A Pair of Parker 51s

Pretty much everyone who knows me — or has followed my blog for any length of time — knows I use fountain pens to write and to draw. I’ve done so ever since college, when I realized my drawing pens were easier to use and laid down a cleaner line than any of my other pens or pencils.

Sooner or later, using fountain pens will put you in touch with fountain pen fanatics. And fountain pen fanatics always seem to ask some variation of the same question:

So, do you have a Parker 51 in your collection?

You see, most collectors regard the “51” as possibly the most innovative fountain pen ever made. And since Parker made well over 1 million of them, there are still plenty of them around.

Still, I resisted. I felt the Parker 51 was “too ordinary.” It looks like a million other fountain pens. It was made in America. Boring. By contrast, my Rotring Art Pen has a long body that looks more like an old dip-and-scratch pen than a fountain pen. Very unusual. And made in Germany.

I was wrong.

I inherited a small box of fountain pens and pen paraphernalia when my wife’s uncle died a few years ago. It had an old Hero fountain pen from China, a Sheaffer “Snorkel” pen, and various bits and pieces of other pens.

And an old Parker 51.

When I lost one of my Art Pens, I pulled it out, filled it up with Noodler’s Eternal Brown ink, and tried it out. And never looked back. I’ve drawn with it. I’ve written with it. It’s a great pen.

It’s entirely possible that it’s older than I am.

Then, a couple of nights ago, lightning struck again. I was digging through some old drawing tools and spotted another one. This one belonged to my grandfather.

This time there was no hesitation. I filled it up with Noodler’s Luxury Blue and put it to work.