Colors Of Plastic Barrels And Sections Used In Parker 61's

[classenigma]

Hello

 

I just acquired two Parker 61's. One is an Heirloom rainbow cap in green and pink gold and lighter blue/turquoise barrel/section with capillary fill. The other is a cartridge fill teal blue. The teal color is quite a darker blue under bright light compared to the lighter blue. I am a bit uncertain as to whether the lighter blue capillary Heirloom is vista blue or some other shade of light blue. Does anyone have a definitive list of body colors for the Parker 61. On some internet sites I see Parker 61's in standard blue and vista blue and turquoise. I don't know if the terminology is intended to overlap. I see there was a surf green and caribbean green that were kind of blue as well. One thing I don't see on sites dedicated to Parker 61 is any reference to teal blue having been employed.

[MKeith]

Take a look here.

 

http://parkercollector.com/parker61.html

[classenigma]

Thanks. That is one of the sites that makes no reference to Teal Blue or any darker blue being used in the cartridge 61. Parker 51 sites cite Teal blue but no 61s. The teal blue cartridge I have has a Consort cap which dates it approx. 1968-1969.

 

Richard Binder's site refers to a midnight blue but only on Mark IIIs. I am befuddled.

[classenigma]

Better yet can anyone with several Parker 61s in blue, turquoise, standard blue, caribbean green, surf green and teal blue do a side by photo and post so that the differences can be seen?

Thanks

[Garageboy]

I'd love to see the comparison too

Surf is VERY bright

[classenigma]

I would especially like to see the Caribbean Green sitting beside a Vista Blue under bright light. What is called Teal Blue on the Parker 51 as well.

[theredfalcon]

Apologies for my first attempt at uploading a photo for comparison but hope this helps:

 

L-R P61 Surf Green, P61 Vista Blue (turquoise), P65 Caribbean Green, P51 Teal pen & pencil, P51 Vacumatic Blue Cedar, Parker VS blue

 

The Parker 65 in Caribbean Green is exactly the same colour as the Parker 51 in Teal.

Haven't got any Dark Blue Parker 61/65/51 for comparison. The colours match those shown on the Parker 61 reference page on Richard Binder's site.

 

[classenigma]

Thanks for doing this. That is very much appreciated.

 

I recently saw a Caribbean Green 61 in person that looked more like a slightly darker Surf Green.(sorry I didn't take a photo of it to post here) It seemed a lot lighter than the 65 in third place you have labelled as Caribbean Green. In fact it looked a lot like the first position pen. I gather that the Surf Green was only used in US and Canada made 61's in 1956-1959. Is your Surf Green that year and manufacture location?

 

Richard Binder's site has a good depiction of the Caribbean Green color. I have recently chatted with Richard and he now tends to think that Parker 61s eventually came in the same teal blue as the Parker 51 you are showing. Makes me wonder if your 65 in third position is in fact Teal Blue rather than Caribbean Green.

 

If anyone has a Caribbean Green 61 or 65 please post a photo.

 

In any event thanks again for posting the pix.

Edited September 26, 2014 by classenigma

[theredfalcon]

Hi there.

My photography isn't that great & probably makes the Parker 65 & Parker 51 look "bluer" & less "green" than they are in the flesh. The Parker 65 does seem a good match for the colour labelled "Caribbean Green" on Richard Binder's website. The Parker 65 must date from about 1967-69 as its barrel is engraved with the number 65 to distinguish it from the capillary barrel of the Parker 61 at that time. The Surf Green Parker 61 is Canadian made and has a "Legacy" rainbow cap which I believe dates from 1957-59.

[classenigma]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Parker-61-Fountain-Pen-Section-Part-in-Teal-Blue-and-SP-Arrow-Ref-325-/331022538123?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d127b158b

 

The Teal Blue in this eBay ad seems consistent with both your 65 and 51 in positions 3,4 and 5. I wish I had taken a picture of the Caribbean Green 61. I hate to be argumentative and I may be completely wrong and off base. And as Richard has said many colors from one batch to another can vary greatly. Not to mention aging effects over the years.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/profiles/61.htm

Edited September 26, 2014 by classenigma

[classenigma]

Hi again redfalcon. Is the Parker 65 in third spot post 1969? Was it made in Newhaven?

[theredfalcon]

Hi there classenigma. The Parker 65 was made in Newhaven. I believe it must have been made between 1967 & 1969 because at this time the Parker 61 was still capillary filling & the Parker 65 was cartridge/converter so the two models had different barrels internally. The Parker 65 has its model number engraved on it. (I also have a Parker 61 from the same time which has the 61 engraved on the barrel). After 1969 both P61s & P65s were both cartridge/converter so they didn't need to make/mark up different barrels. I agree with your point about the variation in batch colours. The (bleep) site shows a lot of Teal Parker 51s with a wide variety of shades-some bluer & some greener. I think there may also be the difference between the plastics used in the Parker 51 & Parker 61/65 to consider & how these age over time.

[classenigma]

I am now questioning whether the teal blue Consort I just bought is in fact teal blue or Caribbean Green.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131233954993?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I have noticed that the brightness of light really makes these accentuate either the green or the blue content.

Edited September 27, 2014 by classenigma

[classenigma]

For example the Caribbean Green section in this ad sure looks closer to the Surf Green.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Parker-61-Fountain-Pen-Caribbean-Green-amp-Gold-Section-Hood-Replacement-Part-/371105496972?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56679c7f8c&nma=true&si=5qHMTybh30bq5w3%252BykYoWzs6Vc0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

And this 1967 65 in Teal Blue looks a lot like the pens in position 3, 4 and 5.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-PARKER-65-CONSORT-FOUNTAIN-PEN-TEAL-BLUE-BROAD-ITALIC-NIB-C1967-/191326651837?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item2c8bf505bd&nma=true&si=5qHMTybh30bq5w3%252BykYoWzs6Vc0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Edited September 27, 2014 by classenigma

[theredfalcon]

Hi classenigma.

Have taken another photo to show the same pens in the same order but in different lighting conditions. This time the photo was taken outdoors without a flash on a dull overcast day.

 

 

[classenigma]

Hi and thank you red falcon.

 

 

Insofar as position 2, 3 and 4 are identical colours:

 

1) If 3 and 4 are in fact P 51 Teal Blue then 2 is also 65 Teal Blue.

 

2) Maybe Teal Blue is in fact an isomer or in fact another name for Caribbean Green although Richard Binder's Caribbean Green is a bit different than his P51 Teal Blue in which case the P51 pens are Caribbean Green and not Teal Blue.

 

I tend to think Teal Blue and Caribbean Green are distinctly different so I continue to be befuddled.

[classenigma]

Here is another picture of a 61 in Caribbean Green. Even the seller confused it with the earlier Surf Green.

 

http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/parker-61-fountain-pen-mk-ii-caribbean-green-parker-w-gold-filled-cap-fine-mint.html

[classenigma]

Interesting. Ernesto at Parker51.com tells me that the Teal Blue used for the 51 was distinctly different that the Teal Blue employed later on 61s.

 

 

[classenigma]

Another Caribbean Green example?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PARKER-CARRIBBEAN-GREEN-61-Vintage-FOUNTAIN-PEN-Estate-Fountain-Pens-To-Sell-/271635251796?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f3eb90254:

[classenigma]

And another

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Parker-61-Fountain-Pen-Caribbean-Green-Gold-Section-Hood-Replacement-Part-/371105496972?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56679c7f8c