Put a date to my Parker 51

[ParadoXDesign]

Hello fellow writers! (And collectors)

 

I recently stumbled upon a nice 51 that I directly bought online.

I’ve been looking online to find some information about the manufacturing year but with little succes. Would like some help please

 

it’s a blueish green/greenish blue “made in England” version. (Engraved near the ring of the unit). There are also (faintly) the letters P.S. still visible (date code??).

 

On the cap it reads, besides "Parker", 1/10 12ct R Gold"

 

The “vent hole” is at the bottom of the barrel and the “jewel” is a pearl version..

 

here below some pictures. Don’t know if the color will come over correctly, being shot in Led lights.. 

Hope someone can date this nice, still writing good, pen for me..

[inkstainedruth]

You've got a Parker 51 Aerometric, which first came on the market in 1948; yours looks like the color is Midnight Blue, which is one of the colors I really wanted when I started looking a 51s -- but weirdly, turned out to be harder to get -- AND a bit more expensive --than the Demi Size Plum I have; and Plum is a rare color (only made in the 1948-49 model year).  If there isn't an actual date code, you can still narrow it down somewhat by the wording on the sac sleeve.  My understanding is that pens made after 1956 change how many times to press the bar.

You can get more information in the Parker 51 article on Tony Fischier's site www.parkercollector.com, and there's also a more general article on Parker date codes.  There's also a lot of information on Richard Binder's site, www.richardspens.com, and on www.parker51.com.

Hope this helps.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ParadoXDesign]

Hi Ruth, thank you for your information! Helps me out great!!  There are two letters inscribed on the barrel, "PS" but I don't know if that's a date code.. Will most certainly look into the links you provided!

Again, thank you!!

[Inkysloth]

Parker 51s made in England carried on having single digit date codes for longer than the USA, but Parker didn't use letters in their date codes until 1979 - far too late for a Parker 51.

Is the PS marking also under the collar? Or elsewhere on the pen? 

[joss]

https://parker51.com/index.php/education/51-chronology provides a timeline for Parker 51 pens made in USA but certain details are different for English made Parker 51 pens.

English Parker 51 pens had a date code until at least 1956. The imprint is located near the open end of the barrel and it can be very faint when worn and possibly only visible with a magnifying glass. The "PS" imprint is not a date code.

If there is no Parker "halo" logo on the cap, then the pen (or at least the cap) is pre-1958.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by joss
text error

[ParadoXDesign]

4 hours ago, Inkysloth said:

Parker 51s made in England carried on having single digit date codes for longer than the USA, but Parker didn't use letters in their date codes until 1979 - far too late for a Parker 51.

Is the PS marking also under the collar? Or elsewhere on the pen? 

The P.S marking is on the barrel, when you put the cap on it covers it half. It’s printed up side down from the “made in england “ imprinting, so it’s readable when the nib is pointing downwards..

[ParadoXDesign]

2 hours ago, joss said:

https://parker51.com/index.php/education/51-chronology provides a timeline for Parker 51 pens made in USA but certain details are different for English made Parker 51 pens.

English Parker 51 pens had a date code until at least 1956. The imprint is located near the open end of the barrel and it can be very faint when worn and possibly only visible with a magnifying glass. The "PS" imprint is not a date code.

If there is no Parker "halo" logo on the cap, then the pen (or at least the cap) is pre-1958.

 

 

There is no halo on the cap… and the imprint reads P.S, but the point could also be a scar from using it  

I will try to make some closeup photos of the pen..

[ParadoXDesign]

5 hours ago, Inkysloth said:

Parker 51s made in England carried on having single digit date codes for longer than the USA, but Parker didn't use letters in their date codes until 1979 - far too late for a Parker 51.

Is the PS marking also under the collar? Or elsewhere on the pen? 

The P.S marking is on the barrel, when you put the cap on it covers it half. It’s printed up side down from the “made in england “ imprinting, so it’s readable when the nib is pointing downwards..

[ParadoXDesign]

Here are some details of the two digit code on the barrel

[Inkysloth]

That's a very helpful photo! 

I can't help narrow down what the marking actually is, but it isn't a date code. 

[ParadoXDesign]

2 hours ago, Inkysloth said:

That's a very helpful photo! 

I can't help narrow down what the marking actually is, but it isn't a date code. 

Perhaps someone’s initials…?

have been searching the webs for a clue but can’t seem to find one..

i do know now that the pen is from the 50s/60s, that’s one thing

[ParadoXDesign]

Doing some more research on this pen I believe it's the color Teal Blue. 
A similar pen I found online at an auction (sold for 155Gbp) is dated at 1965.
You can see that one here

Still the mistery about the PS inscription/imprinting remains
Although at this time not in pristine condition I think it was a good purchase (around 50 euros)
I'll try to polish the plastics a bit and have a small go at the cap (not too much, because I don't want to damage the already fading imprints).
Or heck, perhaps I'll leave it in his roadworn condition

[Inkysloth]

Someone's initials would make sense, even if it's an unusal place for those to go. 

[ParadoXDesign]

Indeed, but come to think of it, it's not inscribed in the way the other imprints are, like "Made in England". Those are much sharper engraved.
finer...