1947 Vacumatic with a USA 1953 Nib?

[drathbun]

Hey folks!

 

I am restoring an unusual Parker Vacumatic 3rd Generation from 1947 (as indicated on the barrel), featuring a 14k USA nib stamped "53". I understand that Canada continued to make the Vacumatic model through the early 40s, but I've never seen a Vac nib marked past 1948 that was made in the USA.

 

How rare is this?

 

BTW, the cap is mismatched with the body of the pen. It is a 1st or 2nd Gen with tighter stacked celluloid spacing and the original arrow clip (three cap bands).

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Cheers,

 

Doug 

[VacNut]

What type of filler was in the pen? Is the blind cap without the jewel correct for the pen? If it is a replacement wouldn’t it be a double-jewel vac that would be correct for the 1937 code.

[drathbun]

9 hours ago, VacNut said:

What type of filler was in the pen? Is the blind cap without the jewel correct for the pen? If it is a replacement wouldn’t it be a double-jewel vac that would be correct for the 1937 code.

The cap belongs to a double jewel 1sr or 2nd gen. The pen is a 3rd gen vac with a celluloid rod pump. 

[baz666]

Likely a replacement nib.
If I recall correctly, U.S.A. made Vacumatics have been found with 60s date codes!

[VacNut]

9 hours ago, drathbun said:

The cap belongs to a double jewel 1sr or 2nd gen. The pen is a 3rd gen vac with a celluloid rod pump. 

Is the 3rd Gen determination based on the end cap and the plastic filler?

 

It would be very uncommon for a Vacumatic to be made in the USA several years after the introduction of the 51. Both parts may be replacements.

 

Regardless whether it is 1937 or 1947, I am not sure it commands a higher value.

[Glenn-SC]

2 hours ago, VacNut said:

It would be very uncommon for a Vacumatic to be made in the USA several years after the introduction of the 51.

The “51” was introduced in and I thought that the Vacumatic was produced through 1948.  

[drathbun]

3 hours ago, VacNut said:

Is the 3rd Gen determination based on the end cap and the plastic filler?

 

It would be very uncommon for a Vacumatic to be made in the USA several years after the introduction of the 51. Both parts may be replacements.

 

Regardless whether it is 1937 or 1947, I am not sure it commands a higher value.

Yes. The body, section, nib, and feed are all 3rd-generation Vacumatics. The barrel code is "7." or the third quarter of 1947. 

 

I'm sure the cap isn't from the same pen. Perhaps a 1930s cap was mated with this 1947 pen when the '47 lost its cap. 

 

But the USA-made Vacumatic nib dated 1953 is a head-scratcher.

[drathbun]

46 minutes ago, Glenn-SC said:

The “51” was introduced in and I thought that the Vacumatic was produced through 1948.  

Yes. My research tells me that Parker USA stopped making the Vacumatic and Parker 51 Vacumatic models completely in 1948. Canada continued making the Vacumatic until around 1953. But this nib is marked 1953 and made in the USA. Odd.

[Glenn-SC]

11 minutes ago, drathbun said:

Yes. My research tells me that Parker USA stopped making the Vacumatic and Parker 51 Vacumatic models completely in 1948. Canada continued making the Vacumatic until around 1953. But this nib is marked 1953 and made in the USA. Odd.

I wasn’t commenting upon when the nib was made or marked.  I was commenting upon the simultaneous production of the “51” and the Vacumatic from 1941 through 1948.  
I have no direct knowledge of the manufacturing of Vacumatic nibs, new or replacement, or their markings.

[drathbun]

15 hours ago, Glenn-SC said:

I wasn’t commenting upon when the nib was made or marked.  I was commenting upon the simultaneous production of the “51” and the Vacumatic from 1941 through 1948.  
I have no direct knowledge of the manufacturing of Vacumatic nibs, new or replacement, or their markings.

Gotcha! Thanks!