Cap/barrel color mismatch on Big Red?

[CVR]

I just acquired a couple of Duofold Big Reds, and I noticed a slight color mismatch on one of them. The cap looks a bit redder and the barrel looks a bit more orange.

 

Are such color variations seen on these pens, or should I assume that the barrel and cap are mismatched?

 

The pen is in really terrific shape, without the slightest trace of brassing or any abuse, so it could all be original. The nib says "Parker / Lucky Curve", as expected.

 

I've attached an image, but the color difference is less apparent in the picture than when looking at the pen itself.

 

Comments appreciated.

 

 

 

[Ron Z]

There are sometimes variations in color from pen to pen and batches.   With the two bands I would expect that the cap to be celluloid.  If the barrel is significantly lighter, it could be hard rubber.  Rub the barrel briskly and then sniff.  If nothing, likely celluloid.  But if it's hard rubber, you'll smell the rubber.

[CVR]

Thanks, Ron.

 

I can understand some color variations across pens, but I was wondering about color variations between cap and barrel for the same pen. Do we see such variations?

 

I've attached another image showing three pens, in which the color variation in the middle pen may be clearer.

 

 

[Ron Z]

Rather than a straight answer, let me give some hints and let you dig a little bit....

 

Look at the imprint on the barrel and the size of the imprint.   Look at the color.   Large or medium imprint.  Bright red VS darker red of the cap that dates from 1928 and later.  Have you done the sniff test?  What do you think the answer might be?  What were the production dates for these features?  

[Tashi_Tsering]

I have 2 red Duofolds (with one thin cap ring, I think they are circa 1926) with a slight color difference between the cap and the barrel. The difference is less noticeable than in your photos, but it is definitely there.

 

It doesn't bother me

[FarmBoy]

8 hours ago, Ron Z said:

Rather than a straight answer, let me give some hints and let you dig a little bit....

 

Look at the imprint on the barrel and the size of the imprint.   Look at the color.   Large or medium imprint.  Bright red VS darker red of the cap that dates from 1928 and later.  Have you done the sniff test?  What do you think the answer might be?  What were the production dates for these features?  

I think it is a replacement cap. 

[jchch1950]

Can it be a different change in colour with time, including the emission of gases of the rubber sac?

[Beechwood]

2 hours ago, jchch1950 said:

Can it be a different change in colour with time, including the emission of gases of the rubber sac?

 

 

I think that was the suggestion about the Jade Green, I don't think that the red was affected, just a swap out of the cap.

 

 

[CVR]

20 hours ago, Ron Z said:

Rather than a straight answer, let me give some hints and let you dig a little bit....

 

Look at the imprint on the barrel and the size of the imprint.   Look at the color.   Large or medium imprint.  Bright red VS darker red of the cap that dates from 1928 and later.  Have you done the sniff test?  What do you think the answer might be?  What were the production dates for these features?  

 

Thanks, Ron. The DUOFOLD imprint looks like it's either large or medium.  I've never had much luck with the sniff test, unfortunately, but FWIW, I certainly don't smell any rubber on the barrel.

 

That suggests the barrel is likely from 1925-26, since the small imprint came in 1926, and the Permanite barrels came in 1925.

 

The double cap bands are from 1928, so the cap is likely a replacement.

 

Sounds right to you?

[Ron Z]

Yup. I still think that the barrel is hard rubber, even if you can't smell it.  The other thing that I've observed is that the light orange hard rubber seems to be softer than celluloid.  The color will come off on a rag if you use Simichrome or Wenol, than it will on celluloid.  Parkerpens.net says that that in 1924, "the rubber was now of a somewhat lighter style."  I assume color, not weight.  Richard Binder says that the '24 Duofold is distinctly brighter in color.

 

Good sources for information:

parkerpens.net

richardspens.com

The Parker Duofold Book by Shepherd and Zazove

[CVR]

Thanks, Ron.

 

The imprints are visible in the 3-pen image I posted above. The right pen clearly has a small imprint. Would you judge the imprint on the middle pen to be large or medium?

[Ron Z]

Hard to tell without being able to see what's below DUOFOLD in the picture.  The pictures in the Duofold book show large imprint covering most of the last two letters of PARKER, and the first two of FOUNTAIN....   The medium is just a bit bigger than the banner between the two words, and might cover the last and first letter.

[CVR]

19 minutes ago, Ron Z said:

Hard to tell without being able to see what's below DUOFOLD in the picture.  The pictures in the Duofold book show large imprint covering most of the last two letters of PARKER, and the first two of FOUNTAIN....   The medium is just a bit bigger than the banner between the two words, and might cover the last and first letter.

 

Looks like a medium DUOFOLD imprint, in that case. That dates the barrel to 1924-26.

 

[Ron Z]

i.e. likely hard rubber, ...and the cap is 1928 or later, celluloid (permanite).  Binder says that the were making the celluloid pens in 1925, but the color of this one is wrong.