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P51 And P45 Prices?


sharonspens

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Today, in the wild, I came upon a P45, dark blue with silver cap, in box with original instructions, with converter (there is an empty cartridge in it, so a cleaning would definitely be in order!). The price is $19; seem reasonable?

 

Same seller has a black P51, vacumatic, with matching pencil, in what appears to be original box. I am pretty sure it was used, but it was in excellent condition from what I could tell. The cap had the blue diamond; i am making a guess that this was a Mark 1. It was priced at $99 for the set; does this seem reasonable?

 

Sharon in Indiana

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." Earnest Hemingway

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I would say the prices are "reasonable," meaning the pens might sell in the range of about 0.7 to 1.4 the quoted prices on eBay. Keep in mind the vacumatic 51 will likely need a new diaphragm; if the 45 has a squeeze converter, that part may need to be re-sacced or replaced. A piston converter will likely work perfectly as-is.

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with different currencies, and availabilities involved, it's not always easy to make comparisons, but my opinion would be that the P45 was less of a bargain than the Vac., bearing in mind the apparent condition.

In the U.K. we can find 45s for less money, and this model remains a common Parker f.p. pen - my own choice would have been to buy the Vac and leave the 45.

However, at the end of the day, if you want to build a collection reasonably quickly, then a few dollars one way or the other isn't going to be a disaster - provided you don't overpay for all your f.ps. :)

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I don't buy a chrome trim P45 with steel nib for mor than $5. For upto $10 if it has the original squeeze converter in working order with it.

 

I once bought a pile of around 50 Parker squeeze converters for $0.50 a piece (RS.50.00).

Khan M. Ilyas

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$20 is reasonable for a clean 45 with a converter. Perhaps $25 for a flighter, more for some of the less common colors or harlequins. More if it's a less common nib. Way less if there is a lot of section shrinkage, corrosion on the tassie and clip, or other problems.

 

$99 for a 51 seems high unless it is in exceptional condition, has a less common cap, nib, or color. You can probably purchase a restored pen here on FPN for that amount.

 

Brian

One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.

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the big advantage of the o.ps. situation is that they could see and handle the pens in question - that's a very big plus over buying on line where the purchase is to some extent on trust.

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In that situation two things come to mind:

 

1, Test them with water, a pen you don't care for on paper is no bargain at any price, and,

 

2. Haggle.

 

Oh, and #3 of the two things: Take your phone w/you next time and look on Ebay or other sale sites to see what similar pens are going for.

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Sharon,

 

Were I presented with a similar situation, I would take Dr Codfish's advice. Take a loupe with you to have a good look at the markings and nib to verify there is no damage, especially on the nib. A good close look ought to tell you if it has dried ink on it, possibly in it. At least giving you an indication of it's usage/care. (I once just fell into a brand new/unused 51.) If the pen will suck up water and write it will suck up ink. Write with it and watch to see what kind of flow you get with the water. If it's good to go, then offer the guy something between $50 - $75 and negotiate till you get it for a price you can live with. Heck, you never know. It could be well worth it.

 

OR send me the address and phone number for the place. I may just drive over to get it for myself! I could use a little road trip. :lticaptd:

Fair winds and following seas.

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Parker 45s the price really depends on colour and nib - for instance the 'happy colours' sell for a lot more, black for less. I stupidly didn't pick up one I saw with an italic nib - should have got it! - normally you'll see M and F but there were quite a few other variations. If the pen comes with all its original packaging I'd say you're not overpaying at 19 bucks, haggle a bit and see if you can get it for $15.

Too many pens, too little time!

http://fountainpenlove.blogspot.fr/

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I always replace the squeeze converters in my Parker 45 pens with Parker twist action converters. Those that came with modern Duofolds. I think they are so much better, and there is an eBay seller who regularly sells them quite cheaply. :)

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Thanks for the sage advice, Parker fans. Much appreciated. I did buy a striated red/black Shaeffer vac-fil from that same booth, and after a day of water-works it seems the the blue ink is out. I've filled it with ink now, and it writes like a dream so far.

