Some help please - When was the first Parker ink cartridge made.

[proteus]

There is very little accurate information available to answer my question.

I thought the 1960 Janesville Parker 45 Colt was the first pen to use a Parker Ink cartridge.

Know that the first ones produced at Newhaven were in 1962.

There is a reason for my question - I am attempting to date a pen.

Many thanks.

[FredRydr]

I believe it was a Tuesday just after lunch.

[proteus]

What sandwich was it ?

Tuna with mayo ?

[jos]

The first pen to use a Parker cartridge was the Eversharp 10000 words (ca 1958). EDIT May 11: "ca 1958" is not correct and should be 1960, see comment #13 below

The Parker 45 was introduced mid 1960, as deduced from the June 1960 Parkergram mentioning that "Parker has entered the cartridge pen business in a big way with the introduction of the Parker 45 cartridge pen"

[proteus]

Thank you jos

[azkid]

I'd never heard of the 10000. Interesting FPN thread on it: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321493-origins-of-the-10000-word-pen/

[arrow]

This is side-tracking a bit but; Parker is one of the old brands I guess they were a bit late to bother about cartridges. I used to think cartridges was a more modern invention. When I was a boy in the 1980s, I had a hand me down Parker 51 (I think it was a 51), under the barrel was the rubber bladder and press-bar mechanism. All the new pens in the store had cartridges, but I was rather happy with my old Parker, it often compared favorably. Yesterday I received an old French Waterman advertisement from December 1937, showing a cartridge model. I wonder who were the first one to come up with this invention.

[proteus]

I am going to quess that Parker ink converters were produced before Parker disposable cartridges by about 18 months.

Have added some photography of Parker types – photo 1 ( there one other, the very earliest of the metal converter, I have one but it is not in the photo ).

Photo 2 - the earliest Parker / Eversharp ink converter that I seen ( Marked EVERSHARP / PARKER with a halo & Made in the USA )

The last one is one that I have not actually seen, just have photography of it ( have more images than shown ).
It is a sac/push bar version – also Marked EVERSHARP / PARKER with a halo & Made in the USA .

[jos]

Yesterday I received an old French Waterman advertisement from December 1937, showing a cartridge model. I wonder who were the first one to come up with this invention.

Indeed, the first Waterman (France) glass cartridge pens were advertised in late 1936.

Richard Binder elaborates on which company might have been first in using cartridges in fountain pens:
http://www.richardspens.com/ref/profiles/hancock.htm

[jos]

I am going to quess that Parker ink converters were produced before Parker disposable cartridges by about 18 months. [/I]
That is a confusing 'guessing statement'. It might be better to share arguments rather than guessings.

[proteus]

That is a confusing 'guessing statement'. It might be better to share arguments rather than guessings.

Jos,

Sir,

What a refreshingly nice challenging attitude you have.

Perhaps you may wish to read my post dated 3 days before this one – Parker 51 C/C Fountain Pen
Then re read this post again.

If you still do not find the answer to your comment, I am unable to help.

[jos]

That is a confusing 'guessing statement'. It might be better to share arguments rather than guessings.

Perhaps you may wish to read my post dated 3 days before this one – Parker 51 C/C Fountain Pen
Then re read this post again.

If you still do not find the answer to your comment, I am unable to help.

Parker aquired the Eversharp Pen company in December 1957, possibly because they had a special interest in Eversharp's cartridge know-how. The Parker-Eversharp '10000 words' was the first Parker fountain pen with disposable cartridges. This pen was introduced by Parker ca 1958-59. (EDIT: it is 1960, see comment #13 below)

You were going to guess that the converter came about 18 months earlier. That would be ca 1957-58.

I am interested to learn your arguments for this statement. I did not find them in the other post.

[jos]

Various sources on internet suggest that the Eversharp “10000 Words” cartridge pen was introduced by Parker soon after Parker had bought the writing division of Eversharp (1957) and before the Parker 45 was introduced (1960). I have copied this assumption in my answers above but it appears that this assumption is not true and that the Parker 45 came first, albeit only by 2 months.

Parker literature of 1957-1962 reveals the following timeline of events in early the Parker-Eversharp history, resulting in the first Parker cartridge pen (the text between [xxx] is literally copied from the Parker Parkergrams):

1957-December: Parker acquires the writing instrument division of Eversharp Inc. and names this new Parker subsidiary the ‘Eversharp Pen Company' (Parkergram 1958, March).

