Parker 51 Too good to be true?

[Lee Dawson]

Actually two cases. At the risk of folks jumping on them, I am wondering. 

1. A virtually new Parker 51. Buyer bought it and after a week or so, doesn't like it and wants to sell. Priced to sell. Sounds too good to be true. 

 

2. Parker 51, May be a Special looking at the refiller mechanism (U shaped metal bar around sac). Can't quite see in image if it says 51 Special. 

 

3. See some New Parker 51s Medium tip for $87.20? 

Could these be copies? They haven't made them in a while so how are all these new 51s available?

[Paul-in-SF]

I'm not seeing anything unusual here. One thing is to check the sellers. 

 

#3 -- being sold by Goldspot Pens, a reasonably reputable dealer with their own online shop. The $87.20 price matches what they are charging in their online shop; they have a lot of these pens, not just medium point. There are other sellers at this price point and above.

 

#1 -- I think I found this one, he says he has had it "a few weeks," it doesn't fit his hand and he is pricing it to sell. Also, it's an auction, where prices often start much lower than they end up. Seller has 100% positive feedback (not proof of honest intent, but some indication). 

 

#2 -- not finding this one, are you sure they are claiming that it is new? Also, there is such a thing as New Old Stock (from the original era, never used, probably found in some back room at a former pen shop or something, might have condition issues due to poor storage). Again, check the seller. You can also contact the seller asking for more details. 

[bunnspecial]

$87.21 sounds a typical price for the steel nib version of the New(2021) Parker 51.

 

I'm guessing the "had it a week, didn't like it" is also a new 2021 51. Even though I've not bought/handled one of them, I'm guessing the "had it a week, didn't like it" reaction is common...

 

For your third-I've bought NOS(new old stock) Parkers from the 50s and 60s. I've not bought a 51 that way, but have bought a couple of 61s as well as an English Duofold. It's not unheard of with really any brand pen of most any age. Some were unsold inventory from closed shops. Often I suspect the pen was given as a gift and the recipient said "That's nice-I'll save it for a special occasion" that never came, or perhaps "It's a lovely gift" that really means "I hate this pen and won't ever use it." I've also inked pens that appeared to be NOS, put them to paper, and they wrote terribly(albeit could often be fixed with a small nib tweak)-I suspect a lot of those the original owner tried them and hated them so back into a desk drawer they went.

[Lee Dawson]

10 hours ago, Paul-in-SF said:

I'm not seeing anything unusual here. One thing is to check the sellers. 

 

#3 -- being sold by Goldspot Pens, a reasonably reputable dealer with their own online shop. The $87.20 price matches what they are charging in their online shop; they have a lot of these pens, not just medium point. There are other sellers at this price point and above.

 

#1 -- I think I found this one, he says he has had it "a few weeks," it doesn't fit his hand and he is pricing it to sell. Also, it's an auction, where prices often start much lower than they end up. Seller has 100% positive feedback (not proof of honest intent, but some indication). 

 

#2 -- not finding this one, are you sure they are claiming that it is new? Also, there is such a thing as New Old Stock (from the original era, never used, probably found in some back room at a former pen shop or something, might have condition issues due to poor storage). Again, check the seller. You can also contact the seller asking for more details. 

Ref #2 Not new. Here is the link 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265347475572 

 

The squeeze sac looks like a 51 Special but maybe not. Price is good. BUT I hear there are counterfeits made and just wondered if these could be a fake. 

[Ron Z]

#2 is not a Parker 51, its a 21.  Note the  clutch ring, profile of the pen, and the clip.  Wrong clip, metal button instead of a jewel.  I'm willing to bet that the barrel has a beveled edge too.  A common mistake with people who want  the pen to be a 51, or don't know the differences.

[bunnspecial]

31 minutes ago, Ron Z said:

#2 is not a Parker 51, its a 21.  Note the  clutch ring, profile of the pen, and the clip.  Wrong clip, metal button instead of a jewel.  I'm willing to bet that the barrel has a beveled edge too.  A common mistake with people who want  the pen to be a 51, or don't know the differences.

 

I may be mixing up my history, but aren't there either Super 21s made of Lucite or 51 Specials made of the same plastic as 21s? If that's the case, aside from the model difference, wouldn't the pens be essentially identical?

 

Or, am I wrong and all 51s(Special or not) are made of Lucite and all 21s made of the lesser(don't know exactly what) plastic?

[Paul-in-SF]

1 hour ago, Lee Dawson said:

The squeeze sac looks like a 51 Special but maybe not. Price is good. BUT I hear there are counterfeits made and just wondered if these could be a fake. 

 

Again, the price is not the price. This is an auction, and it is very common for auction prices to start low. 

 

Not to mention RonZ's point that the item is mis-labeled. Anyway, counterfeiting seems like a lot of trouble to go to for a pretty paltry amount of money. 

[Ron Z]

1 hour ago, bunnspecial said:

may be mixing up my history, but aren't there either Super 21s made of Lucite or 51 Specials made of the same plastic as 21s? If that's the case, aside from the model difference, wouldn't the pens be essentially identical?

 

Or, am I wrong and all 51s(Special or not) are made of Lucite and all 21s made of the lesser(don't know exactly what) plastic?

 

The big differences between the 51 and 51 special were the nib, the sac guard, and the jewel.  In all other respects, the pens were the same, with the parts interchangeable.  The 21 on the other hand had plastic that tended (tends) to crack.  Some had the fat feed, others a skinny feed with the octanium nib.  The clutch ring held the cap on, and the barrel tended to be thicker with a beveled edge.  There was some overlap between the 51 and the super 21 and 41, but still not the same pen, or quality pen as the 51. 

[Lee Dawson]

Many thanks to all for the inputs. 

Edited October 11, 2021 by Lee Dawson
My lousy typing

[Vladpu]

16 hours ago, bunnspecial said:

$87.21 sounds a typical price for the steel nib version of the New(2021) Parker 51.

 

I'm guessing the "had it a week, didn't like it" is also a new 2021 51. Even though I've not bought/handled one of them, I'm guessing the "had it a week, didn't like it" reaction is common...

 

For your third-I've bought NOS(new old stock) Parkers from the 50s and 60s. I've not bought a 51 that way, but have bought a couple of 61s as well as an English Duofold. It's not unheard of with really any brand pen of most any age. Some were unsold inventory from closed shops. Often I suspect the pen was given as a gift and the recipient said "That's nice-I'll save it for a special occasion" that never came, or perhaps "It's a lovely gift" that really means "I hate this pen and won't ever use it." I've also inked pens that appeared to be NOS, put them to paper, and they wrote terribly(albeit could often be fixed with a small nib tweak)-I suspect a lot of those the original owner tried them and hated them so back into a desk drawer they went.

Yes, quite common.  Pen sellers were not fussy as at least some are today.  They expected buyers to just tune them themselves, just like you were expected to be a part-time mechanic if you bought a Model T.  I have tweaked many a NOS pen into good behaviour.

[Lee Dawson]

Thanks again to all. I contacted the seller of #2 and we agreed to retract the bid. 

As to #1, I just don't want a new 51. I want vintage. 

#3 the same. 

[FarmBoy]

Your auction appears to be a Super 21.