Is The Parker 51 The Most Boring Pen Ever Made?

[rikki]

Am I alone in the world as seeing this outward design as the epitome of middle-class and middle-aged monotony?

It is definitely too conservative for me. I can't say I find any part of the design appealing save for the arrow clip.

[beak]

I was going to suggest the 149 as a more boring looking pen, but Tony beat me to it.

 

I'm not a huge '51 fan either, but I don't particularly see the point in trying to convert people away from it.

If I hadn't already gone to bed, I'd reply that the 'converting' statement is completely unfounded, but I have, so I won't.

[mongrelnomad]

Ahem...

 

http://www.stylophilesonline.com/archive/jan03/03rant5.jpg

:puddle:

[rockspyder]

Apologies everyone - but I have to agree with beak. As smooth and reliable a writer as the 51 may be, it is more exciting to watch paint dry, than to look at a 51.

Although I have great respect for Parker's achievement here, my 51's just stay in the box, out of sight. I just never use them.

Other pens with better looks write just as pleasantly and reliably, therefore I think life is too short to write with an uninspiring pen.

Nothing like a huge, flashy, shiny, flared nib that applies ink to paper....

 

People who love the 51 for its practical abilities are numerous - as we know - but quite honestly, they are usually not primarily interested in the aesthetics of fountain pens - they just want a practical writing instrument. In that sense, the 51 succeeds with flying colours. My dad would not use anything else than a 51, but then again, he has no interest in FP's, he simply needs a pen.

 

Some listeners prefer Bob Dylan , some listeners prefer Frederic Chopin Each to his taste.

As for me, the 51 is not my taste.

[kuno]

Aww man - I clicked on the post expecting a full-on flame war. And what did I find? Asubdued, civilized discussion with ample tolerance given to differing viewpoints!

 

Drat! This is so very unlike the internet

 

 

To answer the op's question: I actually thought the same thing about the P51 when I first started fpn-ing. Ballpoint-ish, bland, all that stuff. Not unlike many othe forum members here, I made up my mind to try out and see what the fuss is about, and...wowie! I think to a certain degree, the design grows on you. Perfect embodiment of the "form follows function" ideal in a Howard Roark sort of way. Plus, it's a great deal for the money - which makes it an excellent pen that appeals to poor college students and middle class old folks alike.

[lapis]

This is the most boring post I've ever read.

Of course I find my 51 totally un-boring, otherwise I wouldn't have bought the darn thing 45 years ago and kept it up till today.

Today, it still writes as good as it did when I bought it.

 

Oops, just about forgot your last line: the most boring pens I've ever seen -- that's why I've never even tried to get one into my own hand -- are any Lamys. Don't know what is the ugliest, the Safari or the 2000?

 

So... I said it...

[Wyre]

MOST BORING PEN EVER!

 

 

http://www.jackiereeve.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/bic.jpg

[Brian C]

Check out what Ernest from Hakumin Urushi can do with a 51. Sorry, can't link. Ha, Howard Roark...I have a Parker WE pen! The Rand!

Edited December 27, 2010 by heraclitus682

[Wyre]

Aww man - I clicked on the post expecting a full-on flame war. And what did I find? Asubdued, civilized discussion with ample tolerance given to differing viewpoints!

 

Drat! This is so very unlike the internet

 

 

To answer the op's question: I actually thought the same thing about the P51 when I first started fpn-ing. Ballpoint-ish, bland, all that stuff. Not unlike many othe forum members here, I made up my mind to try out and see what the fuss is about, and...wowie! I think to a certain degree, the design grows on you. Perfect embodiment of the "form follows function" ideal in a Howard Roark sort of way. Plus, it's a great deal for the money - which makes it an excellent pen that appeals to poor college students and middle class old folks alike.

 

That is because we are ADULTS

[Namo]

Please, define "boring" in design terms.

[AltecGreen]

Ahem...

 

http://www.stylophilesonline.com/archive/jan03/03rant5.jpg

:puddle:

 

I don't think the Torelli counts.

[Wyre]

Check out what Ernest from Hakumin Urushi can do with a 51. Sorry, can't link. Ha, Howard Roark...I have a Parker WE pen! The Rand!

 

http://www.hakuminurushi.com/home.html

 

Specifically:

 

http://www.hakuminurushi.com/lacquerware/pens/makie/parker-51-nashiji/

Edited December 27, 2010 by Wyre

[Brian C]

Thanks Wyre.

[Aysedasi]

P51 the most boring pen? All I can say is you must live an exceptionally exciting life.....