1958-Sept: Parkergram USA hints at a mysterious [“soon-to-be-released new product”] from Eversharp. This could be the “10,000 words” cartridge pen because that pen is thought to have been designed by Eversharp before Parker bought the company. Alternatively and more likely, the hint is at a ballpoint that is, also mysteriously, described in later Parkergrams as a soon to be seen Eversharp “fountain ball” (Parkergram World, Oct 1958).

1959-April: Parker acquires a minority interest in Eversharp Australia [“thus obtaining full ownership of the subsidiary”] (Parkergram USA June 1959).

1959-Dec: Eversharp Tiara ballpoint introduced (Parkergram USA Dec 1959). So the very first 'official' Parker-Eversharp pen was a ballpoint. A 1959 Parker-Eversharp advertisement (see bottom of this page: https://parkercollector.com/parker-eversharp.html) shows 3 different Eversharp ballpoints: the Tiara, Gamin and Teena. The Teena ballpoint is identical in style to the Eversharp "10.000" fountain pen that was going to be introduced in August 1960 (see below)

1960-Jan: new Eversharp Reporter ballpoint introduced (Parkergram USA Jan 1960). This was probably an updated version of the well known Eversharp Reporter ballpoint that Eversharp had introduced already in 1950.

1960-June: Parker introduces the Parker 45 in Parkergram USA, June 1960: [“Parker has entered the cartridge pen business in a big way with the introduction of the Parker 45 cartridge pen. Equipped with an easily interchanged 14-karat gold point (with seven sizes), the new Parker pen retails for $5, including two free ink capsules. The cartridge, itself, is oversized when compared with others now on the market. It holds 50 per cent more Super Quink than the Parker Super “21” does on filling”…”As an additional note, The Parker 45 will also meet the demands of consumers who don’t take the idea of cartridges. A manually fillable reservoir which slips into the 45 just like a throwaway cartridge is available at extra cost.”].

1960-August: Parker introduces the new Eversharp "10000" cartridge pen in Parkergram USA August 1960: [“The Eversharp “10,000” will retail at $1.98, with two free cartridges. It is available with matching pencil, in six attractive colors; white, black, azure, light gray, dark green, and red. The pen comes in a range of four point sizes.”] (Note: this pen was thus introduced 2 months after the Parker 45 cartridge pen. With its $5 retailing price, the Parker 45 cartridge pen was aimed at a slightly higher market but on the question whether it was a cartridge pen or a fountain pen, retailers had to answer that [.. the Parker 45 is a fountain pen in the low-price range. Otherwise, it becomes a high-priced cartridge pen and these are awesome terms to be used to attract customers”] (Parkergram USA 1961, July).

1960-Sept: Parkergram USA explains the difference between refill, cartridge and converter: [“The industry generally and Parker specifically uses the word “refill” to designate the ink supply for a ballpoint pen. The word “cartridge” applies to the ink supply for a Parker 45 and the Eversharp “10,000”. The unit that changes both of these pens into traditional fountain pens is called a “converter”].

1960-Sept: Parker introduces new models of the Parker 45: 45 Flighter, 45 Insignia (gold filled cap & barrel) and 45 with a gold filled cap (Parkergram USA September 1960).

Although not conclusive, this timeline indicates that:
- the Parker 45 and not the Parker-Eversharp “10000 Words” was the first Parker pen that used disposable cartridges
- the first Parker ink cartridges came to the market in June 1960 (as substantiated by advertisements of that period)
- the Parker converter was introduced at the same moment as the disposable Parker cartridge (as also substantiated by advertisements of that period)

[proteus]

Jos,

A great many thanks for all your efforts.

Not all things can be learnt from searching the internet.

Hence my question.

[welch]

I was given a Parker 45 for Christmas, 1960, when I was in 7th grade. It came with a metal squeeze converter like the converter labeled "1969 - 77" above. It also used cartridges. I filled the converter every morning with Sheaffer Washable Black or Blue-Black, and carried a couple of Parker cartridges just in case.

Sheaffer had offered a cartridge-only school pen for a couple of years -- we used them in 4th grade. Parker, as far as I know, offered the first successful cartridge - converter fountain pen.

