Parker

A short history of Parker brand:

The Parker Pen Company was founded in 1888 by George Safford Parker in Janesville, Wisconsin, USA. Parker, originally a telegraphy teacher and sales agent for another pen company, was frustrated by unreliable fountain pens and aimed to "make a better pen" that wrote well and did not leak. He received his first fountain pen patent in 1889 and later patented the innovative "Lucky Curve" ink feed system in 1894, designed to draw excess ink back into the reservoir to prevent leaks. The company’s first successful pen was the Parker Jointless, released in 1899. Parker grew rapidly, becoming one of the top global writing instrument brands from the 1920s through the 1960s. Key innovations included Quink ink in 1931, which dried quickly to eliminate blotting, and the Parker 51 fountain pen introduced in 1941, which became the best-selling and most iconic pen in history, achieving over $400 million in sales over 30 years. Parker expanded manufacturing internationally over the decades. The company also pioneered the popular Jotter ballpoint pen in 1954, selling over 750 million units over time. Ownership changed over the years, and while Parker remains a luxury pen brand, its production has shifted locations, notably closing the UK factory in 2011 and moving to Nantes, France. In summary, Parker’s history is marked by early technical innovations in fountain pen design, iconic pen models like the Duofold and the 51, and a strong legacy as a leading and innovative global pen manufacturer since the late 19th century.
***************************************************************
This table shows all in my database available Parker writing instruments. To a particular Parker please use the above menu. Click on a picture to enlarge it. This list is sorted by period of production and model/number.
For more information about following writing instruments please select

#	Model/Number	Period	Picture
1.	Jack-Knife Safety Lucky-Curve 24	1911
2.	Duofold Special Lucky Curve	1922-1935
3.	GEO.S. Duofold Senior	1928-1934
4.	Vacumatic Junior	1938-1939
5.	Vacumatic Major 53 Blue Diamond	1938-1939
6.	51 Blue Diamond	1940-1946
7.	New Duofold	1942-1946
8.	GEO.S Duofold REG.T.M.	1943-1950
9.	GEO.S. Duofold	1943-1950
10.	GEO.S. Duofold REG.T.M.	1943-1950
11.	Duofold REG.T.M.	1946-1955
12.	Duofold REG.T.M.	1946-1955
13.	Popular REG.T.M.	1948-1951
14.	Popular REG.T.M.	1948-1951
15.	Maxima	1950-1955
16.	Duofold	1950-1961
17.	Duofold REG.T.M. 5.. MID	1950-1961
18.	61	1956
19.	75	1964-1993
20.	Duofold Centennial	1988-1996		Top
21.	Duofold Mandarin	1995

Search: