Parker Oversize Duofold Set In Mandarin Yellow

[drwright]

Hello everyone,

My grandfather recently passed away, and my mother and her sister are going through the estate in preparation for an estate sale. They found a few fountain pens, and wondered if I knew anything about them.

Well, among the pens I found a yellow Parker Duofold fountain pen and it's matching mechanical pencil. I'm sure the pen is not in working condition, and it seems in need of repair.

I was wondering if anyone could identify the exact model of the pen (I believe it to be an oversize Parker Duofold set)? The pen is 5 1/2 inches in length when capped, and about 7 inches when posted. The nib seems in good shape, other than having slightly mis-aligned tines. The section is about 1/8" pulled away from the body, and there appears to be some sort of metal tab that is sticking out near the section and body. Is it safe to pull the section all the way out and put it back in, with the tab back in where it is supposed to be?

 

I saw a few sets sell on ebay that seem similar to mine, and I'm wondering if I sell the pen for my mom and Aunt, if I should get it restored first, or sell it as is. And if I should get it restored, where a good place would be to restore both the pen and pencil. I would love to have the pen myself, since it was my grandfather's, but I seriously doubt I can afford it, seeing what the value seems to be.

 

Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Daniel

[Moshe ben David]

I don't have any real information for you other than it seems to me the Mandarin Yellow is a bit of a rarity and in good condition should fetch a real nice price. In fact, Parker just this past year did a reissue of the pen in the Centennial size for a pretty hefty price.

 

Someone on here will know -- I've read posts identifying a particular nibmeister/restorer who was thought to be the guru for Parker; the name escapes me. Maybe a conversation with such an individual would shed light. Be very interesting to see how this plays forward!

[FarmBoy]

Duofold Sr.

 

Why not have the set restored and keep it?

 

FB

[Sasha Royale]

DON'T YOU DO ANYTHING TO IT !

100-year-old hard rubber can shatter. Pulling it apart will not make the pen work. You could destroy it.

Turn this over to a professional restorer. Restored, it will sell much better.

 

The pen was called "Parker Big Red". It was very popular and desirable. For some reason, the exact same

pen in yellow did not sell as well. Some people thought it ugly. (One called it, "Yellow-teeth yellow".)

 

Good news >> UNPOPULAR + 85 years = RARE .

 

As with all things in the estate, DON'T clean. polish, or "fix" anything. You can ruin its value. Gentle vacuuming is okay.

[Chrissy]

I recommend that you leave it as it is if you prefer to sell it.

 

Then the new owner can have it restored by their preferred repairer or maybe even do it themselves.

[Romagno]

The metal tab looks like the end of the pressure bar poking out.

 

If you want to sell it, consider this: if the yellow celluloid is irrevocably stained, the set would be worth less than if the black stains can be removed. Thus, trying to sell the pen as is may bring far less than a restored, polished, functional completely unstained set.

 

A mandarin set in good condition will fetch a high price.

 

Although I have personally restored many vintage Duofolds, if this set were mine, I would have it restored by a professional, because the risk of damaging it would far outweigh the cost of restoration.

 

If possible, go to a local pen show and ask the pen restorers there what they would do.

[h.farmawi]

hello Mr.Daniel
as Mr.Sasha Royale said : dont do anything to it, and he mentioned that its 85 years old and that it wasent popular that makes it a first class collectable FP for me at least, so id say keep it as it is and keep it for yurself
good luck

[Florida Blue]

I was wondering if anyone could identify the exact model of the pen (I believe it to be an oversize Parker Duofold set)? The pen is 5 1/2 inches in length when capped, and about 7 inches when posted. The nib seems in good shape, other than having slightly mis-aligned tines. The section is about 1/8" pulled away from the body, and there appears to be some sort of metal tab that is sticking out near the section and body. Is it safe to pull the section all the way out and put it back in, with the tab back in where it is supposed to be?

 

I saw a few sets sell on ebay that seem similar to mine, and I'm wondering if I sell the pen for my mom and Aunt, if I should get it restored first, or sell it as is. And if I should get it restored, where a good place would be to restore both the pen and pencil. I would love to have the pen myself, since it was my grandfather's, but I seriously doubt I can afford it, seeing what the value seems to be.

