So, what's your Parker Preference?

[MCameron]

+1 on the Parker 45. Some of the nicer models are really good looking pens, and even the cheap ones are reliable and good writers. Also have a soft spot for the 61's. Great looking and very good writers. Next are the 65's. Hard to find but GREAT pens. I have a couple of 51s (and several more have passed through my hands) and, while appreciating them for what they are, have not been able to get terribly excited about them.

[Dee8go]

My white and black, marbled Duofold is one of my favorite pens. It's the only Parker I have, but it's at the top of the list of my all time favorite fountain pens.

[pajaro]

I like the 51 aerometric. I have a couple of dozen 51s, only a few Vacumatic 51s. I like the midnight blue 51s best. I have a plum pen and pencil set, which is a nice writer, but the color is so dark that it's disappointing. I have 2 51s with me tonight, the one I bought new in 1970 and a recent ebay buy that seems to have an oblique nib. It's difficult to write with it.

I have a near mint 45 with medium gold point, but I don't use it much. A couple of Super 21 sets left.

When you have a superb pen like a Parker 51, why use anything else?

[pajaro]

After reading comments panning the Sonnet, I didn't mess with them until I saw one recently on ebay and bid on it. It is a nice recent burgundy pen with steel nib. It was well worth $38. Then I saw a red-black swirl one with 18K nib for $50 BIN and tried that one. It has a medium italic nib, and this is the pen I have been looking for. Writes nice cursive italic. I think the Sonnet is as good as the 51, and it's time to get rid of the vintage stuff. Just not the 51s.

[BikerBabe]

My faves are my father's old '51 for home use, and my Urban for job use.

[franzdimson]

It has a medium italic nib, and this is the pen I have been looking for. Writes nice cursive italic.

+1 on the Sonnets with Medium Italic Nib. Actually any Sonnet nib is great!

[Laura N]

My favorite is the 51.

Tied for second would be the Duofold and the 75.

[writingrav]

I only have Parker 45's so far. Three of them and I find them to be wonderful pens. I'm told they are not popular with collectors and Ii'm not sure why that is, but that helps make them easily affordable so its ok by me.

[Pensfan]

I love the P51's and have a couple of them. I also have a Duofold Striped that I am very fond of, though I think it is starting to leak so it needs to be checked out.

After reading all the replies here, I might have to pick up a 45 to see what the hype is about.

[kaisnowbird]

After reading comments panning the Sonnet, I didn't mess with them until I saw one recently on ebay and bid on it. It is a nice recent burgundy pen with steel nib. It was well worth $38. Then I saw a red-black swirl one with 18K nib for $50 BIN and tried that one. It has a medium italic nib, and this is the pen I have been looking for. Writes nice cursive italic. I think the Sonnet is as good as the 51, and it's time to get rid of the vintage stuff. Just not the 51s.

New Sonnet, 18K Italic nib, for $50? That's a miracle!! Congratulations! I have a Sonnet in M, which had baby's bottom and a bit too wet for my taste. For some reason, I never considered selling it and always had a soft spot for it. Recently, I had it worked on by Mr Pendleton Brown into a Butterline Stub. Now it's beautiful, and the extra wet flow works so much better with a stub.

I love my Green Vacumatic to pieces and hope my first 51 (on its way) will not disappoint. I held off getting a 51 because I only wanted the Nassau Green with the gold filled cap that has the chevron band, for a long time nothing else would do. But my patience has finally run out and I've ordered a Midnight Blue, lustraloy cap with a gold filled clip.

Still looking for that Nassau Green though...

[nxn96]

Overall, and particularly in fountain pens, I'd have to go with the 51 Aerometric. Among Parker's current production, I've always had good luck with Sonnets.
In the ballpoint range, I like the older 45 cap-actuated Flighters.

[caribbean_skye]

Apart from the Vector, I have a modern International Duofold, 21 and most recently a vacumatic. The Duofold is just about the perfect size for me to write with, in terms of length and barrel diameter. However the vacumatic is a dream to write with, so it's a hard toss up between them. I can see why Dan really likes the Vacumatics, I may have to keep an eye out for 2 more pearl vacumatics, as long as they won't break the bank.

[View from the Loft]

My favourite Parker? I don't know. I have two P25s, Sonnet, P75, P45, and modern Duofold International, all with medium italic nibs. All great writers. The Sonnet doesn't get much use nowadays because I'm afraid of the cap becoming loose, which I'm told is not repairable.

I also have a Slimfold with a broad stub, and a P51 with a broad oblique. Again, both great writers.

My choice of pen depends on what I am doing for the day. All are great pens, and I really wish that Parker could still make pens like these with a range of nibs. While I am happy to have nibs on modern pens custom ground for me, I won't do that for vintage pens.

My grail Parker? A Vacumatic with a stub nib.

[ndw76]

My favourite vintage Parker is my UK Duofold Junior, away being re-sacked at the moment. My favourite new Parker is my Sonnet Fu Special edition.

[rick propas]

My favorite model would have to be the Vacumatic Oversize , 1933-36. And my favorite example is the so-called Overmax a hybrid transitional pen, in red, from 1937, shown here uncapped alongside a semi-matching clicker pencil

[Laura N]

My favorite model would have to be the Vacumatic Oversize , 1933-36. And my favorite example is the so-called Overmax a hybrid transitional pen, in red, from 1937, shown here uncapped alongside a semi-matching clicker pencil

Now people will begin to see why it is agony being your friend. So many temptations.

[JMT]

IMG_0015.jpg

My two favs. They come to work with me every day.

[nxn96]

Out of curiosity, is there a story behind the clicker pencil? I always associate this mechanical design with the 51 Aerometrics, and not the Vacumatics. Beautiful pen/pencil combination, by the way.

[rick propas]

No story that I know, just that they seem to have begun to offer this less popular (thus uncommon) variant beginning in the mid-1930's

[rick propas]

No temptation, cause it ain't for sale

My favorite model would have to be the Vacumatic Oversize , 1933-36. And my favorite example is the so-called Overmax a hybrid transitional pen, in red, from 1937, shown here uncapped alongside a semi-matching clicker pencil

Now people will begin to see why it is agony being your friend. So many temptations.