The Parker Duofold AF, for Aluminium Filler, was introduced, in England, in 1948. This is one of a pair of recently acquired new old stock pens, one in Black and this pen in Burgundy.
The pen is in mint condition throughout and needed no restoration, although it was thoroughly checked and a new ink sac fitted as the old one had hardened with age. The 'M' sticker, referring to the medium nib, was intended for the use of the retailer and would have been removed at the point of sale. As the nibs are not marked with the width and style the sticker was needed to ensure that the retailer knew which nib was fitted to the pen, it remained intact as the pen was unsold.
The Burgundy colour is almost a dark brown with a hint of red, it appears almost black on the photographs, some quirk about how the camera reproduces colours. The photograph of the pen in the box gives a better idea of how the pen looks 'in the flesh'.
The AF Duofolds almost always have a silver coloured filler button but this pen, and the black one, both have the uncommon yellow aluminium buttons, not really surprising as both pens came from the same shop and would have been from the same batch. The filling system is very efficient and easy to use, the pen fills with a single press on the button.
The nib is stamped: Parker Duofold 14K Pen N It is interesting that Parker, England, chose the American style 'K' for the gold content rather than the British 'Ct.., perhaps they had to use the American stamping equipment for the nibs. The 'N' stands for the Parker pen factory at Newhaven, England.
As with most new old stock pens this one came to me unboxed, the pens are normally boxed at the point of sale. I have provided a high quality new box for the pen, it will serve well for transportation, protection, and display.
At 15.5 cm. with the cap posted, the Duofold AF is a large, attractive, and prestigious pen, it would make an excellent every day vintage writer, although a new old stock pen is also highly collectable.