Does anybody know what year the Parker Duofold Centennial was launched?

I bought a NOS early Duofold Centennial at the NJ/NYC pen show. The pen is a straight-sided (untapered) flat-top, black with gold trim. According to the seller, it dates from the late 1980's; one of the first modern Duofold releases. I got this pen at an excellent price and it is beautiful, as well as a great writer.

However, I am confused by one detail: Unlike other modern Duofolds I have seen, this pen has no inlaid logo (is "tassie" the correct term?) on top of the cap. Instead, the top of the cap is simply flat and black, with a circular outline where the logo should go (but no gap or indentation in the plastic to indicate that it was once there and fell off). So the question is, what era Duofold is this? Did the first re-released modern Duofolds simply not have the logo on top of the cap, and this was a detail added later? The seller from whom I bought the pen is reputable, so it cannot possibly be a fake. But this discrepancy leaves me puzzled.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide!
QM2

I believe I have a similar model, and from some research on line I dated it to 1989.

Z

Thanks!
So to be clear -- you mean that yours has no inlaid logo on the cap either, and you take this to be normal for that era production?

Yes. I actually found the pen at a barn sale and was very suspicious of its pedigree. I did an extensive search to see if I could identify it and see if it was legit. It has no logo on the cap but all the other markers are Parker. If you'd like I can post a photo of the one I have.

Z

I think the Centennial - hundreth year - was 1988, 100 years after The Parker Pen Co. started.

'88 was probably the exact year for the 1st release. I do believe mine is '89.

Here's mine:

That would be great! -- I will try to post images of mine as well. It does sound like we have the same pen.

I am actually really happy with my pen. It has been my dream to find an older version, straight-sided modern Duofold, and this one was in NOS mint condition. But the lack of logo really surprised me.


EDIT: You beat me to it and posted the image. Would you happen to have any photos of the logo-less cap?

I don't have any photos of the cap but I probably can take some tomorrow (light is gone tonight).

Looking forward to seeing yours.

I have a black centennial with no logo on the cap, and it looks like this:



According to Patrick Taylor modern Duofolds were launched in 1987.
You may also want to check the date-code of your pen. This code is to be found near the lip of the cap, under the Parker, Made in UK inscription. More about the code from Richard Binder's website.

mandragoru: That is what my pen looks like as well.

Near the cap lip, the following is written:
PARKER
MADE IN UK
PC

Is "PC" a code indicating a year of production?..

The logoless pens were made to allow initials to be stuck on the top instead of engraving.
I have a few and approached Parker here in Oz to get the Duofold Decal which was also available. They want 90 bucks EACH!
Put feelers out on FPN but got no responses, so I'm writing to Sanford to see it they have any old initials for me.
If your arrow clip is a long way from the first cap ring it is the first edition flat top, if the arrow goes almost to the ring it is the second edition flat top.
First made in 1988 and there is a complex date code that if you want you can find on the web - I think in Richard Binder's site.

Ah, I found Richard Binder's datecode instructions.
This is the page, in case others are interested:
http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref_info/bday_pen.htm

According to this system, the "PC" on my pen indicates that it was produced in 1987, second quarter.
Neat. And I take it that this is evidence, that the Duofold Centennial was launched in 1987 rather than 1988.

Thanks again for the info,
QM2

PS: $90 for a sticker?... That's um, very enterprising of them. And people criticise Montblanc!

They want to check it in for "repair" as such. Won't give me the decals.

I've had a chance to photograph my pen, and here are the views of the cap-top and datecode:







I've also posted a full review with other images here:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=77333

Thanks once again for all the information!
QM2

Wow. I've also tried to contact Sanford for blank discs and they have told me that they did not have any. At least you got a positive response (at $90 a pop). Makes me want to try to make one myself. Has anyone tried making one?

Al

Neat! I finally checked my orange (creamy luminescent orange!) Centennial, and it is marked III0, meaning first quarter, 1990.

Never mind.

