Saw a Parker 17 & a Parker Duofold pens in a charity shop today & I don't know what to offer

Both came in their original boxes & will need cleaning & more cleaning & I'm not sure of the condition of the sacs or anything else.
The nib on the duofold looked partly rusted & was in poor condition. The nib on the 17 looked steel & was medium to broad.

I don't know much more as didn't have glasses on to be able to read or see anything

The 17 was black with a broad cap end & the Duofold was burgundy.

Any advice welcome

Thanks

A gold nib on a pen should not "rust".

What else is wrong?

Offer them $20 total.

Well, first off, when you go back be sure to take you glasses.

I wonder if the Duofold nib was rusted , which it should not be, or heavily discolored, which is possible. For not knowing the condition of the sacs or the internals, I think I would also offer $20 or so, 10 to 12 UK Pounds.

Good luck.

It depends on the condition of the pens and the type of Duofold you have. Is this an original 1920s Flat Top, or some other kind?

Gold nibs generally should not "rust" like steel rusts, but they can become discolored in a darker fashion that may resemble rust on first glance.

Thanks I was thinking maybe around £10 max for the 2 & I've been checking prices on EBay & other places ~ seems that you don't have to spend much to get near mint condition

These pens both had the aeromatic sac filling so I guess they could be from the 1960's onwards

I'm sure I saw white metal on both pen nibs perhaps a different nib can be fitted?

Anyway the lady said she wanted to get them checked by an expert so I'll find out tomorrow just how much they overvalue them & I'm quite happy for them to stay in the shop. It's only curiosity on my part, not lust.

I reckon the deals on those NOS Reform pens show what a bargain can be really like.

I would not pay more than $20 for a pen in nonfunctioning condition. It's simply not worth more than that. I would say, offer the clerk or shop-owner um...perhaps 15-25/30 pounds for the lot and take it and have it restored. A Duofold is a wonderful pen.

Note with the nib: Gold does NOT rust. So whatever's on there is definitely not oxidation. A good polishing with a decent metal-polish paste will return it to a nice golden shine. I know because I bought a Waterman at a flea-market to restore. It's nib looked like it had been at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for 200 years, but - after a scrubbing, it shines good as new

The pens will most likely need a full disassembly, cleaning, new sac and perhaps a bit of nib-tweaking. Then, write away!!

Had another look today (with my glasses on this time) both were Parker duofold 17's & price stickers read £10 & £12
the burgundy nib read 14K & looked a fine the other nib was hidden

Anyway I walked away in the trust that better deals are around .. something you have to do

Buy it in the Name of God. You just mentioned for Charity Shop.

Help me to buy them at US$50/- I will have the fund to you. If you Can help. I think the pen is worth more than I am offering it now. Trust me if you like it, You should just buy it. As for me, Doing good at the same time enjoying good. (pen)
Do give me a Pm if you can help on this Or you may take up the offer That is well rewarded.........

It depends what variants they are and how good the body is (scratched or not), but seems fair price from a Charity shop. If they are cleaned up, you could sell and make money easily, so hence why I think they are a reasonable price -- assuming apart from being dirty they are ok.

They won't need a new sac, just a good clean with water. Bit of polish on the barrels and you should have two great user pens.

- Mark