Parker Duofold - Been Duped? Worth Keeping?

[Champagne-N-Beer]

Hi All,

 

Need some assistance and was hoping y'all could help.

 

Recently picked up a Parker Duofold Big Red that I thought was a winner (been looking for one for a while) but I think I may have been duped. Now not sure if I should keep...

 

I was told it was a 1926 Parker Big Red and the images were fuzzy (no image of imprint). Today it arrived and here is what I got.

 

Sorry for the bad images - that barrel says "Parker Duofold - Geo S. Parker - Made in USA" with no Lucky Curve banner and a date code of "8.". Ring/clip says 5-16. Christmas tree feed, Parker Duofold Pen P nib.

 

Does anyone know what is going on with this pen? Everything fits together perfectly...

 

Is it worth keeping? The pen is in amazing condition, looks barely used (cept for some slight brassing) but maybe the blind cap and end are replacements (they are very nice looking).

 

Ohh, and I rubbed the (bleep) out of the cap and barrel and neither smelled liked rubber like my Lucky Curve Lady Ringtop...

 

Thanks!

 

CnB

[ANM]

In 1926, Parker switched to permanite so it isn't likely to be hard rubber on the cap or body, and I don't think I have seen an early Parker with a date code. The section, cap and blind cap look correct for '26 but because the blind cap looks like it doesn't fit your pen, the body could from a more tapered streamlined style from 1929 or later. Later pens didn't have Lucky Curve. The '26 era cap, which this one seems to be, would fit a streamlined pen. To make sure if it is streamlined or not, check the length. A '26 barrel would be 139 while a streamline would be shorter.

Edited August 4, 2015 by ANM

[Wolverine1]

Also post you question on the sub-forum meant for Parker pens. A lot pf people who really know the Parker brand hang out there, and you are likely to get a lot of people chiming in to answer your questions.

[Bklyn]

I can offer little to the convo but to say i LOVE that pen. I hope you enjoy it and it is fun.

[Sasha Royale]

"Lucky Curve" denotes an innovative, patented feed, internal to the pen. I think it dates to pre-twentieth century. The Duofold design is a "self-filler", that includes the "Lucky Curve" feature.

After a few models, the "Lucky Curve" is assumed.

 

Your comfort, with vintage Parker fountain pens, is important to me. If you are apprehensive over this "strange" pen, feel free to send it to me. I will give it a home with my nine Duofolds, six of which have no banner.

Seriously, you have a great pen and history. Be gentle. The 90-year-old rubber can be brittle. I offer two names that I have trusted with my Duofolds. Danny Fudge and Ron Zorn. .

 

Write with joy.

 

 

(The "yellow-teeth yellow" Duofolds are worth a fortune.)

Edited August 4, 2015 by Sasha Royale

[Champagne-N-Beer]

Hi All, thanks for the responses.

 

I really like the pen, but just very intrigued as it seems odd, and with me not knowing too much about the Duofold's was worried...

 

The feed screws into the barrel perfectly and the barrel clearly has an "8." marking on it, but I thought Parker stopped making the "Big Red" many years earlier - and it says "Made in USA".

 

The other thing that is odd is the button filler piece is black not orange...

 

Maybe Parker fixed it up for a client or was an off-catalogue order from the late 30's?

 

Internally everything is nice and red, only a very light hint of ink/color discoloration...

 

I am lost as to what it is or why it looks the way it does - any help? Or any additional info/images I can provide to help?

Edited August 4, 2015 by Champagne-N-Beer

[oneopentrail]

I'm no expert, but it looks like the 1926 version with cap band and black filler cap as pictured here:

 

http://www.parkerpens.net/duofold.html

[ANM]

When you say the feed screws into the barrel and you mean the section screws into the barrel, then that is correct for 1926. The 30's version section was pressure-fit. If the blind cap fits flush with the barrel, and not raised like it appears (to me) in the picture, you most likely have a pen with all the proper parts for that era. I know of no early Duofold that has the blind cap screws as separate. All the ones I have seen are part of the barrel and the same color. I suspect that yours is just dirty. Try scrubbing the threads lightly with a toothbrush dipped in water with a little ammonia added and see if it cleans up. If it turns out that it actually is black then I think you do have an unusual model.

[richardandtracy]

There is an alternative explanation to it being black when it should be red. If at some time in the past the end of the pen got damaged, a skilful repairer could have used some ebonite to make a replacement part. Due to my miniscule knowledge of pens of this era, all I can do is offer this as a possibility if the pen looks slightly 'wrong' - I certainly couldn't comment further and one of the reasons I don't have a Parker from this era is because I know too little about them.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Champagne-N-Beer]

Hi All,

 

I, as well, thought that the 20's era Duofold pens had a screw-in feed section and the 30's Streamline Duofold had a press-fit, as mentioned above.

What is unique is that this pen is a screw-in feed section into a Duofold Barrel with an "8." date code.

 

Humph...

[ANM]

Can you show the date code image? As far as I know, Parker didn't date code pens until the early 1930's. I don't think any Duofolds in the 1920's were date coded.

[Champagne-N-Beer]

Hi ANM,

 

Can do - tried my best, boy is it difficult to photograph that imprint effectively with a phone camera.

 

Below are two images, one of the date code showing an "8." The second image is a close-up of the screw-in feed section.

 

The more I read about Duofold's, the more me thinks this is a factory fixed or ordered Duofold from the late thirties...

 

Any thoughts?

[ANM]

I have never seen a Parker with a date code until the 30's. The Parker and Duofold in equal size font and on different lines is also from the 30's. No Lucky Curve imprint is also from the 30's. The barrel is threaded for a 20's section and the back end may have been tapped to accept a double threaded blind end like a Vacumatic from the 30's. The section, feed, nib, blind cap and cap all look like they are from the '20's. That suggests to me that the barrel is not original to the rest of the pen.

 

My guess is that the original barrel was broken and Parker made a new one for the remaining parts in 1938.

Edited August 6, 2015 by ANM

[MxMJ]

I have a flattop Duofold Jr with a .1. date code. I'm sure yours is legitimate, just late.