PA3650 Parker 51 Aerometric Fountain Pen and Pencil Set, boxed (Medium)

PA3650 Parker 51 Aerometric Fountain Pen and Pencil Set, boxed (Medium)

Date: c1950s

Size: Capped - 138mm; posted - 154mm.

A very pretty India black Parker 51 set.  Both pieces are in excellent condition with no damage at all that I can see, save for a single small mark in the cap frosting that has been made by the pocket clip terminal coming into contact with it.  The caps have no dings and the delicate frosting is still all there.  The barrel of both pieces and the hood on the pen are bright and glossy with no scratching or other damage.  Both caps have a clear grey top jewel with a chrome plated short arrow Parker pocket clip.  The cap lips are polished in contrast with the frosted cap bodies.  The imprint just above the cap lip reads simply "PARKER"

Fountain Pen

The barrel unscrews to reveal the Aerometric filler which is in excellent undamaged and shiny condition.  The original pliglass ink sac is still installed and has the usual internal ink staining that these will always pick up with any kind of use.  The hooded nib is in a medium point and made from 14 carat gold. 

Pencil

This is a clutch action continuous feed pencil.  It too is in excellent condition.  The cap pulls off - below the cap is the stub os the original pink eraser in its little metal holder.  There is a space to store spare leads below.  I have installed a fresh 0.9mm lead in the clutch mechanism.  To work the pencil, you press down on the cap to open the clutch and to allow the lead to advance.  

Box

The original box is a very nice hard shell case with the faux snakeskin finish.  This is the iconic box that was reproduced for the Special Edition Parker 51 some years ago.  This one is the original 1950s example with the lovely brass bound base and lid.  There is some discolouration to the outside.  Inside , the lid is lined with cream-coloured satin, as is the pad.  Inside the lid is "Parker 51" in gold.  The pad has a some minor age-marking.  Also inside the box is the original instruction sheet.

I have fully serviced this set.  The nib writes very smoothly, just how you would expect and hope a Parker 51 to write.  It works very well and produces a wet and consistent finewidth line.  The pencil works perfectly.