Photo Credit: wbm78
Vintage Parker Vacumatic Fountain Pen and Pencil Set from the Early 1940s
Buy It Now Price: $499.99 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)
Pros:
-Few pens can wow a crowd like the Parker Vacumatic fountain pen. This superb, vintage Parker Vacumatic fountain pen and mechanical pencil set was made in the early 1940s, between 1939 and 1942.
-This attractive fountain pen and mechanical pencil set has celluloid bodies with 14 karat gold filled caps and trim.
-This set’s color is known as “Golden Pearl”. It is also has a “blue diamond” clip to denote a lifetime warranty. Parker only used the “blue diamond” clip on higher-end pens priced at $8.75 or higher. This was a substantial amount of money in the early 1940s, equivalent to about $151 in 2016.
-The Parker Vacumatic fountain pen, with its alternating opaque and translucent celluloid stripes and chunky, bold design, is one of the most iconic of Art Deco fountain pens.
-The set comes in its original case, which always boosts investment appeal.
-The condition of this Parker Vacumatic fountain pen and mechanical pencil set is excellent, with no visible cracking, chipping, brassing (wear through the gold-filled trim) or other damage. The writing nib also appears to be in good condition.
-I especially like the investment potential for vintage fountain pen and mechanical pencil sets. I think they are one of the most undervalued areas of the fountain pen universe at the moment.
Cons:
-The $500 asking price is very high. The seller knows he has a gem in this vintage set and is demanding a steep premium for it. However, it is common for exceptional, investment grade antiques to trade for exceptionally high prices. I suspect the $500 price may not seem so high in another decade or so.
-The set is being sold “as is” with no guarantee that either the pen or pencil work. The ink filling device in a Parker Vacumatic fountain pen, called a diaphragm, is made out of rubber. This can rot out over time, requiring replacement. If necessary, this fix would cost additional money.
-The gold filled caps are engraved with the initials “DM”. Some people avoid any antique that has been monogrammed. However, I feel that initials or monograms are neutral to the valuation of a fine antique in most instances.
