Getting A Parker Vacumatic

[graceaj]

I've been looking at vintage pens recently, and am rather interested in the Parker Vacumatic. The azure blue ones especially just look so lovely! Anyway, does anyone have any tips on the kind of price range for one in decent condition, and perhaps any tips on where to purchase one? Would ebay be my best bet or is there someone who sells them at a reasonable price?

[OldGriz]

Take a look at my website and you will see a range of Vacumatics and prices...

I suggest purchasing your first Vacumatic from a known restorer/reseller.... whether it be me or one of the other well known restorers here on FPN....

[Iann]

Oh oh graceaj, looks like we may be competing for the same pen. I'm on the hunt for a nice azure blue Vacumatic myself.

 

Looks like you are all sold out of blue models Oldgriz. Hope you have some in the pipeline...looks like you have customers waiting!

[penmanila]

you should be able to find a nice, restored one for about $120. here's one on ebay right now, for example:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Azure-Blue-Parker-Vacumatic-Fountain-Pen-/261039734523?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc72e3efb#ht_500wt_776

 

of course, you can get them stlll cheaper on ebay, but if this is your first vac you'd be better off paying a reasonable premium and getting them in fully restored condition from established dealers like old griz.

[terminal]

I've been kinda collecting these lately so let me put forth a few things that some folks might disagree with...

 

First off, I would highly recommend oldGriz. He's super awesome to deal with and can really tell you about the pens he has up.

 

Second, the big trick IMHO with the vacs is that all the nibs ARE NOT created equal. I've been VERY disappointed with some of these old nibs that are on the finer side. They can be SURPRISINGLY scratchy and uncooperative even when they are working the way they are supposed to. Furthermore I would say that the majority of the pens you find in fact have SAID SCRATCHY nibs.

 

So, in general, look for sellers that give some idea about the nib itself.

[Marlow]

...and if you want a beauty that will never feel '2nd best' go for a twin-jewelled version with the lockdown filler: they're a class apart.

[penmanila]

ahh, something like these blue belles with the jeweller's bands?

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5218/5470496402_a7634f5f9e_z.jpg

 

...and if you want a beauty that will never feel '2nd best' go for a twin-jewelled version with the lockdown filler: they're a class apart.

[Iann]

Ok penmanila you have enough to share! I'll buy a blue one please!

It doesn't even have to to be a twin jewel, lock-down filler type. Just one with a nice rich blue hue, decent transparency and a good nib.

 

Ian

[Marlow]

ahh, something like these blue belles with the jeweller's bands?

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5218/5470496402_a7634f5f9e_z.jpg

 

 

 

:puddle: on that Azure twin jewelled maxima (?). :notworthy1:

[graceaj]

Thank you everyone for the input. Someone on the boards offered me one in Silver at reasonable price (I think), so a Canadian-made Silver Vacumatic shall soon become my first vintage pen. Anyway I still intend to get my hands on an Azure one someday, and will definitely be keeping a lookout on OldGriz's site.

 

Hopefully this will be just the start of a beautiful vintage collection.

[Marlow]

Thank you everyone for the input. Someone on the boards offered me one in Silver at reasonable price (I think), so a Canadian-made Silver Vacumatic shall soon become my first vintage pen. Anyway I still intend to get my hands on an Azure one someday, and will definitely be keeping a lookout on OldGriz's site.

 

Hopefully this will be just the start of a beautiful vintage collection.

 

I really hope that silver pearl one is a twin-jewel?! The difference in ogle-ability between the single jewelled and twin-jewelled is significant! My first Vac was (I still have it) a brown pearl single jewel and I love it, but really cos it was my first one (and has an AWESOMELY smooth two-tone nib). It's twin-jewelled all the way for me now tho and I think striped Vacs are likely to be the only pens I seek to actually 'collect' all of! They are just the most fun vintage pens out there imho! - I call them my 'matrix pens'! :roflmho:

 

You've made a really great choice in going for a Vac and silver pearl, single or twin jewel, is a stunning variant! Enjoy your pen and maybe post a piccy or two when you receive it!

[cyranodb]

I've been on the lookout for a Parker Vacumatic Azure too (my first), and it's awfully difficult to get hold of one! I see read about these pen shows, and almost all of them seem to have bucket loads of these pens sold (or so the photos would have me believe), but good ones hardly show up in any of the reputed sellers' websites (for long). It's not ideal that I live outside of US/Europe (I live in Dubai), so online is the only option for me.

 

I'm looking for standard/senior/oversize (bigger ones preferred), and a non-scratchy fine nib. I'm Ok with spending $120 or thereabouts mentioned in this thread, or what would be reasonable for the model. I'm skeptical about eBay (at least for the first one), so I've reached a bit of a dead-end.

 

It would be great if anyone has any pointers to where I can get hold of one... or if you could let me know who the restorers are (I already looked at OldGriz's site, none in azure). Thanks!

[cyranodb]

Just to add on, these are some of the sites that I already tried... myfavoritepen, isellpens, parkerpens, vintagepens, gopens, penstoponline, penbox, pentiques, bradfordinkokc, penhome, vintagefountainpens, fountainpenhospital, andys-pens (whatever I could get from google). I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm missing out on some of the "obvious" sellers that you guys would already be familiar with. Hence my cry for help here

 

Thanks!

[Inkysloth]

You could add Vacu Mania to that list - take the space out though. There's a couple of Azure vacs on there at the moment.

[cyranodb]

Thank you Inkysloth! I dropped david a line, but it seems those are no longer available. There's still hope though, there may be more coming (but blue ones unlikely )...

 

 

You could add Vacu Mania to that list - take the space out though. There's a couple of Azure vacs on there at the moment.

[penmanila]

here's a nice blue one at a very reasonable price--just $70 restored, buy-it-now:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Park-Vacumatic-1948-in-Azure-Blue-RESTORED-and-Excellent-Condition-/201055844513?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ecfdcb8a1

 

i strongly suggest you pick this up because it won't last long!

[rochester21]

70 dollars for a Vacumatic in good condition is reasonable indeed.

[cyranodb]

Thank you very much penmanila! I went ahead and bought it!

here's a nice blue one at a very reasonable price--just $70 restored, buy-it-now:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Park-Vacumatic-1948-in-Azure-Blue-RESTORED-and-Excellent-Condition-/201055844513?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ecfdcb8a1

 

i strongly suggest you pick this up because it won't last long!

 

Thanks rochester21. Yes, 70 dollars seems a very reasonable price indeed.

70 dollars for a Vacumatic in good condition is reasonable indeed.

 

For the sake of the rest of the readers here, I would appreciate it if others can still post about other sellers - I found it quite difficult searching for reputable sellers by just googling for it.

 

Thanks.

[penmanila]

You're very welcome, cyranodb, and I hope you enjoy the pen as much as I've enjoyed my Vacs

[cyranodb]

I thought I should share a photo of the Vac, as it only just arrived (after a couple of rounds of shipping & forwarding etc); partly to thank you all, and partly to show off I managed to get a photo with good lighting, highlighting the striations!

 

 

You're very welcome, cyranodb, and I hope you enjoy the pen as much as I've enjoyed my Vacs