English Parker 51 Vacs are quite rare and even rarer to be found in the UK as this pen was. (This information is taken from Shepherd’s definitive work on the Parker 51 on page 35 with some extracts. reproduced.) The 51 Vac was known in the UK and a black market in the pen imports thrived. When Parker started production in their Newhaven factory in 1947 but most of the production was exported; the UK was in desperate need of export revenue to meet wartime debts. So Parker started to advertise the Vac in 1947 but by 1948 was having place advertisements apologising for the lack of supply to their UK retailers.
The 51 Vac s for the UK were made with Lustraloy caps with long clips, single jewel only and in just four colours, black, dove grey, cedar blue and cordovan brown. Production at Newhaven continued until the switch to Aerometric production early in 1950. So the 51 Vac was only made in Newhaven for three years with most of the production exported.

This pen is in dove grey and has the imprint worn but visible below the clutch ring: PARKER “51” – the registered trade mark and “MADE IN ENLAND”. I cannot read the single digit year of manufacture below “England”; sometimes I think I see an “8” with my magnifying glass but in reality I can’t. So it dates between 1947 and early 1950, most probably ’48 or ’49.

The pen has a medium nib and is a very smooth writer. The Vac filler has been serviced and works well. The Lustraloy cap and clip are in excellent condition, with the “PARKER” name on the front of the band and the dove grey barrel is very good with just the usual light marks of use.



Price: £59 ($79, €75)….. plus postage
Postage:
UK Tracked 48: £3.39
Europe tracked airmail: £9 (€11)
US & Canada tracked airmail: £12 ($16)
Asia tracked airmail: £11
Payment: PayPal please to: barrie51@icloud.com