Help identifying this Parker 51 Demi?

[penmainiac]

Hi again everyone, I think my hobby might be spiralling out of control with two pen purchases back to back .[emoji28] I managed to score this P51 on ebay for $45 and while the seller has not responded with the length of the pen yet, I highly suspect it is a demi. The most peculiar thing however is that they have it listed as navy blue. Correct me if I’m wrong but the vac demis only came in black, cedar blue, dove grey, and cordovan correct? I believe this may be a cedar blue demi but could anyone here help confirm my suspicions? Picture of the pen attached below.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201213/65881e7fa27a44867b6cccb33eb69ff0.jpg


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[proteus]

penmainiac

My records show the Demi was released in 1947 with Lustraloy and Customs only.

They measure 4 ¾ ins

The colours :

Blue Cedar ( Parker colour code 02 )
Cordovan Brown ( code 03 )
India Black ( code 11 )
Navy Grey ( code 13 )

They were never made at Newhaven, England.

[Chrissy]

What I see in the pictures looks more like black than anything else.

[proteus]

I agree with Chrissy,

The pen shown in your images appears to be black.

However past experience with ebay sellers with average photography offered has taught me to ignore their images and actually contact them to ask what colour they see.

An example.
This is an image of a Cedar Blue P51 Vac.

[penmainiac]

penmainiac

My records show the Demi was released in 1947 with Lustraloy and Customs only.

They measure 4 ¾ ins

The colours :

Blue Cedar ( Parker colour code 02 )
Cordovan Brown ( code 03 )
India Black ( code 11 )
Navy Grey ( code 13 )

They were never made at Newhaven, England.

From the cap to barrel ratio would you say that this is most likely a demi?


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[proteus]

Yes, it is a Demi based on your second image.

Do let me know what colour it is when it arrives.

[welch]

Cedar Blue is almost exactly the same color as the P-51 aerometric Midnight Blue -- I have a couple of each -- and both are pretty much Navy Blue to people not in Parker's marketing department of 70 years ago.

And $45 for a P-51 Demi is a good deal, even if you spend another $40 having the diaphragm replaced if it's an early Demi, a Vac Demi.

[Ron Z]

Yeh, a blue cedar demi. These are interesting in that only the barrel was shorter - the cap is the same size as the standard size 51. It wasn't until the aerometrics came out that the barrel was both shorter and smaller in diameter. Not sure what the point was, unless they were trying to compete with the Sheaffer Tuckaway, which I also think is a bit weird.

[proteus]

I suspect the original cap is shorter that the one shown.

[penmainiac]

Update: The pen came! It’s definitely a cedar blue and definitely a demi. Oddly, I kind of like the size. I’ve used a standard 51 vac before and those were pretty nice to use without posting, but this one when posting is quite a nice size.[emoji16] This will definitely be my note taking pen. I can hear the diaphram moving inside the pen but it is spitting out bits of ossified rubber, I’ll probably replace it just to be sure.


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[pajaro]

Cedar Blue is almost exactly the same color as the P-51 aerometric Midnight Blue -- I have a couple of each -- and both are pretty much Navy Blue to people not in Parker's marketing department of 70 years ago.

And $45 for a P-51 Demi is a good deal, even if you spend another $40 having the diaphragm replaced if it's an early Demi, a Vac Demi.


I have a cedar blue 51 vac and several p51 aerometrics in midnight blue. Cedar blue is a bit lighter.

[Chrissy]

Update: The pen came! It’s definitely a cedar blue and definitely a demi. Oddly, I kind of like the size. I’ve used a standard 51 vac before and those were pretty nice to use without posting, but this one when posting is quite a nice size.[emoji16] This will definitely be my note taking pen. I can hear the diaphram moving inside the pen but it is spitting out bits of ossified rubber, I’ll probably replace it just to be sure.


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Have you bought the tool to remove the filler unit?

