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Zwomg

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Hello! It has been quite some time since I have posted on here. I hope all are doing well.

 

I stumbled upon a GoPens catalog from March 2007 which contained a "1975 Parker 75 “Ecossais” in Black" (item #28). Would anyone browsing this forum happen to know the story behind this pen, and the eventual fate of it?

I am interested in any information regarding this seemingly-prototype color/model! I've reached out to the webmaster of GoPens and am awaiting a response, but am afraid that since it has been so long since the listing, they will not have much information regarding it.

 

Regards,

Zwomg

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain.

My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course.

Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.” - Graham Greene

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Sorry -- I looked at www.parkercollector.com, richardspens.com and at parker75.com and couldn't find a lot of information, beyond that the Écossais was a French production "Place Vendôme" color introduced in 1971 (but appears to be a metal-finish, "Flighter" style model).

I suppose you could try contacting all those sites and see if they have more info that hasn't been posted.

Hope that helps (at least a little).  I only have one 75, and it's a later (dished tassie) sterling Ciséle pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: I just met someone at the Ohio Pen Show a few weeks ago who was big into 75s, and I dug out his card, and turns out it's the guy behind the parker75.com website.  

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Thank you @inkstainedruth! I completely forgot that I have corresponded with Mr. Lih-Tah Wong in the past and it had not occurred to me to reach out to him about this pen. Your response reminded me to email him as well :) Thank you!

 

Edit: I noticed you said "a few weeks ago" -- it is relieving to know that he is still active in the community! I absolutely love my Parker 75.

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain.

My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course.

Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.” - Graham Greene

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I have a couple of 75s in the Ecossais pattern, which I enjoy. That black version seems so out of place among the other 75s of its ilk, namely the Place  Vendôme pens.  I wonder what they were thinking?  Bringing it to market today would seem reasonable, given all the “stealth” pens on offer.  Interesting find.

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5 minutes ago, Carrau said:

I have a couple of 75s in the Ecossais pattern, which I enjoy. That black version seems so out of place among the other 75s of its ilk, namely the Place  Vendôme pens.  I wonder what they were thinking?  Bringing it to market today would seem reasonable, given all the “stealth” pens on offer.  Interesting find.

Agreed - I'm a big fan of textured pens (the smoothness of lacquer just doesn't do it for me), so the striking appearance of the Ecossais pattern in black just astounded me.

It really does look out of place, but in a good way!

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain.

My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course.

Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.” - Graham Greene

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1 hour ago, Carrau said:

That black version seems so out of place among the other 75s of its ilk

 

My first thought upon seeing it was that it was badly tarnished (which is probably a way to accomplish the same result). But then, if the tray had a bunch of dark 75's, I'm sure my first impression would've been quite different. Regardless, I can't see myself spending $1000 on a pen (despite the $1000's I definitely have spent on pens over the past years).

 

Alex

 

Alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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Probably Tsachi. 

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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Update on this for those who are curious - after reaching out to Mr. Lih-Tah Wong (from Parker75), he informed me that earlier production models of this pen contained a mixture in the metal which oxidizes over time (just as @alexwi guessed). In fact, some of the pens in his personal collection experienced oxidation just like this. His opinion is that the referenced pen is most likely not a prototype, but an early production model which oxidized over time.

 

Unfortunate for the person who spent $1000 on the GoPens listing, but I guess items are truly worth what someone is willing to pay! Thanks all for the opinions and input.

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain.

My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course.

Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.” - Graham Greene

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I don't know much about alloys, but why would the tassies and clip be oxidized the same way then?

 

 

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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@alexwiI followed up with the same question! His response was that the earlier iterations of the trim pieces also contained a mixture which oxidized. As pen parts were most likely taken from a bin during assembly, some pens may oxidize only on the barrel and cap but have trim pieces which did not oxidize, or vice versa.

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain.

My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course.

Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.” - Graham Greene

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