RED BAND "51" 1946-1947 Produced merely two years and released in small numbers, the "red band" Parker "51" pens from 1946-1947 are items of high cachet. Discontinued due to challenges repairing them, today they are quite scarce. Most commonly found as desk pens in black, pocket pens are more difficult to obtain, particularly in  colors other than black.

Pen 2747 Parker "51" Full Size "Red Band"  $1400 Unrestored Dove Gray Lustraloy
Overall Grade: Nearmint	Metal: NM	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: NM	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: Fine	Imprint:  none	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $1400
COMMENTS: Red-Band pens are high-cachet items in the "51" universe. Produced in limited numbers for couple years, they were tough to repair and- rumor has it- largely recalled.  A hoard came on the market about 8 years ago, further stimulating interest.  Most found are black desk pens. Pocket pens in general, and colors other than black in particular, are far harder to procure.  This one has  plastic red threads (also found in red metal) which, i'm told, is the more difficult to find of the two styles. This pen is very clean, including the lustraloy cap, which has a much earlier (and better)  "First Year" clip with horizontal feathers, large diamond and negative reverse imprint. Pen does not fill, is sold unrestored, and again- i'm told- makes for a difficult restoration.

Pen 2748 Parker "51" Full Size "Red Band"  $1750 Cedar Blue with Gold Filled Clip
Overall Grade: Nearmint	Metal: NM	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: NM	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: Fine	Imprint:  none	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $1750
COMMENTS: Red-Band pens are high-cachet items in the "51" universe. Produced in limited numbers for couple years, they were tough to repair and- rumor has it- largely recalled.  A hoard came on the market about 8 years ago, further stimulating interest. Most found are black desk pens. Pocket pens in general, and colors other than black in particular, are far harder to procure.  This one has  plastic red threads (also found in red metal) which, i'm told, is the more difficult to find of the two styles. This pen is very clean, including the lustraloy cap, which has a much earlier (and better)  "First Year" clip with horizontal feathers, large diamond and negative reverse imprint. The  pen does fill, after a fashion. Button tends to stick in the down position. May not be returned if ya break the button :)

Pen 2749 Parker "51" Full Size "Red Band" $975 Black with Lustraloy Cap
Overall Grade: Mint Barrel	Metal: Exc	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: Exc	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: Fine	Imprint:  none	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $975
COMMENTS: Red-Band pens are high-cachet items in the "51" universe. Produced in limited numbers for couple years, they were tough to repair and- rumor has it- largely recalled.  A hoard came on the market about 8 years ago, further stimulating interest. Most found are black desk pens. Pocket pens in general, and colors other than black in particular, are far harder to procure.  This one has  metal red threads (also found in red plastic). The barrel assembly appears to be MINT with no ink expsoure. The cap clearly is not mint (fitted to the barrel after the fact, i'd imagine), and   has a much earlier (and better)  "First Year" clip with horizontal feathers, large diamond and negative reverse imprint. Pen has not been tested for filling and is a tricky repair, if restorable. May not be returned if you break it. Go figure ;)

Double Jewel Vac-Fill "51" with SOLID GOLD Cap and TRIM Near the high end of the cachet pyramid reside those "51" featuring solid gold caps.  Priced originally at $50 the pen,  these cost two weeks' gross pay for the average American worker during the 1940's, nearly a month's wages after taxes. Given as gifts by those who had significant discretionary funds, these truly evinced Parker's, "Jewels of Pendom" philosophy.  Four cap patterns  originally were manufactured: Smooth, Empire, Fish Scale and Coronet, though some low run variants appear to exist, too.

Pen 2814-R Parker "51" Double Jewel $2850  SOLD Yellowstone Yellow (Mustard). Solid Gold Two Tone "Empire" Cap 1946
Overall Grade: Exc	Metal: Exc	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: Exc	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: Fine	Imprint: ExtraFine	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $2850
COMMENTS: One of the keystone cacheities (neologism alert) in the "51" collecting sphere. Two tone solid gold cap. Solid gold trim. This one is the thin lip variant (also available with the more common wide lip, or so i'm told). No dings. Minimal use marks anywhere. Strong imprint, though not near mint razor yada yada. Fine Point.  Excellent color, noting one or two tiny specks in barrel where color is lighter. This is the only Empire I've ever owned.

Pen 1618 Parker "51" Solid Gold Cap and trim SOLD Triple hallmarked. 1946  $1100
Overall Grade: extra fine	Metal: Perfect	Color:  Perfect	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: Exc	Clutch:  Exc	clarity:    NA
Point:  Med	Imprint:  VG	Size: 5 1/2"	PRICE: $1100
COMMENTS:  Vac-Fill 51's can be found wtih four patterns of solid gold cap. This one is the smooth finish. The cap has no dings. 14k hallmarks are present on cap, clip and bottom tassie. 1946 imprint. Couple light marks to black plastic. A much "better" Parker "51"

Vac-Fill "51" 1941 FIRST YEAR PENS Double Jewel and Desk Parker "51" was released for sale in the USA in 1941. The "First Year Pen"  is  believed to be  found with particular cap variants, to carry a clip  that features a larger-than-later blue diamond and to be stamped such that a peek at the reverse side of the clip shows a mirrored incuse "Parker", to  feature the metal "speedline" filler,  to have an early style clutch,  to have metal end "jewels", and  to show the manufacturer's imprint near the blind cap jewel rather than near the barrel's clutch ring.  While it is uncertain that all features persisted the entire year, or that all the first year features disappeared by the start of the 2nd year, pens that carry "First Year" features do have above average collector cachet.

Pen 2640 Parker "51" Double Jewel 1941  $675  SOLD Cordovan. "First Year". GF Cap with Double Border for Cartouche.
Overall Grade: Exc	Metal: Exc	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: Exc	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: Med	Imprint:  Exc	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $675 SOLD
COMMENTS: "First Year" features including blind cap imprint, metal bottom jewel, metal filler with diamond logo, double-border cartouche, clip with large diamond with "negative imprint" on reverse.  Clutch is the 2nd style 5-finger mechanism. Very clean pen.

Pen 2637 Parker "51" Double Jewel  $800 SOLD Cedar Blue "First Year" Smooth Sterling Cap 1941
Overall Grade: ExtraFine	Metal: ExtraFine	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: Exc	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: Med	Imprint:  Exc	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $800  SOLD
COMMENTS: First year Blue Cedar pen with imprint by blind cap,  with metal bottom jewel, and with metal filling unit with diamond logo. Smooth Sterling cap (with proper imprint at top of cap) is an high cachet cap.  This one has later clip with small blue diamond, and has later (though perhaps still first year) clutch.  Clean pen with no dings, no longer with any rhodium plating, and with some wear to side opposite clip.

Pen 2824 Parker "51" Double Jewel   $750 SOLD Black  "First Year" Scalloped/Straight Line Cap. 1941
Overall Grade: ExtraFine	Metal: Exc	Color:  Exc	CLICK FOR LARGER PIC
Nib condition: Exc	Clutch:  perfect	clarity:    NA
Point: --	Imprint:  Exc	Size: 5 1/2" 13.9cm	PRICE: $750 on hold
COMMENTS: A "better" first year cap with large diamond and negative reverse "PARKER" imprint, with imprint at top of cap. Metal filling unit. Nice imprint at bottom of pen.