The Parker '17' Lady was introduced into the Parker Duofold line in 1964 and replaced with the Parker Lady Standard in 1968. The same year the pen was redesigned to include a Parker 45 style clip and a cap band at the very end of the cap which extended inside the cap. This pen is an intermediate model, it has the Standard barrel, the cap is inscribed, but it has the '17' style clip and cap band. It was only made for a short time in 1968.
This is a fine example. It is finished in Blue, with Gold filled 'Arrow' clip and cap band, it has an excellent surface and an unstained ink sac. The Lady Standard was not barrel imprinted but, unlike the previous models, it had the Parker name stamped on the cap.
The pen is in remarkable condition throughout, and in perfect working order. The fountain pen has a clear ink sac, pristine Gold filling and an excellent shine.
The pen has a 14Ct. Gold nib and is a superb writer. It produces a very smooth and consistent broad line, not a common choice for a Parker Lady.
For an aspiring collector the Parker Lady is a good starting point. There are only four colours: Black, Blue, Red and Green, and three main models so a complete collection is twelve pens. This excludes the Gold filled 'Insignia'. The Parker Lady pens I am listing at the moment are mainly duplicates from my own collection.
Although the Parker Lady is not a particularly rare vintage pen, mainly due to its success in the global market, it is nevertheless not easy to find a transitional pen, particularly one in such good condition.