PICS o' th' GOLD BRICK. Funky "Parkers" from th' thoities.

[david i]

Dunno that I have the time now to do the top down essay on this lofty topic, but I did shoot a few nice shots.

 

Sean's post in FPN's Photo forum reminded me I have these lying about.

 

This very first shot has two key clues that something rests outside the bounds of the expected...

 

regards

 

david

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1a.jpg

Edited March 27, 2009 by david i

[George]

Daimond?

[grimakis]

Diamond Medal?

Edited March 27, 2009 by grimakis

[Johnny Appleseed]

Three bands = high-line vacumatic, no? while Golden Web Parker's were only expected to be Jr, and thus 2-band,

 

But, of course, Diamond Medal vacs were cataloged with 3-bands, standard.

 

And, that ball clip is also a DM hallmark, vs an arrow clip.

 

Alas, I do not have my 1936 catalog scans with me today. You will have to settle for 1935, pre-web, but still pretty fun.

 

anyone for a fluted vacumatic DM?

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/Sears-DM-Spring1935.jpg

 

John

 

BTW - I will have to get together a picture of the "Serpent Green" snakeskin Good Service pencil I picked up recently - a good match for the pen you plucked off the bay a couple of months back.

[Univer]

Johnny,

 

Thanks for posting that scan. I now know that my little black-and-cream Good Service - a delightful writer, by the way - originally sold for the princely sum of 69 cents.

 

(Sorry...back to the regularly scheduled Parker conversation.)

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

[david i]

Hi Guys,

 

OK. We are starting the Dance.

 

The pen indeed is Diamond Medal, as suggested by Johnny, George-1 and George-2.

 

Not a huge mystery (these days at least), as we've discussed these online a few times the last few years, and this thread was triggered by Sean's clear posting of a Diamond Medal Vac-Fil down in the PHOTO forum. Johnny outlines some of the key differences.

 

There are charming elements to the DM Vac-Fil, for collectors of all things Parker

 

Again, not sure I have time to see this thread through to end, but figure we can touch on the key points, even if i lack time to drag all the material from the chapter into this thread.

 

The so-called Golden Web plastic (apparently a collector convention as Parker called the pens just Brown Transparent), is best known from the Parker Vacumatic series (economy line), catalogued in 1936-37. Same, or similar plastic (sometimes helically wrapped instead of longitudinally wrapped) crops up in Diamond Medal (the point of this thread), Diamond Point, Waterman and likely other lines.

 

The Golden Web Vacs appear in three sizes: the usual Vacumatic Junior and Slender Junior and the anomalous "Long Slender" size. One pencil matches all three. The pens have proper top bushing, end jewel and feather clip, found in all Vacs from that era. Here are pics of all the Golden Web Parker Vacumatic pens (and pencil) from my convenient "sold pens" archive. All to relative scale.

 

Junior

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen2031sm.jpg

 

Slender Junior

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen1395sm.jpg

 

"Long Slender" with the single size pencil

 

http://www.removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen1465sm.jpg

 

 

Notice again the double cap-band and feather clip.

 

The image first shown in this thread shows a triple cap-band and ball clip. Not yer typical Vac Golden Web. I note that high line Parker Vacumatics from this era (though still with feather not ball clip and never done in Golden Web) do have triple cap-band, as do other Parkers such as Parkette Deluxe and Deluxe Challenger. That will matter... later

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1a.jpg

 

 

More a bit later.

 

-d

Edited March 28, 2009 by david i

[John Danza]

Hi David,

 

I hope this photo helps your story instead of messing it up. Here's a Diamond Medal in the green web plastic. You can see the seam in the cap.

 

John

 

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb83/borderboss/Fullpen.jpg

[david i]

Hi David,

 

I hope this photo helps your story instead of messing it up. Here's a Diamond Medal in the green web plastic. You can see the seam in the cap.

 

John

 

Hi John,

 

No mess.

 

Nice pen.

