Being a fountain pen user rather than a collector, i always wanted my first Parker Vacumatic to be a mix of function and beauty. In other words, a few small scratches here and there wouldn't matter as i intended to use the pen and would probably unfortunately sooner or later add a few scratches of my own. Yet the nib and sack needed to be flawless to withstand daily use!

I have been sorting through dozens of vacumatics until the other day, when i finally saw the perfect one! With a new sack and a beautiful nib with very little wear whatsoever, this pen stood out immediately. It has modest signs of honest wear, yet still a gorgeous pen. Its not a mint one, but it has all the characteristics of what i was looking for, and at $50 dollars in an antique store, a great bargain!!!

The pen doesn't leak, fills properly all the time, the nib glides with no effort. It has no sign of brasing either. Although my pictures won't do it justice as i have a cheap digital camara, i still wanted to share my find with all of you.

I am so thrilled with my "new" Parker Vacumatic!!!

Ozzie - a very nice first Vac! My first Vac was a golden pearl junior, a great pen that I sold later and immediately regretted. I've since put an azure blue standard size Vac back into my collection and regular rotation - they are great pens and can be a tad addicting due to their very appealing looks and writing characteristics.

It is very nice. If I ever get a vac that is the color I want. Enjoy!

Be careful, seems like yesterday, I got my first Vac and now there are three of them on my desk. (and I confess more at home!).

Looks like you got one with good color. It's great to have the patience to ferret out the right pen - enjoy.

Very nice looking pen, I have been keeping an eye open for the same colour but most seem to be in the USA (with added expense of shipping/Customs Duties etc etc) UK sourced models seem to be quite expensive but 'bargains crop up from time to time.

I have always liked Vacs and now have three, two are in good working order (both Silver Pearl) and I have another, a Golden Pearl DJ model which is currently with Laurence Oldfield at Penpractice for him to look over as it doesn't draw ink (but writes well when dipped).

Hope you enjoy your Vac as much as I enjoy using mine.

I took the pen with me today to work for the first time, the response was outstanding. Someone came up to me and told me that he remembered his grandfather had one just like it and asked me if i would sell it to him, offer denied There's no way i would ever sell it.

There was a client who stared at it so intently while i was using it that i was afraid he would jump across the table and rip it off my hands.

Parker Vacumatics have always had a special place in my heart! When i was a child, my mother had a pearl colored vacumatic that she claimed was used by my grandparents to sign their wedding certificate. Unfortunately I don't know what happened to it and neither does she. I would do anything if i could just have it back, it would be a very sentimental piece since they are no longer with us.

That's a great looking pen! I just got my Father's Vac back from Richard Binder who did a nifty restoration.Though he has been gone many years, using Dad's pen brings back long-forgotten memories.Perhaps your Mother's Vac may turn up yet.

Well done, Dr. Ozzie, and welcome to the forums. That's a peach of a Vac!

They're such great looking pens, and they never fail to get attention.

I've got one in my collection, similar to yours. It's a '42 Q1, the first year of the plastic filler. It's a Golden Pearl Major, and in terrific shape after a nice restoration by one of our own. It's a nice writer, although for me it's a little on the wet side. Gorgeous, though.

As others, including Dr. Isaacson, can attest, they ARE addictive.

Love those Vacs!!! Haven't had one in rotation for a while, I think it is time to get one back out!! Love that Azure Blue, you got a very nice colored one!!

I'd put mine away for a bit - admired it in the pen box but hadn't inked it up in a few weeks, distracted by a 61 and oddly a Lamy Safari. Your post inspired me to put mine back in the rotation - I filled it up with Waterman Blue/Black and it works like a champ!

Dr. Ozzie,

Now that my friend is a very attractive pen you have there!

I've been a fan of the Vac for as long as I can remember knowing about fountain pens.. IMHO I think the Vacs are better pens then the 51 which is considered one of the all time best fountain pens.

My grandfather had a bunch of fountain pens as well, but the family didn't know I was a collector and tossed them all after his death.. Something I still haven't forgiven them for!

Enjoy your beautiful pen, keep it close to your heart and write beautiful words with it..

Enjoy!
-Mark

I second the draw of these fine pens. I just came back from the Miami Pen Show.
Talk about pen overload! Loved every minute of it. I did come back with 2 free pens
and 2 vacumatics.

The free pens were a never used Pelikan Go and a Parker 21(used).
The other 2 beauties are a Standard Blue Diamond Vacumatic in
the gray color that kind of looks like yours and a Standard Blue Diamond Vacumatic
in black plastic. both these pens are circa 1945 according to P Erano's book.
I've just gave them a bath and a cleaning so what ink to use?
I did get Private reserve Spearmint and Tropical Blue (a new color).

I'm still holding out on a Parker 51...which one to get....

I have 8 of these eye candy pens and still haven't put any in rotation I keep meaning to put one or two in, i have 2 blues, 2 silver, a little deb double jewel in green, a black and my two favourites a gold standard and a red standard

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I would add my first Vacumatic acquisition here, an Azure Blue Major:


I never thought much of Vacumatics until I finally saw one in person a month ago and saw how, well, shiny they are. Pictures just don't do them justice, you have to see them to see how the rings just sparkle.

I'm glad it met expectations :-) I did enjoy owning it.

regards

david

In fact, I just finished filling it and the "51" I bought from you (they arrived today) with my favorite ink (Noodler's Legal Lapis), and it writes beautifully. I may just have to buy another pen or two from you.