Parker 51
1949
About This Model
The Parker 51 is generally agreed to be one of the genuinely iconic fountain pens, for its timeless design, revolutionary construction, efficiency, unparalleled durability, and for being a great writer. It is also among the most sold pens of all time, having been available from 1941 until the early 1970’s, manufactured in plants around the world, and sold millions. Within each major model there are myriad combinations of color, cap, and other details that have made collecting 51s a serious sport around the world. 51s are available in two lengths: the typical 51 is 5.4" long, but demis, a half-inch shorter in cap and barrel, were also produced. They are excellent writers, hold a great deal of ink, and are great shirt/jacket pocket pens. Parker 51s are readily available today, although some of their colors and cap patterns are rare.
About This Pen
This 51 is an Aerometric model, from the first generation of the Aerometric (MKII) 51s. It is from 1949, evidenced by the faint date imprint at the top of the barrel. This is a very nice user pen, in Midnight Blue; it shows some micro-wear and there are a couple of smallish dents in the Lustraloy cap. Because it is from 1949, it also has the filler imprinted with “squeeze 6 times”, which was later changed to 4 for the second generation. This pen probably has all of its original parts: clear pi-glass sac, probably original breathing tube, a 49-imprinted ruthenium nib. The Lustraloy cap has the correct steel clip and cap band. The nib is a firm fine that writes well, if a touch dry, but it responds well to a wetter ink. (Notwithstanding the filling unit’s imprinted instruction to use Superchrome Ink, please do not–Superchrome turned out to be one of Parker’s few pen-killing mistakes). A good everyday pen!
Price: $74 Sold