 

I'm guiding this thing a wee bit to get where I want to be, but threads take life of their own, and when they bring out pics/info on great pens... well... all the better.

 

We will I hope discuss a bit of the history/context for these DM pens and see a few nice ones.

 

regards

 

David

[david i]

Moving forward...

 

We just examined the "Golden Web" Vacumatics produced by Parker. Double band pens, feather clip pens all.

 

Parker did make triple cap-band pens of course: high line Vacs (unlike junior line Golden Web), 2nd tier Deluxe Challengers and the like.

 

Consider again the Golden Web Vac Junior

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen2031sm.jpg

 

High Line Vacs from that era had same clip, but featured triple cap-band. This one is the Vacumatic Standard, a pen of same diameter and just slightly greater length than the Vac Junior, above.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen2586sm.jpg

 

The Parker Deluxe Challenger is another three-cap-band pen, one of same diameter as both the above pens, though it was a second tier Parker. It was button fill, ahd black blind cap and had (early on) a ball-clip with a bordered region for its Parker markings. It has a chubby ring at top of clip, somewhat similar to the Vacumatics. Looking at the shape of black blind cap and the ball clip, John Danza's Green Web Diamond Medal should start to seem familiar

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen2349sm.jpg

 

Now look at another 2nd tier Parker, the Televisor, found with Canadian imprints [as are all(?)] though perhaps all were made for British market. Again with the ball clip and triple band. This time though the ring at top of clip is a thin washer, similar to clip found on the early regular (non-Deluxe) Challenger

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen2155sm.jpg

 

Finally look at a "Web" pen by Diamond Medal, not a Parker, per se. Sean had shown a "Golden" in his Photo Forum thread, as did I in the very limited close up at start of this thread. John showed a Green. Now, here is a Silver, though rather worn. The importance of these other colors will be addressed later.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen1879sm.jpg

 

This Silver Web pen by Diamond Medal has:

1. A ball clip similar to a Parker Challenger
2. Vac Filler unit identical to lockdown filler found in Parker Vacs (and, gee, Parker was soooo protective of its patents)
3. large black top piece similar in concept (if bit different in shape) to Parker's plain Challenger and to Televisor. This differs from Vacumatic and Deluxe Challenger which have smaller jewels and with clips that have larger ring at top.
4. large bottom unjeweled black end piece simlar to Challenger, Deluxe Challenger, etc
5. Darn thing has all sorts of Parker styles, but all... mixed together... in... a non-Parker pen.

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen1879sm.jpg

 

 

I note it is widely believed- probably correctly- that Diamond Medal was a house brand for Sears.

 

 

More later.

 

Gotta sleep.

 

-d

Edited March 28, 2009 by david i

[david i]

Diamond Medal Vac-Fil Golden Web (and Vac-Fil other color "web" and other non web colors, etc) are re-badged Parker Vacumatic pens , or so supporting evidence suggests. Re-badging in the case of the Vacumatic as DM Vac-Fil does refer to more than a change in the maker's imprint of course, but represents a tweak of the product line as well, not that an adjustment (besides imprints) is needed to qualify as a re-badging in the general case.

 

Parker indeed was unlikely to let some other company simply lift it's Vacumatic filling system. But, Parker might well (if "did" is a sub-set of "might well") feel temptation to produce pens for large scale special order of sorts..

 

Unlike "sub-brand" which generally describes pen made by a maker with different brand stamp but still sold through usual channels, a re-badged pen is one made for a specific market not offered through usual distribution network. At least that's how I use the terms, what with there being no law on such things. I am amenable to considering contrary views.

