Which 51?

[Farmboy]

If you could have a 51 of any configuration, which one would it be?

Cap, color, filler, etc. for simplicity let’s try to limit the choices to a period correct production pen.

FB

[Jon Szanto]

I don't know for certain if the cap is appropriate for the pen, but... Cedar Blue with aerometric filler, paired with a window-pane gold cap. Ideally an M nib, as most 51 nibs have been far too narrow for my comfort. I have almost this pen, but not: a demi in aerometric with the 'five-lines' cap, and a full size vacumatic with a lovely 'wavey lines' cap, both in Cedar Blue. I have no idea how rare/expensive the window pane caps are.

[bunnspecial]

I have to admit to already having a nearly perfect one for my taste, even if not particularly exotic-

A Cedar Blue Vac with a very nice chevron band sterling cap.

The only thing I dislike about this particular pen is its sort of scratchy XF nib. I'm tempted to switch it out with a stub I just bought, but am not sure how correct it is on that pen and wonder if I should maybe just drop an ordinary F or MAYBE M on it.

Although I've not had any super exotic 51 colors other than a demi coco, I think Cedar Blue may just be my favorite of the ones I have owned. Between the Lustaloy, Gold Filled, and Sterling caps I like the latter best as they are a nice dress-up from Lustaloy but at least I think on the Cedar Blue complements the pen very well. I do have a liking for the wartime gold filled silver caps, and they get bonus point because they're often so ugly "in the wild" that someone who doesn't know what they are often knocks down the price on them...

[FredRydr]

Double jewel black with hammered sterling cap. Guess it has to be vac-fillumatic. After culling my 51s, it's the last one I have, with a B nib.

[christof]

My favourite "51" of my collection is this cedar blue first year Vacumatic DJ with plain silver cap:




but my favourite daily user is this black Aerometric Special

[Sailor Kenshin]

I am no 51 expert. But what I would want is something with Fine nib, aero fill, and some pale color that isn't gray. Did they make a buckskin or coco?

[christof]

I am no 51 expert. But what I would want is something with Fine nib, aero fill, and some pale color that isn't gray. Did they make a buckskin or coco?

There was both. Buckskin beige and Cocoa. Cocoa was an Aerometric color:

[Sailor Kenshin]

Thanks! I would want the cocoa, then. What filler did the Yellowstone have?

And they look really cool, arranged by color.

[christof]

thank you!
the yellowstone is a Vacumatic too.

[Farmboy]

Yellowstone is also called Mustard by some but refer to the same color.

Note the very nice cap on that example. Is it 8 or 9 spires?

FB

[christof]

It’s 9.
I didn’t know that there were two different. Now I’am curious
about the history behind (…except the number of spires )??

[Jon Szanto]

It’s 9.
I didn’t know that there are two different. Now I’am curious
about the history behind (…except the number of spires )

Does this style have a name, and is this one of the “Empire” caps?

[christof]

Does this style have a name, and is this one of the “Empire” caps?

Unfortunately, I don't have another source than the Parker "51" book. The book calls all 14k gold caps "Heirloom" and this specific pattern is called: Empire state (icicle). (But I think that Empire State is a name that was given by collectors.)

...but the really cool thing is, that Empire Caps are two tone (yellow and rose gold)

[pajaro]

The one I like best is a midnight blue with Lustraloy cap, aerometric with medium nib. Ironically it is the first one I bought. It keeps on working, fifty-two years later.

[Ron Z]

After buying and then selling 3 other forest green aerometrics, I concluded that I really wanted to keep a forest green. I had a silver cap that had the gold stripped off of it, but the lustraloy is nice. Two others that will stay - a gray UK made MK III that our pastor in Syracuse gave me, and the blue with a GF cap that had belonged to our neighbor's husband. All others have been sold.

[Chrissy]

I wonder if that's the same Heirloom cap that I've seen on a Parker 61 once before?

[christof]

I wonder if that's the same Heirloom cap that I've seen on a Parker 61 once before?

Parker 61 cap were different, although the term Heirloom was used as well:

Heritage cap; silver and yellow gold

Legacy cap; nickel and silver

Heirloom; rose gold and yellow gold

[FredRydr]

Christof,

The breadth of your collection continues to amaze me.

[christof]

Thank you Fred!

[Chrissy]

Thank you christof. Sorry to go off topic to a 61 question.