I'm occasionally asked about the merits of buying a vintage pen as opposed to a brand new model for around the same price, so I thought it would be worth doing a comparison.
I've chosen two Parkers, a brand new Sonnet and a 1958 Duofold Senior:
The Sonnet, a Matt Black version, has a RRP of £196 but is now on offer at £124.95, the Duofold Senior is on this site at £105 so the prices are similar.
The appearance of a pen is obviously a very subjective thing, what is perfect for one person may be hideous to another. The Sonnet is actually designed to catch the eye and the Duofold is, primarily, designed for writing so the new pen may have the edge here.
A major difference between the pens is the nib, the Duofold nib is solid 14 Ct. gold while the Sonnet has a gold plated steel nib, the plating is not particularly thick and will wear off in time. Gold nibs never tarnish and have a much better feel, altogether a better writing experience.
The Sonnet has a 'push fit' cap, the Duofold cap is a screw fit. The push fit cap may be less of a faff to open when in a hurry but may become 'sloppy' with use. If the Duofold cap is not overtightened or roughly treated the threads last very well.
The Sonnet filling system is the now ubiquitous converter/cartridge affair, very convenient and easy to use. The ink flow seems to be better when the converter is used but it entails having a bottle of ink. It's easier to carry a spare cartridge but there are environmental issues associated with disposal.
The Duofold has an 'aerometric' filler, it relies on the use of a 'squeeze bar' to compress a rubber ink sac. Parker ink sacs are 'pli-glass', a transparent, ribbed sac which allows the ink level to be seen, they often darken with age but, if unstained, still allow the level to be monitored. They last extremely well, most are perfectly functional after many decades.
Although of comparable size, the Duofold is slightly longer, there is a significant weight difference between the pens, the Duofold being much lighter. The weight difference is not accidental, when the Duofold was made one of the main criteria in designing a pen was that it should be light in weight, much less tiring for the small muscles in the fingers when the pen is used for extended periods. The challenge was to produce a light pen but still maintain robustness, these weren't cheap items and had to last.
This requirement is not seen as of particular importance now as the way pens are used has changed considerably. It also appears that the modern pen buyer associates heavy weight with quality, exactly the opposite of the earlier perceptions. By modern standards the Sonnet is not a particularly heavy pen, it is a Parker after all.
So, both are good pens and will perform well, aesthetic appeal is entirely a personal choice, and the cost is comparable. I'm biased, of course, but it's worth noting that you'll see dozens of sonnets for every Duofold Senior.