The Parker 51 Custom differs from the 'Classic' model in that it has a 12Ct. rolled Gold cap, the Classic cap is 'Lustralloy', a stainless steel alloy with a frosted finish.
The American version of the colour, this pen, is a rich dark Bugundy while the British Burgundy is more towards the red. One of the less common colours, it is often misidentified as Cordovan Brown, which was only used on the earler 51 Vacumatic pens.
The earliest aerometric 51s had a chromed filler sleeve, this was replaced with a polished aluminium ssleeve, as on this pen, which was replaced with a brushed finish around 1952.
The 'Lucite' body has a showroom finish, the colour compliments the gold cap very well. The cap is one tenth, by weight, 12 Ct. gold. It has a few light dings and this is reflected in the price, but it has a bright surface, no plating loss, and is the correct cap for the pen.
The pen has been fully serviced and tested. The aerometric filling system works well and the 14 Ct. Gold nib writes with a smooth fine line. It has the pleasing 'soft' feel that Parker managed to achieve with the 51 nibs.
The Parker ' polka dot' box is original and in sound, clean coandition.
At around seventy five years old this is a remarkable top quality vintage pen. The 51 is the first choice of many collectors as a daily user, it is totally reliable, stylish and very practical with a great deal of prestige.