The English Parker 51 Insignia differed from its American couterpart in that it was engraved fully with longitudinal lines, whilst the American version featured lines arranged in groups of three. This pen was made, in England, between c.1952 and 1957.
The pen has a 1/10th, by weight, rolled 12Ct. Gold cap and barrel, with clear imprints, and a 14 Ct. Gold nib. With only light usage marks and just tiny 'fleabite' on the barrel, the pen is in excellent condition throughout, it appears to have been carefully looked after for the last seventy years or so.
After servicing the pen was fully tested. It fills well and, as expected from a Parker 51, is a very good writer. The nib is unusual in that it has a stub profile which produces a difference in the thickness of the horizontal and vertical strokes. The hooded design of the 51 precludes any flexibility in the nib so line variation can only be obtained using an oblique or stub nib. A little experimentation with the pen would allow someone with a decent 'hand' to add character and produce very impressive results.
A Parker 51 Insignia with a stub nib is quite a rarity and is much sought after. It is an ourageously attractive pen, very collectable, and has a great deal of presige.