37 replies to this topic

[matt]

Based on the catalogs available at billspens.com, there are only a few Parker desk lamps compared to Sheaffer. But a couple of pretty neat point-of-sale Parker lamps are/have been on ebay. Both manufactured by Van Dyke.

[parkercollector.com]

My workbench ;-)

/Tony





...but these are not mine and the images are borrowed (sorry can't remember from whom):

[Rick Krantz]

I missed a Parker Pens lamp sometime back. I saw it in an antique co op. I decided later that I "needed" it, and went back for it, and it was gone. I guess it was not meant to be. I do like this kind of ephemera, it really compliments the pen hobby nicely.

[parkercollector.com]

I missed a Parker Pens lamp sometime back. I saw it in an antique co op. I decided later that I "needed" it, and went back for it, and it was gone. I guess it was not meant to be. I do like this kind of ephemera, it really compliments the pen hobby nicely.

This one's identical to mine:

http://cgi.ebay.com/...e-/380341955557


I pulled out the transformer and cables and replaced it, now it gives a great light.
Now I have to fight my wife for the work space.

/T

[Teej47]

The ones that hold two bottles of Quink with just their lids peaking out are seriously cool. Think I need me one of those...

Tim

[John Danza]

This one's identical to mine:

http://cgi.ebay.com/...e-/380341955557


I pulled out the transformer and cables and replaced it, now it gives a great light.
Now I have to fight my wife for the work space.

/T

I plan on chasing that one this week. After seeing these over the years, I've finally decided that I need to own one. This one looks like it'll need a good bit of resto, but what the heck.

[matt]

Can anyone supply additional photos of this lamp that Tony posted further up in this thread?



I'm interested in the metal cover under the base, the back of the shade showing whether the swivel connections are brass - I think so - or crinkle painted same as the legs and shade), and the original colors of the translucent plastic pieces behind the cutouts (is the blue diamond blue?). I just won this monstrosity on ebay for restroration and am unsure about these 3 areas. The previous owner was obviously someone who should not have been allowed to use tools or paint w/o adult supervison! Am hoping the paint is latex so I can strip it with xylene/goof-off and not destroy the crinkle finish....

http://cgi.ebay.com/270780936153



I'll be mostly offline the next 2 weeks - son getting married, daughter graduating from grad school - so thank you's may be slow.

[John Danza]

I just won this monstrosity on ebay for restroration and am unsure about these 3 areas. The previous owner was obviously someone who should not have been allowed to use tools or paint w/o adult supervison! Am hoping the paint is latex so I can strip it with xylene/goof-off and not destroy the crinkle finish....

http://cgi.ebay.com/270780936153

I saw that auction Matt but took a pass on it. It's way too far gone for my interest in restoration. Good luck with your efforts on it.

[Teej47]

I'm looking forward to seeing the results. You're an ambitious man!

Tim

[matt]

My orange monstrosity has about 7 coats of paint. The top 3 layers are popping off quite easily in large chunks using the point of an Exacto knife.

Where is the lamp ballast mounted? My lamp is missing the metal plate under the wood base, has a socket for the starter, at least 2 loose wires, but no ballast, and there are no extra holes in the base where one would have been mounted.

Is the ballast screwed to the metal base plate as the two screws (one missing) in the middle of this picture might indicate? (This is the lamp Tony posted a link to above.) That makes a certain amount of sense, in order to dissipate heat.

[matt]

One more question/plea for photos. The brass cover which holds down the two bottles has instructions on the center tab. I think it says "Flush pen in water before filling" with a white arrow through "water" pointing to the right-hand bottle. Can anyone add a straight-on photo of the wording? A similar shot of the "Fill Your Pen with Parker Quink" would also be greatly appreciated. thanks.

[matt]

Update on the orange monstrosity. Most of the 7 coats of paint has been removed and I'm still on the first quart of stripper. Have a new ballast on order. Found a piece of sheet metal in the trash at work to cover the underside of the base. Looking for an old fashioned fluorescent socket that screws to the reflector - one is cracked - modern ones clip on. Auto parts stores carry wrinkle paint, but only in black and red, so have to decide on a color for a second coat - not too wild about the original poop brown. Was racking my brain for a source of translucent plastic for the cutouts and got a blue (for the blue diamond) polypropylene 3-ring binder for 30 cents and a white poly folder for $1.99 at Office Max. Need to find some oxalic acid to remove some black iron staining on the walnut base and 4 rubber screw-on feet.

My biggest need is for straight-on pictures of the two areas of wording on the brass hold-down for the bottles, so I can reproduce the wording: "Fill your Pen with Parker Quink" and "Flush Pen in Water Before Filling".

[BrianMcQueen]

I just got this lamp from a poorly listed eBay auction. It can be seen in the 1941 catalog and is equipped with mottled brown/black first year '51 holders.

[BrianMcQueen]

Here's another I just picked up from eBay.

[matt]

Rembember this?



Just finished it last night:


I went with blue for the "Pens" and "Pencils" because the old plastic was grey-ish, same as an identical lamp Tony has pictures of. The plastic behind the blue diamond was a separate piece held in place by the white and had to have been originally blue in my mind. Polypropylene - a white 3-ring pocket and a blue binder. I hope to be a better spray painter in my next life. Now if someone would send me straight-on pictures of the wording on the brass plate....

[BrianMcQueen]

Matt, that's quite an impressive revival! I wish I could help you out with the pictures of hte wording, but it looks like there is enough left of the "Fill your pens with Parker Quink" left that you could trace that back out with a nice brush, thin paint, and a steady hand. As for the wording that goes between the Quink bottles, I think you might be a bit stuck there...

[Hugh]

Hi Matt,

Hard to believe it's the same item!! A lot of work in that one, but it has certainly paid off in a spectacular way !!

Regards
Hugh

[Greg Minuskin]

The ones that hold two bottles of Quink with just their lids peaking out are seriously cool. Think I need me one of those...

Tim

What a cleaver idea to have the ink bottles tucked away in the base! No spilling there for sure.

Greg Minuskin

[matt]

<As for the wording that goes between the Quink bottles, I think you might be a bit stuck there...

The tab in the middle said

FLUSH
PEN IN
--WATER--> (arrow thru the word)
BEFORE
FILLING

as shown by this picture of Tony's (he said he doesn't remember where he got to photos). Rather than freehand painting, I'd like to try making a stencil from a good photo. Another day, another project.

[Greg Minuskin]

The tab in the middle said

FLUSH
PEN IN
--WATER--> (arrow thru the word)
BEFORE
FILLING

as shown by this picture of Tony's (he said he doesn't remember where he got to photos). Rather than freehand painting, I'd like to try making a stencil from a good photo. Another day, another project.

Brilliant! Don't you think that this would be good advice even today for pen users, to flush your pens between fillings? If I could get a close up of that tab that says those words, I can put that on my website!

Greg Minuskin