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Parker 51 Blue-Diamond Vacumatic


Johnny Appleseed

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I went over to the Renton antique district, and found that one of the antique malls there was closing. It was a pretty pen-barren place except for one Parker 51 Blue Diamond Vacumatic that was more than I wanted to pay (and it's been there for years).

 

Well, they still have it, and it's down to $40. The condition is pretty good - cap and barrel are in great shape. The Gold-filled clip trim has tarnish, but doesn't look brassed, and the blue-diamond has the original blue paint intact. Nib looks good - closer to medium than extra-fine. The only flaw is a few scrapes on the hood, which might or might not polish up alright.

 

The problem is that I don't restore vacs, so I am looking at $40 or so to send off to Richard or Joel or someone - which brings the total cost up to $80 - and I am not really interested in another Parker 51. But I also hate to see this one disappear to who knows where and would like to see someone use it rather than have it sit in some other antique mall for the next five years. Oh, and the Antique mall is closing tomorrow (Friday), so that is my last chance

 

So what would you do? Buy it, restore it and sell? Would you pay $80 for a restored BD vac? Or $40 for an unrestored?

 

Decisions, decisions. . .

 

John

 

(alternatively, if someone local wants the address so they can grab it tomorrow I would be glad to give it)

So if you have a lot of ink,

You should get a Yink, I think.

 

- Dr Suess

 

Always looking for pens by Baird-North, Charles Ingersoll, and nibs marked "CHI"

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Do you know that the pen needs to be restored?

Of the dozen or so "51" vacs that I own only one ever needed to be restored.

 

And if it wasn't a color that I already owned I would buy it.

Edited by Glenn-SC
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Did you think to offer less and hope they would take it?

 

Ron

"Adventure is just bad planning." -- Roald Amundsen

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It's an Antique Mall, so the actual seller is not there to negotiate with. The person behind the counter does not seem willing to negotiate. Several of the sellers seem to be headed to other antique malls, and they don't seem to be offering true "going out of business" prices.

 

I could try tomorrow and see if the actual seller is there packing up.

 

John

So if you have a lot of ink,

You should get a Yink, I think.

 

- Dr Suess

 

Always looking for pens by Baird-North, Charles Ingersoll, and nibs marked "CHI"

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I think the most any antique mall will take off an item without the seller's consent is 10%. I used to have a booth at one and that was the standard. But that might just be in this area of the country.

 

If it were me I would buy it. But then again, Parker 51's are my favorite. :**:

Edited by rosey

"'I will not say, "do not weep", for not all tears are an evil."

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Realistically... If the pen isn't fun to buy, why bother? It's not like the world is short of usable 51s.

- Jonathan

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