Candian weirdness...

As a UK resident, all my vacs are Canadian. I am aware Canada did things ... their own way. But I have recently come into possession of a pair of vacs which confuse me more than usual. First, a lockdown Standard in emerald pearl with a matching laminated section. The pen has a (delightfully flexible) Canadian nib and an accompanying imprint on the body, yet I was under the impression that the laminated sections were unique to US pens. The colour matches well, but is this a frankenpen? I'm not too bothered as it has other issues and makes a very pretty user.



Secondly, a burgundy Oversize. With a datecode of 51. I don't even know what to make of that. Has the one got on the wrong side of the five, making this a 1st quarter 1935 pen?



Both pens have odd blind caps. The Oversize has a correct short blindcap, but without metal threads. Instead the threads are cut into the celluloid. The Standard has a Major blind cap that has been cut down, and though the colour doesn't match, I am impressed with the fit.



My primary reason for posting is curiosity, especially with regard to the 51 datecode. However, should anyone have a lonely 1st gen standard blindcap in emerald they wish to sell ...

Thanks,
delica.

Hi Delica,

With green pen there are couple issues in play, the general behavior of Canadian Vacs and the specifics of your pen.

While in general first generation Vacs from Canada have black section independent of pen color, unlike high line USA-made Vacs from that era, which have matching section, the one general exception is very early pens. The Vacuum-Filler (yes there are are Canadian VF's) and early opaque one-piece barrel-section Vacumatics from Canada have matching gripping section, part of the "one piece barrel-section" thing, I imagine.

On other hand, your pen is not an early one-piece barrel-section Vac, so that's not the explanation.

I see occasional Canadian pens with matching section. While sections can be replaced, there is fair hassle to harvest a matching section from USA pen, bumping nib from Canadian black section, fitting it to new section and so forth. Suspect that does not happen often.

So, I cannot give final answer, but seems these do pop up. Speculation... for a brief period matching sections were tried.

As to the red pen...

While there are late production Vacs all the "51" code lockdown Vacs (and, hmmm, come to think of it... are all of them red?) do not act like 1951 pens, and there are no other late date codes of this general sort (e.g. 52, 53) found on early pens. Keep in mind that in 1950's date code was for year (50 meant 1951), though in early lockdown pens, it was "quarter"/"year", so a 15 would be first quarter 1935.

There are known presumably accidental sideways date codes ( "45" running around pen with the rings) and upside down ("1" for 1941, found on Vacs and even late issue Duofolds).

I've long considered the Canadian "51" code lockdown Vacs to be misplaced "15" date code.

Nice Vacs. Thanks for sharing

regards

david

Here is a Slender or Standard currently on ebay with the same 51 date code: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221067717617

David, thank you for your information rich reply, it sets my mind at rest with regard to the Standard, which I neglected to mention either never had a date code or lost it to wear. I will put more energy into hunting down a replacement blind cap now.

The '51' date codes are entirely new to me, but then this is the delight of Vacumatics. So many variations. I have a English Duofold Demi with a .2. code, apparently from the year before they were released, so I was prepared for similar weirdness with the Vac, but the inversion of the quarter/year seems far more logical than a 1st gen from the fifties. Interesting that they should all be burgundy.

delica