The "51" Special was released as a way of penetrating the market
further. It's special because the point is made not of gold, but
of octanium, an alloy developed by Parker specifically for pen points.
It's not steel. It's Octanium™! The practical
differences between the "51" and the Special are very few. There
is a hint more flexibility to the gold point than the octanium, but as
the former is extremely stiff anyway, it doesn't make a huge impression
on the writing.
This desk set configuration adds some interest, from a stylophilcal
viewpoint. Rather than use a fixture, Parker designed the Magnetix socket (they also clearly enjoyed making up names for things),
with a ball held in place only by a strong magnet with a
concavity milled into its top. The avoids one of the more
annoying aspects of the desk-set-- wear in the mounting leading to
floppy pens. It also looks pretty cool.
This is a fairly late edition, dating only to the late 1960s or early
1970s. The give-aways are the gold tip on the tail, and the shape
of the ring between section and barrel. In earlier models, this
ring was divided in thirds, with a squared depression marking the
middle. These have a simpler V-shaped indentation in them.
Also, the barrels are marked with the oval-and-arrow which Parker
was using in that era.
This set is in current use at my day job, leading co-workers to comment
on my picky writing proclivities. One of the advantages of the
stiff points is that it will write through a multi-part form just as
well as a ballpoint, and on the rare occasion when an unschooled
co-worker grabs one to jot something down they can take the punishment.
Specifications: Medium points. Aerometric fillers. 16.1cm long.
Condition: Very light wear-- not that they aren't used, but
rather constant use is gently polishing them all the time. The
barrel impressions are becoming indistinct through the same mechanism.
The base has a couple of very small chips on the lower corners.
Repairs: The glue let go on the magnetic inserts, freeing them
from the base. This has been addressed. Pens have taken a
full strip-down cleaning, which allowed for realignment of the feeds,
collectors and hoods.
Location: My collection, although sort of permanently on distant station duty at my place of daytime employment.
For sale?: I won't say it's never going to be sold, but I find it
an amazingly handy set at work, and would have to insist on a pretty
large price for replacement.
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