4 replies to this topic

[matt]

A recent find, this has me puzzled because it has an applied gold band on the caps instead of the usual 2 gold-wash grooves



And in this slightly closer view, you may be able to see that the set also has the arrow/halo below the clip, not on the back of the cap



Can anyone put a date on this set? Very early? Bill Acker's 1960 Parker parts list shows gold International caps w/ the arrow/halo below the clip, but doesn't picture the lustraloy caps.

edit: the pencil has the fat rotary mechanism used circa 1958-early 60s.

Edited by matt, 06 October 2012 - 12:32 AM.

[david i]

A recent find, this has me puzzled because it has an applied gold band on the caps instead of the usual 2 gold-wash grooves

And in this slightly closer view, you may be able to see that the set also has the arrow/halo below the clip, not on the back of the cap


Can anyone put a date on this set? Very early? Bill Acker's 1960 Parker parts list shows gold International caps w/ the arrow/halo below the clip, but doesn't picture the lustraloy caps.

Matt

Hi Matt,

Besides the presence of a box label, please clarify what is an "International" flighter. Do we know this is one, despite the box. I wade into mined terrain here, but these things seem vaguely (these are not my strong suit) 61-ish.

regards

d

[matt]

(mutiple edits the past couple of hours)

Maybe these aren't as well known as I thought. The International series can be found commonly advertised in the early 60's, usually a B&W ad , and I think it ran from about 1958-63. It is essentially an orphan stepchild of the 61*; the pencil is 61-size and the clips are 61. The ballpoint is unusual in that it has a black jewel, while the pencil has the usual grey one. [There was no 61 ballpoint available until 1961(?) (61 BP not in the Bill Acker's 1960 Parker parts list, but is shown in his 1961 catalog), and I'm not sure how to distinguish a 61 Insignia from an International Insignia**. Are all 61s marked on the cap?] They were available in Flighter finish, gold plate Insignia, and solid 14K Presidential and the box one usually encounters on the 'bay is a clamshell with red satin interior and International printed on the inner lid. Every Flighter I've seen before this set has 2 gold-wash grooves on the cap, similar to some Parker 75 Flighters. (ad on Amazon) (another ad, for gold pen)

Reintroduced about 1968, the International became really skinny.

* The VIP is another orphan series in that the lustraloy version is basically a 51 Special ball pen and pencil with 61 clips.

** According to the 1961 Parker catalog, the 61 Insignia is GF, while the Int'l Insignia is GP. But what are the engraving patterns?

Edited by matt, 06 October 2012 - 12:27 AM.

[matt]

61 Insignia is GF with a 6-lines and a gap pattern.

International Insignia can be GP or GF with an evenly spaced line pattern. 

Edited by matt, 17 November 2021 - 05:41 AM.

[Jos]

I found this July 1959 Parker pamphlet that substantiates the findings mentioned above:

 

 

The 1959 Insignia is gold filled indeed. The 1959 Flighter has the single wide cap band. This changed to two cap bands the latest in late 1960 (December 5, 1960 ad from LIFE Magazine shows the International Flighter with two narrow cap bands).

Edited by Jos, 15 November 2022 - 01:42 PM.