When did duofolds get so small

[Paul-H]

Hi Guys

Just wondering? when did Duofolds get so small, its still supposed to be Parkers premium pen and the old US made version is quite a big beast, but the English made International I have taken delivery of is so small its almost unusable unless I post the cap.

The English Duofold AF is 12cm tip to tip and 15cm posted

The English International is 11cm tip to tip and also 15cm posted

I can write with the AF unposted but have to post the international before I can use it, and I don't have big hands either.

Just as a comparison my Montblanc 146 is 12.5cm tip to tip and 16cm posted

Its almost as if the Duofold has become a bit apologetic instead of the great statesman of a pen it should be.

When did they become so small.

Paul

[jar]

Well, in the case of your pen, they got so small about 1948. But most Duofolds were relatively normal to small pens. The first Duofolds came in a variety of sizes from small to pretty big. The next iteration, the Duovacs or Striped Duofolds were small to normal size. That is also true for all of the English Duofolds that I'm familiar with. It's only with the latest iteration of the Duofold that Parker returned to making it oversize.

[Paul-H]

Well it looks like someone has pulled a fast one and it might even be Parker

Although the box says Parker Duofold International, the fact that it also contained two boxes of Mini Cartridges looks to indicate it a Duofold International Mini, and it only takes cartridges as the barrel is too short to fit their converter, even though the supplied Parker instructions show a converter being used.

All that is a pain as it now means I paid too much for it, as the Mini did not sell very well and loads where dumped on the market at knock down prices just to shift them.

Suppose I will have to give it to the wife now as its really too small for meto use and I am unlikely to be able o sell it on without taking a big hit, price why's.

You win some you loose some I suppose.

Anyone selling a black barrel of a late English Duofold international so I can convert it.

Paul