Parker 61 Presidential 9Kt

[YamaguchiOtoya]

Hi,

 

I've recently been bequeathed with a Parker 61 Presidential Fountain pen in 9kt gold. I've never used a Parker 61 before, nevermind one largely made of gold, and I have to say I'm rather impressed, it has a fairly smooth gold (I don't know about the grade) nib, which I believe is a medium, (it has a similar thickness in line to my Parker 45 in medium).

I've been trying to research about the specific pen (or rather the presidential line), but there is not too much about it on parkerpens.net. I know it was purchased and insured in early 1981, it is a cartridge converter pen, but other than that I know little.

I was wondering whether someone could help point me in the right direction about what the nib actually is, and how to properly look after a parker 61 of any description.

 

Thank you all in advance.

[PaulS]

wonderful pen - the pattern is possibly 'Fine Barley' which was produced around 1974. Just realized that, unlike some pens, the 61 appears not to carry the nib designation under the feed area, but if you show us the ink line then folk here may know exactly whether fine, medium or whatever.

The best way to look after a pen like this is not to use it

 

Welcome to the FPN by the way

Edited June 24, 2017 by PaulS

[joss]

Hello,

 

That is a nice and valuable pen.

 

As a start you can try finding manufacturing details of the pen. There should be a goldmark (little shield) on the barrel of the pen with the gold content (probably "9-375" mark) and other symbols depicting respectively the place where the solid gold pen was made and the year that the pen was made.

 

This site (among others, search the net for "gold hallmark") can be of help deciphering the hallmark:

www.gold-traders.co.uk/hallmarks/

 

Hope this helps.

[mitto]

Beautiful and quite expensive pen. Congrats. Taking care of the C/C P61 is just like taking care of any other C/C pen. But be aware that the arrow is quite adept at flying off at will.

Edited June 24, 2017 by mitto

[YamaguchiOtoya]

wonderful pen - the pattern is possibly 'Fine Barley' which was produced around 1974. Just realized that, unlike some pens, the 61 appears not to carry the nib designation under the feed area, but if you show us the ink line then folk here may know exactly whether fine, medium or whatever.

The best way to look after a pen like this is not to use it

 

Welcome to the FPN by the way

 

Thanks for the advice. I was afraid that the best course of action would have been to not use it . Here's a quick writing sample.

[YamaguchiOtoya]

Beautiful and quite expensive pen. Congrats. Taking care of the C/C P61 is just like taking care of any other C/C pen. But be aware that the arrow is quite adept at flying off at will.

Do you mean the arrow on the pen cap, or the arrow on the section?

 

Hello,

 

That is a nice and valuable pen.

 

As a start you can try finding manufacturing details of the pen. There should be a goldmark (little shield) on the barrel of the pen with the gold content (probably "9-375" mark) and other symbols depicting respectively the place where the solid gold pen was made and the year that the pen was made.

 

This site (among others, search the net for "gold hallmark") can be of help deciphering the hallmark:

www.gold-traders.co.uk/hallmarks/

 

Hope this helps.

Thank you. The hallmark on the body seems to suggest that it was indeed hallmarked in 1981. This appears to be in line with an insurance certificate/certificate of purchase I found with the pen dated 22 Jan 1981.

[mitto]

The arrow above the nib on the section.

[PaulS]

I should have said that 1974 was probably the date this model was introduced , and it looks as though they lasted until the early 1980s. I think there's some difference of opinion regarding line thickness, depending on which side of the pond you're on. This one looks to be a cross between fine and medium - I'll go for a States fine. Not easy to see on the screen, but it looks more fine than one of my 45 mediums.

[corgicoupe]

Since it was bequeathed you are unlikely to sell it, so use it in honor of the giver but don't take it out of your home.