Another gem from my grandfather -- Parker Vacumatic

**Dragonmaster Lou** · August 2nd, 2015, 06:48 PM

I was visiting with my grandfather today and the subject of pens came up. He brought out his collection of fountain pens (most of which come from brands I've never heard of, such as Reform 50, Signature, Labor, etc., though there was a Wearever in there) as well as two Parkers. One was the Parker 51 I mentioned in another post, but this one I finally noticed was a vintage Parker Vacumatic after looking at it more closely. It's got a chip in the barrel and probably hasn't been inked up and used in years, but it still appears to be in pretty good shape otherwise. I'll post some pics in case I can find out more about it from anyone.

**Farmboy** · August 2nd, 2015, 10:43 PM

The clip looks to be a replacement. You might want to consider having someone rebuild the filler for you before inking.

**Dragonmaster Lou** · August 3rd, 2015, 06:35 AM

Oh, even my grandfather admits that the sacs in his old pens are well past their best by dates. If/when these pens are ever inked up, they certainly will be properly repaired before doing so.

**ac12** · August 3rd, 2015, 10:32 PM

Looks like a button filler, not a vacumatic.

**Jeph** · August 4th, 2015, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by ac12

Looks like a button filler, not a vacumatic.

I thought the same thing myself at first but you can just make out the beginning of the threads on the piston housing. And the metal lock-down version plunger does look just like that in the down position. I agree about the clip.

**Dragonmaster Lou** · August 4th, 2015, 09:58 AM

I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of it, but the words "Parker Vacumatic" were on the barrel.

Interesting that the clip doesn't appear to be original... No idea why that is, although I guess it was replaced at some point. Given that it has a chip missing on the side, my grandfather may have used the pen pretty hard back in the day.

**ac12** · August 5th, 2015, 06:26 PM

Pens did get damaged in regular use, so he probably bent or broke the clip and had it repaired/replaced.
I have a Parker vac with a NON-Parker nib. It probably fell nib down onto the floor, and the nib had to be replaced.

Jeph, I agree. I wondered why Farmboy did not say anything about it being a button filler, and you have the answer, cuz it isn't a button filler.
I have to get me a vac with one of those fillers...one day.

**Dragonmaster Lou** · August 6th, 2015, 01:25 PM

Yeah, no idea when this pen originally came out, but it's certainly one of my grandfather's oldest pens... It may have even been a pen from when he was school aged as far as I know. I know I wasn't the most careful with my pens when I was in school...