 

The only ads I've ever seen for the Diamond Medal Vac-Fill are from Sears, for whom DM was a house-brand. However, not all DM's were made by Parker. Different years and different styles seem to have seen the contracts sent to different manufacturers. The DM Vac-Fill was Parker's Vacumatic produced specifically for Sears. One readily can imagine that even for lofty Parker the chance to make pens for one of the country's largest retailers in the heart of the Great Depression might have had some appeal, even if the trim, imprint, contour and plastics used (in some cases) had to be tweaked a bit. One wonders if Parker modified the contour and trim of the DM at the request of Sears or by its own choice, to separate the pens more from its main (and higher priced) product line, so as to avoid watering down the Parker marque.

 

The Diamond Medal Vac-Fil pens feature a mix features/style-cues from different Parker pens, adding to their appeal:

 

1. Vacumatic filling system like... well... the Parker Vacumatic
2. Blind cap like Parker Deluxe Challenger
3. Top black endpiece of different shape but of general style (big black piece not surrounded by a top ring) as plain Challenger and Televisor
4. Thin ringed ball-clip similar to plain Challenger and Televisor
5. Triple cap-band colors that in Vacumatic were Junior line (two cap-band).
6. Two tone nib patterns similar to that of Parker's Parkette Deluxe, at least earlier on.
7. The big thing. The larger of the two sizes of Diamond Medal Vac-Fil are larger than the larger of the two key Parker Vacumatic Junior-line sizes. Thus, a DM Vac-Fill "Golden Web" is larger (longer) than any "Golden Web" Vacumatic, indeed as large as the standard Parker Challenger/Deluxe Challenger and as large as the high line Vacumatic Standard. DM Golden Web provides the largest available "Vacumatic" in this plastic.

Not sure how large was the DM Golden Web shown in Sean's pic in the Photo Forum, but vaguely suspect it is the smaller size. Here, as we dive into some vintage Vac-Fil eye candy, is a shot of the larger size Diamond Medal Golden Web, from my own Vacumatic collection.

 

At first glance, it really seems more a Golden Web CHALLENGER of sorts, than it does VACUMATIC, but its guts are all Vac.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1c850.jpg

 

And, it's nib in close-up.

 

Note the Parker-esque date code for early 1937, right at the heart of Parker's own Vacumatic "Golden Web" production. The two tone nib's color pattern evokes that seen on certain Parker Parkette Deluxe pens, iirc.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1d850.jpg

 

More later.

 

regards

 

david

Edited March 28, 2009 by david i

[david i]

Three bands = high-line vacumatic, no? while Golden Web Parker's were only expected to be Jr, and thus 2-band,

 

But, of course, Diamond Medal vacs were cataloged with 3-bands, standard.

 

And, that ball clip is also a DM hallmark, vs an arrow clip.

 

Alas, I do not have my 1936 catalog scans with me today. You will have to settle for 1935, pre-web, but still pretty fun.

 

anyone for a fluted vacumatic DM?

 

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/laridae/Sears-DM-Spring1935.jpg

 

John

 

BTW - I will have to get together a picture of the "Serpent Green" snakeskin Good Service pencil I picked up recently - a good match for the pen you plucked off the bay a couple of months back.

 

That page does show some Parker made DM's, apparently in three styles (I have pens from each group) including Vac-Fil. Neat. IF this dates to 1935 it is the earliest appearance of Vac-Fil (Sacless) DM's i've seen.

 

And, yeah, i have 4 DM Parker-made Fluters. Chat for another day, or... maybe... much later in this thread. The fluters though are not vacumatic based. Nice shot of 'em (i believe) in your ad. Hmmm... any chance I can buy a high res scan (like 600dpi?) of that page?

 

-d

Edited March 28, 2009 by david i

[david i]

OK...

 

So, we've now seen that pens badged Diamond Medal, the house brand for Sears, appeared in a "Vac-Fil" model derived at heart from Parker's Vacumatic, but featuring styling cues from a wide range of Parker models. I noted that the Golden Web DM's charm collectors since that pattern/color is popular from the Vacumatic series and because the DM is more scarce than the Parker and can be found in size larger than the version badged as a Parker.

 

I will now ease back (for a bit) from hammering away at "What is the DM Vac-Fill?", and, "Why do we like it so well?" and return to some eye-candy.

