An interesting Parker 51 from 1957

[Fermata]

https://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=63917&d=1633925322

[silverlifter]

What's that printed around the top of the hood? Is it numbers? Letters? Intelligble?

Awesome aftermarket mod, tho :p

[Jon Szanto]

What's that printed around the top of the hood? Is it numbers? Letters? Intelligble?

Looks to be 0 in middle, flanked by 1, then 2 (maybe etc). Looks to be something along the lines of the 75.

[Fermata]

This pen was sold on Ebay yesterday, I was not the buyer or seller.

The pen was described as a 51 prototype and has a Made in USA cap, the numbers around the section include 32101, there are additional numbers on the barrel.

The pen sold for around £440/$530

eta

I think Jon was on the money, the idea of an open nibbed 51 seems nuts, IMHO there is more credibility to think that this is a prototype 75 using a P51 barrel and cap as a mule.

[christof]

Isn't this rather kind of a pre-VP?

Parker VP:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49971347897_b88b92d453_3k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j8NdKK)Parker VP (https://flic.kr/p/2j8NdKK) by C.M.Z (https://www.flickr.com/photos/30169694@N08/), auf Flickr

[Fermata]

You could well be right, it looks to me to be a bit of a hodgepodge, and even that assumes that what we see today is a pen as it left the factory.

Call me an old cynic if you like but there may have been more money in it for the seller to describe the pen as a Prototype 51 than a Prototype 75 or VP.

[christof]

You could well be right, it looks to me to be a bit of a hodgepodge, and even that assumes that what we see today is a pen as it left the factory.

Call me an old cynic if you like but there may have been more money in it for the seller to describe the pen as a Prototype 51 than a Prototype 75 or VP.

Well, we do not know for what amount the pen was sold.

But I assume that a pre-series of the VP could fetch a good price. VP's are rather uncommon pens and exceptional variants even more so.

However, I think that at least the nib is not original. This comes from a Vac.

[Fermata]

You could well be right, it looks to me to be a bit of a hodgepodge, and even that assumes that what we see today is a pen as it left the factory.

Call me an old cynic if you like but there may have been more money in it for the seller to describe the pen as a Prototype 51 than a Prototype 75 or VP.

Well, we do not know for what amount the pen was sold.

But I assume that a pre-series of the VP could fetch a good price. VP's are rather uncommon pens and exceptional variants even more so.

However, I think that at least the nib is not original. This comes from a Vac.

The pen was sold for the equivalent of 520 euros.

[christof]

Oh wow!

Then it must have been interesting for at least two collectors. I don't think anyone would spend that amount without knowing what he was bidding for.

[Fermata]

Oh wow!

Then it must have been interesting for at least two collectors. I don't think anyone would spend that amount without knowing what he was bidding for.

The price soared in the last few minutes.

No provenance was stated in the ad so I presume that none existed.

I know that there are quite a few who follow pen history and there are some P51 Parker history buffs, I haven't seen anything like this, I thought that it might be of interest if only to try and work out what on earth Parker were thinking.

[TSherbs]

That section looks squared off. Do I see that right?

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[Fermata]

That section looks squared off. Do I see that right?

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk


Either squared or triangulated TS.

[TSherbs]

weird

but what do I know

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

[guyy]

I agree with Christof. The section shape, the metal ring, the open nib and the timing (assuming 1957 is correct), say VP.

[Fermata]

I agree with Christof. The section shape, the metal ring, the open nib and the timing (assuming 1957 is correct), say VP.

You could be right, it is difficult to know for certain especially when we are assuming that the pen as advertised is as it left Parker.

[Fermata]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lovely-Rare-Parker-51-Experimental-Prototype-Fountain-Pen-Grey-With-Lustroy-Cap-/353691719830?hash=item5259ab5896%3Ag%3A1mAAAOSwLxJ hTxUC&nma=true&si=QXqyMm%252Fty9VAk6bjcNFM6KuL1cc%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[Farmboy]

The pen is not a 51.
The pen is an Experimental model from the VP line made in the model shop.

Price was very reasonable.

[Barry Gabay]

If the pen is indeed a prototype VP, then I agree that the price is a reasonable one. I saw this listing on ebay and followed it for several days. Sounded odd that the seller described it as a rare 51 prototype which he bought years ago, but for which he had lost the paperwork. That is not how one treats documentation for a rare prototype. Additionally, I don't understand why a prototype would be set with a much older Vacumatic nib. However, I will defer to christof, Farmboy, and guyy -- all of whose judgement I trust. Interesting thread. Be well.

[christof]

...Additionally, I don't understand why a prototype would be set with a much older Vacumatic nib...

Thank you Barry.
I think it's the engraving on the barrel which identify the pen as a "Experimental model, made in the model shop of Parker" as Todd it calls.

...and yes, threads like theese are very interesting.

[proteus]

Just passing through...........

It is an experiment P51 that David bought from DS in December last year

As for value, I passed at £250, it sold £275

I did not think it was significant enough to warrant the money asked

Perhaps someone here needs to re check his records if he thinks that this is VP made in the Arrow Park model shop..........smiling......alot

[Farmboy]

Just passing through...........

It is an experiment P51 that David bought from DS in December last year

As for value, I passed at £250, it sold £275




I did not think it was significant enough to warrant the money asked

Perhaps someone here needs to re check his records if he thinks that this is VP made in the Arrow Park model shop..........smiling......alot
If it isn’t a model shop pen in the VP line what do you say it is? The engraved numbers are likely drawing or order numbers.

[christof]

Just passing through...........

It is an experiment P51 that David bought from DS in December last year

As for value, I passed at £250, it sold £275

I did not think it was significant enough to warrant the money asked



Interesting, but hard to understand for someone who was not involved in the quoatated discussion. Could you please share some more information?

[Scrawler]

This is fascinating. I am very curious about this particular item.

[Ron Z]

I can believe that this is from the model shop. I had a chance to visit Susan Wirth a number of years ago. She showed me a series of pens from the model shop that showed the design evolution from the VP, through to the 75 Its been 13 years so I don't remember the details. The numbers could easily be the original markings intended to show nib position, simplified in the production pens.

From what she told me, it was not uncommon for pens from the model shop to be taken and used as prizes at the company picnic. There were some weird pens in circulation in Janesville.

[proteus]

I thought these P51 pens were more interesting.