Search the Community

İ bought this pen from an antique shop dealer who doesn't know the brand, i am a Pelikan guy and i dont know the model, if it is a vacumatic or an aeromatic or something. Please help me identify the model and possible year and the average value, thanks so much in advance

Im a fan of the Parker 51, and have several. One, however, no mater which ink I use, always is a very 'wet' writer; it has a medium nib. I don't have this with the others, nothing about this one looks or feels different, and I have tried different inks, and papers, but don't know what the problem is....though a wet writer isn't a problem as such, this is just a little bit too much on the wet side for me. Grateful for any thoughts or suggestions Alex

http://i.imgur.com/tOklFIHh.jpg Hi all, I acquired this pencil with a matching Parker 51 Aerometric. However, a 4 foot drop broke the barrel. There are a few barrels on Ebay for an Aerometric "Push Cap" pencils. Would those fit here since mine rotates rather than 'clicks?' Any info is most appreciated - I love this pencil and hope it can be used again! Cheers, OYP

Thought folks would enjoy this pic of a row of 51s. Dennis (aka Pennut)

Hi Guys and Gals.. I don't know a ton about vintage pens beside what I've learned here and a few websites .. and only have a few in my growing collection and hope to get a few more.. I did pick this up in a under $2.00 box plus 3 other vintage pens found in the very bottom of a ton of junk.. Gang can you tell me if I'm on the right track here it's has the markings on the Cap that read 1/10 16k gold filled made in the U.S.A.) does this really mean gold Plated ? then it says on the barrel it self Parker 51 with a small number 8 with NO DOTS next to it ..( does this mean 1948 4th quarter ?) this is only info I got on the parker51 site.? the Cap has a Blue diamond and 1 jewel ... it seems to write as a fat medium but I'm not to sure because I love Pilot pens and everything seems fat.. also it's been holding about 1.4 mil of ink on a fill ( vac pump back under the blind cap ) for about a week now i've been using it with no leaks and color would be DOVE GRAY ? or am I off here? Can you tell me if I'm on the right train of research here ? some scuff marks on the barrel and two dings on the cap.. writes super smooth with a hint of feedback.. Is it worth anything so I can tell my wife my obsessive compulsive personality disorder Fountain pen interest is a thing she just might have put up with a bit longer ( just kidding ) ? thanks gang and I do appreciate all the help and fun this board has given me Any thoughts or info would be beyond amazing ! Sorry for the big pictures still learning how to post here my blog . and I make puppets . http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyqce0O8wYI/VSoKa-3iucI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/M6Thjjdds2I/s1600/parker-51-a.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-koThSzT2cTg/VSoKauWzFoI/AAAAAAAAAbU/0JFXac3Ssfo/s1600/parker-51-b.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bq6p7MwskKU/VSoKavmod8I/AAAAAAAAAbM/kkqlgC_7wWE/s1600/parker-51-c.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qJHsXCyno0/VSoKbsH1MGI/AAAAAAAAAbo/TiAM_ZEoQYM/s1600/parker-51-d.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7qpVcduKJQk/VSoKb4pfSmI/AAAAAAAAAbk/KQ5HSrKJpJQ/s1600/parker-51-e.jpg

I got this in the mail today and was pleasantly surprised! I knew I had gotten a good deal (at less than $25 shipped) but I did not know it was this good of a deal! There was one blurry picture of the pen uncapped, just enough to tell that it was a 51. I figured it for a normal, black P-51 Aero. I need to swap out the nib and the cap isn't in great shape but still! Here is what I got: http://i.imgur.com/GZOoaOml.jpg

