillers, and were made in England and in Denmark for English distribution. The AF Duofold, initials to mean Aluminium Filler, appeared in 1948, and were very popular pens. Their aluminium mechanics were very sturdy and these were wonderful writers, with soft English nibs.
Finally, 1953 brought the final significant version, the New Duofold, aerometric fillers. These were shorter, lighter models, made of extruded plastic. While the components were cheaper, these were usually excellent writers, carrying Parker's 585 nib. These later pens also spun off other similar versions, including the Slimfold, Junior, and the 17/17 Super. These last pens generally had friction caps, aerometric fillers, differing only in trim. They all appeared in the final Duofold colors of Green, Blue, Red, and Black.

About This Pen

This pen is one of the last Duofolds produced in England, an early-mid 1950s model. It is definitely smaller than the postwar Duofolds, 12.5cm long and 1cm wide just below the cap edge. Size aside, it looks like a Duofold NS: gold Parker trim with the fully feathered clip and chevron-patterned cap ring. The clip is integrated with the crown, which is black inside the gold trim. The pen is in forest green and is made of a soft plastic, not celluloid. It is very clean, with almost no visible wear. It is an aerometric filler, and fills well. (A bit of Parker arcana: the first generation of 51 Aeromatics instructed the user to press the aerometric pressure bar 6 times; the second generation had presumably strengthened the bar, since they show “press four times.” One has to wonder about the negotiations that led this English Parker Duofold to show “press at least five times”.) The crowning glory of this pen is its nib: a broad stub in 585 gold, and it is a beautiful writer. Be sure to see the writing sample! Please treat this pen to a case to protect its shiny finish.

This pen is not for sale.