The Parker 75 Lacquer Collection was introduced in 1979 by the French Parker subsiduary. It was inspired by the eastern lacquer painting technique of 'layers on layers on layers'.
In 1979 the collection consisted of Tortoiseshell. Woodgrain, Lapis Lazuli, Red Quartz, and Malchite Green and in 1981 the Tortoiseshell and Woodgrain were discontinued and replaced by Thuya a darker mottled brown. As date coding started sometime in 1979 and this pen has no date code it can be dated to that year.
The pen is in excellent condition and is presented in its original Parker hard plastic boxcontaining an instruction leaflet and pouch. A cartridge/converter filler, it is fitted with the original parker ink converter and is suupplied with a new ink cartridge so it is ready to write in either configuration.
The 14Ct. gold nib is a distinctively shaped, quite handsome affair which writes with a smooth, medium line. Parker described the 75 nibs as 'semi flexible' but I think it is more accurate to say that it has a pleasing 'soft' feel.
One of the most innovative features of the parker 75 is the adjustable nib, it is also the most underused. The section is moulded in such a way as to have three 'facets' at 120 degrees to each other. Two of the have milled lines to give grip for the index finger and thumb and the third smooth one sits comfortably against the inside of the first finger. The nib can be rotated in the section to personalise, and retain, the best angle for a particular user.
The Parker 75 Laque Collection pens are now in high demand but the Woodgrain and Tortoiseshell versions are the hardest to come by due to the very short production run and are extremely collectable.