I was outbid on a silver pearl vacumatic but I did win what was described as :

Parker Blue Diamond Major
This pen is circa 1945 and is a Vacumatic with the spedline filler..It has some signs of wear on the barrel and cap but it is generally in excellent condition. The visibility through the barrel is also excellent. The pen has the arrow nib. It has been fully serviced and the vacuum is excellent.

I don't know how to post the photo's but the link is Parker Major

Could anyone tell me any information about it. I assume it is a Major model Vacumatic but does the year look correct? Any guesses from the photo as to what size the nib is? What is the best way to try and remove the wear marks?

As this is my first experience of vintage pens what should I be aware of with regards to using and maintaining the pen?

Sorry for all the dumb newbie questions.

Thanks in advance,

Lee

The pen indeed is a Parker Vacumatic Major in the more-or-less final style of that pen, which is (by one schema) a third generation pen. Single Jewel (round bottom). Black Celluloid. Produced in this style from 1942-1948 in USA (1943-1948 in this length). Date code on barrel will indicate year.

Nib looks roughly correct. Junior and Major nibs are similar size and sometimes can be found mixed up. Not big deal either way.

Gentle abrasive chemically-mild (eg. Prelim by Renaissance) can do nice job on mild wear marks.

If pen really is restored, you appear to have obtained it at very good price.

regards

david isaacson http://www.vacumamia.com

Lee-

Welcome to the Vacumatic Thing.

You may find that the physical aspects of this pen- balance and weight, appearance and pen-on-paper mojo, are complemented by the visceral feel of beginning an intimate relationship with a 60 year old writing tool which may have served a hero or a lout (but most likely someone in between- like you and me).

Or not.

Welcome Aboard.

Jack

PS- I like your avatar- I met and married my own Marilyn- call me Lucky!

HEY, I resemble that remark... <_< <_<
Still better than a lot of things I have been called

I thought the speedline filler went out in 1941 or 1942 as a result of the War? Did they bring it back briefly? Or were all of the non-locking plungers technically speedline, whether they were aluminum or plastic?

AFAIK Speedline filler used a hollow alluminum "plunger" as opposed to the plastic plunger used later. Since aluminum was a strategic metal during the war, Parker went to plastic plungers.

Either way it should be a fine pen.

John

technically, NO plungers were "speedline"

1937 saw the intro of the 2nd Generation vac with metal non-locking pump. Two of the three MODELS of pen to pack it, carried names including "speedline". Hobbydom seems to have graced those metal nonlocking pumps with the name derived from those two models of pen.

best

david