Why are some vac sections striped to match the barrel and are those only on certain models??? All the vacs i have are plain black sections but i have one on the way with a matching striped section. Any help appreciated.

Let's ignore the obvious that one would expect a black section on a black pen whether or not "matching" issues are in play.

The basics.

All non high-line Vacs have black section.

Some high line Vacs have matching section.

Level 2: Which high line Vacs have matching sections?

All USA-production high-line pens produced before 1939 (maybe overlapping the very start of 1939) have matching sections.

But, the overwhelming majority of Canadian-manufactured vacs, even high line, have black section, even pre 1939.

The exception to the latter case is for verrrrry early Canadian pens that still have one-piece barrel section (eg. a burgundy Parker Vacuum Filler 1933 issue from Canada) in which case matching section will be present.

regards

david

How about matching jewels? Doesn't it kinda follow the section, but those pesky Canucks are different again?

Pesky, the nerve. We just enjoy a little bit of variety that's all.

Cheers,
Sean

Prior to 1939, all high line pens have matching end jewels USA or Canadian, save for the "Ripley's Believe it or Not" plastic (most uncommon) which has black jewels. Early 1939 pens... matching jewels. In USA, starting at some point probably first quart er 1939, the bottom jewel ceased to be a jewel but became a pseudojewel. It has target/concentric pattern in good light but often is confused for a black bottom jewel.

Canadian pens probably/perhaps did not embrace the target pattern bottom pseudo jewel but continued with striped jewels.

I would expect USA/Canadian pens to have striped top jewels through end of 1941, indeed they crop up on early 1942 high line pens of the "new" 3rd generation (no blind jewel) as well.

Bottom jewel thus is a black-ish target pattern pseudo-jewel in USA after early 1939 (usually) until end of the double jewel era. Canadian pens... who knows. Probably without any pseudo-jewel it is possible true black bottom jewel cropped up before the demise of the double jewel style.

Note that striped jewels "were not produced" for blue pens- blue was intro'd mid 1940. Except of course for the one blue senior maxima I own that has... striped top jewel.

d