Jump to content

The Legendary Parker Archives


algabatz

Recommended Posts

Tony, what a treasure your site is. I just spent a couple hours reading and looking. I wonder what will become of Parker and that archive site. I hesitate to think that the main caretakers are getting up there in years, and I doubt anyone else has the background to properly look after everything. Has Newelll decided anthing?

Edited by SamCapote

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 49
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • algabatz

    8

  • SamCapote

    7

  • bunny roller

    3

  • GSP

    2

EXCELLENT site. I love it, it's like a compendium of parker history that Parker should have kept. SHame that Newell Rubbermaid moved operations to France (as was reflected by my duofold's build origin). What was N-R's rationale for making the move anyway when Parker has been synonymous with the UK since the 1930s, if not earlier?

 

Jason

My pen checks and cracks... my strat's nitrocellulose finish checks and cracks. Could that mean that the fancy precious resin is the same stuff that Fender uses to cover their guitars?

 

-Just a thought....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hey there,

 

Nice article...reminds me of the days I worked there. I was an Art Director at the Janesville location and I was privy to the archives. I was able to experience pretty much the same feelings when I would need to pull pens for photoshoots. I remember the numerous file cabinets full of old ads, posters, counter cards and various sales materials. Unfortunately they were not stored in the best of ways in that most were folded up to fit the drawers. I remember the archive room was in the back building at Arrow Park and the roof of that facility wasn't in the best of shape because the room smelled a bit moldy and some of the file cabinets would get wet from rain. I was amazed that at the time, nobody seemed to care very much.

 

I took time to explore on a few occasions and went through an old vertical storage cabinet that held a bunch of test pens...(various pens made from a variety of metal finishes). Pretty cool in itself. When the company was sold to Gillette and I was leaving for another job opportunity, I wondered what would become of the archives. I remember a few upper management types also having access and had a bad feeling that the room would be pilfered.... never knew.

 

Anyway, thanks for posting.

 

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

 

I mean since the Newhaven plant closed. Anyone know?

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

great report and website. that place is a treasure trove for sure. I bet some of thoes pens are worth a fortune

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

 

I mean since the Newhaven plant closed. Anyone know?

 

Anyone.....Bueller.....Bueller....

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

 

I mean since the Newhaven plant closed. Anyone know?

 

Anyone.....Bueller.....Bueller....

 

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anybody know what pen he was talking about? Surely it's been "declassified" by now! Was it the new duofold?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

 

I mean since the Newhaven plant closed. Anyone know?

 

Anyone.....Bueller.....Bueller....

 

 

Maybe the archives have imploded into an alternate universe.

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

 

I mean since the Newhaven plant closed. Anyone know?

 

Maybe the archives have imploded into an alternate universe.

 

Hi.

I heard from a very reliable source that the archives have been moved to Nantes (in France) and Sunderland.

 

I don't know what facility Parker have at Sunderland, however, I suppose some may consider it an alternate universe. :unsure:

 

Regards

Paul.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know what happened to the archives?

 

I mean since the Newhaven plant closed. Anyone know?

 

Maybe the archives have imploded into an alternate universe.

 

Hi.

I heard from a very reliable source that the archives have been moved to Nantes (in France) and Sunderland.

 

I don't know what facility Parker have at Sunderland, however, I suppose some may consider it an alternate universe. :unsure:

 

Regards

Paul.

 

That is so reassuring, given the tour and what was shown in the videos of the UK site. Thanks!!

With the new FPN rules, now I REALLY don't know what to put in my signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Has anyone tried contacting former employees to see if any of them saved the parts/pens/prototypes from the rubbish?

The education of a man is never complete until he dies. Gen. Robert E. Lee

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

Has anyone tried contacting former employees to see if any of them saved the parts/pens/prototypes from the rubbish?

 

Hi,

 

Being an ex Parker Toolmaker from Newhaven I saw the archives. When I say saw them, I mean I saw them through a window. No one was allowed in there for obvious reasons. Very little came out of there and any rubbish was crushed. That's not to say the 'odd' bit ended up in collectors hands!

 

Darryl

Ex Parker Pen Toolmaker, Newhaven, England.

http://www.moreengineering.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I know this topic has been around for a long time but i have just read some of the posts. You do a wonderful job, being an avid Parker collector I look upon the web site as a bible and has helped me so many times to make informed choices.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

Greg

 

"may our fingers remain ink stained"

"may our fingers remain ink stained"

Handwriting - one of life's pure pleasures

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

'If you have a Parker pen then one can surely change the world '

 

I heard someone saying that it's a modification of the quote , But always good to hear it !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just bought another Parker pen will add to my collection , It works smoothly as anything i just love using it , one must try it !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...