 

Sean had posted pic of the smaller Diamond Medal Vac-fil "Golden Web". I showed the larger pen, just above.

 

Well, here is the larger DM Golden Web along with matching pencil. An appealing set no doubt. With more to come.

 

BTW- if others have shots of Parker-made DM's, by all means, do post 'em.

 

regards

 

David

 

http://www.removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1b850.jpg

Edited March 29, 2009 by david i

[david i]

And, to broaden the spread just a bit, here is a complete Diamond Medal Vac-Fil "Golden Web" collection:

 

1. Large Pen (about size of larger Parker Challenger, larger than the Parker Vacumatic Golden Web)
2. Small Pen (similar to Slender Parker pens from era)
3. Pencil.

Regards

 

David

 

http://www.removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1e850.jpg

Edited March 29, 2009 by david i

[david i]

So, we've skipped about a bit, but now I'm solidly into vintage Diamond Medal (Vac-Fil era) eye-candy, noting again for new readers, that the DM's are rebadged (and stylistically tweaked) Parker Vacumatic pens.

 

The Golden Web pattern appeals to collectors as it is a popular color in Vacumatic, and the Diamond Medal offers a Golden Web even larger than the Vacumatic series does.

 

Here is the well known Parker Vacumatic, again, in that plastic. This is the only color "web" catalogued in Parker form.

 

 

http://removed.xyz/websitesalespics/pen2031sm.jpg

 

But, the Diamond Medal pens give us something a bit more. Here is the photo from my last note, showing a complete Diamond Medal Golden Web set (large pen, small pen, pencil), along with something a bit... different.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1f850.jpg

 

regards

 

David

Edited March 31, 2009 by david i

[Buzz J]

David, et al,

 

This has been a great thread - interesting pen history and an exercise in developing a sharp observant eye.

 

Lets do it again soon.

 

John

[david i]

David, et al,

 

This has been a great thread - interesting pen history and an exercise in developing a sharp observant eye.

 

Lets do it again soon.

 

John

 

Thread still warming up.

 

d

[SMG]

David I love it when you expand on a thought. Great thread. Still trying to absorb it all.

 

Cheers,

Sean

[david i]

David I love it when you expand on a thought. Great thread. Still trying to absorb it all.

 

Cheers,

Sean

 

Last picture showed a hint of silver pearl poking about at the edges of this complete Diamond Medal Golden Web set (two sizes pen and one pencil). Here again is that shot.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1f850.jpg

 

Here are both sizes of Diamond Medal (rebadged, stylistically tweaked Parker Vacumatic) but instead of in Golden Web (the only catalogued Parker "web" color) we have Silver Web. Again, offering a Parker-made vacumatic-style web pen in size larger than any Vacumatic, proper, the presence of "other" webs colors really gets the collector buzz going. I have the two sizes of pen (not the pencil yet). The pens below... the large one is really clean, not common- as you who have read my screed on 1930's gray pearl pens with white trim well know. The small one has some wear, but is not bad.

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessayg850.jpg

 

 

regards

David

Edited April 1, 2009 by david i

[david i]

Couple more shots of Silver Web Diamond Medal Vac-FIl. Large pen.

 

regards

 

david

 

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1h850.jpg

Edited April 2, 2009 by david i

[david i]

Continuing on, pulling into play the pen John showed some posts back...

 

The rebadged and style-tweaked Parker Vacumatic that is the Diamond Medal Vac-Fil sold by Sears, offered up Parkers highly sought Golden Web plastic in a pen even larger than the Vacumatic, proper, and in "web" colors orther than Golden, both adding to the collector cachet of this series.

 

Here again is a first peek from my photo files at the final "web" color from Diamond Medal. Perhaps we can call it Emerald though often it simply is called Green.

 

regards

 

d

http://removed.xyz/websitelectures/diamondmedalessay1i850.jpg