Here is my brother's pen. Although I *think* it was bought in the mid-to-late 1950's, it might've been NOS at the time of purchase. Or our family history has gotten things mixed up, and this pen was purchased earlier.

The only lettering I can see on the top of the barrel is: MADE IN U.S.A. 8

I have looked over all the information on Richard Binder's site as to figuring out the date of manufacture, but I'm still not sure at all.

Could someone help me please?

Thanks!

Mousie

Mousie,

Your Parker 51 was made in 1948,just at the time when Parker was switching over to the aerometric as a new way of
filling the pen. The reason that this is possible is that by 1953 the Vacumatic date code would disappear in America
(Canada would continue date coding their vacs up `til about 1958). After 1949,date codes for American 51s would just
about disappear(except when Parker introduced their 1st stainless steel 51,the "Flighter"--which had a "9" for a date
code).

John

If there are really no dots adjacent to the 8, then the pen was made in the fourth quarter of the year. This is reasonable, given that the Demi was first to convert, and the full-size version began rolling out of Janesville in the fourth quarter.

Thank you both very much! There are indeed no other dots, other than the periods after the U, the S, and the A. I looked in very bright daylight, with a magnifying glass.

Sooo, 1948, in the last quarter. Now I have to wonder if it was bought earlier than I thought or if it was NOS when it was bought...

Thanks!

Mousie