9 replies to this topic

[Mike Hosea]

I'm sure this is peanuts around here, but I've been trolling eBay for Vacumatics and Vacumatic 51's to restore. I came across a 61, and I don't have a 61, so I decided to bid on it.

http://www.ebay.com/...P-/331343149812

Turns out there are 3 bids, and I tied for the max bid but won the item by getting mine in just 4 seconds earlier. I've been on the other side of that before. But today I got the pen. I expected to need to flush dried ink out of it, but in the back of the capillary filler I see what looks like a white filter. I ran some water through it with a bulb syringe. No ink traces. When I cleaned up the cap, no ink traces in there either. This pen has never been inked! Cosmetic condition is also excellent.


Given that these have a reputation for being fragile, I guess I'll put it in my collection and leave it un-inked. I didn't figure to like it better than a "51" for actual use, anyway, but I think it's a nice find for $40, at least for me.

Edited by Mike Hosea, 21 October 2014 - 01:57 AM.

[david i]

Mint condition for $40 is a rather good deal

 

-d

[FarmBoy]

White end is one of the first run.  The white disc doesn't wet well and because of this they don't always take up ink.  The second run and later run had a red disc and fill much better.

[Mike Hosea]

What does that mean in terms of dating the pen?

[FarmBoy]

1956 from memory

[Hugh]

Hi Mike

 

It's great when you get a find like that. Looks good in the case too.

 

Regards

Hugh

[Mike Hosea]

I guess given the timing of these things, an unused Parker 61 FP in a double-pen case is probably a common thing.  A gift set with FP and BP might often have become a well-preserved FP in its original case...and a BP that is nowhere to be found.

[Norm]

It sure cleaned up nice. It doesn't even look like the same cap.

[Mike Hosea]

It's the silver--looks almost black when tarnished and white as the sun when polished. The case cleaned up, too.

[matt]

I guess given the timing of these things, an unused Parker 61 FP in a double-pen case is probably a common thing.  A gift set with FP and BP might often have become a well-preserved FP in its original case...and a BP that is nowhere to be found.

 

If a white end indicates a 1956 pen, it's the pencil that is missing.  For some reason, there were no 61 ball points for several years.