 

I am not trying to build a collection; I am already the proud owner of two or three P51s and a P21, and plenty of other vintage and modern instruments designed to empty my wallet. These kids would just be the new kids on the block, so to speak. I was just surprised to see them in the wild, in box, and when my husband asked whether those were good prices I wasn't sure. I feel a bit more confident now, in case I decide to run up on them again.

 

And FPFan, if youa re looking for a road trip, Jay County Antique Mall in Portland, Case 105. Enjoy! I won't be hurt if you buy them; I am planning for both the DC Pen Show next month and the Ohio Pen Show in November, so I know I will get another pen or two this year. hahahahaha

 

Sharon in Indiana

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." Earnest Hemingway

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Sharon:

 

I just noticed that you have a Parker 21 in your possession, and that pen was my first Parker pen back in middle school. It was a wonderful writer with the octanium(8 alloy metal) nib. Do not handle the pen roughly as its shell and barrel can be brittle and prone to crack. The 21 would crack when new, back in the fifties. If it is a Super 21, I think it might be less prone to be a problem.

 

I have a 1948 Parker 51 Vacuumatic that my father gave me in 1955, and it is such a wonderful pen. The shells and barrels on these pens do not have the cracking problem. The only maintenance that I have with this pen is to have the filler diaphragm replaced every so many years. This has been a wonderful pen, and it is one of my daily users. I used it in high school. It is in next to mint condition.

 

I used to have a 45 but traded it for something else. It had a gold nib. I regret trading it. I paid $5.00 back in 1971.

 

Do enjoy your pens.

 

Jeremy C.

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Sharon:

 

 

Yesterday, I forgot to tell you that when filling your Parker 21 pen, I would advise you to emit or release three or four drops of ink into the ink bottle after squeezing the ribbed bar three or four times; otherwise, inside the shell there is excessive ink that can leak into the cap, and it can be messy; in addition, the exterior of the shell will have to be wiped off.

 

I do think that the Parker 21 can be a very enjoyable writer.

 

I wish you well.

 

 

Jeremy C.

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Sharon:

 

 

Yesterday, I forgot to tell you that when filling your Parker 21 pen, I would advise you to emit or release three or four drops of ink into the ink bottle after squeezing the ribbed bar three or four times; otherwise, inside the shell there is excessive ink that can leak into the cap, and it can be messy; in addition, the exterior of the shell will have to be wiped off.

 

I do think that the Parker 21 can be a very enjoyable writer.

 

I wish you well.

 

 

Jeremy C.

 

Thanks for the advice, Jeremy. The 21 is, indeed, enjoyable. And I always forget how much I like the 51s until I ink one up again . . . .

 

Too many pens and not enough writing time, I suppose. hehehehehe

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." Earnest Hemingway

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In good condition, the prices are reasonable.

The Parker 45 can be cleaned and serviced by owner. Does the converter

work ? Can it be removed, or is it stuck in place ?

The Parker 51 Vacumatic set , in good condition, is certainly worth $100. Factor about $60 for replacement of the diaphragm in the fountain pen.

Edited by Sasha Royale

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Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
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In good condition, the prices are reasonable.

The Parker 45 can be cleaned and serviced by owner. Does the converter

work ? Can it be removed, or is it stuck in place ?

The Parker 51 Vacumatic set , in good condition, is certainly worth $100. Factor about $60 for replacement of the diaphragm in the fountain pen.

 

Thanks. The 45's converter was not in the pen; it was in the box, but the pen was fitted with an empty cartridge. The 51 set appeared to be in good condition, but I didn't water test it or anything like that. I lucked out with the Sheaffer I bought from the same booth, though, so maybe the others were in good shape!

 

Sharon in Indiana

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." Earnest Hemingway

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