The Parker Slimfold was added to the immensely successful Duofold range in 1962 and changed in 1968. This pen carries a date code for 1968. Despite the name the Slimfold is a very comfortable 14.7 cm. in length when posted for use, only marginally shorter than the Parker 51.
This pen is a fine example, made in England around the early 1960s. It is finished in Green, the most uncommon of the Duofold colours by quite a big margin. The other colours are Blue, Red, and Black.
The pen is in excellent condition throughout, it has a good surface with a clear barrel imprint and the Gold filling on the chevron decorated cap band and the clip is bright and shows no brassing. The original 'pli-glass' ink sac is clear and unstained, a good indicator of sparing, careful use. It should be noted that there are no cracks to the cap lip, this is a common, and usually undisclosed, fault with these pens.
The original Parker box has lost the tray but is in very good condition and the filling instructions have been retained.
The 14 Ct. Gold nib is stamped with the nib size, '5', and also '8', a date code for 1984. It is a fabulous writer, delivering a super smooth medium line with the most pleasing 'soft' feel only found with top quality nibs.
It is interesting to compare the quality and price of this pen with a modern equivalent. New gold nibbed pens start at over £100, most are a good deal more. Very few modern pens have a built in filling system, the vast majority use cartridges, not a good thing in terms of plastic consumption, and none have the charm and character of a good vintage pen.