Vacumatic Os Nib - 7 Feathers

[VacNut]

I am an avid Vacumatic OS and Maxima collector, but far from being an expert. I usually differentiate an OS or Max by the length of the pen, diameter of the cap, and the larger nib (I.e 9 or 10 feather nib etching as opposed to the 7 or 8 feather). I was cleaning out a Brown OS and discovered that it has a 7-feather etching, but is the same size as the usual OS and Max Nibs. The pen has a made in USA print with a 45 date.

Have I been wrong with one of my criterias? Is this just an anomaly with bad Parker QC? I have also come across nibs with 8-feathers on one side of the shaft and 9-feathers on the other.

Any help would be appreciated.

Edited December 27, 2018 by VacNut

[VacNut]

Pic of the nib in comparison to typical OS and Max Nibs

[FarmBoy]

Wouldn't an oversize Vac have a lock down filler?

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a '38 blue diamond Vac (Or so I think from my reading it's a '38) that supposedly has a '36 Canadian nib....BB factory stub. It has 7 Feathers on each side.

Is it possible that the Canadian factory had a different feather count than the US?

I only have one Vac....

 

And feather count is new to me.

[VacNut]

Farmboy,

Yes. The OS has a lockdown down filler. This pen is odd in many ways. I will post pics of the pen and imprint. I will double check, but I think the imprint says “USA”, not Canada.

[VacNut]

The pen is on the left with similar Brown OS. It is a button filler with the Made in USA imprint and a 46 date code (4th quarter of 1936?). It is an earlier pen given the integral colored section. I am hoping this is a fluke and that I have not been dismissing OS pens because I thought the nib was the wrong size.

[VacNut]

In reading through the posts, I made a mistake. I use the nibs as a way to differentiate between a OS and a standard size Vacumatic, not between an OS and a Max.

[Lazard 20]

I am an avid Vacumatic OS and Maxima collector, but far from being an expert. I usually differentiate an OS or Max by the length of the pen, diameter of the cap, and the larger nib (I.e 9 or 10 feather nib etching as opposed to the 7 or 8 feather). I was cleaning out a Brown OS and discovered that it has a 7-feather etching, but is the same size as the usual OS and Max Nibs. The pen has a made in USA print with a 45 date.

Have I been wrong with one of my criterias? Is this just an anomaly with bad Parker QC? I have also come across nibs with 8-feathers on one side of the shaft and 9-feathers on the other.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

I believe that the nib is formidable and corresponds to an oversize; this size nib would be "loose" in the feed of any other non oversize and, in effect, 4th quarter of 1936 (and in my opinion, more specifically, November 1936; .46.(2 dots)=October, 46. (1dot)=November and 46 (whitout dot)= December) There are not 3 dots when the system had two figures,

 

In 1936 the catalogued OVERSIZE was 133/135 mm length and 15 mm diameter, however considering the diversity of off-catalog lengths, nibs and feeds of the early years, perhaps the most accurate measurement to know the largest sizes in vacumatic models would be the diameter in cap band or rings very close to 15 mm. (the "full length" -we could say- non oversized have 14 mm diameter)

 

On the other hand, in general, would be necessary a greater concretion about "Maxima" as oversize because pens of "Maxima" name only was the biggest size from 1941onwards, so:

 

1934-35 the biggest was named OVERSIZE model 15 mm diam. +- in rings cap (followed by Standard with smaller diameter and shorter length).

1936 the biggest was named OVERSIZE model (followed by Senior with smaller diameter and wider central ring).

1937-38 (new streamlined shape) the biggest was named SENIOR MAXIMA model (followed by Maxima with smaller diameter).

1939-1940 (already incorporated Blue Diamond) the biggest was named SENIOR MAXIMA model (followed by Slender Maxima with smaller diameter)

1941 the biggest was named MAXIMA (followed by Major)

 

We usually leave the expression "button filler" for push buttons in pen with sac. In this particular case we usually talk about the vacumatic system and in your pen of 1st generation, prior to the streamlined line, we usually speak of a vacumatic "lockdown" that's what Parkers called them.

Edited December 28, 2018 by RamonCampos

[VacNut]

Ramon,

Thank you for the great information. I am pretty certain the pen is an OS, based on diameter and length. In researching the number of “feathers” or vanes for an OS or Max nib, I always thought the nib should have 9-10 vanes. The Vacumatic Senior and the Slender Max nibs have a similar etch pattern (I will need to look through my pens to double check). The 7-vane nib was only for Vacumatic standard size pens. This larger nib with the 7-vanes is equal in size to the typical 9-10 vane nib, which may be an anomaly.

[Lazard 20]

You are welcome VacNut. I attach an image that speaks for itself about facility of distinguishing an Oversize with the simple eye. I would not pay a lot of attention counting "feathers" because if the nib fit into these formidable dimensions it is only because it corresponds to them and, regardless of the feathers its have, Parker´s manufactured this nib for your pen.

 

Note. I enclose for you my vacumatics diagram (click here) that I hope will help you to know them better.

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by RamonCampos

[VacNut]

A Golden Arrow, very impressive. I have yet to come across one of these beauties available for sale. Congratulations. I hope to collect one of these, a candy stripe, and a egg shell before the angels come to take me away. I suspect these pens will be right next to the unicorn.