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A Stunning Parker 61 Presidential!


Flounder

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How's this for a surprise family find... a boxed-with-papers solid 18k gold Parker 61 Presidential from 1974!

 

The cartouche is engraved with my uncle's initials (or Top Cat's), and the condition is as you would expect a very ostentatious fountain pen gifted by a tycoon (our grand uncle's name is written on the outer cardboard) to a lion-maned 70's hippy to be - utterly unused :lol: . It appears to have been dip tested with red ink once.

 

Photos when I can do this ingot justice!

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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Absolutely beautiful pen! Also great to have a family item.

 

What is the leather item for, @Flounder? If not a pen slip, my only guess is that it is a cartridge carrier.

 

greg

Don't feel bad. I'm old; I'm meh about most things.

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matlock, you are right! The opening end had bonded together over time. Strange, it is much shorter than the pen itself. Thanks for clearing that up!

 

ps - the instructions make reference to ink carts under the tray. mine doesn't budge, I don't want to force it but am very curious. Is the plush tray supposed to lift out?

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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Normally I would have thought a gold pen to be a little over the top. But that one is very classy. Does it have a capillary filler? I ask because I just spent a lot of time a couple of days ago flushing the last -- I think -- of whatever ink was in my black 61; I had just been refilling/flushing with distilled water and, while it didn't *quite* last from DCSS in August until Christmas, it came danged close, although had gotten to the point of so little ink in the ink/water ratio to make it illegible...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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matlock, you are right! The opening end had bonded together over time. Strange, it is much shorter than the pen itself. Thanks for clearing that up!

 

ps - the instructions make reference to ink carts under the tray. mine doesn't budge, I don't want to force it but am very curious. Is the plush tray supposed to lift out?

 

The instructions are standard accross the range but only the Presidential has the luxury case in which the tray doesn't lift.

If you wanted a lifting tray you had to buy a cheaper pen :)

My Presidential is only the 9ct version and cost me, new, £190 in 1980 (it is Hall Marked 1977).

Peter

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I have just come accross an advert from The Illustrated London News of April 11th 1964.

It gives the price of the 18-carat 61 as 50 guineas, the 9-carat 61 as 25 guineas, the rolled gold 'Insignia' for 10 guineas.

Happy days, although with inflation that was a lot of money in those days.

For those non Brits a guinea is £1.05.

Edited by Matlock

Peter

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Gorgeous 61! An amazing find, you must be so pleased.

Short cuts make delays, but inns make longer ones.
Frodo Baggins, The Fellowship of the Ring, A Short Cut to Mushrooms

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How many patterns on the 61 Presidential were there?

 

I know of the one posted by the OP, the water drop pattern and the lined version. Are there others?

Edited by bmwboris
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As I understand it the first patterns were Waterdrop and Fine Barley, also a plain version is said to have been available. Later Flamme and Chevron were put out. Andy Lambrou, in an article for the WES Journal, also mentioned some other patterns were made available by Parker France but he gave no details.

Peter

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Of course, now that my fountain pen royalty has transpired, it wouldn't do for a decent chap to mix with low common types. Sorry, but you must understand, there is such a thing as protocol!

 

Baron Flounder de Flounder

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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Ruth, it is the later cart/converter 61. This one has one of those neat metal squeeze fillers.

To be honest, all-gold is a bit OTT for me too, though it doesn't matter as I would never use this 61 anyway, it will be kept as a really nice family find (though the nib is really splendid).

 

I've only really seen 61s in the flesh once before, they're very nice in the hand, and less slim than they seem to photograph. I've never actively sought one, but can see the appeal.

 

post-29904-0-30077000-1419901547_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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