In My Collection

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(This page includes information from an article by Michael Richter that first appeared on Pentrace: The site for fountain pens that write. Used with permission. Much additional information provided by David Isaacson. Catalog image provided by Bill Acker.)

	This 1940 Parker catalog page shows the Junior, the Sub-Deb, a pencil, and a boxed set, with prices listed.

The “New” Duofold: After retiring the Streamlined Duofold from its catalog in 1935 (but continuing manufacture in the U.S.A. at least into 1937), Parker reintroduced the Duofold name in 1939, giving it to the inexpensive Duofold Geometric (“Toothbrush”), a button-filling model. In 1940, the Geometric was replaced by the “striped” Duofold, and the name was restored to its former stature. (Parker called the striped plastic design Laidtone.) Parker produced the striped Duofold in at least three distinct Vacumatic-filling models; see the table below. Of interest is the fact that although the names Major and Debutante were given to Blue Diamond Vacumatics, the Major and Debutante Duofolds do not bear the Blue Diamond. There were also button fillers that differed from the Vacumatic fillers in trim. (Revised March 2, 2008)

1940 Dusty Red Debutante, the smallest model with a box-ellipse band

These Duofold models were high-quality pens, with a standing fully equal to that of their “big brother,” the Vacumatic. Their prices were slighty lower than those of the Vacumatic, which was then Parker’s flagship line.

These pens had smoothly tapered clips engraved “Parker.” Vacumatic-filling models with three cap bands also sported a blind-cap tassie that was applied like a cap band, using the material of the blind cap itself to serve as a “jewel.” When the tassie disappeared, the designers lengthened the blind cap a little, tapering it to a slightly smaller diameter at the end in order to avoid having the unadorned cap look too blunt.

1941 Dusty Red Senior and 1945 Blue Pearl Senior, illustrating blind cap shapes with and without tassie

Both Vacumatic-filling and button-filling models were made. Vacumatic-filling models had transparent stripes so that the ink supply could be checked, and these pens were equal in quality to the Vacumatic itself. When first introduced, the Vacumatic-filling models used the Speedline filler, but after the beginning of World War II they acquired the same plastic filler that was applied to the Vacumatic, and they retained that design until the line was discontinued in about 1948 along with the rest of Parker’s Vacumatic-filling models. The button-filling pens were made entirely of opaque plastic, in sizes roughly the same as the two smaller Vacumatic fillers, and had Visometer sections and black blind caps.

1940 Blue Pearl Sub-Deb and 1942 Blue Pearl Lady Duofold, illustrating Vacumatic- and button-filling differences; note trans- parent stripes on Sub-Deb and “jeweler’s” band on Lady Duofold.

The striped Duofold is somewhat underrated by collectors; the classic Parkers are the original Duofold and the Vacumatic. But the striped Duofolds are excellent pens and deserving of a place in any Parker collection. Part of their appeal is the attractive set of colors in which they were produced. The two sets of color names are as listed in two Parker catalogs from 1941.

The Colors of the Striped Duofold
Color	Name
	Blue Pearl (Blue)
	Dusty Red (Maroon)
	Green and Gold (Green)
	Black (not all models)
	Black Shadow Wave (1940 Junior and Sub-Deb only)

I am very grateful to Michael Richter, who compiled the color information, painted the color samples by hand, and has graciously given permission for me to use his work here. (3D highlighting was added with a computer, and I have altered the colors based on observation of actual pens.)

The information in this article is as accurate as possible, but you should not take it as absolutely authoritative.

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