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Thread: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

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    Useless mhosea's Avatar
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    Default Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    So, I picked up a silver pearl vac standard off eBay the other day.

    Attachment 15635

    It's not a particularly attractive one. Transparency is OK (heavily ambered but pretty clear), but the plating on the cap bands is toast, and it's missing the cap jewel. When I got it, I found that the barrel threads don't engage very well (cap stays on, but with a very short twist).

    I don't know that much about vac history, but a vac standard with a lockdown filler wasn't something I thought they were making anymore by 1944. Anyway, it's very much like my 37 silver pearl vac standard, which I quite like, except that the grip on this pen is slightly narrower, and the nib is slightly smaller.

    However, I got it because I liked the look of the nib, with most of its plating still intact The nib shape, however, was more reminiscent of modern Parkers like my Duofold Centennial, only smaller.

    Attachment 15636

    It looked like it would be easy to smooth, if it even needed smoothing.

    Attachment 15637

    I was expecting a firm. As I dry scribbled with it on some Tomoe River paper, I noted that it was already quite smooth. Hopefully it wouldn't have too much baby's bottom. I'll find out about that later, but imagine my surprise when I applied a modicum of pressure and saw this

    Attachment 15638

    A semi-flexible nib was the last thing I expected here. It's cool though. I bought it for the nib, and I got a pretty cool nib.
    Last edited by mhosea; January 16th, 2015 at 12:22 AM.
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    Mike

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    Crazyorange (January 17th, 2015), Jeph (January 15th, 2015), Jon Szanto (January 15th, 2015), Lady Onogaro (January 17th, 2015), welch (January 18th, 2015)

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Good fortune, congrats!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Useless mhosea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Thanks. I did a little more research and figured the simplest explanation was that 44 did not mean 1944. Rather, this is the earlier system, meaning 4th quarter of 1934. Now it makes sense.
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    Mike

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    Jon Szanto (January 15th, 2015)

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    Useless mhosea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Whoohoo! 0.4mm (on horizontal stroke, smallest downstroke is about 0.6mm) to 1.8mm.

    Attachment 15669
    Last edited by mhosea; January 16th, 2015 at 07:50 PM.
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    fountainpenkid (January 18th, 2015), Lady Onogaro (January 17th, 2015)

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    Senior Member Chi Town's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Some people have all the luck :-)
    Mike


    Visconti Last Lira aka Luigi Einaudi # 63 of 975, Stipula Yellow Da Vinci Carbon Fiber T, Stipula Model T, Vintage Fountain Pens, Delta Amerigo Vespucci LE F/P, Pelikan Special Edition Sahara F/P, TWSBI Micarta, Danitrio Mikado,Genkai Nakaya Decapodl Cigar, Watley in Woodgrain!, Marlen Yellow Liberty LE, Santa Fe Style Custom "51" Made by Ralph Prather - president New Mexico Pen Collector's Club

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    Senior Member Lady Onogaro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    My goodness, that nib writes beautifully. Good catch, Mike!
    Lady Onogaro

    "Be yourself--everybody else is already taken." --Oscar Wilde

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    Senior Member Crazyorange's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Sweet!!! Congrats!

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    Useless mhosea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Quote Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro View Post
    My goodness, that nib writes beautifully.
    Yeah, it, along with the cream Tomoe River paper, almost makes Waterman Serenity Blue worth using.
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    Mike

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    Senior Member Mags's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting Parker Vacumatic Standard

    Nice find.
    Mags or Rob Maguire MB 149, 147, 146,144, Mozart, Boehme, Sailor Realo, Aurora Optima, Churchmen Prescriptor and Parson's Essential, Parker 51 1.3 mm stub, Parker Vacumatic 1939 OB Can, TWSBI's (540,580, Mini and Vac 700), Pelikan M 1000/800 Demonstrator 600/200 demoM/200 OBB, Visconti Rembrandts (2), Lamy, Cross, Watermans, Pilots, Sheaffer's, Omas 360 LE 84/360, GvFC, Esterbrooks J and SJ, Bexley Jitterbug, Taccia, Eversharp 1952 flex, Edison Herald, Franklin Christoph Piper.

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