A Very Unusual Parker 95?

[dicks390]

I purchased this pen and based on everything I saw on the cap and clip I identified it as a Parker Arrow.   However, it has a "U" date code, or a manufacturing year of 1991.  Since the parker Arrow was discontinued in 1987, I concluded it was a Parker 95.  However, the cap and clip to me, are clearly Parker Arrow designs, so is the U manufacturing date an error, or what do I have here?  Thank you.

[Sheptonian]

You have a 1981 Parker Arrow.

 

The clip of the Parker 95, in particular, is very different from that of an Arrow. Here is a Parker 95 alongside an Arrow like yours.

 

 Further information may be found here: Parker Pens Penography: ARROW

[dicks390]

25 minutes ago, Sheptonian said:

You have a 1981 Parker Arrow.

 

The clip of the Parker 95, in particular, is very different from that of an Arrow. Here is a Parker 95 alongside an Arrow like yours.

 

 Further information may be found here: Parker Pens Penography: ARROW

 

26 minutes ago, Sheptonian said:

You have a 1981 Parker Arrow.

 

The clip of the Parker 95, in particular, is very different from that of an Arrow. Here is a Parker 95 alongside an Arrow like yours.

 

 Further information may be found here: Parker Pens Penography: ARROW

 

[dicks390]

Just now, dicks390 said:

So, you think the U date code (1991)was a mistake in manufacturing by Parker?

 

 

[thx1138]

Yes. Date coding had only been reintroduced a couple of years before and anomalies in the date codes are not uncommon. 

A 1981 date fits well with production late in the year for release and distribution in 1982.

[Sheptonian]

11 hours ago, dicks390 said:

 

The date code is not a manufacturing error. It is correct for the pen (1981 Quarter 4).

As the article in the link above mentions, the Arrow was launched in 1981 in the USA.

[dicks390]

According to the site, here are the date codes.

1981 - UE UC UL UI
1982 - AE AC AL AI
1983 - LE LC LL LI
1984 - IE IC IL II
1985 - TE TC TL TI
1986 - YE YC YL YI

1987 - PE PC PL PI
1988 - IIIE IIE IE E (change)
1989 - IIIN IIN IN N

1990 - IIIQ IIQ IQ Q
1991 - IIIU IIU IU U

 

A U without a letter following it is 1991 Q4.  So, I have to agree with thx1138 that Parker left off the I with this particular pen.  If that is the case, because of this anomaly, is this pen worth any more than its normal resale value?

[Sheptonian]

Fair point (my bad, and my apologies!) but it is certainly 1981.

For pens about which I have some knowledge I always look at the pen first when trying to arrive at a date. If it is from a period when date codes were in use usually the code that you find is one that you would expect to see on a model with those characteristics.

There are examples where you would expect to find a date code but there isn't one because, for instance, in an individual case someone forgot to stamp it or (like the Parker 25 at Newhaven for a period IIRC - somebody mentioned Malcolm Troak's book?) the pressure to get large volumes of pens out of the door in a hurry led to some date stamping being missed. Similarly sometimes there is a 1970s model where production was supposed to have ceased a few years before date codes were reintroduced but there are pens of that model with 1980s date codes. Either later production or (more likely) plenty of stock left over after production ceased. 

Sadly rarity or non-conformance to the design does not always equate to increased value.

[dicks390]

2 hours ago, Sheptonian said:

Fair point (my bad, and my apologies!) but it is certainly 1981.

For pens about which I have some knowledge I always look at the pen first when trying to arrive at a date. If it is from a period when date codes were in use usually the code that you find is one that you would expect to see on a model with those characteristics.

There are examples where you would expect to find a date code but there isn't one because, for instance, in an individual case someone forgot to stamp it or (like the Parker 25 at Newhaven for a period IIRC - somebody mentioned Malcolm Troak's book?) the pressure to get large volumes of pens out of the door in a hurry led to some date stamping being missed. Similarly sometimes there is a 1970s model where production was supposed to have ceased a few years before date codes were reintroduced but there are pens of that model with 1980s date codes. Either later production or (more likely) plenty of stock left over after production ceased. 

Sadly rarity or non-conformance to the design does not always equate to increased value.

Thank you.  So, you don't think this little anomaly doesn't add any resale value to this slick looking pen?

[Sheptonian]

16 hours ago, dicks390 said:

Thank you.  So, you don't think this little anomaly doesn't add any resale value to this slick looking pen?

I can only speak for myself but it would not make any difference to me as i would see it merely as an interesting curiosity. Then again, a 10% or 20% difference in price would not be a lot in any case (on average between 2020 and last year I paid less than £13 per pen for my three Arrows - I have no idea how much they go for on your side of the Pond).

[dicks390]

1 hour ago, Sheptonian said:

I can only speak for myself but it would not make any difference to me as i would see it merely as an interesting curiosity. Then again, a 10% or 20% difference in price would not be a lot in any case (on average between 2020 and last year I paid less than £13 per pen for my three Arrows - I have no idea how much they go for on your side of the Pond).

Thank you my friend and have a fine weekend.