Parker 51 Elusive Plum

[Tom Heath]

Remember some one once said, "Rules were made to be Broken "

 

In Pa Dutch ,Now Jakie can't you open you wallet ,jest a little bit more ?

 

So you pay a little more for that one, simply pay less on the next one.

 

Salesmen love to sell themselves !

 

...but I've already spent my limit , even the outer limit had Beyond sights.

 

'nough already

 

Besides you only live once'd

[Estycollector]

Ive rarely If ever spent on quality only to regret later. Whats going to bring you more joy?

 

Right now Im remodeling a 62 year old house and am investing in quality appliances. While the initial outlay is significant, my long term enjoyment is the reason I am happy to spend the cash.

[Carguy]

Eventually, I’ll find one at a price I am good with. For now, I have several other grail pens so soon I’ll find that hidden gem.....

[inkstainedruth]

Pajaro: Great photo! No mistaking the plum pen & pencil. Excellent color representation in your photo. Thank you for sharing. The UK Bloody Burgundy (I assume) up top is right sweet too. Thanks again.

Aaah... British Bloody Burgundy. Everyone I've ever seen has been way too expensive for me.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[pajaro]

Aaah... British Bloody Burgundy. Everyone I've ever seen has been way too expensive for me.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Ruth: I paid $50 or so or less from ebay seller Speerbob for that Bloody Burgundy. This was a few years ago, but I used to be really cheap about buying 51s, and $25 to $50 was my limit, until Plum lust weakened me after many years. I used to find Parker 51s new in the box at yard sales when I was out running in Pensacola. Michigan is more frugal, but in the 50s and 60s people used to give pens as gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. I think your searches might lead you to more good stuff with perseverance. My wife's son is doing estate sales and finding a few pens in nice condition.

[Mercian]

Aaah... British Bloody Burgundy. Everyone I've ever seen has been way too expensive for me.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Those ones are often available at auctions in the UK. Unsurprisingly, it’s the darker US ‘Burgundy’ pens that are ‘rare’ here.

 

But of course I don’t know what your limit is, our prices tend to be Stupidly High anyway, plus you’d need to pay for trans-Atlantic postage on top.

 

Speaking of our prices, I re-checked the seller who is local(-ish) to me - his prices for ‘Plum’ “51”s now start at £250

[inkstainedruth]

£250? That's almost $325 US, according to the online currency converter. WAY too rich for my blood. I've never spent that much on ANY pen. Even the M405 Stresemann.

If that's what prices on Plummers are these days, I'll content myself with my Demi....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Mercian]

£250? That's almost $325 US, according to the online currency converter. WAY too rich for my blood. I've never spent that much on ANY pen. Even the M405 Stresemann.

If that's what prices on Plummers are these days, I'll content myself with my Demi....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

It’s only that one vendor - and I think that most of his ‘Plum’ pens are actually US Burgundy ones.

They’re all made in the US, and to my eye the pens seem to be far more ‘wine-coloured’ than they do ‘purple’.

 

That said, he’s the only vendor where I always see ‘Plum’ pens listed, and so I have no idea what the ‘correct’ ‘market rate’ is for them here. But I do expect that Plums are more expensive here than they are in the US, purely on numbers that will still exist ‘in the wild’.

[pajaro]

Interesting about the UK. My days of buying pens are over, but it's interesting info nonetheless. I have found one Argentinian burgundy, and it's more like carmine than burgundy. Something else to look for.

[Paul-in-SF]

Aaah... British Bloody Burgundy. Everyone I've ever seen has been way too expensive for me.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I am no expert, I hasten to say first, but that pen in the upper part of Pajaro's picture looks too bright red (to me) to be British bloody burgundy. It looks almost as bright red as the Rage Red Mark III just below it. I don't know what it might be, maybe Argentinian or something?

 

If my understanding is correct, all the burgundy pens made in England were a lighter burgundy that has been dubbed "bloody burgundy" or "blood red." If that's the case, I have such a pen, marked "Made in England." and it is maybe two shades lighter a burgundy than the American burgundy. It's not anything like a bright red. I wish I had a camera setup that could capture the difference. Of course, if my understanding is not correct (and now I can't remember where I read it) then, well, never mind.

[pajaro]

If you take a picture in bright afternoon sun as I did, you might get the same kind of result.

[Paul-in-SF]

I'll try it. Yours was direct sun early (or late) in the day so there was minimal reflection, is that right?

[es9]

Is the more purple looking one plum? It looks slightly darker than my burgundy 51, though they’re close. 
 

 

 

 

 

[Paul-in-SF]

I would say yes, the white LED light or daylight tell the tale. In the photo where you are holding it in your hand, which I suspect is regular room light, it is harder to tell. So congratulations! 

[Sheptonian]

Here are a couple of pictures taken in the shade on a bright day showing (1) P51 Classic Plum between a P51 c/c Classic, and P51 Aero Classic, both in USA (Dark) Burgundy, with an English Rolled Silver Burgundy on the right. (2) P51 Plum between two P51 NGs. The Plum NG is a pretty close colour match to the original.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Sheptonian
Edited for spelling.