This is my first post here on "The Fountain Pen Network" as I've been lurking about trying to learn what I can before I made my first fountain pen purchase. I had bought a Waterman cartridge pen years ago and we never got along. I'm sure it was my inexperience with really no knowledge on the "proper" use of the technology. Recently I began writing a journal. Hadn't done such a thing before plus I wanted to improve my handwriting. I'm getting up in age and since the keyboard has done most of my "writing" for many years I thought I'd better spend some time writing again. I had begun looking at the Montblanc product for its name but I wasn't ready to "invest" those kind of funds not knowing if I could write with a fountain pen. But I did fine an older Montblanc ball point to get me started. It didn't take me long to wonder here and begin my adventure in learning what I could to help me in making a decision in finding a suitable FP. Somehow I came across the Parker 51 and became enthralled with the pen's history and claim to "reliability". It doesn't hurt that I'm a pilot and like the comparisons once made in the early ads I've come across in my research. Since blue is my favorite color I decided I'd try and find a cedar blue version with the vacumatic filler system. It didn't take me long and found one online fully reconditioned. I'm traveling today via the airlines on my way to work and my Cedar Blue Parker 51 filled with Montblanc Midnight black ink passed its maiden voyage in my uniform pocket. Looking forward to learning more about this model as I can see myself adding a couple more versions to my writing rotation.

I was just doing some random browsing on a local auction site when I found this. The box says "5th avenue" and I guess that it isn't the original box of the pen, but then, looking at the not-so-well-made photos, it seems that it's a Parker 51 for the local equivalent of 8 USD. Obviously, the seller has no idea what she is selling. Now I haven't seen a Parker 51 below 100 USD, so I was too excited to pass on the opportunity. Of course it may or may not be working, but still... an 51 for such a low price... what do you think?

I've had some superlative PIFs this year; first an amazing 4 pen wrap from Adrienne, then a brand new Pilot 78G from Thuja. Pen people are the best! It's time to pay it forward. Up for grabs is a pen tube for a Parker 51. http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubes004.jpg The outside is a rigid PET plastic preform (approx 3mm thick), which is an excellent hard barrier against crushing, bending, twisting, scratching and cutting forces. Hostile synonyms are no match! Shattering - pah! Smashing - pishaw! Spiflicating - pish tosh!The inside is lined with 3mm thick non-toxic, UV resistant closed cell soft foam (60 on the 00 shore scale), to absorb the stress of impact strikes and abrasion. To protect the 51's delicate celluloid jewels against the concentrated force of end on strikes, the top and bottom get 6mm of foam, lined in 100% silk.The screw cap is a repurposed Diamine ink bottle cap. If you're going to make a pen tube, you may as well do it in style! I wanted to make something that would be good protection for a daily carry pen, small enough to toss in a day bag with the rest of your gear, but strong enough to ward off damage. The inside of a day bag at walking pace can be a surprisingly hostile place, with jangling keys, spare change, and a heavy laptop all ready to do their worst. PM me with the subject line "Don't spiflicate me, bro!" for a chance to win this P51 tube, by Sunday 21st December, 8pm ish GMT. This is a worldwide PIF. Photos: http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubessilklined6mmfoamcap.jpg http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubes003.jpg http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubesbarreldetail.jpg http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubes005.jpg

Hard on the outside, soft on the inside pen tubes! http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubes003.jpg I love my 51s. We all do, right? About as much as we hate the idea of them getting jostled, bashed, and crushed. The inside of a day bag at walking pace can be a surprisingly hostile place, with jangling keys, spare change, and a heavy laptop all ready to do their worst. So I've made up a couple of pen tubes! They're rigid PET plastic (approx 3mm thick) on the outside, which is an excellent hard barrier against crushing, bending, twisting, scratching and cutting forces. Hostile synonyms are no match! Shattering - pah! Smashing - pishaw! Spiflicating - pish tosh! http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubes005.jpg The inside of the tube is lined with 3mm thick non-toxic, UV resistant closed cell soft foam (60 on the 00 shore scale), to absorb the stress of impact strikes and abrasion. To protect the 51's delicate celluloid jewels against the concentrated force of end on strikes, the top and bottom get 6mm of foam, lined in 100% silk. http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/FMT%20Hard%20-%20Soft%20Parker%2051%20Pen%20Tubes/FMTPenTubessilklined6mmfoamcap.jpg The scew cap is a repurposed Diamine ink bottle cap. If you're going to make a pen tube, you may as well do it in style! ps - if this has caught your interest enough to reach the bottom, head over to the PIF area in a wee while! More photos on photobucket, here.

