A New Version Of The 'reverse Overmax' -- 'streamline Oversize'?

[robmorrison]

You probably all know about the Parker Vacumatic 'Overmax' -- a pen that combined the features of the 1st generation Oversize Vac with the 2nd generation Maxima. Its shape and threading is that of the earlier pen, the Oversize, yet it has the wide Vac band of the Maxima. It's found only in burgundy, with 1939 or 1940 date codes. I've had 2 or 3 of them and they're really cool.

 

A while ago David I. identified a pen that was exactly the opposite of the Overmax. It was in every way a Maxima, yet it had the triple cap bands of the Oversize. It was gray.

 

The whole logical progression, with photos of the pens, is here. He asks for comment on what the correct name for the pen should be -- the 'Anti-Overmax'? The 'Retromax'?

 

I've found a variation on this pen. It's green. It's Canadian. It looks like a Maxima, with the streamlined cap shape. Yet it has the triple cap bands of the Oversize. It threads with Oversize pens, not with Maximas. Unlike David's Reverse Overmax, though, it has the short blind cap and lockdown filler of the first generation Vacs, not the speedline filler of the 2nd gen. So basically it's an Oversize with a streamlined cap.

 

Black section, striped jewels, Canadian imprints on the back of the clip. Canadian barrel imprint with '51' date code. In the photos below, it's the green pen in the middle. The red Oversize shown is also Canadian, and also has a '51' date code.

 

Has anybody seen one of these? And also, what does the '51' date code mean? Surely not 1951? But maybe so, I don't know. It's Canadian, so the rules don't apply. As I say, my red Oversize also has the '51' date code. It's catalogue dates are 1933-'38 roughly, with USA Oversize pens also found with 1939 and '40 date codes -- all red, I think.

 

http://www.robmorrison.net/1745-1.JPG

http://www.robmorrison.net/1745-2.JPG

http://www.robmorrison.net/1745-3.JPG

http://www.robmorrison.net/1745-4.JPG

[playtime]

Intriguing. Thx for sharing this.

J

Edited October 2, 2014 by playtime

[algabatz]

Very interesting!

As for the "Retromax" name discussion I for one have suggested that it's only the third size of what we usually refer to as the "Streamlined Slender" and "Streamlined Standard" (#9 and #10 in the image below). Hence the logical name for it would be a "Streamlined Oversize", even though I agree that the "Retromax" is sexier ;-)

 

Your pen is another question, I've never seen one like it before.

An "Oversize" in all aspects, save the streamlined cap.

So if it's not a "Streamlined Oversize", what to call it?

I like "Reverse Overmax"!

 

I'd love to use your image on my site.

 

/Tony

 

 

 

 

http://parkercollector.com/bilder_pennor/vacumatic/600/2nd-comparison.png

Edited October 2, 2014 by algabatz

[georges zaslavsky]

very interesting thanks for sharing