3 replies to this topic

[matt]

Some time back, Mike Kirk made me aware of the fat-barreled MP-10 pencil after he spotted one on either ebay or etsy.

 

 

 

These have a different barrel shape than the typical nose-drive pencils one usually finds in early Pardners sets or singly.  They're cheaply made, but come in a variety of colors.  The MP-10 has a straight sided barrel for most of its length rather than the usual tapered barrel.  The above MP-10 mentions a J-10 Jotter, but what is a J-10 Jotter?  I just had one of those "oh s**t!" moments when, while looking for something else, I opened these two sets I've had for several years.  Note the regular Jotter at the top for comparison.

 

 

Thanks, Mike!

Edited by matt, 06 February 2016 - 06:18 AM.

[BrianMcQueen]

hmmm, that's very interesting.  I didn't know such a thing existed.  Is it just the front end taper that's different, or is the pen wider in general?

[matt]

Same diameter and cap; just a different front end taper.  As noted on the pencil above, the purpose was to increase the amount of ad space.  Don't think it's listed in Graham Hogg's Jotter book; at least in my older edition.

[Mike Kirk]

When Matt sent me those photos of those sets in his collection, I had the same kind of moment he did.

Subtle differences but differences nonetheless. Makes sense.

 

The more tapered version of the MP-10 seems to be known as the MP-195 shown in the 1961 Parker catalog. There was no model number designation in the '61 catalog for the button actuated, plastic barrelled Jotter (aka the Jotter Special) but there is a flyer dated February 1958 that lists the Jotter Special model number as J-1. Additionally, this flyer also paired the Liquid Lead pencil in the set marketed as the Parker Pardners set. The MP-195 and the MP-10 were paired with the Jotter Special and marketed as Pardners as well; MP-10 shown in Matt's Pardners sets shown above. In the very same 4-page flyer, the Pardners set, containing the ridge clipped Special & LL pencil, were marketed as model P-1.

 

I think I may have to spreadsheet this, with photos, to keep it all straight.