Queen Elizabeth used a burgundy Parker 51 since the 1950s. [12] Parker as a company has received a Royal warrant of appointment as the official providers of writing instruments for the Royal Family. [13] Appearances in media [ edit ] From conception to assembly, the attention to detail is second to none. The cap is decorated with a complementary metallic jewel and each finish is inspired by heritage colours of the past, a tribute to the original Parker 51 range. Inspired by the past. Made for the future. The history of the pen is as follows, note that there is inconsistency amongst the experts about the names of the different types of 51, some regard the Vacumatic 51 as a seperate entity and the aerometric is the Mk I, I prefer to follow David Shepherds philosophy as outlined below;

For deliveries to the Rest of the World, Royal Mail suggests up to 21 working days for parcels to arrive. Lauren Hubbard. "Queen Elizabeth Has Used the Same Brand of Pens for Almost 60 Years". Town & Country Magazine . Retrieved 10 Jul 2021. The Vacumatic filling system was developed by Parker in the early 1930s. Ink is drawn in to the pen by repeated pushing of a plunger at the end of the barrel. This flexes a rubber diaphragm attached to the plunger with the partial vacuum drawing ink into the barrel. Ink is held directly in the barrel - the pen does not have a conventional ink sacIn 1947, Parker’s factory in England also started producing 51s for the British and European markets and, with the Vacumatic filling system being seen as overly complicated, Parker worked towards a new type of filler which was longer lasting, more reliable and simpler to use. In 1949, the ‘New Aero-metric Parker 51’ was launched in the USA and described as ‘a clear case of improving on perfection’. Instead of the button operated rubber diaphragm filler, this new 51 came with a PVC pli-glass reservoir with a 30 year life expectancy - an astonishingly long life given that most pens then required a service every 5 years or so. In the event, even this projection proved to be a little pessimistic as 51s continue arriving here every month for their first service and sac replacement in 70 years! English production of the Aerometric commenced at Newhaven in 1950. Above: A 51 Aerometric Mk1 from the mid 1950s showing the shorter clip. Most 51s found in the UK are similar to this, with production running until probably at least the late 1960s TheParker "51"stayed in production until 1972 with a series of revisions throughout its production cycle. Above: A 51 Aerometric Mk1 from around 1950 showing the long clip which was in use from 1948 to around 1951 The Parker 51 was first released in 1941. The first pens utilised the sacless pump system, borrowed from the Vacumatic and they were immediately successful. The pens made during the First Year have a number of distinct identifying features and are now extremely collectable and rare. The Vac 51 lasted until 1947 when it was phased out in favour of the 'new' aerometric filling system.

In addition, Parker reformulated its "51" ink, reducing the alkalinity, and introducing a selection of bright colors, and changing its name to Superchrome. Like the"51"ink, it also came with a warning that it should be used only in the Parker51, though this warning was more discreet.

Parker 51 Sales and Servicing

The 51 was a unique product and shook the world on its introduction. The torpedo shaped design and the hooded nib became icons of style and were copied by virtually every other pen manufacturer. It is no exaggeration to say that the Parker 51 is the most popular, reliable and functional pen ever invented. In 2021 a reimagined version of Parker "51" was released. [9] [10] The 2021 model had slight differents with its predecessor, being 4mm longer than the original 51. [11]

The"51"was innovative for the period. It had a number of new design features—in particular the hooded, tubular nib and multi-finned collector were designed to work in conjunction with the pen's proprietary, fast-drying "51" ink. This allowed the tubular nib to stay wet and lay down an even line with either "51" ink or conventional inks. The initial model used a Vacumatic filling system which operated by pressing a plunger to generate a vacuum, drawing ink into the pen. [1] wanted’ – retaining its distinctive streamlined silhouette and iconic hooded nib; yet is made for the future – this pen is hand assembled and made from durable precious resin, benefitting from Parker’s expertise and reputation for superior craftmanship. First Year 51 Vacumatics produced in 1941 differed in some respects from the 1942-48 production. The most obvious variations were that the barrel imprints were at the filler end rather than next to the clutch ring, and both jewels were metal rather than plastic

Made in France - see the images for some more information from Parker, along with the below 'marketing' text they have prepared: The original Parker 51 pen was the biggest selling and probably most practical fountain pen ever made. It never leaked, always worked and rarely broke. With sales in excess of 20 million pens, it was ‘like a pen from another planet!’ It rapidly became 'the world's most wanted pen'• Fully serviced vintage Parker 51s for sale This initial ink was highly alkaline and while water-based, also included a substantial amount of isopropyl alcohol.