Vintage 1947 ad for the Parker "51"

[IronHammer]

I found this recently in a local antique shop for a couple of dollars. It's from Life magazine 1947 (March, I think). Pretty cool stuff. I thought you all would like to see it.

[brianw]

"51" the world most wanted pen....

Yup that say's it all

[Doc4]

I have two 51's. If I tape them together I guess I have a 102.

I keep going back and forth on which one is my favourite. The "better" pen is one of those ... oh dang, I forget which is called aerometric and which is called vacumatic ... I'm gonna say vacumatc has the push-button at the back end and the aerometric has the squeeze-on-the-side filler ...

... well, the aerometric is the "better" pen. Better ink flow right from the start overnight, and generally, and a nice gold cap, yada yada. The vacumatic takes a little while to get going, and is more likely to have a few moments of dry-nib whenever I pick it up again after a while. Both nibs are "american Fine" in size, I guess.

But dang, that vacumatic has a nib with so much character. It's almost like a tiny little naginata nib. Dang, it's fun to write with.

[brianw]

I have two 51's. If I tape them together I guess I have a 102.

I keep going back and forth on which one is my favourite. The "better" pen is one of those ... oh dang, I forget which is called aerometric and which is called vacumatic ... I'm gonna say vacumatc has the push-button at the back end and the aerometric has the squeeze-on-the-side filler ...

... well, the aerometric is the "better" pen. Better ink flow right from the start overnight, and generally, and a nice gold cap, yada yada. The vacumatic takes a little while to get going, and is more likely to have a few moments of dry-nib whenever I pick it up again after a while. Both nibs are "american Fine" in size, I guess.

But dang, that vacumatic has a nib with so much character. It's almost like a tiny little naginata nib. Dang, it's fun to write with.

IIRC didn't you ask a long time ago why you needed a "51", as a "21" was great. I guess you answered that question !!!

[Doc4]

... oh no, the 21 is much better.

[IronHammer]

I have both a 21 and a 51. I haven't decided which I like better. One thing I can say is they are my favorite pens!

[oc_in_fw]

... oh no, the 21 is much better.

don't poke the beast

[mark the shoeshine boy]

don't poke the beast

the two headed beast....

[whavens]

My 21 is a more consistent writer. But I love my 51s. They are gorgeous.

[Mike Schutz]

Wow! That ad is as old as I am. And I remember when 51's were still a new pen. A great product from a great State and town. (Janesville, WI.) Too bad there is nothing left of the old company.

[mark the shoeshine boy]

Wow! That ad is as old as I am. And I remember when 51's were still a new pen. A great product from a great State and town. (Janesville, WI.) Too bad there is nothing left of the old company.

brianw remembers when parker use to make a real good hammer chisel for stone tablet writing.....

[nemo]

Here's another, they seem kind of expensive for 1947.