Silver Vacumatic Oversize (Os)

[Brian]

Appearance & Design (9 out of 10 owning to the very slight yellowing of the barrel)

 

This pen has a classic shape that was Parker's design interpretation for the successor to the venerable streamlined Duofold. The condition of this particular piece is quite good as it is a mint example with only the slightest of yellowing as shown in the photo. This pen is Canadian as evidenced from its imprint although I understand Canadian vacs tended to have black sections like this one versus American sections that were made of thesame material as the body. Anyone care to verify?

 

The design of this pen is at once simple in shape but complex in the execution of its lockdown vacuum filler.

 

Construction & Quality (10 out of 10)

 

Construction and quality of materials is high. This was a top tier pen of its day but with an understated trim of silver. This pen is both light in weight but extremely well constructed. There are no visible manufacturingflaws that I can see except for the very slight ambering of the barrel that likely occurred over its +/-75 years of well preserved life.

 

Weight & Dimensions (10 out of 10)

 

Pen is light in weight. Length capped is 5.25 inches and posted it is 6.25 inches. Diameter feels right for the scale of the pen at about 9/16 inch. Cap posts securely and very well.

 

Nib & Performance (Can't honestly answer about performance since pen is mint and unlinked but to guess: 10 out of 10)

 

Nib is 14k B, flexible. Judging from an American emerald OS vacumatic with M nib this pen should perform equally well. I expect the flow to be smooth, wet and generous.

 

Filling System &Maintenance (9 out of 10)

 

Filling system is a lockdown vacumatic filler. Ink capacity is very high with the majority of the barrel used to store ink. Filling system takes a little practice to learn but once done is very easy to do. Maintenance of the filler unit is a little complicated requiring the proper tools and parts. First you will need an oversize vac tool and then an oversize vacumatic sac. Learning to place the rubber sac properly is gained through experience but once mastered is not unlike riding a bicycle.

 

Cost & Value (10out of 10)

 

Pen was purchased from a long time friend who will be fondly remembered for his wisdom, generosity and willingness to teach pen repair. Very happy with this piece as it has provided years of enjoyment as a reference pen evocative of its 1936 vintage.

 

Conclusion (Finalscore, my score irrespective of the individual scoring categories is 9.5 out of10)

 

This pen is special and I love its many details including:

--depth of transparency into the barrel

--silver trim down to the use of the sandwiched celluloid for the cap jewels

--decal that was freshly placed not long after its manufacture

--somewhat unusual broad flexible nib

--large three banded cap bands

--size compared to the standard three banded lockdown vacumatics

 

Its also a little difficult not to contemplate the historical context in which such a pen would have found itself in 1936.

 

With apologies to http://www.thepeople...y.com/1936.html,some of the world events of the day included:

--The depression lingered with unemployment continuing to fall to 16.9%;

--American great Jesse Owens caused Hitler great humiliation during the 1936 Olympics with the wining of four gold medals;

--Many of Americas unemployed travelled to California hoping to get work but the local police chief posted guards at main entrance points blocking the "undesirables. " This was illegal and later stopped;

--The German zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg is completed and takes it's MaidenFlight. It subsequent had a spectacular end in America in 1937;

--The British Air Ministry orders 310 Spitfire Fighter aircraft; and

-- President Franklin Roosevelt is re-elected for a second term but soon to be tested with the onset of the second world war.

 

I'll look forward to the day when I'll remove the decal, activate the lockdown filler, and ink this time machine for the stories I will tell with it.

 

Thanks for reading this review and apologies in advance for some clumsy photos. I'll try to get better (edited for typos).

 



 

 



 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2011 by Brian

[John B]

Excellent review of a magnificent pen, I don't think it get's any better than that one.

Edited August 1, 2011 by John B

[ralfstc]

Nice review! However, since it's a Canadian pen you really need to provide Canadian context as well :-). In 1936:

 

- The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation begins

- King Edward VIII abdicates

- The Globe and Mail is formed through the merger of two other papers

- Stompin' Tom Connors and Ed Broadbent are born

 

Closer to home, Toronto had a heat wave, and the Leafs were beaten in the final by the Red Wings . . . Check out these pics of where your pen came from here

 

Enjoy the pen, it's lovely!

 

Ralf

Edited August 1, 2011 by ralfstc

[georges zaslavsky]

very nice review of a pristine condition pen

[watch_art]

Dear LORD that's a pretty pen. Even the sticker is pretty cool lookin. Very nice.

Thanks for the review and pictures. Any chance we can have some more?

[Malcy]

Very nice, one of these is on my grail list.

 

I just saw a really nice green example with a broad nib go for £400 on ebay UK.

 

Oh well I can dream........

Edited August 1, 2011 by Malcy

[Brian]

--Thanks John. Those are kind words.

--ralfstc, I think I was so American-centric that I forgot all about the fact that this gem originated from Canada - Thanks for pointing this out and giving us a few historical markers.

--Thanks Georges from across the Atlantic.

--Thank you watch_art I like your posts and pen art too. I'm still getting the hang of picture posting so hopefully in time it gets better.

--Thank you Malcy, I am sure that one day you will get your pen too and we can compare the writing and handling qualities of the Vacumatic OS.

[dannyt.33]

Vintage, like it

Edited August 5, 2011 by dannyt.33

[lovemy51]

B flex nib, huh? ... that's what i'm talking about!!!

[M@rtin]

Very nice review!!!!, B E A U T I F U L pen!!!

[drifting]

Excellent review, beautiful pen, and I love your hand (assuming the orange script is yours).

 

I'll look forward to the day when I'll remove the decal, activate the lockdown filler, and ink this time machine for the stories I will tell with it.

 

I don't count myself a collector, but even I would have to take a deep breath and do some pondering before inking up this beauty. But the temptation would be too great - I'd HAVE to see how it writes.

 

An update with some writing samples when the fateful day comes is greatly anticipated.

 

Ryan.

[Methersgate]

I agree with the review - this is a very special pen.

I have one. Same year (2q 36).

in my pen the barrel is somewhat ambered but one can still see through it readily - colour is indeed "amber" as opposed to "straw". Fine, very slightly flexible, nib, which really is a pleasure to write with. Mine is a workaday one and it certainly has been inked (and it holds about a quarter of a bottle!)

Being an American made pen, it has a striped section as well as the striped top and cap jewels. The nib looks to have retained all the white metal (?platinum, rhodium?) plating but there is a slight loss at the right hand forward edge. I found it in the wild, and it was not as clean as it is now. This is a grail pen for me, but I like using it!\

Writing sample here:

Edited March 20, 2018 by Methersgate