How much and where??

[p51collector]

Where could I find a Parker 51 Demonstrator and how much are they going for on average? More than a double jewel?

[p51collector]

are they that rare and expensive? Has anyone seen one online for sale?

[david i]

They are not "rare"... in my opinion of course and recognizing that "rare" has yet to receive a widely recognizing definition in pendom.

 

Usually, when pen dude sell pens on ebay their pens- often common as dirt- become...

 

Rare

HTF (hard to find. used when seller has been shamed about his use of "rare")

Keystone member of an advanced collection

Beautiful, excellent and highly desirable

 

etc

 

That said, the "51" Demo in the pic i posted elsewhere tonite- the later demo type from 1946-8, not the first-year Demo- is... urrrr... a desirable and fairly high cachet 51, all things considered.

 

One must watch for a plethora of South American modern repros, often in funky tints.

 

The vac-fill real Demo (whose nuances can be better explained by others, no doubt) at least has a Parker imprint and date code on the barrel down by the clutch ring.

 

Often these are plagued by cracks. Cracks in these happen and do not make the pens unworthy of ownership, but do not buy one at "excellent' price with cracks.

 

Ebay seems hot on Demos lately. Even $200 snorks have pulled $800 of late. So maybe the market IS hot.

 

51 Demos in nice uncracked shape have seemingly pulled $300-500 of late. Perhaps on hot ebay ad mite pull more.

 

I have had a few demos for sale over the years, but at moment have but one 51 demo in my collection, and at the moment it is not for sale. I'll be happy to gab more backchannel.

 

Again, watch for South American repros. Watch for cracks

 

below are a few more demos i own, have owned or have photographed (part of the 6000 pen digital vintage pen archive)

 

regards

 

david

 

A sweet early Conklin ENdura Nozac Demo. Ambered

 

http://removed.xyz/penteech/conklinendurademo.jpg

 

The yellow-tint Waterman 1935 Ink-View on the left is one of my favorite Demos. I actually own that one. AND an original catalog showing the Demo and its role in the Waterman univers

 

http://removed.xyz/penteech/demonstratorsfiveofthem.jpg

 

Parker 45. Not mine, but now i own one too.

 

http://removed.xyz/penteech/parker45demo.jpg

 

Parker Lucky Curve- Aggggghhh. Not my pen

 

http://removed.xyz/penteech/parkerluckycurvedemo50per.jpg

 

 

One of my early montages (apologies for the crass white edge to the pen) of Kirchheimer's Sheaffer Balance OS Demo shot at (and montaged onto) the hotel housing the PHilly Pen Show-

 

http://removed.xyz/penteech/sheafferdemopic4.jpg

 

regards

 

david