Parker 51 Ballpoint Pen | Midnight Blue Barrel with Chrome Trim | Medium Point with Black Ink Refill | Gift Box

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The 51 was a unique product and shook the world on its introduction. The torpedo shaped design and the hooded nib became icons of style and were copied by virtually every other pen manufacturer. It is no exaggeration to say that the Parker 51 is the most popular, reliable and functional pen ever invented. Above lower: In addition to the full size 51, Parker also produced a demi aerometric version. This was identical to the larger pen, just proportionally smaller in all respects including the cap, and was in production until around 1960 The"51"was innovative for the period. It had a number of new design features—in particular the hooded, tubular nib and multi-finned collector were designed to work in conjunction with the pen's proprietary, fast-drying "51" ink. This allowed the tubular nib to stay wet and lay down an even line with either "51" ink or conventional inks. The initial model used a Vacumatic filling system which operated by pressing a plunger to generate a vacuum, drawing ink into the pen. [1] The history of the pen is as follows, note that there is inconsistency amongst the experts about the names of the different types of 51, some regard the Vacumatic 51 as a seperate entity and the aerometric is the Mk I, I prefer to follow David Shepherds philosophy as outlined below; The pen was not named after the P-51 Mustang fighter plane; but Parker took advantage of the coincidence by comparing the pen and the aircraft in its advertising.

From conception to assembly, the attention to detail is second to none. The cap is decorated with a complementary metallic jewel and each finish is inspired by heritage colours of the past, a tribute to the original Parker 51 range. Inspired by the past. Made for the future. Shepherd, David; Shepherd, Mark (January 2004). Parker "51" (1sted.). United Kingdom: Surrenden Pens Ltd. pp.102–104. ISBN 0-9546875-1-5. So what made the original '51' so significant? The whole ink feed system was special and new. The hooded nib only just emerged from the pen's grip section right at the tip, which meant ink could be wrapped around it. The nib itself was actually a little tubular shape, with the ink feed running through the middle, and a 'collector' wrapped around the outside. If you've ever looked at a modern rollerball with a transparent grip, and seen those fins inside, with ink between them, that's what the collector is like - like the Pilot V-System range. A series of closely-spaced fins that can gather ink, holding it wrapped around the nib. This keeps the nib wet, with a ready supply of ink.Above: The mid 1970s saw the final version of the 51 Aerometric - the Mk3. This had the later 61 cap with metal clip jewel. One important change was that Parker changed the type of plastic used for the shell and barrel to a softer version which is prone to shrinkage and also distortion from the pressure of the metal clutch inside the cap. Threading on the front shell and barrel was also coarser than on the Mk1/Mk2, so parts from these models will not fit the Mk3 Above: The 51 Aerometric Mk2 introduced in the late 1960s featured a 61 style cap with plastic jewel, a slightly shorter barrel with flattened rather than rounded end amongst a number of other differences. Importantly, the front shell and barrel were still made from lucite with the barrel threading being the same as on the Mk1 This initial ink was highly alkaline and while water-based, also included a substantial amount of isopropyl alcohol. While the same design of collector isn't often used in modern pens, it's very normal now for pens to have a lot of fins connected to the feed, holding ink close to the tip and ready for use, even in rollerball pens. The collector lives on, influencing the design of many pens all over the world.

The filling system was re-designed in 1948, with the introduction of the Aerometric filling system. This filling system operated by pressing a pressure bar on "Pli-Glass" PVC sac. [2] The Parker 51 is a fountain pen first introduced in 1941. Parker marketed it as “The World’s Most Wanted Pen,” a slogan alluding to restrictions on production of consumer goods for civilian markets in the United States during World War II. Queen Elizabeth used a burgundy Parker 51 since the 1950s. [12] Parker as a company has received a Royal warrant of appointment as the official providers of writing instruments for the Royal Family. [13] Appearances in media [ edit ]

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In 1947, Parker’s factory in England also started producing 51s for the British and European markets and, with the Vacumatic filling system being seen as overly complicated, Parker worked towards a new type of filler which was longer lasting, more reliable and simpler to use. In 1949, the ‘New Aero-metric Parker 51’ was launched in the USA and described as ‘a clear case of improving on perfection’. Instead of the button operated rubber diaphragm filler, this new 51 came with a PVC pli-glass reservoir with a 30 year life expectancy - an astonishingly long life given that most pens then required a service every 5 years or so. In the event, even this projection proved to be a little pessimistic as 51s continue arriving here every month for their first service and sac replacement in 70 years! English production of the Aerometric commenced at Newhaven in 1950. Lauren Hubbard. "Queen Elizabeth Has Used the Same Brand of Pens for Almost 60 Years". Town & Country Magazine . Retrieved 10 Jul 2021.

wanted’ – retaining its distinctive streamlined silhouette and iconic hooded nib; yet is made for the future – this pen is hand assembled and made from durable precious resin, benefitting from Parker’s expertise and reputation for superior craftmanship. In addition, Parker reformulated its "51" ink, reducing the alkalinity, and introducing a selection of bright colors, and changing its name to Superchrome. Like the"51"ink, it also came with a warning that it should be used only in the Parker51, though this warning was more discreet. Made in France - see the images for some more information from Parker, along with the below 'marketing' text they have prepared: First Year 51 Vacumatics produced in 1941 differed in some respects from the 1942-48 production. The most obvious variations were that the barrel imprints were at the filler end rather than next to the clutch ring, and both jewels were metal rather than plastic The pen and the ink were both named "51" to mark 1939, the company's 51st anniversary, during which development for the pen was completed (U.S. design patent No. 116,097, U.S. Patent 2,223,541 filed). By giving the pen a number instead of a name, Parker avoided the problem of translating a name into other languages.TheParker "51"stayed in production until 1972 with a series of revisions throughout its production cycle. The Vacumatic filling system was developed by Parker in the early 1930s. Ink is drawn in to the pen by repeated pushing of a plunger at the end of the barrel. This flexes a rubber diaphragm attached to the plunger with the partial vacuum drawing ink into the barrel. Ink is held directly in the barrel - the pen does not have a conventional ink sac This aerometric filling system was used in virtually all 51s until 1978 when production in the UK ceased. Small changes and improvements to the 51 continued almost annually from 1950 on with the major redesigns in the late 1960s with a streamlined Mark 2 followed by the final Mark 3 version in around 1975. A wide range of 51 variations were produced in both the UK and USA with slightly different timelines, and it is not unusual to find different colours, cap styles and imprints in US and UK production