9 replies to this topic

[Innes Cate]

I have just purchased an English Duofold AF Maxima with a Vacumatic arrow nib which is a Broad with a very soft amount of flex.

This is the first time I have seen a Vacumatic arrow nib in an English Duofold - common? I think the connection will be the Maxima sizing drawing the reason for the Vac nib.


The nib is imprinted: 14K PARKER ENGLAND 50 8

I understand the 50 denotes the Maxima model but what does the 8 denote? Is it the style of nib?




I have one other English Duofold AF Senior model with the nib imprinted: PARKER 14K ENGLAND 35 4

I understand the 35 denotes Senior model and maybe the 4 denotes a Fine nib that it is?



Thanks

Innes

[david i]

I have just purchased an English Duofold AF Maxima with a Vacumatic arrow nib which is a Broad with a very soft amount of flex.

This is the first time I have seen a Vacumatic arrow nib in an English Duofold - common? I think the connection will be the Maxima sizing drawing the reason for the Vac nib.


The nib is imprinted: 14K PARKER ENGLAND 50 8

I understand the 50 denotes the Maxima model but what does the 8 denote? Is it the style of nib?

I have one other English Duofold AF Senior model with the nib imprinted: PARKER 14K ENGLAND 35 4

I understand the 35 denotes Senior model and maybe the 4 denotes a Fine nib that it is?

Thanks

Innes

Good questions. I don't know answers. I have had some of the British Duofolds. I had guessed the "50" might be date code for 1950, as with USA pens, but ithe "35" argues against that. I believe the pens were made too late for an "8" to indicate 1948 (which would be the code in USA).

regards

david

[adamon]

Hi Innes,
The nibs of english Duofolds produced from 1958 have the numbers depending on model of pen:
Maxima - 50
Senior - 35
Duofold - 25
Demi - 15
Junior - 10
Slimfold - 5.
The nibs produced before 1958 have a letter N (as Newhaven) instead of number. The question I don't know right answer is: what about the Seniors? Almost every Senior I've found has a number 35 on nib (some have no number at all)
The other number on nib denotes probably a year of production. Your Maxima - 1958, and Senior - probably 1954.
The nibs of Maxima Duofolds have always the arrow, similar as at Vacs, but they are not from Vacumatic.
BTW: it's not the AF. AF is the name of other model of Duofold and means Aluminium Filler.

Edited by adamon, 30 October 2012 - 08:38 PM.

[david i]

Hi Innes,
The nibs of english Duofolds produced from 1958 have the numbers depending on model of pen:
Maxima - 50
Senior - 35
Duofold - 25
Demi - 15
Junior - 10
Slimfold - 5.
The nibs produced before 1958 have a letter N (as Newhaven) instead of number. The question I don't know right answer is: what about the Seniors? Almost every Senior I've found has a number 35 on nib (some have no number at all)
The other number on nib denotes probably a year of production. Your Maxima - 1958, and Senior - probably 1954.
The nibs of Maxima Duofolds have always the arrow, similar as at Vacs, but they are not from Vacumatic.
BTW: it's not the AF. AF is the name of other model of Duofold and means Aluminium Filler.

Now THAT is what I call useful info.

Thanks, Adamon

-d

[Innes Cate]

Thanks for the info Adamon

The PARKER VACUMATIC Book P.242 has a photograph of this # 50 nib which is described as 'English Replacement Vacumatic Nib'. The difference is the book nib has the 50 in the centre and on my pen it is to the left and the 8 is to the right. Hopefully you should be able to see this in the included photo.


Innes

[adamon]

Here you can find the possible numbering od english Duofolds:


Maxima Duofold


Senior Duofold


Duofold


Demi Duofold


Junior Duofold


Slimfold


And here Vac and Maxima nibs. The arrow is similar to Vac's, but shorter. Always you will find 14K PARKER ENGLAND and the number (50).


PS. One can find also the not typical nibs mounted. For example - letter R means (probably) Replacement. There are also the nibs numbered 20 or 30. But this is another story...

Edited by adamon, 31 October 2012 - 12:18 PM.

[Innes Cate]

Adamon

Thanks for a well photographed explanation - appreciated and great to see.

I see both my nibs in your photos but with a 50 9 compared to my 50 8, so I think your suggestion that the 8 or 9 is year of manufacture fits with the best possibility.

Difference in the arrow size clearly shown which I hadn't picked up.


Cheers

Innes.

[Innes Cate]

I just found this comment on David Nishimura's website which confirms the line of thought on the second digit as a year of manufacture:



"Early production Aerometric Duofolds have nibs marked with an "N", for Newhaven. Most, however, are numbered, with the number denoting the size (Lady, 4; Slimfold, 5; Junior, 10; Demi, 15; Senior, 35; and Maxima, 50). Some 1960s nibs bear a second, single-digit, number next to the size code, denoting the year of production."

Innes

[adamon]

Hi,
Not only 60ties nibs, but also 50ties - for example Senior case. These pens were produced from 1954 till 1958 (possibly 1959, but no longer).
The numbering of UK Duofolds is an interesting thing, not only nibs, but also numbering of barrels (some have also the one digit number) compared to officialy informations about production periods give sometimes unexpected picture.
For example I've bought recently the Slimfold set complete with box and papers. The warranty card is dated 1954 and officialy the production has been began in 1962. Or... Demi pens which are stamped with number 1 and the production period is 1953 - 1958.
Many questions and still no answers...

Edited by adamon, 01 November 2012 - 08:05 AM.

[brando090]

Sorry for the thread bump, but I can't help but bump such a great resource. I also have a question on a Lucky Curve England 30 nib, what does this mean?