Note to self: engage brain before typing.

Hi,

Bearing in mind the early ones weren't produced with a logo, personally I would prefer to leave them original I think they still look fine without. Two of my selection of Duofolds are early ones without any logo and I am happy to leave them like that (in fact six if I include some BPs/MPs).

Andy

I have a green marble Duofold International. I e-mailed Parker, and they say it was mfg in 1988 or 1989. Mine has the bronze logo on the cap. But the cap does not have any other writing.

The black end of the pen body is engraved "Parker" and "Made in UK". There are no other date stamps or letters on the pen.

After adjusting the nib, it is a great writer, equal to my Sailor and Pelikan 600. In terms of design, materials and finish, it is superior to both. Love it.

Bob

I think it's unlikely that your Duofold was made that far back as it's the 'streamlined' version which I believe was introduced in the mid 90s. A beautiful pen... I also have this pen and one in a similar red pattern (called Jasper, I believe). My collection of Duofolds is pictured below, although it's a little out of date as the blue check Centennial and Lapis International set have moved to new homes.

They, approximately, age from left to right. The red and green marbled versions don't have the cap decal. The Blue is the Centenary version with its special cap. The gold, salmon and pearl have decals. The black Greenwich has a special edition version. The later green and red streamlined versions have the same decal as yours. The red ballpoint at the far right is the earliest type, dropped fairly quickly for the classic shape shown by the Pearl BP.... which is actually a Tiffany special edition.

Parker launched the duofold in 1988.
They launched the duofold centennial as a 100 year anniversary pen.
in 1988 there was a centennial fountainpen and a slide-cap ballpoint.

first edition has a flat clip and flat rings, no logo at the top and the gold marks on the nib are on the side.

after a year parker dicided to create a stronger clip, so the flat clip is produced for only a year.

According to our datecodes, both mine and at least one other FPN member's pens were made in 1987...


DustyBin: That is a nice line-up! What is the model name of the 5th pen from the left that looks chased?

I have a second generation new Duofold with no logo on the top. It was sold with the option of having your initials embossed there.

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That would be great! -- I will try to post images of mine as well. It does sound like we have the same pen.

I am actually really happy with my pen. It has been my dream to find an older version, straight-sided modern Duofold, and this one was in NOS mint condition. But the lack of logo really surprised me.


EDIT: You beat me to it and posted the image. Would you happen to have any photos of the logo-less cap?
[/quote]
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My logo-less Centennial has my initials on it (DW). It is dated IIIL, making it according to Binder's website, first quarter of 1994. To have a look, see my avatar, above.

The earliest of the modern Duofold Centennials (and Internationals) had a flat cap top, engraved "feathers" on the clip, and flat, different width cap rings. I have a blue marble Centennial with a cap "decal" that is inscribed: "Centennial 1888-1988" around the outer part and a Parker arrow and oval logo in the center. It is marked on the cap above the bands with "Parker", "Made in UK" with a 1E date code (Q1 1988). I have two Internationals that are similarly marked except the cap top is plain save the single engraved circle. The second generation modern Duofolds similarly have the flat cap top and engraved circle. Some have what I call the "wagon wheel" Parker Duofold cap top decal (both International and Centennial). These have raised "feathers" on the clip and rounded cap rings of different widths. The different width cap rings are a distinguishing feature of the first and second generation modern Duofolds along with the straight cap sides. For the second generation the Parker name and Made in UK, along with the date code, moved to the simulated blind cap at the end of the barrel.

Does anyone know whether pens with the "Centennial" cap decal were made in limited quantities or for a certain period of time?

Preston

this is a photo from a 2 parker duofold's
de left blue marble centennial is one of the first editions.
flat clip an rings
no logo at the top.
18k 750 at the side of the nib. size of the nib is 82
dat code is 1E
made in UK.

i don't have a macro on my camera, but in the first picture you can see the inprint on the side of the nib.

the maroon red duofold does not have a inprint, because the cap is a replacement.


Lennard,