First year Parker 51

[Hawk]

Farmboy, are the blue diamond clips one feather or two half feathers?
BTW, in Shepherds book he states: "In 1950 the clip was shortened and the number of feathers reduced."
According to bird people you are correct. I am a 'pen people' so I am correct also.

[Farmboy]

Farmboy, are the blue diamond clips one feather or two half feathers?
BTW, in Shepherds book he states: "In 1950 the clip was shortened and the number of feathers reduced."
According to bird people you are correct. I am a 'pen people' so I am correct also.

The Shepard book has some issues. Bird people will say we are counting vanes and the clip represents one feather with the spine making the arrow.

I think it is dangerous to count the 'feathers' or 'vanes' and relegate them to a date.

To answer the original question of what makes a 1st year (or zero year) 51, there is no exact answer. You need to look at the whole pen and take into account the history of said pen and remember that Parker was in the business of selling pens just as materials shortages were hitting so anything that worked got sold.

[grainweevil]

According to bird people you are correct. I am a 'pen people' so I am correct also.

With a name like Hawk, I would have put good money on you being about as bird a person as could be!

Bird people will say we are counting vanes

This bird person thinks you may actually be counting barbs.

[Chrissy]

With a name like Hawk, I would have put good money on you being about as bird a person as could be!

Bird people will say we are counting vanes

This bird person thinks you may actually be counting barbs.

This bird person (although not strictly a twitcher) agrees with grainweevil.

[Farmboy]

Barbs it is. But there is still the pesky question around what makes a first year. I do like story behind the chew toy 51 and it gives a confirmed data point of an original pen. Filler data would be nice and nib should be bare but both could have been replaced and it is still proper chew toy.