 

 

As FarmBoy pointed put, it's a Duofold Senior size. That little metal tab is the top of the pressure sticking out. This type of Duofold is a button filler. The black blind cap screws off revealing a button that when pressed, depressed the sac creating a vacuum that will suck up ink as the sac reforms back to it's shape.

 

It will most likely need a new sac and possibly a pressure bar if the old one is corroded, which shouldn't cost more than about $30. When you send the pen to be restored make sure that you put it in a box and not a padded envelope and that you have this pen insured. Personally, I would have it restored, but by a professional like Ron Zorn or Danny Fudge. Insurance for a USPS Priority Mail package is about $14 for $1000.

 

Despite the ink stains (some of which can be removed) the set looks like it's in wonderful shape. A deep, crisp barrel imprint, which is important in Duofolds, minimal brassing (from what I can tell in the photo, but the trim will need to be polished), and the black hard rubber part does not seem to have faded much.

 

Examine the pen for any hairline cracks, especially on the lip of the cap. The Mandarin material is quite brittle and prone to chipping and cracking.

 

Maybe your family could put you on a payment plan? It would be a shame to have such an amazing set leave the family.

 

Edited to correct J-bar to pressure bar.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Florida Blue

[OcalaFlGuy]

There is Only One Thing that would make that set Any More valuable that a proper restoration job.

 

 

The fact that it belonged to, and was used by, your Grandfather.

 

 

IMO, that Easily Doubles it's otherwise value. (Or, at least it Should)

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Edited March 30, 2014 by OcalaFlGuy

[kirchh]

100-year-old hard rubber can shatter.

Note that the barrel is not hard rubber. It's celluloid.

 

--Daniel

[kirchh]

That little metal tab is the top of the J-bar sticking out.

It's not a J-bar. Button fillers do not have, nor can they take, a J-bar.

 

--Daniel

[Procyon]

I have restored a lot of these, but I have never seen the pressure bar extending out between the section and barrel. This is the older flat top pen, so the section is threaded, as is the inside of the barrel. This makes it difficult to seen how the current configuration was achieved. Sort of reminds me of the movie "Something About Mary", - How did you get the zipper up?

 

Several questions here. Are the section/barrel threads screwed up? Are the stains removable? Can it be opened without cracking the barrel? These are the things that determine value.

[Florida Blue]

It's not a J-bar. Button fillers do not have, nor can they take, a J-bar.

 

--Daniel

 

Whoops, you are correct. Pressure bar rather than J-bar.

[Wahl]

Definitely a valuable and very desirable set which should be professionally restored.

[drwright]

Thank you all for the replies and information!

 

As I said, I would love to keep the set, but I feel it's almost too valuable to keep, at least for me. I enjoy using fountain pens, and I think I would be too worried to use this set except at my desk for special occasions for fear something would happen to it. I do have other pens from my grandfather that I can and do use (he gave me all the ones he knew he had 2 years ago on my birthday), and I can't really afford this set, anyway.

 

In any case, I think I'll go ahead and get the set professionally repaired. Any suggestions? I know Ron Zorn is highly regarded, but I'd rather not wait 20 weeks to receive the set back. Right now I'm looking at Danny Fudge and Pentiques. Does anyone have feedback about either of these repairers? Or any other recommendations?

 

Thanks again!

[crescentfiller]

Danny Fudge does excellent work and his wait time is not too bad (probably the shortest).

 

As others have said, pack it well and insure it properly.

 

Best,

Daniel

[irrigger]

I've dealt with Aaron at Pentiques and got excellent service with a quick turn around.

[Lazard 20]

In any case, note that you or others should not try unscrew -or turning in case of slip section or triple bar type- the section of a Duofold ´20 without before to remove the pressure bar through the bottom of the barrel. If you leave pressure bar into barrel and you try to unscrew -or to rotate section- the upper end bar, fixed by a dry sac

or not, will not rotate easily, could break the feed if it is lucky curve.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Lazard 20

[drwright]

Received the pens back from Danny Fudge today. He did a great job! The pens look fantastic. Thanks everyone for all the advice.

[OcalaFlGuy]

Oh heck yeah!

 

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl