AUTUMN//WINTER 2017 21 FOR many people, especially those of a certain age – which unfortunately includes myself – the legendary Parker “51” is one of the first stationery icons to come to mind. It’s a true classic, and the world’s biggest selling as well as one of the most elegant fountain pens ever made. I was given mine by my mother in 1961 at the age of 13 and continue to use it to this day – little could either of us have known then that years later I would be fortunate enough to be part of this amazing market. Developed in 1939 and launched in 1941, the Parker “51” was promoted as ‘the world’s most wanted pen’ and is believed to have been so named to mark the fifty-first year of existence of the company formed by George Safford Parker at the age of just 25 in 1888.  There is also a possibility that it was named because of Route 51 being built through Janesville, USA where the company was based and most of the pens were made, but no one knows for certain. Either way, by giving it a number rather than a name, Parker avoided the difficulties which can sometimes arise when translating a name into other languages. It remained in production for over 30 years until 1972 by when it had sold millions of pens worth in excess of an incredible $400m. CHRIS LEONARD-MORGAN, the founder of the London Stationery Show, pens his thoughts on the ‘world’s most wanted pen’ The Parker “51” has a long and rich history, and was by any standards a remarkable product. Stylish but not flashy, it was particularly innovative with its hooded tubular nib, sleek cigar-shaped barrel, multi-finned ink collector and efficient non-screwing slip cap. It was intended for use with a special fast-drying ink, and is still instantly recognisable even today. It won many awards and has a place in the Museum of Modern Art’s design collection and its own Wikipedia entry. It wasn’t just looks that gave the Parker “51” its enduring appeal and cachet. It was designed to be a durable, reliable, hardworking everyday pen and it did not disappoint – my own is testimony to that. It was not inexpensive, and was for a long time the pen to be seen to have, and enough of a status symbol for some people just to wear the cap in their jacket pocket with the clip visible! Its fans included royalty and the military, with Germany’s surrender after World War Two being signed with a Parker “51” by General Dwight D Eisenhower, and Japan’s by General Douglas MacArthur. Parker itself was awarded the Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962, and HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990. Not all Parker “51”s are the same, with a number of refinements being The Parker “51” made over the years to the barrel, cap and clip, filling system, colours and materials used. It was brought out of retirement in 2002 with the production of a 51 Special Edition retro model with an Empire State Building etched cap. The Parker “51” remains popular with pen bloggers and collectors and attracts different price levels according to the model, condition and age of the pen. Joe Crace, for example – otherwise known as The Gentleman Stationer – devotes a post to this beloved pen on his blog celebrating ‘vintage living in the modern world.’ It’s heartening to see this pen’s iconic status shows no signs of diminishing. CraneReaction The Parker Pen Company The Gentleman Stationer The Gentleman Stationer ICONS OF STATIONERY