Parker 17 Open Beak

[arcyartyantics]

Just thought I'd a) show off a new-old pen and ask a little bit more about it. I got an open beak style Parker 17, in FANTASTIC condition. Minimal restoration work done, looks largely unused tbh just a bit of cleaning/polishing from the fact it was old, ink sac replaced. Just how rare is this version of the pen, how many of you out there own one already, or like them? I haven't seen them around much, not in good condition, and not many in workable condition at all. I'm torn, it's such an amazing model - do I even dare put ink in it? Keep it for myself? Very tempting, rather than put it in my shop.

 

I think it's a beautiful pen, a great model. The nib is flexy, soft, smooth. Enjoy the view, share pictures of your own, it might not be a famous '51 but let's give it some love.

Edited September 12, 2017 by arcyartyantics

[PaulS]

Very nice pen, and congrats. on a good find, which is apparently called the Parker 17 Super Duofold. I have its slightly less affluent looking brother just called the Parker 17 Duofold - both have the open nib, but yours is more posh with the metal tassie on the barrel and wide cap band.

According to the books these were introduced around 1962 - with this open nib - but seem to have lasted only a couple of years before becoming a hooded nib, so I guess these open nibbed pens are fairly uncommon - at least I see few of them on my travels.

I think they were made in the usual Newhaven four colours of green, blue, red and black.

 

P.S. I wouldn't ink your pen - this may sound a little contradictory for an item that was designed to be used for writing, but in view of the condition of your pen then value might be maintained better by not inking. Just my opinion of course, and others may have different ideas.

Edited September 12, 2017 by PaulS

[Jerome Tarshis]

I used to own one. I found it lovable. There are far fewer of those around than there are of the later version, with a nib and hood that somewhat resemble those of the Parker 51. I'd still own the pen except that I was exchanging messages with a fellow FPN member in England who said he had suddenly developed an interest in pens manufactured in the Fair Isle.

 

Well, it was his native land, he seemed to be a nice man, and I owned other pens made in England, so I thought he deserved to own that 17 Duofold more than I did. I sold it to him at a nominal price. Lord Baden-Powell would have given me credit for a kind action, I believe.

 

As for using it, it would never in this life occur to me not to use it. I own older UK Aero Duofolds that I use routinely. I've been writing with a Parker 51 since 1949. If i hadn't lost that pen, in 1985, I'd still be writing with it. And it would almost certainly have the original sac.

[arcyartyantics]

Very nice pen, and congrats. on a good find, which is apparently called the Parker 17 Super Duofold. I have its slightly less affluent looking brother just called the Parker 17 Duofold - both have the open nib, but yours is more posh with the metal tassie on the barrel and wide cap band.

According to the books these were introduced around 1962 - with this open nib - but seem to have lasted only a couple of years before becoming a hooded nib, so I guess these open nibbed pens are fairly uncommon - at least I see few of them on my travels.

I think they were made in the usual Newhaven four colours of green, blue, red and black.

 

P.S. I wouldn't ink your pen - this may sound a little contradictory for an item that was designed to be used for writing, but in view of the condition of your pen then value might be maintained better by not inking. Just my opinion of course, and others may have different ideas.

I'm sure your Duofold is lovely too! Go on, post a picture.

 

I'm going to think about it a bit, but I'm leaning towards not inking it also - try find a more worn in one to buy, and use, and keep this one as pristine as it is.

 

Anybody have an idea how much this is 'worth' besides "what people will pay for it" ? I've seen so few for sale myself, I've mostly kept to the Parker 51s and various Conway Stewarts on my restoration travels.

[BT_Summers]

A difficult pen to value because they don't come up very often and they are not especially sought after, nor is the later 17 for that matter.

 

My best guess would be around the £30 mark, perhaps a touch more if you can find an age appropriate Parker box.

[PaulS]

that's probably a fair assessment, and comes back to comments in general, made yesterday, re the Newhaven aero Duofolds.

 

Attached are pix which include another of the first issue of the standard 17 Duofold, in green, with open nib ........... very reminiscent of the nib used on the VP and some of the 65s

Others in the first picture, from left to right, are ................. a later 17 with hooded nib and barrel tassie

a slightly less posh 17 with square plain barrel end

finally the probably more desirable Super 17 with wide g.f. cap band.

 

I have four of these wide band 17s all of which carry the same barrel imprint of PARKER 17 - perhaps it was the factory that chose to use the word Super, but really not sure how it originated.

 

The second picture shows, from left to right ................ LADY - 17 LADY - LADY (18 ct. nib and barrel imprint says MADE IN FRANCE). This 'Lady' group are very similar pens in terms of size, but with differences in tassie, barrel end and of course nib carat.

 

As a general comment re all of the above, could be wrong, but these 17s and LADY'S are possibly the only Newhaven aero Duofolds which include versions with square ended barrels, and show the sort of variation that isn't found in other models of Newhaven aero Duofolds.

[mitto]

Paul, you are missing out on the metal capped 17s and 17 ladys and the 17s with the thin black plastic (barrel - hood joint) rings .

Edited September 13, 2017 by mitto

[PaulS]

I don't doubt that for a moment. Seventeens and Lady pens seem over-stocked with variants - am sure I've a long way to go to match your collection.

Perhaps it is a shame this series lack popularity, but it's worth having a few - some of the nibs are great writers.

[arcyartyantics]

I thought someone might be interested in seeing this pen inked and how it writes .. I decided a pen is meant to be used in the end (though I'll take good care of it to keep it in near-mint condition) so here it is using Diamine Macassar ink.

 

[mitto]

Good. Beautif pen and nice nib.