In my inventory was a 40's dove grey vac filler with a nice blue diamond sterling cap. Waiting for restoration. I have not made any plans for it yet. Now yesterday came along a black UK made aero 51 from a much later period with a standard rolled gold cap, but with a very nice allmost broad nib with the filling system working healthy.

When I compared the two pens, I tried to swap caps. That seems to work ok for putting the early sterling cap on the later aero 51. That makes a sparkling nice looking marriage, works nice and writes beautifully. The dove grey does not look too happy with the rolled gold cap :-(

Today I have with me the black 51 with the sterling cap as "pen of the day".
I know it is a marriage, but they fit very well together and can be used and shown. Now, how big a crime you think this is ?

I have a P51 with a modified P61 nib in it - so who am I to talk?

I'd say that the pens are yours & it's up to you. What I would advise is that you remember, or make a note of, which cap has gone where & return them to their proper homes if you sell them.
I'm never going to sell that P51 with the P61 nib, so that's not going to be an issue, but I'd return it to it's original state if I were to sell.

Regards

Richard.

Well (and my history remembrance may be fuzzy here), I think that the Janesville Treaty of 1948 stated pretty specifically that every time an old cap was matched to a new body, that a small man called Bill in a town in northern Denmark was to be beaten within an inch of his life. So as long as that doesn't bother you...

Sorry, couldn't resist when you brought the crime aspect into it.

I'd highly doubt that anyone would string you up by your toenails. After all, the hobby is a bit of a personal thing, you know? If you like it, and it works, then enjoy it!

I don't have any serious moral objections, but I'm trying to picture how one might force a Vac body onto the section and filler of an Aero pen. I suppose the nation that invented the strandbeest might manage anything.

I believe that the Janesville Treaty was disengaged by the Convention on Ludicrous International Agreements of 1961, but I'm likewise uncertain.

SSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Damn, man, you're letting the kitties out of the sack! Now, please don't pass this along, it's supposed to be a secret, but the "Holy Grail" (see related thread) of Parker 51 pendom is indeed a blue diamond gold clip Vac cap affixed to an Aero body. The best of both worlds, old world beauty and new world functionality. Of course, the grey beard Parker puritans will liken this to a West Virginian marriage of close relatives, with tongues a-clucking. The real problem is, however, what to do with the left-overs (Aero cap and Vac body).

Actually, that is not a problem at all. Just send the leftovers to me, and I will "dispose" of them at no charge to the sender.

Donnie

Ernst, this is why I look forward to reading your posts. The Convention on Ludicrous International Agreements was attended by the Minister of Silly Walks, yes?