Parker Vacumatics
Pen Profiles: Vacumatics, Vacuum Fillers; also Vacumatic nomenclature, instructions
7322: Parker Vacuum Filler set: rare uncatalogued full-size model in red pearl laminate with extra-wide stripes in translucent blue; pen is 12.8 cm long, matching cone-actuated pencil (even harder to find), 12.55 cm; both bear good strong imprints, along with pantographed names -- commonly found on these pens, for some reason, along with flaking plating on the clips. The two-way turnup nib is two-tone and bears the early arrow with a single-line central rib; the pen barrel is transparent (this model is also found with the barrel opaque). Pencil slightly bent, material on both pieces sound, with no sign of the deterioration typically found on the pen cap. Too rare to have been a production item, this model -- sometimes dubbed the "Ripley" Vacumatic, after the only known contemporary illustration in print in a "Ripley's Believe It or Not" cartoon -- appears to have been made as a market test, and is also known with Vacumatic imprints..
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: fine/extra-fine •
$1650 
10236: Parker Golden Arrow (?): very early red pearl laminate lockdown-filler, 12.2 cm long, gold filled trim, two cap bands, one-piece section-barrel construction, two-tone nib with single central rib on arrow; rare barrel imprint with no mention of model name, no date code. Only a handful of these pens are known, and it seems most likely that they either predate the original Golden Arrow or immediately postdate it, prior to its renaming as the Vacuum Filler (discussion here). Condition is mixed, with hardly any wear and crisp imprints, but with a couple of cap lip cracks and a partial circumferential hairline under the clip where two laminations appear to have separated due to age shrinkage over the inner cap (see details). Notable super-broad factory italic nib, name engraved on barrel. Sac has been removed to preserve color.
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: VG-fine* •
NIB: broad italic • $950
9467: Parker Vacuum Filler: rare uncatalogued full-size model, 12.8 cm long, with extra-wide stripes of red pearl and translucent blue, barrel laminate is red pearl and transparent, with fine transparency. Some roughness to cap bands, but plating of clip is excellent -- unusual for this model. The two-way turnup nib is two-tone and bears the early arrow with a single-line central rib; good barrel imprints, name on barrel as well. Too rare to have been a production item, this model -- sometimes dubbed the "Ripley" Vacumatic, after the only known contemporary illustration in print in a "Ripley's Believe It or Not" cartoon -- appears to have been made as a market test, and is also known with Vacumatic imprints..
DATE: c. 1932 •
CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine • $1250
9570: Parker Vacuum Filler: rare proto-Vacumatic, silver pearl laminate, 12.3 cm long, white gold filled trim, striped jewels, metal lockdown filler, barrel imprint much stronger than usual, plating on two-tone turn-up nib nearly perfect, early arrow on nib with single center line on feathers; unusually, the section and the barrel are not made from one piece of stock, but from two -- although they appear to have been permanently welded together. Sac has been removed to preserve color, can be installed upon request at no charge.
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine • $625
10138: Parker Vacumatic: early demonstrator-like "Crystal" model, black with transparent barrel, 12.2 cm long, gold filled trim, strong barrel imprint, pre-date code, nib is slightly later with 1937 date code; early chrome-plated lockdown filler fully functional, noting dent in plunger and pitting.
DATE: c. 1933 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine • $400
5960: Parker Vacuum Filler: black with fully transparent barrel, 12 cm long, gold filled trim, no brassing, good imprint (usually weak), typical even barrel darkening, "VACUUM FILLER" imprinted nib.
DATE: c. 1933 •
CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $500
10751: Parker Vacumatic pencil: silver pearl laminate, 12.4 cm long, chrome plated trim, uses 1.1 mm lead; early imprint with no date code, material is Vacuum-Filler style laminate with wavy lines, made as solid rod stock rather than wrapped; one slight separation line between laminations beneath clip, only on surface and does not go through.
DATE: c. 1933 • CONDITION: fine* • $75
10212: Parker Vacumatic set: early top-line full-sized lockdown-filler in black, 12.8 cm long, gold filled trim, good barrel transparency, imprint with early date code, 4th quarter; matching pencil is slightly later, with 3rd quarter 1936 date code. Set is well used but sound, pen nib is a later replacement, subtle surface rippling to pen barrel due to differential age shrinkage of laminations. Pencil uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: 1934/1936 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: fine • $350
10240: Parker Diamond Medal "Vac-Fil" Vacumatic: uncommon burgundy pearl and black marbled pump-filler, 11.4 cm long, gold filled trim, barrel transparency excellent, lockdown filler, Diamond Medal nib is smooth and soft, but not the usual type found on this model. Step at blind cap joint, name on barrel, cap lip cracks have been sealed and reinforced by a black celluloid internal sleeve. This model was made by Parker for retail by Sears, Roebuck & Co.
