Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Rocklin, California
    Posts
    8
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Okay, I am a TOTAL NOVICE at Parker collecting, so help me out here.

    Is there a place where I can get a good color sample of the plum vs. burgundy? I just got a gorgeous pen/pencil set and the case it came with would lead me to believe its from 1948/49. But since I've never seen the plum or burgundy versions, I can't tell them apart.

    Help!

    Todd

    Day 104 - Parker.jpg

  2. #2
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,071
    Thanks
    1,519
    Thanked 2,593 Times in 1,021 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Take the pen (and here pencil, too) outside in daylight. If it's plum, you can tell immediately in natural light.

  3. #3
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    If you have a powerful flashlight, like a Maglight, that works too. It is very helpful to have a known USA burgundy for comparison. The plum is more bluish. The case you have looks like a case for a Vac 51 set. Your set looks burgundy to me. If you paid less than about $200, it's probably not plum.

    The guys on FPN are often reporting finds of Plum 51s for Sumgai prices. I am not sure I believe any of it. They are sought after by many who know what to look for.
    Last edited by pajaro; April 24th, 2013 at 07:37 PM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,071
    Thanks
    1,519
    Thanked 2,593 Times in 1,021 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Quote Originally Posted by pajaro View Post
    ... The guys on FPN are often reporting finds of Plum 51s for Sumgai prices. I am not sure I believe any of it. They are sought after by many who know what to look for.
    Honestly, I got my plum (with GF cap) for less than $40 shipped. My friend also got his at a great price. Both of us from the auction site. Neither of us thought they were plum when we bid.

  5. #5
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    I chased a plum 51 for years, never bidding quite high enough. $221 wasn't high enough for one. I suppose that there might be a timing thing, where all the older people who had one of the plum 51s have been dying off and these pens have been bought by estate sale buyers who don't know what they have.

    See this listing, recently sold. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Restored-plu...vip=true&rt=nc
    If you have been impossibly lucky, count your lucky stars. I don't believe that the auction air waves are paved with milions and milions of plum 51s.


  6. #6
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,071
    Thanks
    1,519
    Thanked 2,593 Times in 1,021 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Yes, I felt lucky when it turned out to be plum. As I said, I hadn't expected it and I wasn't searching for one. I hope one turns up for you.

  7. #7
    Senior Member david i's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    994
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked 980 Times in 320 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Plum looks eggplant in white light. Burgundy... not so much.

    Sumgai (that pen term as per Bill Riepl circa ~ 1999) plum finds do happen. Not all pens offered as plum (particularly on ebay) actually are plum.

    You can see some plums (residual from what was the world's heftiest offering) on my 51 page.

    http://www.vacumania.com/websitesale...leparker51.htm

    regards

    david
    David R. Isaacson, MD

    http://www.vacumania.com : Sales site for guaranteed, restored collectible pens.

    The Fountain Pen Board /FPnuts : Archived Message Board with focus on vintage.

    The Fountain Pen Journal: The new glossy full-color print magazine, published/edited by iconic fountain pen author Paul Erano.

    Facebook pen group "Fountain Pens"/FPnuts: Davey's casual Facebook group for collectible pens.
    31000 members and growing. World's heftiest daily vintage pen eye candy

  8. #8
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    Yes, I felt lucky when it turned out to be plum. As I said, I hadn't expected it and I wasn't searching for one. I hope one turns up for you.
    I got mine. Paid $205 for the set, and am satisfied with the price. It was a long chase.Attachment 2209

  9. #9
    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,071
    Thanks
    1,519
    Thanked 2,593 Times in 1,021 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Quote Originally Posted by pajaro View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    Yes, I felt lucky when it turned out to be plum. As I said, I hadn't expected it and I wasn't searching for one. I hope one turns up for you.
    [COLOR="#000080"]I got mine. Paid $205 for the set, and am satisfied with the price. It was a long chase.
    Very nice!

  10. #10
    Senior Member Annie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    487
    Thanks
    208
    Thanked 526 Times in 207 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Here are two 51s. Same question as the OP for you. What exactly do I have here. The one at the top is burgundy so the one underneath is what??? Not that it matters in the ID but the one at the top is the one I would rush back into a burning building to save.
    51s.JPG
    Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/peachez


  11. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Chicagoland, IL
    Posts
    30
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    I think the bottom one might be a Burgundy 51 Aerometric made by Parker in Great Britain; which had a decidedly red look when compared to the US-made Burgundies.

    Hope this helps

  12. #12
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    This might help.

    HPIM0829.JPG

  13. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    446
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 207 Times in 79 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    This video may help, it shows some different colours of the Parker 51 Aerometrics at about 3:24.


  14. #14
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    How about this?

    HPIM0885.JPG


  15. #15
    Junior Member AnthonyB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Seattle, Wa
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    I recently purchased a Plum Parker 51 from a member of this forum. The pen, when taken out into sunlight is unquestionably "purple." When compared side-by-side in sunlight with an American Parker 51 in the burgundy color, the burgundy appears brown, whereas the Plum stands out as truly purple. As an earlier member stated, you can readily tell a Plum Parker 51 from all shades of burgundy when taken out into sunlight. That's the way to tell, even if one has never seen a Plum Parker 51 or a Burgundy Parker 51 - sunlight will reveal the truth!

  16. #16
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    You can shine a bright flashlight on the pen also. In my pic of a bunch of 51s above, I think you can tel the plum pen and pencil apart from the burgundy pencils and pen around them.

  17. #17
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    SFO USA
    Posts
    1,375
    Thanks
    13
    Thanked 1,113 Times in 573 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    I've found that the easiest way to determine the true color is to place the pen for sale on eBay and then sit back and listen to the prognostications on FPN.

    Even if you never find out what color it really is, the commentary is worth the effort.

  18. #18
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    You can get the dog avatars wagging by saying plum 51s are rare.

  19. #19
    Senior Member blopplop's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Manassas, VA
    Posts
    233
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 95 Times in 43 Posts
    Rep Power
    12

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    Quote Originally Posted by david i View Post
    Plum looks eggplant in white light. Burgundy... not so much.

    regards

    david

    David nailed it. Plum's are eggplant color all the way. Much different really than the burgundy.

    Oh why did I sell my plum?

    Dave

  20. #20
    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tecumseh, MI
    Posts
    1,373
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 614 Times in 411 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: How can I tell a burgundy Parker 51 from a Plum one?

    You can say they are eggplant, but I have both and they are hard to tell apart in ordinary room light. Both just look dark. It takes bright light to see eggplant color start to come out in plum. In online pics it can require careful estimation to pinpoint one you think might be plum. I keep 2-AA cell Maglight near the pen storage to be sure of the colors of the dark 51s. Sunlight helps too.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •