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The One That Got Away . . . And The One That Did Not


Shaporama

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So, it was the end of what seemed destined to be another fruitless pursuit of pens in the wild. My wife consented to one last stop at one last antiques mart. Once thru the door I sped off for the glass display cases (as I always do), turning up nothing interesting (as almost always happens), when I overheard a conversation that involved the words "Mont Blanc." I made my way over to the adjacent counter only to see a fellow browser with an absolutely lovely (and genuine) burgundy Mont Blanc 146 fountain pen in his hands, his prize for a mere $90! I was five minutes too late.

 

Arrghh!! I'd been sumgai'd (again) and what made it even more painful was that I had arrived in time to witness the entire transaction.

 

But then, I beheld, still in the display case, this gorgeous, Lapis Lazulli Blue Parker International Duofold. I tried my best to contain my enthusiasm, lest my competitor spoil yet another opportunity. Once he and his wife were out of earshot I zeroed in on my prize. The pen was in pristine condition, she wanted $100; which I would have paid, but I also sensed an opportunity to bargain, which I did - successfully snagging this beauty for $90.

 

Sumgai! Me! Hooray at last! Here it is.

 

 

post-79350-0-49967000-1440372503_thumb.jpg

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So, to follow-up: upon close inspection of the blind cap, I noticed between the Parker logo and the words, Made in the UK, the inscription "1Y" or perhaps "IY" Does anyone know what this signifies??

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The IY is the date code for when it was produce for the pens made from 1980 [ or so ] to current production.

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A very good deal on your part.

 

The burgundy Montblanc is a pen I would like, so that story is pretty interesting.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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The IY is the date code for when it was produce for the pens made from 1980 [ or so ] to current production.

Thanks Jotter; so how does one determine the date from such a code?

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Thanks Mitto, that was very helpful. Why must they make the date coding so confusing?

 

I may end up selling the pen, it writes very well but is a bit too slender for my taste.

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Nice find and not a bad consolation prize.

Short cuts make delays, but inns make longer ones.
Frodo Baggins, The Fellowship of the Ring, A Short Cut to Mushrooms

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Thanks Mitto, that was very helpful. Why must they make the date coding so confusing?

 

I may end up selling the pen, it writes very well but is a bit too slender for my taste.

 

I would advise you keep the beauty. Yet , finally it is your decison.

 

Best.

Khan M. Ilyas

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I would advise you keep the beauty. Yet , finally it is your decison.

 

Best.

Thanks Mitto, for your advice. I tend to use all of my pens, so if one is not so comfortable in my hands I am likely to trade for one that is. Right now I am trying to collect Sheaffer Legacies or oversized Balances. I believe I got a pretty good discount on the Duofold, so the potential profit might help swing a trade or purchase for one of the Sheaffers.

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So, I have decided to sell the Duofold, it has been on offer in the classifieds here since yesterday. Any profit that I can realize will help offset my recent purchase of a bronze/black Sheaffer Legacy Heritage (from Judds Pens via eBay). This will be my 4th Legacy so I am on my way to building a small collection. I still have much fondness for the vintage Parkers, however, and have bunch of P51's and Vacumatics.

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I tend to use all of my pens, so if one is not so comfortable in my hands I am likely to trade for one that is.

 

So true. I've had pens I really like the look of or the nib is great, but ends up not feeling quite right writing with it.

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Oh that burgundy MB! I will lose sleep over that and I wasn't even there! You did score a great pen however, Wish we had these sorts of antique stores out here in the wild and wooly west. Be sure you to get a little something nice for your wife!

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Tony's Parker Penography website is a brilliant source for an awful lot of Parker info, as well as dating Parkers and, as mitto says, 3rd quarter of '96

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Good deal on your part. $90 for a MB 146 , especially a burgundy model is an absolute steal.

Regards

 

Jeff

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