DATE: c. 1935 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB:
medium semiflex • $225
7717: Parker Vacumatic: golden pearl laminate double-jewel, 12.8 cm long, gold filled trim, striped pointy jewels and section, lockdown filler, good barrel imprint with 2nd quarter date code, good barrel transparency, nib is a later replacement, with date code for 1946; the color is common on later Vacs, but is hard to find on earlier models, having been introduced only at the tail end of the lockdown filler era.
DATE:
1936 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: fine semiflex • $265
10191: Parker Vacumatic set: uncommon golden pearl laminate lockdown-filler, 13 cm long, gold filled trim, striped section and jewels, two-tone nib with excellent plating, excellent barrel transparency, strong imprint with 4th quarter date code, matching 1.1 mm pencil has 1st quarter date code. While this color is relatively common in later Vacumatics, it was introduced only at the very end of production of the original lockdown series. Pen is extremely clean, noting slight shrinkage of cap at very top right below the clip.
DATE: 1936 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium fine semiflex
• $485
10214: Parker Vacumatic set: red pearl laminate lockdown-filler, 13 cm long, gold filled trim, excellent barrel transparency, imprint with 2nd quarter date code, striped jewels and section, early-style skewed striation pattern on cap, barrel laminations slightly skewed as well (indicating parts turned from solid rod stock, rather than later process of wrapping tubes from sheet). Two-tone nib is slightly later, with 1940 date code, nickel plating largely gone from filler plunger. Matching pencil has 1st quarter date code, uses 1.1 mm lead, but lead is propelled only, does not retract automatically.
DATE: 1936
• CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: fine • $395
10344: Parker Vacumatic Slender Junior: scarce "Juniorette" Golden Web, 11.9 cm long, gold filled trim, early production with date code for 3rd quarter, imprint strong but name imprinted directly on top, hairline cracks in cap lip up to cap band, otherwise fine to excellent.
DATE: 1936 • CONDITION: VG*
• NIB: medium fine firm • $285
10201: Parker Vacumatic: golden pearl laminate, 12.8 cm long, gold filled trim, striped jewels and section, excellent barrel transparency, strong barrel imprint with 3rd quarter date code, trim plating excellent, but plating gone from two-tone nib and there is a light longitudinal scratch just under the barrel imprint; this color was introduced only at the very end of lockdown-filler production, and examples are relatively uncommon.
DATE: 1937 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine rigid • $285
9779: Parker Vacumatic Junior: black "Shadow Wave", 12.3 cm long, gold filled trim, lockdown filler; diaphragm has been removed to preserve near-perfect barrel transparency (pen will not fill); crisp imprint with 1st quarter 1938 date code, nib has compatible 4th quarter 1937 code, overall condition is as new, probably never filled.
DATE: 1938 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine • $350
10708: Parker Vacumatic: golden pearl laminate full-size Deluxe, 12.9 cm long, double-jewel, lockdown filler, striped jewels and section, good imprint with 3rd quarter date code, two-tone nib with 1st quarter code; scarce color for this model, added to line late; exc transparency, usual even plating wear on nib.
DATE: 1938 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $350
5242: Parker Vacumatic Junior: large size grey Shadow Wave, 12.7 cm long, chrome plated trim, aluminum Speedline filler; good barrel transparency, imprint clear but last few words and date code mostly polished away; name on barrel, nib has 1940 date code.
DATE: 1940 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine semiflex •
$205
9153: Parker Vacumatic Sub-Debutante: unusual green pearl laminate, 11.9 cm long, nonstandard chrome plated trim, barrel imprint worn but partially legible, fine barrel transparency. Green Vacs normally came with gold filled trim.
DATE: c. 1945 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine • $200
10137: Parker Vacumatic: uncommon black Canadian model, 13.3 cm long, gold filled trim, like a long Major, but with non-Blue-Diamond clip of typically Canadian form. Good imprint with large date code, fine barrel transparency, very fine nib has slightly later (or earlier?) date code, good for writers with a light touch.
DATE: 1946 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: extra-fine • $165