What Parkers Have Joined Your Collection Lately?

[VacNut]

1 hour ago, mitto said:

I will never again tell about the NUMBERS. 😊

I  am more impressed with your cataloging and storage system.  You must have a well organized system

[inkstainedruth]

The only pens I haven't used are ones I haven't had a chance to get repaired yet (such as most of the Esterbrooks and some of the other vintage pens).  And yesterday I went to an estate sale company's showroom sale and picked up a blue 45 (looks to have a 14K nib but I had to soak the pen and nib unit overnight because there was still ink in the pen) and some little Waterman lever filler (cap may not be original because only it appears to be chased hard rubber) which then decided to go play hide & seek in my living room last night....      

But I've never been a "C-worder".  I don't go buy TWO of some expensive LE pen -- one to use and one to keep in the original packaging in pristine condition.  The bulk of my pens are vintage/semi-vintage ones at this point and the ones which HAVE been brought back to "up and running" are USED for their original purpose: as writing tools....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth                           

[Penguincollector]

3 hours ago, mitto said:

I will never again tell about the NUMBERS. 😊

  
  Tell me ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS 😊 

[Glenn-SC]

9 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

But I've never been a "C-worder".  I don't go buy TWO of some expensive LE pen -- one to use and one to keep in the original packaging in pristine condition.  The bulk of my pens are vintage/semi-vintage ones at this point and the ones which HAVE been brought back to "up and running" are USED for their original purpose: as writing tools....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth                           

So by that example there are no stamp or coin collectors, because unless a stamp is mailed or a coin spent it is not a stamp or coin?!

[Beechwood]

2 hours ago, Glenn-SC said:

So by that example there are no stamp or coin collectors, because unless a stamp is mailed or a coin spent it is not a stamp or coin?!

 

It is a personal choice, I cannot use an 80 year old NOS Parker 51, owned by Ike, when I have another 61 same model 51 that works perfectly well, I don't adhere yo the idea of I want to be the first and will pay a premium to do so, but each to their own

[mitto]

12 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

  
  Tell me ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS 😊 

Na. Telling about the NUMBERS triggers controversies that are not good for human health. 😕

[christof]

On 12/6/2025 at 1:24 AM, FarmBoy said:

We often talk about the least we paid for a pen.  We should turn that upside down.  What is the most?

I'll play.  I've paid more than $99 for a 51.  Gasp.

 

I definitely paid more than $99 for this one:

 

 

If I remember correctly, it was about $800 plus another rare "51" that Ernesto wanted to have. But at the end it was a very fair deal in my eyes.

 

 

The cap is engraved, which may reduce its value, but not for me, as it is my own initials.

 

[Glenn-SC]

2 hours ago, christof said:

 

I definitely paid more than $99 for this one:

 

 

That is a gorgeous pen!!

I have a buckskin beige set just like that. 

[Glenn-SC]

7 hours ago, Beechwood said:

 

It is a personal choice, I cannot use an 80 year old NOS Parker 51, owned by Ike, when I have another 61 same model 51 that works perfectly well, I don't adhere yo the idea of I want to be the first and will pay a premium to do so, but each to their own

Nor do I want to be the one who uses my T1 for the first time and have the tipping break off.  

[VacNut]

2 hours ago, christof said:

 

I definitely paid more than $99 for this one:

 

 

If I remember correctly, it was about $800 plus another rare "51" that Ernesto wanted to have. But at the end it was a very fair deal in my eyes.

 

 

The cap is engraved, which may reduce its value, but not for me, as it is my own initials.

 

It’s fate…and a great price. The letter “Z” is an uncommon last name. The odds that you can find a match for the other two initials are astounding. Any chance you were named after an ancestor and this was their pen?

[VacNut]

I understand there is an 8 and 9 spire version of the Empire Cap.

Time to go shopping?

[Glenn-SC]

1 hour ago, VacNut said:

I understand there is an 8 and 9 spire version of the Empire Cap.

Time to go shopping?

Really?  I did not know that.

[Penguincollector]

4 hours ago, VacNut said:

I understand there is an 8 and 9 spire version of the Empire Cap.

Time to go shopping?

  Oh wow! 

[FarmBoy]

8 and 9 spires on the pen cap, not the pencil. 
 

there is also a transition cap with Parker stamped on the rim. 
 

 

[VacNut]

I personally prefer the Fish Scale  51 cap. I found one with the 1st year double line cartouche. Looks great.

Although the Empire Cap can be on any color pen,I think the Nassau color looks best with the cap.

[inkstainedruth]

6 hours ago, VacNut said:

It’s fate…and a great price. The letter “Z” is an uncommon last name. The odds that you can find a match for the other two initials are astounding. Any chance you were named after an ancestor and this was their pen?

Unless of course he's the one who had the initials engraved.... 

Of course I don't understand why people get so squeamish over engravings on pens.  I think it's interesting and generally wish I could track down that person's heirs to tell them that I now have that person's pen and like writing with it.  

And I'm less concerned about some NOS pen that is going to cost way more than some estate sale find for cheap (because even if having to pay for repairs it might be less expensive in the long run than some "mint condition" pen.

@Glenn-SC -- I collected stamps when I was a kid.  And trust me when I say I did NOT have ones that were unused/mint condition.  And I had a cousin who collected coins -- until my uncle and aunt's house got burglarized....   To this day, I don't know whether the thieves were interested in the coins for their "intrinsic" value to collectors, or were just looking to score a haul of cash....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Carguy]

11 hours ago, christof said:

 

I definitely paid more than $99 for this one:

 

 

If I remember correctly, it was about $800 plus another rare "51" that Ernesto wanted to have. But at the end it was a very fair deal in my eyes.

 

 

The cap is engraved, which may reduce its value, but not for me, as it is my own initials.

 

I seem to remember lusting over this one for a long time 

[christof]

15 hours ago, VacNut said:

... Any chance you were named after an ancestor and this was their pen?

 

Quite sure that not. 

 

In German-speaking countries, names beginning with Z are not that uncommon.

[VacNut]

8 hours ago, christof said:

 

Quite sure that not. 

 

In German-speaking countries, names beginning with Z are not that uncommon.

You found the pen in Germany? If so, it has had a good history.

[Beechwood]

51 minutes ago, VacNut said:

You found the pen in Germany? If so, it has had a good history.

 

Given the Confoederatio Helvetica then Switzerland may be more likely?