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British Navy Gunner Buys Fountain Pen Nyc Ww2


Abright

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Hello All, I wanted to post a question regarding what fountain pen would likely be bought by a young British Navy sailor/gunner whose ship was anchored in New York Harbor, during the Second World War. I know it is not really possible to know exactly. Here is my reason for asking. My grandfather, was the sailor referenced above, he bought my mother a fountain pen in New York the year was probably 1942 or 1943. My mother who is now in her eighties has told me the story many times over the years. She loved this pen, but one day she brought it to school and it was stolen. I was visiting her this past summer, and for some reason we were talking about this fountain pen. All these years later I can still see this memory is painful. I want to surprise her with a pen that is close to the one she received from her father. I don't know the color, I do know she described some sort of jewel on the top of the pen or cap. Thank you so much for reading my post and for any help you can provide.

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I agree with the vikrmbedi and linearM. Most likely a Parker 51 Vac, Vacumatic, or Duovac. Possibly by looking at the photos of the link below she can place it. I wish you luck in your very noble endeavor. And BTW :W2FPN:

 

http://parkercollector.com/index.shtml

"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?" Patrick Henry

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That's a nice story. Here's a picture of a Parker 51 cap jewel.

 

One thing that should help narrow it down, does she remember if the cap pulled on and off, or screwed on and off?

 

 

http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/English%20Parker%2051%20Aero%20with%20RSilver%20Cap/EnglishRSilverAerometric51capjewel.jpg

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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I expect that a young British matelot would probably not be able to afford a Parker 51 whilst in NY. in 1942.

It has been suggested that even well into the 50's a P51 would cost the average Brit more than a week's wages. I would hazard in 42 he was not getting anywhere close to an average weeks wages, and the new 51 design would have been considerable more expensive relative to wages.

 

What about something cheaper like an Esterbrook?

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I second the idea of it being an Esterbook. Great pens for the price, especially at that time, and certainly something which would have caught a persons attention, both to purchase and unfortunately later to pilfer.

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Parker, Flounder, LinearM, KeathM, Northlodge. I will research all of your suggestions. Thank you all for your insight, and also for being part of keeping history alive!

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Just to add some information. The Parker "51" was introduced in 1941 and was very, very popular in 42 or 43 but it was fairly high buck at the time. But, remember, the option for someone in the military to spend money was pretty much limited to getting drunk in port and gambling the rest of the time. He was likely on convoy duty and so turn around times were pretty tight and not a lot of spending opportunities.

 

The "51" might have been a weeks pay but then there wasn't that much to spend it on that beats buying something for your daughter.

 

There were other Parker pens with jeweled caps that would have been slightly less expensive particularly the Vacumatic and striped Duofold.

 

1943 Vacumatic

http://www.fototime.com/EB0434D8FC19748/xlarge.jpg

1942 Striped Duofold.

http://www.fototime.com/96C809471110CF4/large.jpg

1941 "51"

http://www.fototime.com/88BDC37701598D8/large.jpg

 

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Jar, Super helpful, I was kind of thinking along the same line. My grandfather was a gunner, and saw lots of action, he even was reported lost at sea at one point during the Dunkirk evacuation. From my understanding, his ship was in New York harbor briefly, to re-supply and and then escort some merchant vessels; Perhaps part of Roosevelt's Lend-Lease Act, I believe it was just prior to Pearl Harbor, and US declaration of war. From my conversations with him, I know the New York lay-over was a special time for him. He did not drink much, and my mother was his only child. I am thinking he probably did not have a lot of time to compare prices. Thank you for taking the time to write, I truly appreciate it. -Andrew

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As someone who spent a year on an aircraft carrier and made many port calls, one of the first things MOST of us did was to shop for a nice gift for a loved one. I can clearly envison Abright's grandfather wanting to buy a special gift, probably a more expensive one than he would normally have purchased back home for his only daughter while in New York.

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I agree with Jar. My Dad was a US Navy aviation machinist's mate -- aircraft mechanic. When he was assigned to an aircraft carrier, my mother saved and bought him a Parker Vacumatic. The Parker 51, although introduced in 1941, became scarce very quickly when the Parker factory in Wisconsin shifted to military production. (Assuming that the factory in Toronto, Ontario, Canada shifted even earlier) General Eisenhower had a Parker 51, but only because Ike was a friend of Mr. Parker. The 51 was the top-of-the-line Parker...their most expensive.

 

Just a guess: a Vacumatic or a Striped Duofold, shown in Jar's pictures, would have been easier to find.

 

(Incidentally, Dad was part of the last full US crew on USS Hunt, summer, 1940, on a patrol off the coast between New Jersey and South Carolina. They pulled into the Philadelphia Navy Yard, unloaded ammunition, and a skeleton crew sailed Hunt to Halifax. There, a Royal Navy crew took her in as HMS Broadway. Hunt was typical of the 50 old destroyers "traded" to Britain in the "destroyers for bases" deal. She was very fast, designed to peel off and launch torpedoes at battleships if there had been another Battle of Jutland. Hunt and her sister ships were only about 1500 tons...rocked, rolled, and bounced like crazy in normal seas. Dad shakes his head in awe of sailors who took HMS Broadway across the North Atlantic guarding convoys...especially in the winter.)

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There must have been quite a variety of very nice second- and third-tier pens available in NYC at that point for far less money than a 51. Many of them would have been attractive celluloid with jewel end-caps.

ron

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When I was buying a present for my little girl the biggest mistake a salesperson could make would be telling me he had lots of really pretty things that were a lot cheaper.

 

Come on, it's for Daddy's girl.

 

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I want it to be a 51. Wouldn't be surprised at all if it was. The 51 is easily recognized since it was the only hooded pen made at that time.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

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My guess would be a blue diamond Vacumatic.

 

As to 'the option for someone in the military to spend money was pretty much limited to getting drunk in port and gambling the rest of the time. He was likely on convoy duty and so turn around times were pretty tight and not a lot of spending opportunities.' True in most war ports but not the USA. Very little was available in England in 1942. Anything from nylons, chocolate and tinned meats to small consumables, such as fountain pens would have been extremely desirable. The big problem would have been having the currency to pay for it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I wil join with many others and suggest a vacumatic. Dad bought Mom a deb vacumatic in golden web with a pretty plated nib during the war - a matching pencil too! They weren't yet married so I think he wanted to impress her with the nicest pen set he could manage. I have it now and I use the pen sometimes; a sweet semiflex writer and a palpable connection to the past.

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