A Jotter Find In The Wild

[MLKirk]

Greetings Parker Ballpoint Fans

 

Today I present my latest find; one which I haven't seen in the wild until now. Not positive about the model, but I suspect it could be a first year cap-actuated Parker 21 Jotter Deluxe. The pen is dark blue with no halo logo, no barrel reinforcement ring at the end, and a trough clip. The cap jewel is metal and larger than the typical Jotter Deluxe cap actuated ballpoint (see the red one in the photo for comparison). Notice how much longer the blue one is compared to the red Jotter Deluxe. I sure do like finding Jotters that I don't have.

 

Perhaps someone more familiar can confirm or correct my suspicions?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/mikelkirk99/Jotter/2010Aug10014a.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/mikelkirk99/Jotter/2010Aug10019a.jpg

 

Note that, courtesy of Bill Acker and his web site, a page from the 1960 Parker Parts Catalog shows that the T-Ball Deluxe, the Super 21 and the all-metal cap had cap tapers (like the 61). This is evident in the red deluxe in the photo above. However, the dark blue specimen has a different taper on the cap; much more 21/51 Mark II looking. I would hesitate to call the blue one a Jotter T-Ball Deluxe like the catalog shows because we know that the first year did not feature T-ball cartridges (they weren't released yet). But....I would be more open to consider it a 21 or a Super 21 ballpoint of 1955-56. Unsure. Perhaps a 1955 parts price list would answer that. I should pull a round tuit out of my pocket and order Graham's ballpoint book.

http://www.billspens.com/billsreprints/parker/1960partsfull/parker1960v1.jpg

 

Comments most certainly welcome.

[streeton]

.......... I should pull a round tuit out of my pocket and order Graham's ballpoint book.

 

Comments most certainly welcome.

 

I am sure that won't be necessary given the joy you have just provided to us Jotter lovers.

Edited August 11, 2010 by streeton

[ceejaybee]

All credit to Graham, it is in his book! BTW - Highly Recommended, no aff

 

Parker 21 ballpoint!

 

I'll let him fill in the details, don't want to breach his copyrights

[MLKirk]

That settles it. I'm placing an order.

 

Thanks Ceejaybee!

[nxn96]

That is a VERY nice find. I don't think I've seen a Jotter with the 21 clip before; certainly not the pre- Super 21 clip style.

 

I'll never understand why Parker abandoned the cap-actuated style. I always thought it added a certain elegance to the ballpoints.

[MLKirk]

That is a VERY nice find. I don't think I've seen a Jotter with the 21 clip before; certainly not the pre- Super 21 clip style.

 

I'll never understand why Parker abandoned the cap-actuated style. I always thought it added a certain elegance to the ballpoints.

 

 

Thanks! I agree that the cap-actuated style does add a nice touch to the pen. The 75 BP's had it, too. The thinner button actuated (example: the popular Cisele finish) are the Classic/International and just don't exude elegance like it's brother does.

 

BTW, the first Jotters sported the colloquially known trough or recessed clip. The 21's just went along with the style at that time, including the 21 FP. All the fluted nylon barrel so-called first year Jotters had that clip. After the first couple of years using that clip, Parker changed to the colloquially known "ridge" clip with the ball bearing under the end. After that the arrow clip took over in the late 50's. I actually found a Life Magazine ad showing BOTH styles in the same issue on opposing pages. It was the December 17, 1956 issue of LIfe Magazine. You can look at the two pages in Google Books' scans of Life at this LINK. Make sure you look at BOTH page 128 and 129 to see both ads, opposing each other in the issue. Ridged clip model with smooth nylon barrel on 128 and trough clip with fluted barrel on 129.

 

Parker was still advertising the trough clip Jotter in 1957 even when the ridge clip model was advertised in early 1956.

[jgoodwin1]

I have a burgundy Jotter 21. It was made in 1955. One problem and a problem most Jotter 21's have is the propensity for the bushing inside the clicker to come off. Mine came off - I lost the spring that is at the top of the clicker.

 

Does anybody have repair ideas on how to repair the clicker? I have the bushing, but not the spring at the top of it. If a reaonable repair offer is made, I might consider mailing it over to the person to get it fixed and then keep it as a heirloom in my collection.

 

Jim

[MLKirk]

I have a burgundy Jotter 21. It was made in 1955. One problem and a problem most Jotter 21's have is the propensity for the bushing inside the clicker to come off. Mine came off - I lost the spring that is at the top of the clicker.

 

Does anybody have repair ideas on how to repair the clicker? I have the bushing, but not the spring at the top of it. If a reaonable repair offer is made, I might consider mailing it over to the person to get it fixed and then keep it as a heirloom in my collection.

 

Jim

 

Hi Jim

Please tell us how you know your Jotter 21 was made in 1955. Love to see a photo of it.

