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Found this one in a West Texas antique shop in a run of Holiday luck. At first I thought it was simply a ca.1929 streamlined cap on an older barrel with a replacement nib but, the more I look the more confused I've become. Any input on the following is appreciated:

1) It's too long for a streamline at 139mm but the barrel is tapered and has a ca.1932 imprint.
2) It has a date code ( .9. ). I know some have them but did not expect a 1939 Duofold Streamlined.
3) The blind cap is not streamlined/smooth but is noticably smaller than the older style.
4) Aren't barrel threads on later models always black?
5) When did Duofolds start having arrow nibs and did they come with Christmas tree feeds?

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It is my first Mandarin Sr. and is in decent shape with some signs of use (...Pens are not chew toys) and two pesky stratches...not cracks...on the cap lip. Until now all of my concerns have been academic but, I may need to put it on the market and want to clear up my confusion.

Thanks,
Corby

WOW!

nice pen! congrats!

now as far as the "non crackd cap lips" I don't want to spoil the party, but I do see a tiny line in the 2nd photo you just posted.

I know it looks like it. It's mindnumbing. I've searched with a loupe several times. No cracks. It's going to be almost impossible for me to show that it's just on the surface. Might be time to find a macro lens.

The camera is adequate; how about a shot of the same location but inside the cap?

--Daniel

Here it is. The scuffs are at 12 and 1 o'clock in the shot.

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check this post out....

streamlined duofolds....

BTW, I can't believe that thing isn't cracked..... looks like it is to me... I guess you lucked out....

Thanks Rick. Now I know of a similar example. I still have questions but, I am leaning towards D. Nishimura's input on late assembly using old parts stock.

they look like posting cracks to me. Nothing major or unstable, I'd say that the cap is in better shape than your average user mandarin duofold. They're hairline, but they're there. sorry other than that very minor detail (wich is non important, just stated this because if the seller told you that the cap ain't cracked as a sales argument it's not fair play) I think you have a very good piece there.

Regarding the nib, it might have been replaced some time in it's life by a Parker repairman. I have a couple of streamlined pens with Arrow nibs.

I also have a pen with a streamlined cap but an older style blind cap. Perhaps the Parker factory was just cranking out pens with whatever parts they had???

And thus the problem with photos of this cap. I can't show what I can see/feel...no cracks. I expected them to be there but none. The responses here just indicate that if I decide to sell it , it will have to be in person.

It's the oddities of the pen that I find interesting so hopefully they will stir up some additional input.

Hi Paul,

Is the blind cap on your streamlined smaller than usual ie. 10 mm long vs. 12mm and smaller diameter?

Thanks,
Corby

Oh damn that is beautiful!!

my most vague recollection (too tired from shipping pens and sorting for upcoming Washington Show to dig up the Book) is that last issue flat-tops had the non-lucky-curve imprint and that some were rehabbed at factory for the new streamlined era (or so says the book- albeit w/o source- iirc either the statement or the lack of source- yeep!).

There is little doubt amongst those who focus on Parker 1930-1940 that "late" pens... happen. Of course this belief is dependent upon our belief in the accuracy of the date codes themselves. If the date codes are unreliable then we have more variables than equations and guessing becomes a stronger part of the game.

Anyhoo... late date codes... happen.

So...

They might represent "late blow out of leftover stock" or could represent repair stock (eg- send in your 1930 Duofold with tire tread through barrel, and they pull a raw barrel out of storage for your repair) using the assumption that (again, we might have more variables than equations here) stock that carried a date stamp (barrels and nibs) perhaps were stamped at time of use rather than at time of core manufacture. I have some observational evidence to support this notion.

So...

Late pen? Late repair? "Transitional" barrel? Aftermarket tweaking?

Suspect at root pen is kosher.

And it does look like it has a stress crack in cap lip unless bizarre light reflection. Keep in mind stress cracks do not mean chips- no gaps necessary.

Great find in any case. I have owned total three flat tops yellows. Streamlined carries bit less cachet with collectors, but perhaps not easier to find.

regards

david

Hi David,

Thanks for the input. I'm all but convinced that the pen came out of the factory late from old stock or repair with what was on hand. If so, the small non-streamlined blind cap is still bothersome. Wish they had the correct one. I had hoped to replace it due to the bite marks but don't think a standard one will line up. Just an extra challenge.

Corby

corby, I'd buy it anytime with those pictures. I'm not saying I don't believe you, it's that after having dealt with lots of fragile materials (grenadilla woods, celluloid pens, crack prone 61 hoods, etc) I see that as... well, maybe not CRACK, but a fissure. There's a solution of continuity most likely "inside" the material. I'll say this again: I'm not trying to "make your pen look cheaper or worse"... it's just an observation.

I guess you could be free of dooubts with this testing: if rubbing a piece of damp cloth against the outside "scuff", that one that looks "inky" and you suceed in removing the mark, then probably it's just a sscuff, if you need other methods for getting rid of that ink (as in ultrasonic cleaning) then most likely it's a stress mark, fissure, hairline crack withoud material loose, however you'd like to call it.

Hi,

Recognizing that i'm not a materials expert and not a restoration pro, i nonetheless would advise caution about ultrasounding a yellow cap, especially one that appears to have an even partial hairline crack. "Shaking it up baby" my make that hairline really "shout".


regards

david

OK, my bad, lack of details can lead to a destructive interpretation. just a mild cycle, holding the very lip inside the water, and for less than 30 seconds. If there's ink trapped it should be onough to learn about that without risking the cap's integrity.

Hi David and Juan,

I just took the pen out into the brilliant Texas sun with a loupe to add yet another check. Wish I could show you what I see and put the scuff ,no crack, issue to rest. I called a friend with a better camera so maybe later in the week. I have the feeling that I'm going to have this pen at least until I finally get to another show or maybe the Houston/Dallas pen meetings. The issues I still have to decide on are what nib and feed should be in a pen of such a late date (the arrow nib needs work and it's with a Christmas tree feed) and I still don't like the blind cap. The pen is a beauty and seems to be much more of a conversation piece than a way to take care of the visa bill anyway.

And, no I am not going to put it in an ultra sound.

Thanks again for the input,
Corby

OK, these are the best shots that I can get for now.

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I change my vote to a scratch, but with some handling, I say eventual crack. Nice pen, I hope you got it for a good deal.

Finally a vote for scratch... I do baby it a bit. I took it to the now disbanded Austin pen club meeting and passed it arround with my other recent finds but did caution not to post the cap.

On a side note, I'm enjoying my pen luck lately. With mandarins, I had not seen one in the field since the late '90's when I waited through a farm auction for 4 hours for a Jr set. Then this Dec, a Jr project pen and this Sr in West Texas shops and in April a Lady's pen , well, barrel and trashed cap, at the Round Top show. Gotta wonder what's next.

All the best,
Corby