What would be a "Parker Style" pen?

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Mack C.

Mack C.

Passed Away Sep 29, 2018
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I have a lady customer coming by to pick out for her husband (at his request) a "Parker Style" pen for a Christmas present this year! She purchased a rollerball pen for him last Christmas.

I have no idea what she is really looking for when she says "Parker Style"!:confused:Maybe a fountain pen!

Can anyone shed some light on her request, like direct me to a pen that would be "Parker" like!
 
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Any pen that uses a parker style refill. Ballpoint, like a sierra or cigar. This is my opinion..even though yes parker makes rollerballs and fountain pens, but far as I know, "parker style" refers to their specific ballpoint refill".
 
Mack:
That request DOES contain some ambiguity. I would show her some her some photos of the Parker 21, 51 and Duo Fold.

When my customers refer to Parker style pens this is usually the styles they mean.

I hope this helps.
 
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Mack, the only thing I can think of is that her husband wants a pen that takes a "Parker style" refill and not a "Cross style" or another rollerball. When someone asks me what type of refill a pen takes I tell them a "Parker style" which can be purchased from me or at an office supply store. Mabey this is what he meant. Hope this helps,

Bill
 
Mack - If your customer does not know "kit" pens then a Parker style pen means something different to them. A typical "Parker" style pen is usually seen with a colored bottom half. and a silver top half with the famous arrow clip. If it is a ball point then it would be a clicker. If it is a fountain pen, then she may be looking for something like a 51, or a vacumatic or even a lucky curve. These all have different body styles.

Anyway those are the most recognized styles.
 
I would ask for clarification.

Parker refills are pretty common to us pen makers (sierra and cigar for example)..... BUT if someone asked me about a "Parker styled" pen, that means something different to me. Parker to here could mean their higher end fountain pen, or it could mean their slim styled pens. The ONLY thing that "screams" Parker to me is their unique arrow shaped clip.

I have a Parker, its a thin metal pen that takes Parker refills. To the non-FP user, it would probably be what a person would qualify as a "typical" Parker pen.
 
I'd almost bet she means a Parker Duo Fold. The PSI executive is nearly the same as the Duo Fold Ballpoint.

If she means Duo Fold fountain, you may have to do some fabrication using the "arrow" clip. Almost every customer asking me for a "Parker type" pen was referring to the Duo Fold, as it was the most popular pen in the 1950s and 1960s.

I have some Parker 21s, Super 21s that I can photo for you. Mike is right "Parker Style " to my customers means aluminum top fountain with arrow clip and solid color acrylic bottom. I just hope she doesn't want the hooded nib as they are P.I.T.A.
 
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Mike Kennedy, Andy Little, Dean Charlier;

I'm thinking what you guys are suggesting is closest to what she/he is thinking about. Definitely not describing the pen by the refill it takes.

I'm thinking she'll be shopping elsewhere if it's the "Parker" style pen she's after, unless I can direct her towards my Parker refill pens.

Thanks for taking the time, guys!
 
Honestly, I would simply walk her through the types of pens that we make and talk to her about their 'parkerishness'. I would also consider the pen that she bought for him last year and pay special attention to those 'parkery' pens that would complement it.
 
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