The Parker Pastel first appeared, in 1926, in solid colours with a single raised cap band, as in this pen. In early 1927 the band was replaced with two bands infilled with black and a moire effect was added. The 1st. generation pen had a very short production run, always a good sign for collectors.
The pen is a ring top, originally designed to be attached to a chatelaine, worn on a belt, carrying a pen, scissors, keys etc. By the 1920s these were less common but the ring top remained for some time.
At 111mm. capped and 138mm. posted, without the ring, it is a small pen but is perfectly comfortable in the posted configuration. It is very much a scaled down Duofold in appearence.
Finished in Naples Blue, the pen carries the barrel imprint:
Geo. S. Parker Lucky Curve Fountain Pen
Janesville. Wis. U.S.A. Pat.4-25-11
The 'Lucky Curve', imprinted in a 'banner' refers to the nib and feed. Later models did not have the Lucky Curve nib. The 'Lucky Curve', an innovative feed design patented in 1894, was to become one of the major contributors to Parker's success with the Duofold line and it's predecessors. As seen in the photographs, the feed culminates in a curved structure which touches the inside of the ink sac, this has the effect of pulling the ink away from the point when the pen is not in use thus preventing leakage.
A button filler, the pen has been conservatively restored and tested, it is in good working condition. there is a hairline crack at the barrel threads which has been stabilised and has no effect on the capping of the pen. The ink sac had hardened with age and was replaced, the only component of the pen that was not present when the pen was made almost a hundred years ago.
The nib, which bears the imprint: Parker
Lucky Curve
Pen
P
is straight and well aligned, it writes with a smooth , fine to medium line and has enough flex to add character to the writing. With a little practice some excellent calligraphy effects could be achieved.
The Parker Pastel is a very uncommon pen, a first generation pen in such good condition really is extremely hard to find, partly because of the very short production run. The pen is clearly very collectable but perhaps such a practical and attractive pen should be used and shown off!
