Product Description
Type Fountain pen and mechanical pencil set
Product Name Parker 51 Vacumatic
Manufacturer and Year Parker USA - 1946. The pen has a date code of "6", but there are no readable remnants of a date code on the pencil.
Length Full size - the pen is 5-7/16", and the pencil is just a bit shorter at 5-1/8".
Filling System Vacumatic plastic piston/plunger, restored with a new diaphragm. The pencil takes .9mm leads.
Color Cedar Blue bodies. The pen looks like the original color, but the pencil has aged to have a bit of a greenish tinge. 1/10 16k gold-filled caps with the "Windowpane" pattern. The clips are solid gold and hallmarked as 14k on the top ring. The pen has a Blue Diamond clip. Pearlescent cap jewels.
Nib FINE gold nib. Very smooth.
Condition Excellent condition. The fountain pen looks fantastic, with only light handwear. There are a few small scuffs on the bottom of the hood, near the feed. No cracks, chips, or serious scratches. We have restored it with a new diaphragm and it is ready for years of usage. The cap looks great. No dents or dings. There are small touches of plating wear along the sides of the clip. The Blue Diamond looks great. The jewel looks excellent. The pencil is in similar condition, with minimal scratches on the body. Like the pen, the pencil's clip has some plating wear on the sides. The nose cone has some tiny shallow dents, but is remarkably free of brassing. The twist mechanism to extend and retract the lead is working great, and is very smooth. Minimal scratches on the body. The jewel has a little denting, but otherwise looks good.
In Parker gift box. The outside has some scuffs on the edges, but is overall in lovely shape.
Note: there is a very slight difference in color between the pen and pencil, which is also visible in the pictures that contain both pieces. The pencil looks a little more green than the pen, but we believe that this is a result of the two pieces aging slightly differently. Both pieces are Cedar Blue. The clips are consistent for a 1946 date, and there was no dark green in the vac-filling 51 lineup.
