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Pompeian Brown Duofold


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#1 BrianMcQueen

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Posted 07 June 2016 - 05:45 PM

A very special Duofold arrived in my mailbox last week. The Pompeian Brown Duofold color was advertised in the very earliest Duofold advertisements, but quickly disappeared to be replaced by "Chinese Lacquer Red." You'll note that this Duofold has several early features, like the large imprint, a "6" on the blind cap, and an early style nib. It also has a strange flat cap band, as well as both a ring top and a clip. Comments are invited.

 

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#2 Christof Z

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Posted 07 June 2016 - 07:23 PM

What a fantastic pen!
I have never seen RHR in this color.
And the ring top is very special on a senior.
Thanks for showing this to us.
C.

#3 John Danza

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Posted 08 June 2016 - 12:59 AM

Great pen! Congrats on bagging a rarity.



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#4 penmanila

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Posted 09 June 2016 - 03:55 AM

congrats! care to share the story of the hunt?


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#5 BrianMcQueen

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Posted 09 June 2016 - 05:13 AM

There has been a bit of discussion back and forth elsewhere about this pen. The term "Pompeian Brown" is a little murky. This pen is almost certainly not one of the very first Duofolds as advertised in the 1921 ads that mention "Pompeian Brown" but I do believe that this pen is made from the same color hard rubber. This pen contradicts itself with the flat cap band and large imprint, two features that didn't exist in catalogued items at the same time. More comment is invited from those who know their Duofolds, and even from those who don't.

Anyway, the story of acquisition is not all that interesting. It was listed on eBay, and not very poorly. I'm surprised it didn't get more action in the auction. The seller got this and some other large Parkers (a 28, some 26 parts, a 25) all from an estate sale. I'm still attempting to find further provenance.

#6 John Danza

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Posted 10 June 2016 - 04:13 PM

Brian, there is a number of unusual features that you wouldn't expect to see together. The ring added to the washer clip screw would be one. As you noted, the flat cap band (a 1923 feature) is another. I could be wrong, but I don't think that's an early imprint on the nib either, but that's certainly something that could have been switched in its life. However, the color is certainly correct for the Pompeian Brown.



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#7 Jos

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Posted 10 June 2016 - 06:18 PM

Very nice find, congratulations.

 

The Parker Duofold book mentions that Parker, after introducing the caps with the 'gold girdle', offered to retrofit older bandless caps with a "medium wide" flush cap ring for a cost of $1.00 (Shepherd & Zazove, page 49). Could that have happened to this pen? The cap band on this pen does not seem to be a "medium wide" though.

 

Further on page 49 it reads that around 1923 the threads on the barrels were changed from a four-start to a three-start thread pattern. Which one is on your barrel?

 

Is the heart shaped breather hole in the nib of significance? It is not that common for Duofold nibs or is it?


Edited by Jos, 10 June 2016 - 06:26 PM.


#8 BrianMcQueen

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Posted 13 June 2016 - 09:10 PM

Jos, thanks for pointing out the heart-shaped breather hole!  I hadn't noticed it at all.  That's definitely an unusual feature for a Duofold nib.  I don't know what a "medium wide" cap band is, but this band is a smidge wider than the raised cap bands.



#9 MacKozinsky

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Posted 04 June 2017 - 03:28 PM

Took me long enough to find this thread ... but still: Great pen and great find! Congratulations! :rolleyes:

 

We had a discussion on our local Polish message board regarding the existence of this colour some time ago. I showed the ad below, but no-one saw a specimen in Pompeian Brown so we got stuck on speculating. But here we are ... :) :P

 

Is it possible that a ring-top cap-top is a feature added individually, just by replacing the original cap-top with no ring? 1921/22 catalog shows no. 28 pen (that's the same size as the one here?) with a screw-ring so I guess it might just be a little DIY 'improvement'? Or the other way round: a clip added as an extra feature? Is there some special groove or other way for the clip washer that would exclude such possibility?

What is the meaning of "6" on the blind cap?

 

Is that a heart shaped breather hole on page 21 of the Parker catalogue?

 

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Sorry about the size of the ad, but I get error messages when I try to use the links to the hosting. The barrel imprint is the same as on the pen?

Brian: Isn't your pen missing the "jet black trim" mentioned in the ad ? B) Or they meant the section and cap-top (the Duofold feature)?

 

Regards,

Maciek

 

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Edited by MacKozinsky, 04 June 2017 - 03:41 PM.

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#10 RickB

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Posted 10 June 2017 - 02:33 PM

So what was the $50 pen is what I'd be curious to know.



#11 BrianMcQueen

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Posted 16 June 2017 - 07:37 PM

Is it possible that a ring-top cap-top is a feature added individually, just by replacing the original cap-top with no ring? 1921/22 catalog shows no. 28 pen (that's the same size as the one here?) with a screw-ring so I guess it might just be a little DIY 'improvement'? Or the other way round: a clip added as an extra feature? Is there some special groove or other way for the clip washer that would exclude such possibility?

It is possible that the cap top was swapped out at some point, but this pen is equivalent to a 26 size Jack Knife Safety. I don't know if they have compatible cap tops.
 

What is the meaning of "6" on the blind cap?

That is a remnant from the Jack Knife Safety days, showing that it was equivalent to a 26, or 6 size pen.
 

Is that a heart shaped breather hole on page 21 of the Parker catalogue?

Looks like it. Some Lucky Curve nibs have heart shaped holes, but I don't recall seeing another Duofold nib with heart-shaped hole.
 

The barrel imprint is the same as on the pen?
Isn't your pen missing the "jet black trim" mentioned in the ad ? B) Or they meant the section and cap-top (the Duofold feature)?

The barrel imprint on mine has the patent dates,etc.  The ad probably took a small artistic liberty. The "jet black trim" is the cap top, section, and blind cap.


Edited by BrianMcQueen, 16 June 2017 - 07:38 PM.


#12 MacKozinsky

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Posted 17 June 2017 - 08:45 AM

You're right RickB. Solid gold models were sold for 30 or 35 dollars (as per Parkergram) at that time ...

 

Brian: Thanks for all the answers :-)


Edited by MacKozinsky, 17 June 2017 - 09:27 AM.

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#13 John Danza

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Posted 01 July 2017 - 05:12 PM

I wouldn't be surprised if the ring top and the flat cap band were custom additions at the factory. I used to have a JKS 26 that had the same band. The ring top, while normally associated with ladies pens for a lanyard, were also just as useful as an attachment for a watch chain. That could be the use here.



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#14 Norm

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Posted 14 July 2017 - 02:58 PM

It is also possible that the clip was added at point of sale.






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