For Parker 51 Plum Collectors

[pajaro]

Black 51, and more like $70 instead of $470.

[mitto]

There are currently four to five real Plum pens and Plum sets on ebay for sale. If anyone wants to buy a Plum for plum price, they have a chance. Neither one linked to in this thread looked to be a Plum, though.

[Raif79]

This is making my head spin. I'd love to get a plum. I do not have the eye to tell the difference between a plum and burgundy. Also every plum I've seen has been advertised as a demi. Did they not make a plum in full size?

[mitto]

This doesn't look to be demi.

 

https://m.ebay.ie/itm/Parker-51-Aerometric-1949-PLUM-SET-12k-GOLD-FILL-Caps-Medium-nib-Case-full-size/142662739283?hash=item21375ca553:g:Lu0AAOSwGBhaazj3

[Glenn Atkins]

They did make plum in full size. Ernesto has some from time to time.

 

Glenn

[pajaro]

This doesn't look to be demi.

 

https://m.ebay.ie/itm/Parker-51-Aerometric-1949-PLUM-SET-12k-GOLD-FILL-Caps-Medium-nib-Case-full-size/142662739283?hash=item21375ca553:g:Lu0AAOSwGBhaazj3

 

This has a good date code, but that filler sheath -- did they use that one on plum pens? It could be a replacement, of course.

[penpalace]

Auction for another Plum 51 (looks like it is in pretty bad condition.):

 

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Parker-51-Aerometric-Fountain-Pen-in-PLUM-User-Grade-No-Reserve/263452084498?hash=item3d56f7c912:g:e-4AAOSwQiFaZTqz

It was, had a chipped hood and heavy scratching to areas of the barrel.

[penpalace]

Burgundy. Oh, what a great matched set! Not.

Did you read the description? It was a Cordovan Brown pencil shown in the picture so that one could see the difference between the two colours. It's a shame, for all those that are looking to add one to their collection this one was rough but the buyer got a real plum for not a ton of money.

[pajaro]

Did you read the description? It was a Cordovan Brown pencil shown in the picture so that one could see the difference between the two colours. It's a shame, for all those that are looking to add one to their collection this one was rough but the buyer got a real plum for not a ton of money.

 

OK, my fault. I still do not think the pen was plum. Were you the buyer?

[mitto]

Did you read the description? It was a Cordovan Brown pencil shown in the picture so that one could see the difference between the two colours. It's a shame, for all those that are looking to add one to their collection this one was rough but the buyer got a real plum for not a ton of money.

If it was plum, buyer got only a plum barrel. S/he would have to source a replacement hood. Or may be somone already had the plum hood and waned the plum barrel.

[penpalace]

 

OK, my fault. I still do not think the pen was plum. Were you the buyer?

Pajaro, no I was not. I do know who the buyer was though. This is part of the problem with plums, so many people claim to have one or be selling one that others don't believe it to be the real thing. Both you and Khan are long time posters on this board and I'm sure others thought that it was a burgundy or otherwise. I've handled hundreds of 51's over the years, the pen was certainly a plum and though worn I think was fairly inexpensive.

[penpalace]

If it was plum, buyer got only a plum barrel. S/he would have to source a replacement hood. Or may be somone already had the plum hood and waned the plum barrel.

Khan, I would agree. I suppose if they wanted to use the pen and enjoy it they could always put on an aftermarket demo hood as well. Original plum hoods are not easy to come by!

[mitto]

Khan, I would agree. I suppose if they wanted to use the pen and enjoy it they could always put on an aftermarket demo hood as well. Original plum hoods are not easy to come by!

I have a Plum hood in spare. It came with a black barreled P51.

[pajaro]

I have a Plum hood in spare. It came with a black barreled P51.

 

You do have all the luck. Perhaps you just get more buying exposure: more opportunities yield more great deals. I lost an auction for a plum hood at something like $85. If I were going to put a non-plum hood on a plum pen, I would use black. Parker used black hoods on the gold and Flighter pens. It would be keeping to tradition.

[FarmBoy]

You do have all the luck. Perhaps you just get more buying exposure: more opportunities yield more great deals. I lost an auction for a plum hood at something like $85. If I were going to put a non-plum hood on a plum pen, I would use black. Parker used black hoods on the gold and Flighter pens. It would be keeping to tradition.

Parker did put clear hoods on Plum pens.

[pajaro]

Parker did put clear hoods on Plum pens.

 

As repairs or as regular production?

[mitto]

...but did they put clear barrels on plum hoods?

 

Since I have the plum hood as spare and not the barrel.

[jinzo1988]

Have not posted on this site for quite some time, though I have been reading threads. Retirement (so I could change jobs), completely new line of work, no great finds in a while, etc, etc....

 

But..., just had to relate my recent luck. Estate sale one half block from my house last Saturday. Bought 3 medium boxes brim full of pens (probably 97-98% junk pencils & ballpoints). However, as I made a quick pass through the junk, I found a Plum 51. I know there may be doubts, but the color is unmistakable. (Has anyone else noticed an LED flashlight causes an almost blacklight effect on plum in a dark room?)

 

Only 2 downsides (as if they matter much) are the barrel has a name engraved, and the caps shirt clip is broken off just below the feathers. To add to the joy of it all, a few years back I picked up a Plum 51 pencil in another town.

 

Other goodies were in the boxes, [a slender Golden Web (missing the blind cap), a Senior Striped Duofold in Dusty Rose, and some Sheaffers] - but I finally have a Plum 51. Happy me.

[pajaro]

Have not posted on this site for quite some time, though I have been reading threads. Retirement (so I could change jobs), completely new line of work, no great finds in a while, etc, etc....

 

But..., just had to relate my recent luck. Estate sale one half block from my house last Saturday. Bought 3 medium boxes brim full of pens (probably 97-98% junk pencils & ballpoints). However, as I made a quick pass through the junk, I found a Plum 51. I know there may be doubts, but the color is unmistakable. (Has anyone else noticed an LED flashlight causes an almost blacklight effect on plum in a dark room?)

 

Only 2 downsides (as if they matter much) are the barrel has a name engraved, and the caps shirt clip is broken off just below the feathers. To add to the joy of it all, a few years back I picked up a Plum 51 pencil in another town.

 

Other goodies were in the boxes, [a slender Golden Web (missing the blind cap), a Senior Striped Duofold in Dusty Rose, and some Sheaffers] - but I finally have a Plum 51. Happy me.

 

Absolutely wonderful. Great find. Insignificant downsides, the clip can be replaced and the name can be cherished or ignored, as you like. I think I might slap a good cap on the pen.

[pajaro]

The 51s are getting to be a historical item. For me they are pens I grew up around. For younger people they are something close to artifacts. As such perhaps collectors shouldn't let something like a personalization bother them like it might on a near new pen. On pens as less common as a plum 51 you might consider cherishing the name as part of pen history. That person came this way and used that pen.

 

I used to think of the personalized pens as haunted, and they gave me the creeps. I am still a bit uncomfortable with the idea of them, but getting over the idea. I changed out the personalized barrels and somehow lost the box with the replaced barrels.