Another 'plum' Investigation! Help Identify The Color Of This Parker 51!

[FPcollection]

Good day all!

 

Initiating another 'plum' investigation and seeking all your help for the same

 

As experienced by many, a lot of speculation goes into making up one's mind before that Ebay bid is placed for a "Burgundy" / "Cordovan Brown"/ "Maroon" Parker 51! ' It looks like 'Plum', but is it really so?" !

 

Similar was my situation and I finally managed to convince myself to go for this lot of 4 Parkers 51s pictured herein...nice colors.

 

One however looked seriously plum especially being placed against a regular "burgundy". Specifically, a Plum demi. But, one can never be sure!

 

I am referrring to the first pen of the set of four pens in pic 1 and the last pen of the set of four in pic 2. Pen is pictured in details in pics 3 & 4. Although I am yet to get the physical delivery of the pens, could not wait to get some opinions, and hence using the seller's pictures for this post!

 

What do you all have to say?

 

Regards,

SS

Edited January 13, 2014 by FPcollection

[Paul80]

Did they make Plum Demi's could it be a cordovan brown next to a burgundy?.

 

Paul

[penmanila]

very possibly, yes. that's what a plum should be, afaik: demi, aerometric, 1948. the color looks right to me.

[FPcollection]

Thanks 'penmanila' for your assurance!

 

Well, Paul, there were Plum demis. I have seen it being discussed in a couple of posts in this forum itself....you can check the following link which I came across a few days back..

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/258506-apparently-some-of-you-thought-this-was-plum/

 

The color of my new acquisition is so very close to the one pictured in this one!

 

Thanks so much for both your responses!

 

Regards,

SS

[FPcollection]

In fact, forgot to mention, even the date code is '8' for this one as mentioned by the seller. Matches!

Edited January 13, 2014 by FPcollection

[OcalaFlGuy]

The one thing that concerns me here is the Blue pens actually. Their color looks WAY off to me. The same weird coloring that's affecting them is also affecting the other two. This is a good example of why I don't like colored backgrounds on pen sale pics. I'd much rather the background be something I KNOW the color of and can thusly make a better decision about what color correcting has been done.

 

From what I see here, I'd call it a 60-75% chance of being a Plum Demi.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[FPcollection]

That's a master observation and inference!

 

I didn't even think in that line and already started having doubts!!

Edited January 13, 2014 by FPcollection

[inkstainedruth]

On the one hand, Bruce may be right about the background.

On the other hand, when looking at your first photo, the pen on the far left looks a lot in color like my Plum Demi. The one next to it looks to be about the same color as my burgundy 51 Special. Can't tell about the 3rd one; the one on the far right looks similar like my blue Aero in color (which I keep waffling on as to whether it's really Midnight Blue -- seems a bit light in tone -- or Teal -- for which I think mine is maybe too dark in tone).

Maybe the 3rd and 4th pens are Grey and Teal? I've seen a lot of pens that looked Teal-ish in the photos that were listed as being Grey.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pajaro]

As I see it, pen on right is a 51 vac, cedar blue,

second from right is a dove gray vac 51

third from right (second from left looks like a cordovan vac 51 and

left pen could be any thing with the obvious blue shift in the pic, as Bruce has pointed out.

 

Maybe plum, maybe burgundy. Maybe it's a "burgandy."

 

Good luck. Don't pay too much.

[FarmBoy]

With all these 'is this a Plum' threads popping up and turning positive, I'm beginning to wonder if they are really rare...

[George]

With all these 'is this a Plum' threads popping up and turning positive, I'm beginning to wonder if they are really rare...

 

Just as common as every other 51 color from 1948 and 1949? Nonsense!

 

Regards,

George

[Florida Blue]

As I see it, pen on right is a 51 vac, cedar blue,

second from right is a dove gray vac 51

third from right (second from left looks like a cordovan vac 51 and

left pen could be any thing with the obvious blue shift in the pic, as Bruce has pointed out.

 

Maybe plum, maybe burgundy. Maybe it's a "burgandy."

 

Good luck. Don't pay too much.

 

I agree. The two pens on the right are definitely Vacs not Aeros (unless the caps are replacements). Both of those pens have the blue diamond clips, which means the colors are REALLY off on those.

 

However, I don't think the burgundy (or as you pointed out the often eBay spelled "burgandy" ) is a Vac since it doesn't have the wide cap band with "PARKER" on the front. The transitional Vacs had that wide cap band, which makes me think that Demi could be a plum.

[pajaro]

I think that red pen, second from the left, is as long as the vacs. If you haven't found a 51 with the wrong cap it would be surprising.

 

The plums must be as common as house sparrows.

[FarmBoy]

 

Just as common as every other 51 color from 1948 and 1949? Nonsense!

 

Regards,

George

I suppose it would be rare if it had the third cap from the left on in in your avatar...

 

Still need that one you know. Still got the pencil?

Todd

[OcalaFlGuy]

With all these 'is this a Plum' threads popping up and turning positive, I'm beginning to wonder if they are really rare...

 

You need the New Improved No Stank attractant.

 

Even I know better than to call them the R word.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[FPcollection]

Well, I don't have statistics of the percentage of 'plum' 51s made by Parker, but going by observation, they are definitely not common...

 

That is perhaps the very reason behind so many threads by members eagerly wanting an opinion on their latest acquisition in the 'plum' direction! I am sure a lot goes the 'burgundy'/ 'brown' way, dissapointments which never get posted!

 

Whatever be it, house sparrows they aren't...

Edited January 14, 2014 by FPcollection

[FPcollection]

Hi 'Pajaro'!

 

I already paid! ..even before I had posted this! Not too much in my opinion...

 

But tell me, what would you have paid for 4 of these P 51s - three having gold nibs and one having an octanium nib + the plum lure?? Just want to figure...

 

But yes, I promise to post my exaltation or dissapointment, whatever it is, the moment I receive the pens in February!

 

It would be a l-o-n-g wait till then...

Edited January 14, 2014 by FPcollection

[ThomasB]

I love these "is it a plum?" discussions. You all have much more discerning eBay eyes than mine. Over the years I have acquired about 10 51 Plums off of eBay and everyone has been completely by accident. The most common accident has been purchasing what I thought to be a black 51 or one would pop up when buying a complete lot of pens. Good luck on this one!

[OcalaFlGuy]

At least These Four discerning eyes get a good amount of enjoyment going over the very well done Ebay listings of your nicely restored pens TB.

 

Watching them all end in sequence and playing Guess The Closing Price is a staple Sunday evening past time for me.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Florida Blue]

I think that red pen, second from the left, is as long as the vacs. If you haven't found a 51 with the wrong cap it would be surprising.

 

The plums must be as common as house sparrows.

 

Yes, it could very well be a replacement cap, but if it's not then that burgundy is an Aero. I guess we will just have to wait and see. The difference in the length of an Aero and Vac is pretty small and they are not aligned in the picture.

 

one having an octanium nib

 

Do you know which one has the octanium nib?

 

Unless the nib is a replacement, only the Specials had octanium nibs and those didn't come out until 1950.

Edited January 14, 2014 by Florida Blue