Things To Look For On A Classic Duofold

[dapprman]

This may also be of interest to anyone else in the Watford-Uxbridge area of the UK.

 

I was tipped off about an old antiques store/junk shop that sold pens, so I popped in on the off chance they had a Croxley. While there I spotted they had a Parker Duofold in yellow - seem to remember it also had it's box. I'm tempted to take another look at it (think they wanted £70, but I'm sure that can be haggled), so would love to know what I should look out for.

 

Anyone else interested PM me and I'll let you know where it is.

[Kenlowe]

I would go and grab it quickly, especially if you are talking about the Mandarin Yellow.

 

Look for cracks around the edge of the cap, especially bits missing. It would be nice if the pen is complete, a haggling point is the nib not being perfect although still fixable.

 

This is my grail pen but they are usually too expensive for me.

 

Basically as long as it is complete its a no brainer.

[Sasha Royale]

DO NOT POST THE CAP - - - - - EVER !

 

After 90 years, the hard rubber pen becomes brittle. (As do we all.) Flaws can develop in the weakened material. It the brittle cap, with visible and hidden flaws, has any weakness, you do not want someone to JAM a pen barrel into it.

 

£70 is a good risk, especially if it is a "Senior" size. My Mandarin Yellow Duofold Sr. was found in an estate sale, in a box, with its diary. I paid $80, and had it restored. I used it for ten years, until I saw, on Ebay, what pen people were paying. Mine was much nicer than those offered on Ebay. I sat up late at night, cheering like a drunken soccer fan, as the bids rose to twice that offered for other "yellow-teeth-yellow" Duofolds. The proceeds paid for my set of five Pelikan Soverans,

M-200 through M-1000 .

 

I loved that pen, but it was too valuable for me to keep.

[dapprman]

I looked at it today. It has a single cap band, but from it's length I'd say it was a junior, if that was made at the time. However ....

The cap actually has a sizeable chunk missing from it on one edge and is cracked further round. Additionally it's not a lever filler but I could not (I did not want to risk excessive force) unscrew the nib section to see if it's a aeromatic inside or not. It might only be £50, but I doubt the cap is repairable even if the pen can be opened up.

 

The place is Phoenix Collectables in Harefield.