This is a near mint Parker 51 fountain pen and pencil set in Black. The pen is an aerometric filler dating from 1957. The word 'Superchrome' was omitted from the filler sleeve in 1957 and a halo added to the cap in 1958. This set has no 'Superchrome' and does not have a halo so it can be dated to after 1958.
Parker ‘51’ aerometric fountain pen and pencil boxed set. Near Mint condition.
Made in England in 1957, this is a truly outstanding example of the iconic Parker ‘51’.
The pen:
First class condition throughout.
Immaculate deep gloss Black finish.
Unstained, clear ink sac.
Ding free ‘Lustralloy’ cap.
The Pencil:
‘Correct’ repeater pencil.
Immaculate black finish.
Ding free cap with full ‘frosting.’
Complete ‘chalk mark’.
Fully functional.
The box:
‘Polka dot’ Parker presentation box.
Opens and closes perfectly.
Very clean, unstained satin lining.
Summary:
The general condition of the set, the chalk marks, the clear ink sac, the unstained box, and presence of frosting on the caps all combine to suggest, strongly, that the set has seen very little use: the chalk marks on the pencil are very fragile, handling the pencil at all would have very rapidly eroded these marks; If the pen is left with ink in the sac then the pli-glass material would have stained; removing and replacing the contents from the box regularly would have marked the lining.
This remarkable Parker '51' set fulfils perfectly the criteria often quoted for a vintage fountain pen: quality, condition and age. The likely hood of an item to, at least, maintain its value is also important, this set also scores highly on that criterion. The set is clearly of collectable quality but, perhaps, after sixty odd years the set should be used and shown off!