Parker Vacumatics
Pen Profiles: Vacumatics, Vacuum Fillers; also Vacumatic nomenclature, instructions
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 
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
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
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
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
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
10139: Parker Vacumatic Junior: grey pearl marbled, 12.2 cm long, chrome plated trim, fine barrel transparency, bold imprint with 3rd quarter date code; nib has a later date code, but what a nib! Smooth and sharp-edged, with dramatic and effortless line width variation.
DATE: 1935 • CONDITION: exc
• NIB: broad italic semiflex • $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
10282: Parker Vacumatic Oversize pencil: green pearl laminate, 13.3 cm long, gold filled trim, good imprint with 3rd quarter date code, uses 1.1 mm lead, replacement black clip jewel.
DATE: 1935 •
CONDITION: exc* • $150
10197: Parker Vacumatic: silver pearl laminate, 12.9 cm long, chrome plated trim, good barrel transparency, clearly legible 1st quarter date code, excellent plating on two-tone turnup nib; as advertised, writes a fine line when used upside-down.
DATE: 1935 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: broad
semiflex • $325
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
10199: Parker Vacumatic Oversize: green pearl laminate, 13.6 cm long, gold filled trim, good transparency, strong barrel imprint with 4th quarter date code, big two-tone nib with minimal plating wear, striped section and jewels, lockdown filler.
DATE: 1936 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: extra-fine • SOLD
10215: Parker Vacumatic: silver pearl laminate, 12.7 cm long, chrome plated trim, striped jewels and section, lockdown filler, very rare special order nib denoted by two gold stars on either side; two-tone nib is very fine-tipped, with tight-sprung action, feed is also unusual, with "B" mark and unusually widely-spaced fins. Good barrel transparency, typical plating roughness, corrosion to filler plunger (works fine), barrel imprint strong but without date code; date code on nib "16"; slight shrinkage to cap over threads can be felt more than seen.
DATE: c. 1936 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: extra-fine
flex • $425
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
10213: Parker Vacumatic Oversize pencil: black, 12.7 cm long, gold filled trim, factory custom clip with Pontiac Master Salesman badge (specially made, completely flat with no feathers under badge); good barrel imprint with 1st quarter date code, uses 1.1 mm lead.
DATE: 1937 • CONDITION: fine • $200
10200: Parker Vacumatic Major: green pearl laminate, 13.2 cm long, gold filled trim, striped jewels and section, strong barrel imprint with 3rd quarter date code; first Speedline series, uncommon model, excellent transparency, two-tone nib plating excellent as well; plating wear to edges of cap band.
DATE: 1937
• CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine rigid • $350
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 • $365
5580: Parker Vacumatic Junior: small grey pearl marbled, 12 cm long, chrome plated trim, outstanding barrel transparency, roughness to cap band plating, bold imprint with 4th quarter date code, lockdown filler, 1946 date code on Arrow nib.
DATE: 1937 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine semiflex •
$245
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
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
10202: Parker Vacumatic Major set: green pearl laminate double-jewel, 13.4 cm long, gold filled trim, "long Major" model, as long as a Maxima/Slender Maxima; like new barrel transparency, Blue Diamond clip, deep barrel imprint with 4th quarter date code, aluminum Speedline filler with diamond end imprint, striped cap jewel with "bullseye" blind cap jewel, black section. Matching pencil shows slightly more wear, has 2nd quarter date code, uses .9 mm lead. Pen's two-tone nib shows mild plating wear, bears late 1939 date code.
DATE: 1940 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine • $365
10220: Parker Imperial Debutante Vacumatic: golden pearl laminate, gold filled cap, 12.4 cm long, very little use, crisp barrel imprint with 4th quarter date code, uses .9 mm lead.
DATE: 1941 • CONDITION: exc • SOLD
7872: Parker Imperial Ensign Vacumatic: extremely rare, only a handful known, black with solid 14K trim and two-tone "Empire" 14K cap; 13.3 cm long, fine barrel transparency, cap like new, Canadian production (cap marked "MADE IN U.S.A.", as it appears Empire caps were only made in Parker's US factory), initials "G.W.C." professionally and discreetly engraved at top back of cap.
DATE: 1943 • CONDITION: exc-near mint
• NIB: extra-fine • $8000
9156: Parker Vacumatic Debutante: small green pearl laminate, 12 cm long, gold filled trim, Blue Diamond clip, geometric pattern cap band, strong imprint with 1st quarter date code, excellent barrel transparency, aluminum Speedline filler (not uncommon on early 1942 single-jewel pens).
DATE: c. 1945 • CONDITION: exc
• NIB: extra-fine • $200
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
10188: Parker Vacumatic Junior: green pearl laminate, 12.8 cm long, gold filled trim, imprint with 4th quarter date code, as new, with perfect barrel transparency and original price stickers.
DATE: 1946
• CONDITION: mint • NIB: fine • $250
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