Hello everyone, I've recently joined FPN and I have learned so much. I started writing with two different fountain pens at age twelve, both from my dad. One was a Parker 51, and the other was a Sheaffer Saratoga snorkel in burgundy. I still own the first one but the second one was stolen, leading to many years of pen searching (I am now in my mid-forties.) I now have two such snorkel pens in working order and have discovered that I am starting to collect pens. I have two much-loved Waterman Phileas pens with issues and that is what has sent me on the latest FP searches. I am expecting to post to the Waterman forum very shortly and I look forward to hearing from members there. Thanks very much for all your help so far!

So I found this parker 21 desk set at an antique shop, and picked it up for $12. It had a lot of dried up blue ink (guessing it's parker superchrome) which I have been cleaning. I am wondering if there is any information about the desk set itself. The lady at the antique store dated it back to the 1940s which seems plausible. The rotary drum clock has a us patent no of 2335863. After looking that up it shows that the clock was invented by Edward Kottle in 1943, but there is no mention of it being licensed to be used for a desk pen set. If anyone has any information about this please share. Any information will be appreciated.

Hello everyone, (Fair warning: long winded babbling to follow) I was very ill last weekend--which means I was home and able to watch eBay! I bought my first Esterbrook, which has turned out fantastically for the price (9.99, it was going to end with 0 bidders-until me) I also bought this Parker 51 Vacumatic, which is my third '51'. The diaphragm will need to be changed (oh the woes of a vac collection- this is my 7th vacumatic filler), but I knew that. In summary, how did I do? http://www.ebay.com/itm/371205590406?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Bought my first Parker 51, but I'm new to these so any info on my particular 51 would be much appreciated. Hopefully I didn't over pay for a worthless pile of parts. http://goo.gl/WNdWZC Looks good to me but as I said, I know squat about Parker 51s.

Dear all, I would like to start a 51 collection, and would be happy to hear what the best way is to go about it. Also, I am looking for a 51, with a medium/fine nib (in good shape), with a diamond. Something that will not get me into trouble with the missus:) I don't have a premium account, so the market place here is out of bounds for me Thanks

Hi All, I just got a Parker 51 aerometric. I never had one before. The nib was slightly off-center - enough for it to be noticeable in writing. The person from whom I bought the pen told me to remove the hood (which actually did not require any force or special effort, such as heating), and to carefully and slowly rotate the collector. This worked. However now, whenever I dot an "i" or write a period with even very moderate force, ink gets quite visibly sprayed onto the paper. The ink appears to be spraying from the area between the feed and the opening at the tip of the hood. This rendering the pen useless. Interestingly, if I remove the hood and write without it, this problem does not occur. What should I do to correct this? Please let me know if this should be posted in another forum. Lavie

Hello, Today I found this on my local "fleabay" website: http://i.imgur.com/yLGZpy2.jpg and I immediately pulled the trigger, got it for $40...the guy described it as unused, and the sac does appear to look clear (or maybe it's an optical illusion...the photo is rather low quality)...but look at that cap, 12k plated converging lines ! And the nib looks really clean (maybe a fine?!)...all in all, I think it was a good deal, and I can't wait to see how it looks in person (and post a couple of better pictures of course ) Cheers! Edit: oh, and it also comes with a nice Parker "51" inscribed hardcase, sweet!

