I'm just getting into fountain pens and I would love to have a famous Parker 51. Now, the only problem is that I'm completely overwhelmed when I search on eBay. What are a few key features I should look for in order to get a decent pen? Keep in mind I don't want to spend a fortune: $50-$75 would be ok.

Thanks in advance,

Adam

Your best bet it is not to chance it with a low priced questionable 51 from a seller who has no pen reputation.

There are a number of sellers out there who frequently offer up 51's. Better yet, rather than starting off with eBay, buy one off the FPN marketplace from someone who has been around for a good long while. You sometimes get better deals here anyway. However, if you do search on eBay and find a few candidates, look at the seller history and be sure you're getting a pen from someone with very good feedback and who knows pens.

What to look for? Well, I'd say you should get an aerometric version (not vacumatic). If the seller doesn't know the difference, leave it alone. The aerometric is the kind with the squeeze bladder, not the piston stick concealed by a blind cap (screw piece on the barrel end). It has less parts to maintain and thus will likely not need expensive servicing when found in the wild. Of course you don't want any cracks in the barrel and you'd want the nib to be smoothly tuned. After that it comes down to how much you want to pay relative to condition. Top condition could run you up towards $100. User grade with wear but reliable function could be $50 or less. If you're just getting acquainted with the Parker 51, visit Richard Binder's website for more info.

First thing I'd do is save up more money.

Next, research the Parker '51'. Have a look at its history and designs and design-changes and the two types of filling-systems, the vacumatic (1941-1948) and the aerometric (1948-1970s). In my experience, most of the 51s on offer are from the 40s and 50s (I've never seen one for sale that was more recent than the 1950s). Decide which filler-system you want. The Vac holds more (so I've been told), but it's easier to damage. The aero holds only as much as its ink-sac will permit (which isn't anywhere as much as the Vac), it's a simpler mechanism, though, and not so easily broken, and it's easier to repair.

Best to buy a '51' from someone who knows their pens. The Marketplace here, or certain sellers online at eBay are the best people to look for.

If you're going out and buying a '51' in the wild, you just MIGHT get lucky and buy one which requires no servicing at all and which will work right away (So far, I've found two just like that, so it is possible). Things to check for here are dings, dents and scratches in the cap, cracks in the hood and/or barrel and whether or not the sac is nice and supple. Also - give the pen a bit of a shake (this is for aerometrics). If you hear a rattling noise, or if you feel something moving around inside the pen, that's probably the broken breather-tube. These can be replaced, but it's not a job for a novice (I tried and failed!).

But, barring all that, you can get such a pen for a relatively small amount of money. The two I speak of were $100 + box, for the lot. So that's about $30 each.

If you just want to try one, keep an eye out on eBay, every once in a while one goes cheap. However, unless you get REALLY lucky, the nib will be worn and need work, and a worn nib can be a real pain to write with if you don't use it exactly like the previous user did.

"51"s go on eBay all the time in your price range, but vacs will need a new diaphram -- I've gotten one out of six or so that even pulled ink in at all, and that one leaked, and Aerometrics may need a new breather, although not if they were made after 1956 when they were much less likely to have been filled with SuperChrome ink.

Look for a pen with some wear and a few small dents or scratches in the cap, as these reduce the price considerably but have no effect on usability. Black and Burgundy are the most common colors, and have the lowest prices generally. Medium nibs are uncommon, broad nibs are scarce -- of the dozen or so "51"s I have, two have had medium nibs (one worn so badly it got replaced) and four are extra fine or accounant. Wide nibs carry a very large premium if noted or visible in pictures.

At your price range, the only option for caps is Lustraloy, but that's not really a problem for a user pen.

Good luck -- if you get one with a good nib you will see why they are so popular.

And there is always the option of a Hero 616 Jumbo for a test drive -- the same size, same type of ink system, but only available in what we would call an extra fine nib. Lighter and nowhere near as well made, but quite similar in behavior. You can buy ten of them (probably the thin model though) for $25 or so from several vendors, at least one of them will be quite nice!. You won't mistake one for a "51" by any means, but you will know if you like that style or not for cheap.

Peter

The preceeding is good advice. I just got another 10-pack of the Hero 616s so I could give some away to friends. They are surprisingly good in spite of a little quality variation - nibs and fillers.

I have bought at least three 51s from eBay sellers and been lucky - they all wrote and all were under $60. So it can be done...you will have to do many auctions and be there at the end, or set a high bid point. Look for sellers with perfect or nearly perfect feedback who focus on pens. Aerometrics are more likely to work right away than Vacs unless the Vac has recently been re-sac'd and reset.

You may get an offer from another FPNer though - seems like 51s are always going back and forth here. Good luck! They're worth it!

All great advice above. I second the reco for an aero first time. The vacs need servicing and unless seller specifies recently refurb'd I stay clear. Wider nibs are tough to find and nib descriptions in general are subjective since no markings. There is a demi size which is shorter, but I think the width is about the same so a good option if you want a smaller pen. For my first I went to an expert and told him what I was looking - Mike McConnell (wetink.com) who no longer sells and he picked out a good one for me. One other note is single jewel (SJ) vs. double jewel (DJ). DJ's carry a premium and are all vacs. Some colors carry premiums too such as Plum, mustard and you can find this info. by doing some research, but I can't put my fingers on the list right now.

Trusted sites with info.

http://www.vintagepens.com/parker_51.shtml
http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref_info/51_profile.htm
http://www.rickconner.net/penspotters/parker.51.html

Thanks for all the advice. I'm still confused with the single and double jewel thing. That's fine for now I guess. I plan on getting an aero as my first and I'd like a Mark I. I probably just wait until I find somebody on here willing to part with one.

Thanks again

You might be able to spot the Double Jewel pens amongst Single Jewel pens here.

regards

david

One other thing that people haven't mentioned yet is the Parker 51 Special. It has a steel nib and a hoop aerometric filler (both considered less desirable). Basically, it's a "poor man's" 51. That said, they are just as well made, write about the same, and are a bit cheaper.

I love how everyone is now afraid of the vac "51"s!!!!!
More more more for me!

And now we all have to worry about the nibs being worn?
I know of no reason that the "51" nib should be any more worn that any other vintage pen, except that their owners loved them and wrote with them much much more than any other comparable age pen.

I think I'm up to around 10 or so Parker vacs.......love em all! In fact I got one a 1945 3rd Quarter vacumatic the mail today that is in perfect working order. Whille an areomatic is more likely to be in working order straight from the Postman I'd rather have the vac in the long run.

Double Jewel '51's (shortened - DJs) are '51's with two jewels on them. Most '51's are single-jewelled ones. They have a jewel (a flattned cone-shaped piece of plastic) screwed into the caps of the pens. Double-jewelled '51's have a cap-jewel and a blind-cap jewel, which would be screwed into the blind-cap that would screw over the vacumatic plunger. I think this design feature comes from the 1930s when they did the same thing (I think!) with Vacumatics.

There weren't any double-jewel aero-51s, were there...?

I think not.

For a "decent" pen you can use (not a collectors item) keep your eyes peeled for the unexpected. Antiquing while on vacation 2 weeks ago I found one that was in very good shape - shows signs of use on the black barrel and lower section near nib. But no cracks, gouges and no dings in brushed steel cap. Only real blemish is the pearlescent jewel has a small chip out of it. Paid $4.00 plus tax, and took it to the hotel for a bath. Now am using it as a dialy writer in the office. As I said, it has been used and the imprint on the rim of the barrel is faint, but I'm sure it is dated 1950.

I'm sure I'll pay more for my next '51.