The Parker Duofold Vacumatic

A Parker Duofold Vacumatic in striped maroon and silver, sometimes also referred to as the Duovac, dating back to sometime around 1942. 

This originally came with an aluminium speed-line filler that was damaged beyond repair. I replaced it with a NOS plastic-plunger vac unit since I didn't have the expertise or raw material to fix and restore the speed-line unit. It sports a 14k gold F nib (inscribed PARKER PEN, MADE IN USA, 2) and lays a wet line closer to M with a bit of pleasant feedback and flex.

Click on the images below to view larger version. 

 

 

 

 

The Stephens Lever-filler #106

This is a Stephens Lever-fill no. 106. Dating to approx. 1938, in BCHR with gold trims, it has a 14k warranted gold nib with bit of flex.

This pen came heavily oxidized, the ink sac dried up and crumbled inside the barrel and part of the pressure bar broken at the end! This was lying with me for a long time since I did not have the materials to restore it. 

 

Last week I got hold of 1-2-3 Novus polish and tried my hand at removing the oxidization. I didn't go to extremes since I didn't want the faint chasing to go even fainter. Cleaned up, polished and re-sacced, and writes beautifully!

 

Images below show the finished pen with some more of the process. 

Click on the images to see larger version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheaffer Skrip Farbintensive Azur-blau (Azure-blue)

Saw this bottle of vintage Sheaffer Skrip Farbintensive Azur-blau (Azure-blue) fountain pen ink bottle for sale. Made in Germany, looks like NOS.

The bottle has a built-in compartment for ease of use with filling a fountain pen. Tipping the bottle to the side fills the compartment and can be filled even when the ink level is very low.

 

Unfortunately a tiny bit leaked out in transit and the label, originally a shade of yellow, was ruined.

 

 

 

 

Restorations

Resacced and ready to use!

L-R Burnham, Belgor, Parker.

 

 

The Savoy fountain pen

This one is quite an oddity for me. A vintage Savoy fountain pen in green marbled celluloid, British made, dating back to the late 1930s perhaps.

It sports a large 14kt gold, medium tipped, semi-flex nib. Very smooth writer. The barrel is in three sections:  the top half is a deep red/brown translucent ink window with a rubber sac or 'bulb' attached. The lower half can be screwed off and is in green marbled celluloid like the cap. There is a blind cap also which hides an aluminium button to fill ink, but I don't find it as effective as simply squeezing the sac directly.

The Savoy 'bulb' filler, uncapped

The Savoy 'bulb' filler

14 ct gold warranted nib

'Savoy British made' barrel inscription

Uncapped and 'bulb' exposed

Blind cap opened to show button filler mechanism

The Parker Televisor

Another Canadian Parker, a Televisor. A button filler fountain pen in striated green pattern and has a medium semi-flex stub 14k gold nib made in Canada. 

This was the first Parker model solely made in Canada, a very attractive mid-priced button filler model that was introduced in 1935. 

Made around 1935, I think, this is the MK I version, thought to have been named so because of the visible ink window in the barrel and the growing popularity of the new invention called the television! This being a button filler, I don't understand the need for the ink window, and was probably in the design because of the fad in those times.

The pen has three cap bands and rounded black ends. The Televisor MKI sports the ball ended clip, imprinted with "Parker" inside a raised, elongated diamond shape.

 

 

The Televisor's ink window at the beginning
of the section.

 

The Parker Premiere/Duette Sr.

This is a depression era Parker Premeire (also known as the Parker Duette Sr. in the USA), manufactured in Canada sometime between 1932 and 1934. 

I believe these models were known as 'Thriftime' pens, coming after the great crash in 1929, when their flagship pens cost a lot. To save on manufacturing costs, Parker started manufacturing cheaper 'school pens'. 

The Premiere/Duette Sr. has a flat, clip screw of the same material as the pen body and a Duofold style ball ended clip. It sports a single, narrow, gold filled cap band, a black section, a blind cap in the colour of the pen and was a button filler.

This particular colour is called Red Onyx, I think. The 14k Canadian nib has a little bit of flex and writes medium to broad, and very smooth.

The Duofold style ball-end clip

Canadian 14k gold nib and a black section

 

Clear barrel imprint

 

Pen cases

A couple of spectacle cases discovered at the thrift shop located on the ground floor of our flat. Typical Soviet-era in looks, sturdy build quality. Made of thick double layered leather. Put to different use now!

Please click on images for larger version.  

Parker-Kingswood Frankenpen

A 'frankenpen', Parker 14K no. 10 nib with an Eversharp Kingswood cap and body, with very faint markings. Button filler. Came clipless so the tentacles caught hold of it. A beautiful, smooth writer, despite its dubious lineage!

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