So, I have my first Parker 51 Vacumatic, and it looks to be a Mark I from 1947. It also needs repair. I've been reading up, and checking available YouTube videos. Here is what I need some clarification on.... Is the section a screw-on, or is this model earlier than that? From what I've been reading, I should gently heat the barrel, and NOT the section, then grip the barrel and gently unscrew the section. Correct? In my digging around, I found a new, but somewhat expensive version of the old Barrett pliers. Knipex makes these, and they are sold at Sears. Parallel grip and smooth surface. http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1368&groupID=1500&artID=34171 And, I lucked out at Lowe's. I found these on sale for $10, and the larger one is another parallel pressure grip, plus the mouth is already rubber. http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/099198/099198850498.jpg

HI, guys, I wanna restore my parker 51 vacumatic by myself , but have no idea about what kind diaphragm would fit my pen best. Here is the pic I got from a website who offer all kind of sacs. could you guys tell me which one is the best for parker 51. Standard or Debutante, please ? Thanks.

A little bit ago I won an auction on a Parker 51 that was advertised as having an oblique stub nib. It didn't look oblique in the photos but did look intriguing so I got it, having only one 51 and that is a fine point. I thought I would write a little to show what the pen is like. My handwriting is not the best, sorry!

I've got a Parker 51 that I can't get the tines aligned, its always scratchy and any time I try to adjust it it just ends up right back where I started. I've had it worked on by a professional, and while it seemed to be ok at first, after a day or 2 it was back to scratchy. It seems that any time the hood is screwed back on it squeezes the nib and forces the tines out of alignment. Has anyone had issues like this, and is there anything that can be done to aleviate the problem? I've heard so much good stuff about Parker 51s, but I have had nothing but headaches from this pen. Thanks

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls - I'm trying to identify the nib thickness for this burgundy "51." At first I thought it was a wet, wet medium nib, but I'm starting to wonder if it might actually be broader than the average medium. Rhodia paper, with a fine on the right. Any help or insight would be much appreciated!

Hi, I'm am new to this forum but have been a regular follower with help to my small collection. I've just added to it today with the purchase of the 18ct Parker 51 pen/pencil set. After purchasing it, I took it to a pen expert who informed me that the pen looks exactly like a 51, with an authentic 51 nib/filler/ all plastic parts. One of the reasons I thought about before buying the set is that it didnt make since for it to be faked. The gold scrap would be about £300, and the costs to manufacture a one off gold fake would outnumber the cost that I paid for the pen. However, he informed me that the pen does not have the feathered arrow on the clip, this got me a bit worried that I would not get my money back. This got me worried that it could be a fake, hence I posted here. I would appreciate it if anyone could authentic this set. I must also note that the Clio is hall marked for 18ct gold, and there is also a mrk for E.M? Thanks, Nikita

Hi all. I won an auction on Sunday and today, a lovely dark red 51 dropped through my door. The seller described 'faint marks' so, being a cynic (especially where eBay is concerned), I was expecting something the texture of sandpaper. Credit where it's due though - I've seen supposedly 'mint' pens in worse condition. The fact that it only cost me £29 makes it even sweeter! So, here are some photos. There's no date code that I can find - just a faint 'M', which I think stands for medium nib. The pen in the last picture is my UK Duofold Junior, for size comparison purposes. Thanks in advance for any help. http://i.imgur.com/VQhlnp9.jpg http://i.imgur.com/fjNqgNL.jpg http://i.imgur.com/dH6Gn9i.jpg http://i.imgur.com/TpmySZq.jpg http://i.imgur.com/3fhKSuJ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/AOvDcZM.jpg

Hi, I was in New York recently, and thought it would be easy to find a Parker 51 in good mechanical condition. I was wrong. They couldn't be found ay all. So I looked on eBay. Few of the pens were listed as "tested", and with the money being asked for a "fully serviced" or "refurbished" Parker 51, I could have bought the entire Parker corporation, and have enough change left to cover next month's alimony. My question: where can I get a garden variety Parker 51 in a normal color (not robin's egg blue, shocking pink, or chartreuse), in good mechanical condition with a sac and diaphragm recently replaced, and tested, in the double-digit range. TIA, Lavie