Parker 51 pricing for "restored" pens

[cvac]

So, in the next month or possibly sooner I think I'm going to see what all the fuss is and try a P51. If I get one, it will be a gold nib, aero-filler model, but the prices I've seen are all over the place.

From webstores that are run by pen refurbishers/restorers, they seem to be in the $130-160 range?

Is that a fair price, or should I just buy one off a classifieds section somewhere? I don't mind paying a little more for a pen in excellent condition that is problem-free with a seller that stands behind the goods they sell...

At the same time, I keep reading that you can get a nice P51 for under $100 but I'm not seeing too many of these deals lately unless it's a pen that well-worn.

Any tips are appreciated.

 

[brianw]

mark the shoeshine boy has the golden touch it would seem ferreting out the super deals.

 

[Dave258]

I bought my first 51 (only have 2) off of the classified section of FPN for $50. It needed some work, really just a good cleaning, and it is a great pen!

 

[Jut]

i bought and sold my 14k on fleabay for about thirty bucks (this all took place w/n the last year or so

 

[Dave258]

Brian, how do we tell if they have gold nibs? Is it on the nib if you take the pen apart?

 

[brianw]

Yes, it is... but if it is a "51" not a "51" special it will be gold.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

mark the shoeshine boy has the golden touch it would seem ferreting out the super deals.

just got lucky....twice...in two weeks...or so...will post pictures, when I get them back from somebody !!!!!

 

[Etoyoc_Rebmos]

I found a 51 in the wild today... no nib, cracked cap. $120, so if the going rate in the antique stores around here for non-functional pens is any indication, a working one must be worth $300. Which is why I don't and likely won't have one anytime soon. OK, I honestly, I have seen several for sale threads over the years for decent ones under $100.. Just keep an eye out, just don't look in this area... yeesh...

 

[CrotalusHH]

Check this thread out.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/290856-Parker-51-disappointment

This guy sells quite a few on Fleabay. My pen had a problem and he made it right. I got a gold cap 51 in perfect condition for $110. He restores them himself.

 

[redbike]

My suggestion is to post a WTB on FPN. It's not unusual to see nice user grade '51's there for under $100. Good luck.

 

[shakin_jake]

Have you tried ebay? I bought two aerometrics from the same seller. Originally she had 3 for sale, all were in her family. I missed getting the first that was offered...can't recall exactly why, maybe I was outbid, maybe it was the last of the three and the other bidders caught on to how i was bidding=

The first one I picked up was her Mother's pen, a first year 48' Demi, the 2nd was her Grand Father's a Black 49'. The Demi wrote straight away, the Black one is a faint writer and needs some work. FWIW I paid $40 for the 48' Demi and $50 for the 49'. Both were won through ebay at the end of August 2011 (approx.), and both are in very good to excellent cosmetic condition, considering they are 63/64 years old. The owners took very good care of these pens. Come to think of it, the black pen's pocket clip is a tad loose. it will rotate a few degrees

If you're patient you will be able to find one of these pens for the same (or similar) amount of money I reckon, maybe less if the planets align= I would think this time of year may be the start of a good time to bid on ebay what with families going on vacation, equating to less bidders? That's my theory, that there are less bidders on ebay (this time of year) due to familial vacationing, yet with the advent of mobile phones with ebay bidding apps becoming more popular...just guessing there...I don't use a mobile phone with web conectivity but I imagine there are plenty of folks that do. I could see having that capability, having lost some straight razor auctions because I couldn't be there for the close when I like to bid

Some pics of my fountain pens on blogspot- http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/2011/09/new-ad-acquisition-disorder.html FWIW, I feel I've been lucky being able to keep the fountain pen AD under control. I have a few more pens than what you see on blogpost but not many more

The Parker 51 should be in everyone's collection. It's a nice writing pen, my Demi that writes. As stated the 49' writes faintly. I've been meaning to send the pen out for repair but at this point, it's not at the top of my priorities, having at least one working Parker 51

So, to sum it up, if you have the patience, hang out on ebay...the pricing when I was in the market and bidding seemed realistic, just don't buy the first ones that come along, if they're in iffy shape, and if you want a nice pen, it will pay to wait. And isn't that half the fun of buying a vintage pen, hunting them down?=...but often it's a crap shoot if the seller's pics aren't all that great yet that can turn off other potential bidders leaving you with an item that might be in good shape because the seller doesn't know how to work a camera. The Parker 51's I bought were like that, in that the listing had poor pics. I relied on the seller's description saying the pens were in good shape and belonged to family members. Now had the pens been photographed better, they may have sold for more...and I recall the seller listing them with a very low opening bid saying she had no idea what they were worth so she was letting the community put a value on them, unlike some of the ebay sellers I see post unrealistic high opening bids on straight razors, so they sit and don't move

The Fountain Pen Network may have some Parker 51's for sale at realistic prices. You might want to PM Fla. Ocala Guy (I think that's his handle). You'll see him posting in the Parker 51 forum. I've met him & he's a straight shooter, and may know of one or two for sale that aren't being advertized?. I've seen him post for years prior in another forum (LD Riders), so I was surprised to see him on FPN and then to find out he's a Parker 51 aficionado. It's a small world. Go ahead and drop my name if you PM him. Not sure that will get you anywhere though<LOL> Just tell him Jake in Reddick told me to PM you about buying a Parker 51...that you may know of one for sale somewhere not too dear


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

unrestored 1948 second quarter Parker 51 set, works great....$25 off of day bay....check out the pictures above for the acquisitions....

 

[Jimmy James]

If you're going to buy a pricey 51, I'd suggest dropping Greg Minuskin an email. He has retipped a good number of them for the DC Supershow, and I'm not sure if he'd be willing to sell one now. If you're going to pay $1xx for a pen, it may as well have a monster nib.

 

[IronHammer]

When I first started looking for FP's, I managed to literally stumble across a 1948 Coco P51 pen and pencil set for $8 at an antique shop. Just keep searching, you'll come across a good deal.