Parker Lucky Curve Confusion

[HKoch04]

Hi guys, this is one of my first posts on here, and hopefully it isn’t my only one! Yesterday I was at a local antiques show, and was able to pick up some vintage fountain pens and pencils. This is a Lucky Curve I got in a lot of 7, and I haven’t been able to find another one like it online. Does anyone have any information on when it was made? And how repairable does the nib look? Any help would be appreciated!

[shalitha33]

I am no parker expert but PCA might be a good starting point to start looking. This would be before the section and endcap was re-designed and after the button filler type was introduced. unfortunately I don't know enough to narrow a date range or a model number other than just that  sorry.

 

https://pencollectorsofamerica.org/reference-library/parker/

 

1918 catalog - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jkuIWGJsGfxrJiTZx0oY8r8dVagRRASk/view 

1927 catalog - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rdwdqy8V5zJaojM_5aAoGWAk7njKH7OK/view

 

[HKoch04]

Hey, thanks for the help! I’ll definitely look on there and see if I can find it!

[inkstainedruth]

Another source would be Parkercollectors.com -- that's my go-to site for all things Parker pens. 

I picked up what I thought was a Lucky Curve ringtop a few years ago in an antiques store about 40 minutes north of me but couldn't actually find anything that looked like it in the Lucky Curve article.  So posted a description of the pen I got and someone said, "Oh, sounds like it's actually a Duofold -- and if it just says "Lucky Curve" on the barrel, it's from 1926!"  Someday, I really need to find that pen again, and the stupee MB clamshell case it came in, and get that pen restored.  It will probably cost more than I paid ($12 US) but I suspect I could get at LEAST that much just for the case.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[HKoch04]

I don’t know how well it came out in the pictures, but that’s what mine says too. There no mention of Duofold at all on the barrel, just “Lucky Curve”, Geo S Parker, and the patent numbers. 

[HKoch04]

It’s also about the length of my Parker Duofold Jr, and a little thinner. 

[FlighterGuy]

That is a heart shape breather hole and a #2 Lucky Curve nib.   So, you are in the range between 1919-1926. Does it have a number on the end cap?

 

As for the nib you can start by contacting nibs.com.  Some things are just too simple.  🙂 

[inkstainedruth]

On 3/11/2024 at 4:14 PM, HKoch04 said:

I don’t know how well it came out in the pictures, but that’s what mine says too. There no mention of Duofold at all on the barrel, just “Lucky Curve”, Geo S Parker, and the patent numbers. 

Interesting.  I have a little ringtop that I picked up a few years ago at antiques store about 40 minutes north of me (I was in the town for something else, and there was also some sort of town fair going on so I was walking around after grabbing some lunch).  It also said "Lucky Curve" on it, but I didn't find anything that looked remotely like it on the page for those pens on the parkercollector.com site.  So posted a description of it in the Parker Forum and someone said that it was a Duofold, and if it just said "Lucky Curve on the barrel, it was from 1926....

Really need to figure out where it's gone and hid itself (and the MB clamshell box it came in) in my house....  Because I really should have that pen overhauled and put back into writing condition at some point....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[HKoch04]

17 hours ago, FlighterGuy said:

That is a heart shape breather hole and a #2 Lucky Curve nib.   So, you are in the range between 1919-1926. Does it have a number on the end cap?

 

As for the nib you can start by contacting nibs.com.  Some things are just too simple.  🙂 

I’ve looked at both the top of the cap and the blind cap, and as far as I can tell, there’s nothing saying what model it is. Unless it’s been worn off, I don’t think it was marked. 

[HKoch04]

Thank you all for the help so far! 

[HKoch04]

15 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Interesting.  I have a little ringtop that I picked up a few years ago at antiques store about 40 minutes north of me (I was in the town for something else, and there was also some sort of town fair going on so I was walking around after grabbing some lunch).  It also said "Lucky Curve" on it, but I didn't find anything that looked remotely like it on the page for those pens on the parkercollector.com site.  So posted a description of it in the Parker Forum and someone said that it was a Duofold, and if it just said "Lucky Curve on the barrel, it was from 1926....

Really need to figure out where it's gone and hid itself (and the MB clamshell box it came in) in my house....  Because I really should have that pen overhauled and put back into writing condition at some point....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

You should get it restored! They’re fantastic! I have a Duofold Jr in Jade, and even in the worn condition it’s in, it’s still a reliable writer! I just picked up a Conklin set, either a Glider or Nozac, in perfect condition on EBay. I hope I like it just as much! 

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, I just have to *find* it first.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[KAC]

Maybe I missed it in the photos, but is this pen a lever filler? From the general appearance, I'd guess it was a circa WW-1 pen and has some vague resemblance to a "Jackknife" model.

[HKoch04]

13 minutes ago, KAC said:

Maybe I missed it in the photos, but is this pen a lever filler? From the general appearance, I'd guess it was a circa WW-1 pen and has some vague resemblance to a "Jackknife" model.

This one is a button-filler, where you unscrew the end cap and you fill it by pressing the silver button. It does fit the same general appearance to the Jack Knife, but I didn’t think they ever came with a cap band.