The Best Parker Fountain Pen?

[Ricky2011]

For me its the early duofolds and vacs. due to the craftsmanship and desgn styles.

 

recently refound my love of victories. A great product made at newhaven during the war years of such unbelievable quility in colours you would not think was possible at the time.

[AL01]

Awww. I LIKE my 41. Okay, it's not a 51, granted -- but then, very little in this world is. OTOH, I paid 50¢ for it at an estate sale, and it's been appraised at about $50. And it's not a bad writer, either.

For me? The worst Parker (other than that travesty marker that pretends to be a fountain pen) would probably be the Urban. Particularly mine.... I should probably just chuck it in the trash because I'd feel too guilty selling it or doing a PiF.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

The 41 is like a Super 21, right??

[inkstainedruth]

 

The 41 is like a Super 21, right??

 

Maybe. Not entirely sure. I've never quite gotten it straight in my head the subtle differences between a regular 21, a Super 21, and a 51 Special. Of course when I first found the 41, I thought it was a 21 until I looked at the imprint -- and then said "O-kaaay.... What the heck is a Parker 41?" (The glib answer being: "a pen model that was WAAAY less popular than a Parker 51 when it came out, given that they were only sold for a year or two... ; which makes them relatively uncommon and therefore apparently *highly* desirable to collectors...". )

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Beechwood]

 

Maybe. Not entirely sure. I've never quite gotten it straight in my head the subtle differences between a regular 21, a Super 21, and a 51 Special. Of course when I first found the 41, I thought it was a 21 until I looked at the imprint -- and then said "O-kaaay.... What the heck is a Parker 41?" (The glib answer being: "a pen model that was WAAAY less popular than a Parker 51 when it came out, given that they were only sold for a year or two... ; which makes them relatively uncommon and therefore apparently *highly* desirable to collectors...". )

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

 

And then a 41 appeared on the front page on a pen collectors magazine with a fishscale cap and even more people wanted one, they looked good, as shown in this pic from Go Pens.

 

Dodgy plastics if I recall correctly.

Edited September 3, 2017 by Beechwood

[mitto]

I had one (P41) with the P51 like cap. But gave it away to a friend.

[max dog]

When I think of the ultimate Parker, I gravitate towards an image of one of these in my mind. I recall seeing someone using one of these before I got into fountain pens a number of years ago, that left a lasting impression on me of what a real nice fountain pen would be.

Duofold Centennial Black and Pearl.

Edited September 3, 2017 by max dog

[Waltz For Zizi]

Parker vacumatic imperial

[jonathanaahar]

The only good parkers are the vintage. And the best is parker 51

[mitto]

The only good parkers are the vintage. And the best is parker 51

+++++1

[jonathanaahar]

+++++1

what that means?

[AL01]

That means he really really really really really really agrees with the post before him.

[jonathanaahar]

Ah , I am happy he agrees with me

[mitto]

That means he really really really really really really agrees with the post before him.

 

Now he may again ask 'what that means?

Edited September 4, 2017 by mitto

[AL01]

The only good parkers are the vintage. And the best is parker 51

 

You really really really really really agree with the quoted post.

 

Really???

[jslallar]

@CharlieAndrews

If it is a Sonnet you possess and cherish and a Centnnial that you fancy then you like open nibs

For me the best Parker is a 51

But I do have a Centennial Blue Marble - a beauty to behold and lovely to write with

 

If I were you, I would get me a Centennial to begin with and study and read about vintage Duofolds, and et them if I like what i find out

 

the smaller sized modern Duofolds (Internationals) are nice pens too, you may want to look into buying a smaller pen, nearer the size of your Sonnet

[yokoze]

When I think of the ultimate Parker, I gravitate towards an image of one of these in my mind. I recall seeing someone using one of these before I got into fountain pens a number of years ago, that left a lasting impression on me of what a real nice fountain pen would be.

Duofold Centennial Black and Pearl.

That speaks to my heart Always liked it and recently got this pen. Holding it in my hands I realized that even though I like many other pens by several brands (for example Caran d'Ache, Conway Stewart, Japanese brands' top models) - both in terms of design and performance - this pen is for some reason the ultimate

[Quill1]

Duofold Centennial, and Sonnet Fougere, why? style and the good pleasurable feel in use.

[Mister5]

Challenger for me. Mine is distinctly unsexy (just plain black with the sword clip), but the button filler is pretty easy to fill and maintain (a glorified sac filler if I recall). The celluloid feels solid and it writes quite nice & wet (mine is flex). It's no-nonsense compared to some of the other Parker's but right up my alley.

[artart]

P45, a well designed pen with a great variety of nibs and a reliable and trusty companion since the years of school

[banjomike]

Hi, Charlie...

I've owned 4 Duofold Internationals, and still own 3.

 

My first was stolen a long time ago; I received it as a Christmas gift in 1989, marbled jade green, a color that was originally only available from the American Express gift catalog. It was my first good Parker.

 

It came with a medium nib, but I soon replaced it with a xtra fine from the company, which I found perfect for my handwriting. I owned it until about 1995, when it was stolen from my home.

 

I replaced it with a new old stock 1989 blue International in 2002 and had the medium nib ground down to a medium-fine. I still own this pen, and it's very well used now.

 

I hankered for another green pen, though, and in 2005, found one that was also nos 1989 with an XF nib. This was my favorite, as it is exactly like my first.

 

Then, after wanting a Big Red for a long time and never getting one, I bought an International Big Red in 2014. It came with a fine nib I that was a bit too broad for my hand, but I used it as is for about 18 months, and then bought an XF nib from John Mottishaw.

 

I use this pen more than any of my collection. It never starts dry, as all the others sometimes do, and is the smoothest of them all. The International size is perfect for me, although I have large hands, and the Parkers are my 'long distance' writers- the pens I most use when I'm writing for pages and pages at a time.

 

I own a bunch of other brands, including Pelikan, Sailor, Shaeffer, Waterman and others, but my Parkers are my favorites. They have the perfect section size and length, the best weight, and the best performance overall for me.

 

Since all mine are pretty new, I thought this might help if vintage pens aren't your thing.

While the marbled pens are extremely handsome, the French-made Big Red with the Mottishaw nib is, too, and it's a superb writer.

 

Since they changed the trim from gold to silver and changed the cap band, I'm thinking of buying my first full-sized Centennial Big Red sometime soon from John's company, Nibs.com, with an XF nib. Writing with such a historical pen will be nice.