[penmainiac]

Update: The pen came! It’s definitely a cedar blue and definitely a demi. Oddly, I kind of like the size. I’ve used a standard 51 vac before and those were pretty nice to use without posting, but this one when posting is quite a nice size.[emoji16] This will definitely be my note taking pen. I can hear the diaphram moving inside the pen but it is spitting out bits of ossified rubber, I’ll probably replace it just to be sure.


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Have you bought the tool to remove the filler unit?

Yup! I ordered a c-ring from Dr Oldfield [emoji4]


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[Ron Z]

Cedar Blue is almost exactly the same color as the P-51 aerometric Midnight Blue -- I have a couple of each -- and both are pretty much Navy Blue to people not in Parker's marketing department of 70 years ago.

And $45 for a P-51 Demi is a good deal, even if you spend another $40 having the diaphragm replaced if it's an early Demi, a Vac Demi.


I have a cedar blue 51 vac and several p51 aerometrics in midnight blue. Cedar blue is a bit lighter.


Like dove gray, there are multiple shades of cedar blue. It makes replacing parts and matching colors a pain in the tush.

[proteus]

penmaniac

I am pleased that you like your new pen.

Please can you tell me the length of the cap.


pajaro

I agree Midnight Blue is different colour.

About 5/6 colour hues darker than a cedar blue

[penmainiac]

penmaniac

I am pleased that you like your new pen.

Please can you tell me the length of the cap.


pajaro

I agree Midnight Blue is different colour.

About 5/6 colour hues darker than a cedar blue

Seems to be about 5.70-5.75 cm


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[penmainiac]

In the process of taking the pen apart I noticed two things. First the diaphram seems to be intact as it shows no signs of leakage or punctures when I blow on the end or pump water. Secondly the collector seems to be a bit stubborn, I’ve been soaking it but I don’t know how well it will remove any gunk. Perhaps the previous owner shellacked the collector?


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[penmainiac]

Wonderful news! The previous owner must have gotten the pen restored, the diaphram seems new!!! Any advice to make sure of this though?

[proteus]

penmainiac,

I am glad that you have taken the time to reply further.

Thank you.

It is very pleasing to hear that you are happy with your new pen.

The cap is correct too.

In front of me right now is a NOS 1947, the cap measures 157mm

( It is the one featured in DS's P51 book - page 68, that I bought from him )

[Sheptonian]

Hi, In case it is of any help here are (from left to right) two P51 Aerometrics in Midnight blue, a Cedar Blue P51 Vacumatic, and another Aerometric, this time in Teal Blue, photographed in the shade outdoors on a bright day. As Ron Z says, however, there are different shades of Cedar Blue. The few that I have seen have all had a somewhat dusky appearance compared with the brighter Midnight Blue but I have not seen enough Cedar Blue examples to be sure if that is always the case.

[proteus]

Sheptonian

What remarkable pens and image shown.

Thank You

[Chrissy]

How on earth did that ebay guy manage to get that blue pen to look so like black when it's not even a dark blue?

OP I'm glad it worked out for you. :)

[proteus]

If you have looked at ebay photography for a long time you will recognise a pen's colour

Have photographed a few pens myself.

It is about light.

[penmainiac]

Here are some pictures I took after slightly cleaning up the pen! The nib was a tad bit scratchy but I fixed up the alignment and not it’s not too bad.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201220/f64fdc76ea967280fb058080398a821f.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201220/c61629f0ee4883e45484155a8a7f9f7a.jpg


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[Chrissy]

Oops something went wrong with your first picture. It's sideways on. (If you edit it needs to go 90 degrees clockwise)

[proteus]

Chrissy,

About ambient light when looking at ebay photography

What you have to see through............

two examples

[penmainiac]

Oops something went wrong with your first picture. It's sideways on. (If you edit it needs to go 90 degrees clockwise)

My bad I’ll try to see if I can fix it


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[proteus]

penmainiac

I liked looking at your new pen.

Thank you.

They are hard to find.