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This fixed listing is for a serviced, completely restored 1948 Parker Vacumatic Black Major Fountain Pen with Gold Trim. The date code is 8 with two dots, so 2nd Quarter 1948. I did a fill writing sample then flushed and ultrosonically cleaned again (Please see picture #12). I have thoroughly tested the pen with distilled water and it is properly filling as it should and as it was manufactured to fill. There are no cracks, bite marks, splits, or monograms. The fountain pen is in excellent working condition and excellent cosmetic condition. There is a chevron band (Jewelers Band) on the cap. The clarity is excellent, (Please see picture #11) The nib is a 1945 14K Proper Parker Arrow USA Stiff Medium point. The date code on the nib is 5 with no dots so 4th Quarter 1945.
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Following is some date coding information concerning Parker Fountain Pens. My source is Parker Pens Penography, DATE CODES - DATING A PEN
IN MID 1934 PARKER BEGAN MARKING MOST PENS AND PENCILS WITH A DATE CODE, BOTH THE BARREL AND THE NIBS WERE MARKED. HOWEVER, LACKING A DATE CODE DOES NOT MEAN A PRE-1935 MADE PEN, SINCE MANY IMPRINTS HAVE BEEN WORN OFF WITH USE. THE FIRST DATE CODES WERE TWO DIGITS WHERE FIRST DIGIT DENOTING QUARTER OF PRODUCTION, 2ND DIGIT DENOTING THE PRODUCTION YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE: IF NIB DATE CODE OF 36 MEANS PRODUCED 3RD QUARTER OF 1936.
In the second quarter of 1938 this system was however changed to save production time, and a new date code, using a system of dots was adopted. The stamp initially had three dots and for each quarter one dot was filed down leaving none for the fourth quarter. Since production was overlapping, examples exist with either the imprint 28 or 8 with two dots for the second quarter of 1938. Also, since this coding system extended over a decade, a pen marked .8., could have been produced the second quarter of 1938 or second quarter of 1948.
MANUFACTURER - Parker
MODEL - Vacumatic Major
LENGTH - 5 1/8 inches
COLOR - Black
CAP - Blue Diamond Gold Split Arrow Parker
FILLING SYSTEM - Vacumatic
YEAR OF MANUFACTURER - 1948 - Barrel date code is 8 with two dots, 2nd Quarter 1948.
NIB MATERIAL - 14K Gold, NIB STROKE - Medium, 1945 Proper Parker Arrow stiff U.S.A. NIB, DATE CODE is 5 with no dots, 4th Quarter 1945 (See Picture #12).