 

I have 8 of them and want more.

 

I was in work today - emergency Court. The duty solicitor (a guy I know well) came up to me before we started, and said 'I just had to ask you about that beautiful Parker pen you're using - it's a Parker 51 isn't it? I've always wanted one of those'. I let him write a few words with my broad nibbed Burgundy vac - 'Oh goodness yes, that's absolutely amazing' said he....

 

I've promised to source him one in the New Year.

 

Boring? Well, we can all get bored, I suppose. I get bored with my MB149 from time to time, and all of my other pens for that matter - but I never get bored with the beauty of my 51s and the incredible way that they write.

 

It's all a matter of personal taste. I hate broccoli, but I respect the right of others to enjoy the disgusting stuff......

[Wyre]

Thanks Wyre.

 

Not a problem...

 

I would also point out the following:

 

http://d2123501.u38.hosting-advantage.com/images/copper.jpg

 

EDIT:::::::::::

 

Or this one:

 

http://d2123501.u38.hosting-advantage.com/images/torelli-imp.JPG

 

Edited December 27, 2010 by Wyre

[Edgar Allan Bo]

How about something more spectacular than a plain ol' boring P51 for you!?! :hmm1:

 

http://www.stylo.ca/Images/Produits/8489_LRG.jpg

[USMCMom]

Some people have very short attention spans and are bored easily.

 

And some get paid quite a lot to design stuff. Not looking for aggression here; it's just an opinion about a fountain pen, remember.

 

The wonderful thing about today is that there are so many options out there. If you find the "51" boring that's fine. There are thousands of other choices available for you to select from.

 

The "51" was a wonder when introduced, perhaps almost as big a change as the Sheaffer Balance had been slightly over a decade earlier.

 

The big thing about the "51" is that it is an example of a complete, holistic design, the pen, the feed and collector, the ink itself, to address a problem that had been around since the first dip pens I imagine.

 

Writing with a fountain pen traditionally had been a two step process; you wrote, and then carefully blotted away the excess ink. Inks of the day either took a long time to dry but also stayed wet enough in the pen to allow it to start writing immediately, or were fast drying but then the pen suffered by being hard starting.

 

The "51" solved that problem by creating a fast drying ink that reacted with the paper, and by creating the hooded nib, combined with a larger feed and collector system nade of materials that were impervious to the new ink but also kept a ready supply of ink that did not dry out on the nib or have hard starting problems.

 

It was an engineering and design tour de force.

 

But it is not for everyone. Many folk, particularly now about 70 years after its introduction, may well find the design boring, and of course, that's fine.

 

As I said, fortunately today we have the largest selection that has even been available, all the great old pens as well as so many new designs.

 

I'm really going to have to try to get one of these pens! Ive never written with one ... have never even seen on in person, but from all I have read about them here, I'm going to have to try to get one.

[mongrelnomad]

Ahem...

 

http://www.stylophilesonline.com/archive/jan03/03rant5.jpg

:puddle:

 

I don't think the Torelli counts.

 

I'd beg to differ - IMO it's a twist on material, not on design.

 

But fair enough.

 

Any excuse to post a photo though :embarrassed_smile:

 

Back to the OP: If you asked me back when I became reacquainted with FPs about a year ago what I thought of the P51, I'd have completely echoed your opinion.

 

However, having amassed over 20 pens since then, amongst them two 51s I've changed my opinion.

 

I have to say that they have grown on me, and I believe they warrant the adoration they receive.

 

Parker were the Apple of fountain-pen industrial design: a reduction to first principles. It's as if the engineers developing it asked one simple question: what is a fountain pen for? and then went out to build it in its purest sense.

 

You may not love it, but by god do you have to respect it.

 

(Personally, I love the P51 but would like it with a little more flair. Hence the Torelli.)

[epo]

Since every third post here seems to mention the Parker 51 I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about.

 

Never having owned one, and not talking about it's writing qualities, this pen had my head thudding to the desk in boredom in about three nanoseconds. Am I alone in the world as seeing this outward design as the epitome of middle-class and middle-aged monotony?

 

Can anyone point me to a fountain pen with a more tedious appearance - that way I may be able to start appreciating the look of the 51?

I am stunned by your rarified aesthetic sensibilities, such a masterly, insightful critique of the Parker 51 design. Enlighten us further, please, give us examples of what you consider good design.

[USMCMom]

MOST BORING PEN EVER!

 

 

http://www.jackiereeve.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/bic.jpg

 

Uh ... yes ... most definitely one of THE most boring of writing instruments!!!