Old Pens, Help Please

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

I was given a ziploc bag with some old pens inside, they had been in my (now retired) mother in law's family (belonging to her parents and aunts) for years and she dug them out of storage and said, "here, go have fun". The 2 on the right are Wearevers, the rest are Parkers, most have 14k nibs.

But Im terrified of damaging them, nobody's inked them in (at least) the 50 years that she's had them, so I havent opened them till I learn more. Where do I go or how do I figure out what they are? Maybe somebody here can tell me?

 

edited to add better pics

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GjquUiwkpnI/U9MMgn4nMJI/AAAAAAAABD8/erZp0OLDqyg/s1600/0725142051.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9Hy4YAgUGo/U9MMO5ZOClI/AAAAAAAABDs/5yddPBCrNf8/s1600/0725142055.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4FrM5jzob8/U9MMar1JABI/AAAAAAAABD0/MXppYQdn2pc/s1600/0725142053.jpg

Edited July 26, 2014 by Kosmic-kowgirl

[betweenthelens]

Wow! Those Parkers are lovely! You'll find plenty of help here to get these pens writing again.

[OakIris]

Very cool to be given 'family' pens. And this may be your chance to learn how to resac pens and do some nib work too - maybe. The Wearevers would be good candidates for this, especially if they are lever fillers - easy resac job and pens that aren't all that valuable/rare for you to practice on.

 

Looks as if you might have a Parker Vacuumatic/Duofold/DuoVac or three, a couple missing their blind caps. Any chance you can take some better photos? At least for me, the pens are too blurry for me to see what they might be; more knowledgeable folks, of course, might be able to tell you what they are just by seeing their profiles.

 

Once they are identified, you can decide if you want to try the restoration yourself - not something I personally would attempt except on a lever filler because restoring the more complicated fill systems is way beyond my meager skill set - or to whom you can send them for repair/restoration.

 

Holly

Edited July 25, 2014 by OakIris

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

Im too chicken to try it lol cuz I have no experience whatsoever, so I have alot to learn first. I will try to get some better pics when hubs gets home, I'll use his phone cuz mine doesnt take very well. But thank you!

[Wolverine1]

If you dont want to do the restoration yourself, there are plenty of folks on FPN itself who are professional restorers and who could help you out.

[FarmBoy]

Starting on the left.

 

Parker VS

Duofold - perhaps a Lady size. Looks like it is red hard rubber but I'm not convinced it isn't Moire.

Streamline Duofold - perhaps a Junior. The color is referred to as Lapis

Can't tell. If marked Parker the shape feels Parkette or Challenger.

 

Location is helpful. I could recommend a show or club near you where you might seek local help.

[Mr. JW]

Starting on the left.

 

Parker VS

Duofold - perhaps a Lady size. Looks like it is red hard rubber but I'm not convinced it isn't Moire.

Streamline Duofold - perhaps a Junior. The color is referred to as Lapis

Can't tell. If marked Parker the shape feels Parkette or Challenger.

 

Location is helpful. I could recommend a show or club near you where you might seek local help.

I would agree on all accounts. The last one looks like a 30s-era Parkette. I have one in the same color. There might still be an imprint on the barrel that could help confirm that. I have attached a picture that might help. (it's a little blurry, sorry) Pictures of the clip might also help.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Mr. JW

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

Thank you Mr JW, it does have the writing stamped into it. what is Moire and red rubber and how do I tell the difference?

[Florida Blue]

Thank you Mr JW, it does have the writing stamped into it. what is Moire and red rubber and how do I tell the difference?

 

Read this:

http://parkerpens.net/pastel.html These are the Moire pens that FarmBoy was referring to.

 

However, from the new pictures it looks like a Lady Duofold, not a Pastel. Hard rubber has a distinct smell when you rub it with your fingers (like burning rubber). Celluloid smells like camphor when you rub it and feels more like plastic. The Lady Duofolds were made in both hard rubber and celluloid.

 

The Lapis looks like a Senior too. Great pen!

