Well, almost two months have passed since my last update and a lot has happened in the world. It is with deep sadness that the tragic events of September 11th have shown the worst in mankind only to bring out the best in mankind. My heart goes out to the families who have been directly touched by this tragedy and everyone else who still suffer from the shock of these terrorist acts. And now we have the possibility of biological warfare raining down upon us!
Getting back to the safety of this hobby, this update is being made just a few days before the Columbus Pen Show, a most enjoyable event that I have been able to attend since 1998. It is an update that begins to reflect my feeling that new Parker 75 information is getting more difficult for me to find. I really doubt that I have uncovered most of what exists about the Parker 75 series! Unfortunately I don't have any access to more internal Parker documents; I think it is likely that these documents contain more information than what I have accumulated here. There is also a treasure of prototype pens stored somewhere, perhaps in Newhaven, UK.
If any of you visiting this website have any pull with Newell Rubbermaid Corp, put in a good word for me. This company now owns Parker Pen Co., having merged it into their Sanford division. My hope is that their PR department will realize that Parker Pen collectors are good from their company and treat us better than Gillette.
For this month, I want to thank a new contributor to this site, Mr. Marco Antonetto. He provided me with pictures of the special packaging of the sterling Godron for the Italian market. He recently sold this beautiful specimen to one of my good friends.
I also received some additional information and clarification from Ms. Susan Wirth, a long-time contributor to this website. Susan is a dear friend who always has interesting Parker 75 tidbits that she recalls from her many years of pen collecting. This time it involves the Premiers, speckled lacquer prototype BP, convertors and suggestions for other 75 branches (35, 180, Classic) which I will investigate and add. As always, thank you Susan!
Yet another regular contributor to these pages came through for me once more -- Lee Chait. He showed me some interesting ephemera in the form of dealer materials for the launch of the Spanish Treasure Fleet FP. This is stuff that I have never seen before and I didn't even know existed. Thank you Lee!
As always, I welcome your feedback/criticisms on this site. I am always interested in hearing from you, especially if you have some 75 that you don't see here. Even better if you want to sell it to me. Or if you are looking for a particular 75 or have need of parts, drop me a note. I might just have it. Send me email at the LTW@Parker75.com address.
Thanks for visiting!
Here is what's new in the Parker 75 Reference section.
T-1 branch of the 75 family tree
Special packaging of the Sterling Godron for Italy
Updated information on the Premier, including new pictures of the SP Grain d'Orge and the Chinese lacquer.
Updated information on the speckled BP that I labeled as a prototype.
Unusual sections: blue color and a double-banded black.
Another titanium 75 prototype, once more with the early clips and flat tassies, even on the barrel end.
French 18K nib comparison.
Tassies with a slight outward bow and not completely flat.
Sample GP Cisele crosshatch grid whose lines are more deeply cut than those found on the GP Insignia.
Owners manual packaged with the sterling crosshatch and Keepsake (just the front and back cover pages).
While we are on ephemera, here is a look at the
cap band inscription
requirements from Parker internal documents and a product
flyer for the "Laque Collection".
The inscription specification sheet brings to light several things
that affirm, correct and raise some implications.
Brings actual proof from Parker documents the date coding using the words "QUALITY PEN" and that the letters represent a decade form of encoding.
The vertical bars used to denote quarters did not start with 1990 as my original date code page presumed. It started with 1987.
Since the first year to use this quarter encoding form is 1987, this implies the document was made prior to that. My guess is it came from 1986.
The last year for this form of quarter encoding was 1996. Either the 75 line would be ended by then or Parker would need a new form of quarter encoding.