Parker Duofold Age and material

[dicks390]

Hello pen experts:

I recently acquired three Parker Duofolds.  Two are identified as a Junior and a Lady.  I am only showing the barrel and section on the third one as it did not come with a cap.  Here are my questions:

 

1. Is the imprint shown on each the medium imprint or the giant imprint?
2. What is the approximate age of each?
3. Are these pens hard rubber or permanite?  I guess it depends on their age.  I tried the rubbing and smell test, and it was inconclusive to me.
4. Is the barrel shown from a Senior or a Special?  It is .52 inches wide, and came with a Parker arrow nib, not shown which could have been a replacement.  The feed was not ribbed.

 

Thank you.

[shalitha33]

I'm not expert on these  so all i can do is point you to https://parkerpens.net/duofold.html there is an example of a pen with the giant imprint which you can compare to. there is also a size chart at the end of the page to decide between each of the duofold sizes. 

[dicks390]

16 hours ago, shalitha33 said:

I'm not expert on these  so all i can do is point you to https://parkerpens.net/duofold.html there is an example of a pen with the giant imprint which you can compare to. there is also a size chart at the end of the page to decide between each of the duofold sizes. 

Thank you, but my eyes can't tell the difference re the imprints, and for the pen with only the barrel, I can't apply the measurements given, as they are for a complete pen with cap.

[joss]

1. the imprint on the three pens is not medium or giant but it is the "small" imprint, introduced circa 1924.

2. the pens are all pre-streamline so they are pre 1929.

3. try the rubbing & smell test also on the section, cap dome and blind cap just to be able to recognize the peculiar odor of hard rubber (the cap dome of the ringtop Lady Duofold may well be hard rubber). Red hard rubber Duofolds can have a rather dull orange appearance compared to the more shiny appearance of orange permanite. Red hard rubber is <1926, Permanite was introduced in mid 1926.

4. the length of that barrel (circa 110 mm) is correct for a Senior. The Special was imprinted as such on the barrel. The barrel diameter of the Special was 12 mm vs 13 mm for the Senior.

[dicks390]

5 hours ago, joss said:

1. the imprint on the three pens is not medium or giant but it is the "small" imprint, introduced circa 1924.

2. the pens are all pre-streamline so they are pre 1929.

3. try the rubbing & smell test also on the section, cap dome and blind cap just to be able to recognize the peculiar odor of hard rubber (the cap dome of the ringtop Lady Duofold may well be hard rubber). Red hard rubber Duofolds can have a rather dull orange appearance compared to the more shiny appearance of orange permanite. Red hard rubber is <1926, Permanite was introduced in mid 1926.

4. the length of that barrel (circa 110 mm) is correct for a Senior. The Special was imprinted as such on the barrel. The barrel diameter of the Special was 12 mm vs 13 mm for the Senior.

Thank you so much!  I sure was wrong on the imprint.   Tony Fishier indicates that the small imprint was introduced in 1926, so I guess all of the pens are permanite if he is correct.

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by dicks390
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