Edited July 26, 2014 by Florida Blue

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

After wiping the reddish one it says Lady Duofold, the Pilot company's info, and Lucky Curve (in a banner) on the side. USA .pat 4-25-1 I cant detect a scent to it, my sniffer has allergies today. The big blue one has Parker Duofold on its barrel, along with Geo Parker & Made in USA. The brown and green (with the pencil set) have no marks on thier barrels, but Parker on thier caps, and the brown has an arrow nib. The green one also has something rattling inside it, but I havent opened any of them up for fear I might damage. What is the first thing I should do with these towards getting them back to working order?

Thanks so much for all your help!

[FarmBoy]

Thanks so much for all your help!

What is the first thing I should do with these towards getting them back to working order?

We are here (virtually and usually) to help.

If you don't want to dig into the inner circle of pen repair, I'd suggest sending them off. The USPS will get your pens almost anywhere but...If you have a club locally or there is a show near you, I'd recommend going there and taking care of business.

 

If you were anywhere near SFO, we could fix these up while eating Monte Christos or Poutine at one of the usual pen haunts.

 

Your hat suggests Texas but I'm only guessing. There is a pen show in Dallas but I don't recall the date, that would be an option.

 

The pen with the slider on the nib looks interesting.

 

FarmBoy

[Jerry Adair]

The lapis Parker (blue) and the Lady Duofold Streamline are worth having repaired. The Eagle nib appears to be missing iridium

as for the balance just hang on to them as they are family items. The Lady is Permanite 3 band caps on a streamline date from

around 1930 IIRC

 

Both Parkers need blind caps I have plenty or try 5 Star Pens, Ron Zorn will have them too if you send him the pens for repair.

The Lapis looks like a "fine" nib I personally like that and Ron will get it running perfectly. Get thee to a pen show and talk

to folks about your pens

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

Lol why is it everybody thinks Texas about the hat but Im in Iowa, and for the record, not many people here wear em either lol. Ive never seen any info that there are pen shows or such here, but seeing as Im a newbie maybe I just havent seen it yet.

what is a slider?

just as a guesstimate, what would restoring them be, ballpark-wise? pm if you'd rather

I will have to find this Ron Zorn too it seems...

 

Thanks again, you guys are awesome

[KAC]

A nice find. Unless these all have sentimental value to you that trumps other factors, repair costs will be a potential issue. Leaving that aside, I (personally) would devote efforts to fixing the two "best" pens of the group which are (in my opinion), the Lapis and the Lady.

[Jerry Adair]

Zac is right jut the 2 Parkers

Ron Zorn is Main Street Pens or Joel Hamilton

There is no slider nib, that is just the way the nib was stamped, a slider (adjustable nib) is a nib that uses a part that move up and down a nib to adjust for flexibility associated mostly with Wahl Eversharp

Jerry

[Jerry Adair]

Should have added this:

Blind caps for the Parkers $5-$10 each

Sac and tune probably $25-30 each plus postage Ron and Joel are usually pretty fast. Check out Tim Girdler as well he is in Maryland He is a committee guy for Pen Collectors of America, Ron is the VP of same and Joel is a past president. Great club you should join it too.

Pen show for you is Chicago or Columbus Ohio. Chicago is over for 2014 Columbus Nov 6-9 2014. Fun show.

 

Jerry

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

Thank you everyone! I will take your advice and focus on the blue and reddish for now, the rest can wait. But I really appreciate all your help!

[FarmBoy]

Are you close to Omaha? I believe Danny Fudge is still there fixing pens. Twenty years ago I'd have been hunting antiques in Iowa or Nebraska today.

[Florida Blue]

Yes, Danny Fudge is still restoring near Omaha.

 

Personally, I think that Parker VS (the rust colored pen) is worth restoring too. I think they are underrated pens.

[FarmBoy]

Yes, Danny Fudge is still restoring near Omaha.

 

Personally, I think that Parker VS (the rust colored pen) is worth restoring too. I think they are underrated pens.

Just send them all to the same person for evaluation.

The Sheaffer school pen shouldn't need more than cleaning. Suspect it would work yet today if needed.

 

FB