 

I have a later Parker Service Manual (date unknown) which has some basic repair instructions (very basic) for various pens & pencils. Ballpoints are included. The specific cap-actuated models are covered: 180, 75,65,61,51,45 & 21. The "clicker" you describe is actually an assembly called the Ratchet Frame Assembly. This assembly is a replaceable unit and not intended for repair. Here are the instructions covering all the cap actuated models mentioned above:

 

DISASSEMBLY

1. Remove the clip screw (and bushing , if present) in the same manner used to disassemble pen caps , but instead of using the cap arbor, leave the barrel and mechanism in place.

2. After the clip screw (bushing, if present) and clip have been removed, the outer cap will slide off the cap mechanism (Ratchet Frame Assembly). Defective or damaged ratchet frame assemblies must be discarded, as they cannot be repaired.

 

ASSEMBLY

1. Select the proper ratchet frame assembly and insert it into outer cap. Insert the plunger bushing into the ratchet frame assembly with finger pressure.

2. Assemble the clip, clip screw (and bushing, if present).

3. Be sure to center clip over lugs on cap of older model 65, 61 and 51 ball pens. On all others place clip into slot in outer cap.

4. Apply adhesive on clip screws (and bushings, if present).

Personally, I would use something like Loctite 242 (blue Loctite) on the last item rather than a bona fide adhesive. Blue loctite (threadlocker) can be released with a little heat. Many adhesives cannot.

It looks like your 21 needs to have the Ratchet Frame Assembly replaced from a donor pen. Perhaps a professional pen repairer has a stash of parts that includes a 21 Ratchet Frame Assembly. BTW, it looks like the Ratchet Frame Assembly is the same assembly in the 51, 61 and 45, however, the book is vague here so you might have to experiment.

 

The manual reprint cost me $40 but it has a few pearls of information in it that makes it worthwhile. Can't recall who I bought it from but it was at the Ohio Pen Show a couple of years ago.

Hope this helps.

Best,

[jniforat]

That settles it. I'm placing an order.

 

Thanks Ceejaybee!

 

 

very tempting, indeed!

[ballpointpen]

Mike

Many thanks for purchasing a copy of both of my books. This page from Parker's 1955 catalogue should confirm what has been said in the emails above. Incidentally, if anybody wants to quote sections from my book on this forum please go ahead as long as you would be kind enough to acknowledge the source as I don't always have time to reply.

Regards

Graham Hogg

 

www.ballpointpen.co.uk

Edited August 14, 2010 by ballpointpen

[MLKirk]

Mike

Many thanks for purchasing a copy of both of my books. This page from Parker's 1955 catalogue should confirm what has been said in the emails above. Incidentally, if anybody wants to quote sections from my book on this forum please go ahead as long as you would be kind enough to acknowledge the source as I don't always have time to reply.

Regards

Graham Hogg

 

www.ballpointpen.co.uk

 

 

Fabulous post, Graham! Thank you so much for generously sharing this page from your catalog.

I look forward to some good reading when I receive your BP books. They will be highly useful for my pen hunts.

 

Oh, and I also note that Parker had already made the engineering change to the higher line ballpoints, adding the barrel reinforcement ring on the end of the 51 ballpoints but not the others; not quite yet.

Edited August 15, 2010 by MLKirk

[pvector]

just scored something that looks like the 51 or 45 for a dollar. its all metal cap, and barrel, cap actuated, any help in identification clarification would be appreciated...

 

also needs to know how to post pictures

[streeton]

tell us what the cap tassie looks like eg a dished (inner ring outer ring), dimpled (saucer with a point in the middle), upside down saucer with point on top, or other.

[parkercrazy]

Hi Mike,

 

I have seen and had these 21 Jotters with the nylon fluted barrel. Not sure if Parker marketed them this way or Parker employee's were putting them together, but the threads are all the same, so you can take a 1st year Jotter and put a 21 cap on it and the other way around. I have a feeling that the 1st 21's had the fluted barrel, maybe early 1954. Just not sure, as the 51 Jotter did have the smooth Plastic Barrel and they were introduced in 1954.

Just a thought.

 

Francis

[pvector]

tell us what the cap tassie looks like eg a dished (inner ring outer ring), dimpled (saucer with a point in the middle), upside down saucer with point on top, or other.

 

it has a point on top? i wish i could take pictures, but alas no camera, and no phone out of commission

[streeton]

tell us what the cap tassie looks like eg a dished (inner ring outer ring), dimpled (saucer with a point in the middle), upside down saucer with point on top, or other.

 

it has a point on top? i wish i could take pictures, but alas no camera, and no phone out of commission

 

we need some early jotter experts here but this could be a jotter cap actuated from 1957. The 45's never had round tops (convex). Theres a few experts around here who can be much more precise. Try this FPN thread.