Duofold Streamline Senior

[Sproctor]

Greetings,

 

I recently purchased a Duofold Streamline Senior and it has an arrow nib... Were the Streamlines ever manufactured with this nib or was the Arrow nib used only as a replacement nib in these. This is my first Duofold and this nib is absolutely incredible and flexible. I was trying to get some idea as to whether this pen could have come from the factory this way or perhaps had this wonderful nib exchanged with its original later on.

 

Anything and everything you can tell me about this one would be greatly appreciated. Is there a way to date it?

 

Thank You In Advance!

 

Very Best Wishes & Kindest Regards,

 

Stephen

 

http://www.sproctor.com/images/duo_gv02.jpg

[Sproctor]

Greetings,

 

Surfing around, I located one of the answers... that it probably was not manufactured this way. Found it on Jim Mamoulides' PenHero site Here. Though I still haven't figured out the answer to putting a date on this pen, I have seen where date codes weren't used until later...

 

I really have become interested in the Duofold line... I am sure that this one won't be my last. It is such a pleasure to write with!

 

VBR,

 

Stephen

[EOCostello]

Greetings,

 

Surfing around, I located one of the answers... that it probably was not manufactured this way. Found it on Jim Mamoulides' PenHero site Here. Though I still haven't figured out the answer to putting a date on this pen, I have seen where date codes weren't used until later...

 

I really have become interested in the Duofold line... I am sure that this one won't be my last. It is such a pleasure to write with!

 

VBR,

 

Stephen

 

The Moderne Green Pearl was introduced in 1930, so it's no earlier than that. It's probably no later than 1933, when the Duofold was being wound down in favour of the Vacumatic.

[John Danza]

Unfortunately there's no definitive answer to your question because a lot of things were going on at Parker in the 1930s. If the nib has a 10-feather arrow and the pen has a comb feed, it's the right combination to have been either a replacement or original. Some pens were assembled from parts in the late 1930s and the arrow nib.comb feed combo could be original. One way to tell if it's a replacement is to pull the nib and see if there's a star stamped on the bottom. The star indicates a replaced nib.

 

However, the fact that yours is flexible is very interesting. While available, flexible nibs for Duofolds aren't common. It could be that the original owner sent the pen back to Parker for a replacement with a flex nib. Again, there would be a star at the bottom in this case.

[jar]

John, I have an older not streamlined Big Red Duofold with the comb feed and a 10 feather arrow that I always assumed was a replacement nib. Never worried about it enough to pull the nib to check, but am I safe thinking it is almost certainly a replacement? Were any of the non-streamlined Duofolds made with that combination?

[markb]

From what I understand, it is possible to have a factory original arrow nib on a Duofold. However, it is also possible for the arrow nib to be a replacement.

 

The reason is that sales for the Duofold were winding down, and when the Vacumatics were being rolled out there was some overlap. The situation for Parker was that they had old stock parts for the Duofolds (barrels and the materials to make them, etc.), but the equipment to make the original Duofold nibs was in need maintenance/replacement, but it was not cost effective to do so because they were not going to be used enough to make it worthwhile as Parker was switching production (from Duofold to Vacumatic). So they simply manufactured Duofolds with Vacumatic nibs, and when pens were sent in that needed their nibs repaired they would replace them with a Vacumatic nib.

 

As someone already mentioned there is a mark on the nib (I believe at the base, so I think you would actually need to pull the nib out to see it) that would indicate whether it is original or replacement. I believe it was marked with a star or an x if it was a replacement. Since streamline Duofolds were produced towards the end of the lifespan of the Duofold line (at least the oversized flatops, they continued the Duofold line in one form or another), I would assume it's quite possible for the streamline Duofold in question to have an original nib.

 

I believe (but not sure) that an arrow nib could be factory original on either a flat top or streamline.

 

Anyway, that's my understanding of it, but there are many people with more expertise than me.

[John Danza]

John, I have an older not streamlined Big Red Duofold with the comb feed and a 10 feather arrow that I always assumed was a replacement nib. Never worried about it enough to pull the nib to check, but am I safe thinking it is almost certainly a replacement? Were any of the non-streamlined Duofolds made with that combination?

 

It's more likely to be a replacement, but it could go either way. I have a flattop Lapis with two thin cap bands (1928) that has an arrow nib and a comb feed. It also has a barrel imprint that looks like a typical late-1930s imprint, but it also has a shadown of an imprint from 1928 (Lucky Curve in banner, etc.) I've always thought that this was a pen put together from parts in the late-1930s, but I can't figure out why the factory would have given it a second imprint and somehow removed the original. I haven't pulled the nib to see if it has a star, but even if it is a replacement I can't imagine the factory reimprinting the barrel on a service job. I think sometimes there are no answers.

[jar]

John, I have an older not streamlined Big Red Duofold with the comb feed and a 10 feather arrow that I always assumed was a replacement nib. Never worried about it enough to pull the nib to check, but am I safe thinking it is almost certainly a replacement? Were any of the non-streamlined Duofolds made with that combination?

 

It's more likely to be a replacement, but it could go either way. I have a flattop Lapis with two thin cap bands (1928) that has an arrow nib and a comb feed. It also has a barrel imprint that looks like a typical late-1930s imprint, but it also has a shadown of an imprint from 1928 (Lucky Curve in banner, etc.) I've always thought that this was a pen put together from parts in the late-1930s, but I can't figure out why the factory would have given it a second imprint and somehow removed the original. I haven't pulled the nib to see if it has a star, but even if it is a replacement I can't imagine the factory reimprinting the barrel on a service job. I think sometimes there are no answers.

 

This one is a two thin band Flat Top with strong early imprint (Lucky Curve in banner and 4-25 pat stamp), but the 10 feather arrow nib and comb feed. My experience has been similar to yours except that far too often when I do find answers they show that what I thought was true was wrong.

 

I'll try to get some good pictures of it next time I put it in rotation. I've been thinking about doing a comparison of a Parker, Sheaffer and Conklin Endura comparison anyway.

[ParkerQuink]

I just bought a Duofold with an arrow nib. It's my first big red. This is a curious dilemma...Dos one write better than the other?

[penmanila]

not necessarily. every nib is different and whether it's a lucky curve, duofold, or later arrow nib, it could or will behave differently from anothe rnib, even from within its generation. to add to the confusion, i have a 1930-ish streamlined jade green senior that came with a 10-feather arrow nib and a comb feed; the nib was a tad loose and i thought that it wasn't quite the arrow nib that duofold seniors at some point sported. sure enough, i did some switching around and it proved to be a perfect vac OS nib, which may have been stuck into the duofold senior as a replacement. in other words, even if it's a big arrow vac-style nib, there's still apparently a difference between one truly meant for the duofold and one meant for the vac OS. (if you know better, please chime in.) i've since replaced the duofold's nib with a proper duofold senior nib, for perfect fit.

 

I just bought a Duofold with an arrow nib. It's my first big red. This is a curious dilemma...Dos one write better than the other?