[jos]

I was given a Parker 45 for Christmas, 1960, when I was in 7th grade. It came with a metal squeeze converter like the converter labeled "1969 - 77" above. It also used cartridges. I filled the converter every morning with Sheaffer Washable Black or Blue-Black, and carried a couple of Parker cartridges just in case.

Sheaffer had offered a cartridge-only school pen for a couple of years -- we used them in 4th grade. Parker, as far as I know, offered the first successful cartridge - converter fountain pen.

That is interesting info. It must have been great to receive the then brand new Parker 45 as a present.

The Parker literature suggests that they could attract additional customers if they added a converter next to a cartridge. The Parker 45 was indeed heavily advertised as being fully convertible (cartridge pen and fountain pen in one!), placing the Parker 45 above the level of a simple school pen. Or, as you witness, as a quality pen for a 7th grader.

Here is the earliest ad that I have from the Parker 45: this 1961 ad shows the pen with the red & black converter:

https://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=47059&d=1557817455

[jos]

Jos,

A great many thanks for all your efforts.

Not all things can be learnt from searching the internet.

Hence my question.

You are welcome, I learned quite a few new things too.

[proteus]

Some photography that I was sent today. ( I have asked every specialist collector I know, there are only four of them )

1960 Parker 45 showing the first ink cardridge and converter used.

Almost months after the first Parker metal converter was released.

That dates the Parker 51 CC release date at late 1960 / early 1961.

Once again, thank you Jos

[welch]

I remember the "Tap-tank" label on the cartridge. Parker said that if your cartridge seemed to run out of ink, you could get "just enough" extra ink by flicking the "Tap-tank". And, yes, the Parker 45 was a great improvement over the Sheaffer "school" pen. I used the 45 for six or eight years afterward.

[proteus]

Hello welch,

Many thanks for comments.

Please can you tell me if recall the date you first use one of these tap ink cartridges.

They were made at Newhaven until the late 1960's ( attached a photograph of the UK packing of them )

Was sent this photography of the very earliest Eversharp / Parker ink converter packing.
The net lift is very poor quality and very small.

[pajaro]

All my Sheaffer school pens write better than any of my Parker 45s. This was surprising.

[proteus]

I think these are the first Parker ( Eversharp ) fountain pen refills made.

Any comments please

[welch]

I remember "Tap-Tank" on the first cartridges I got for my new Parker 45, December, 1960. I must have had a US-made P-45, probably bought at the pen counter of The Hecht Company, a department store in Washington, DC. Cartridges and Quink must have been made in Wisconsin.

[pajaro]

The price is definitely 1960s.

[proteus]

Many thanks to Welch and as always, pajaro.

I now am sure the first ' Parker ' ( Eversharp ) cartridges released for sale were in the third part of 1960.

Whilst the first Parker ink converters were developed before this date but they were never released for sale - Patent issues with Eversharp original.

[KrazyIvan]

This thread confirms what I suspected about my Parker 45. I thought it must have been produced around the same time that cartridges were introduced because of the inclusion of a demonstration cartridge unit along with a full cartridge.

[proteus]

Krazy Ivan,

I am please that you realised the significance of my post.
( Most would think it was of not important at all )

As you thought the P45 was released with the new cartridge – October – ish 1960.

I was trying to get my head around a different problem.

If Parker ( Janesville ) had a initial production run of P51 C/C ‘s in 1958 why did they not released them before 1961.

The answer is complex, but I now have it.
In short Parker was developing with ‘ borrowed ‘ Eversharp technology

What I did not realise is P51 C/C were released in 4 different versions at different intervals, 1961 / 1962 – 4 different branding of the same pens.

Cartridge only – no chalk marks. ( Pre Chalk Marks )
Cartridge only – Diamond chalk marks ( Earliest chalks marks )
Cartridge only – ‘CARTRIDGE’ chalk marks ( First standard chalk marks )
Full C/C , both cartridge and ink converter – ‘CONVERTIBLE’ chalk marks

The above is a result of a collaboration between 4 Parker collectors ( only one is here on this forum )

[proteus]

Was sent these images today by other Parker collector.

They are net lifts.

Have asked jos for copies of Parkergrams of June 1960 & August 1960.( PM )

I think most Parker archive researchers missed something.

This pen was made long before the P45, it is just too primitive for 1958-60 Parker development.