Parker "51" Book Review

Book Review
By Tom Rehkopf
Parker "51"
By David and Mark Shepherd.
Surrenden Pens Limited, Brighton, UK, 2004. Retail: $80. 169 pages.

If you're like me, the Parker 51 occupies a special place in your collection. A Parker 51 was the first vintage pen I owned (I still have it, a maroon 51 Special). It's the pen that has been in my user rotation the longest, and the one I usually reach for as I'm headed out the door to work and want something that will write the first time, every time, without fuss or bother. With sales figures exceeding $400 million, accompanied by one of the longest production runs of all time (1941-1978), the "51" is linked to one of the most tumultuous times in American and English history, and remains an icon in the story of the fountain pen.

So when I heard that David and Mark Shepherd were writing a book on the "51" (David wrote the text and Mark did the photography), I thought to myself, "this better be good." I am happy to report that the book will meet and most likely exceed the expectations of both novice and expert "51" aficionado alike.

The Parker "51" has probably been written about more than any other pen, so if you are going to write a book about it you'd better have something significant to say. In this case, the Shepherd's ace in the hole was extensive access to the Parker archives, now housed at Parker's headquarters in Newhaven, England. As a consequence, the book is chock full of tidbits of information that heretofore were probably known only to a select few. Ever seen Kenneth Parker's personal "51?" How about a rubber-nibbed "51" prototype? Or the "51" pencil that stopped a bullet and saved a seaman's life? How about a picture of the bomb fuses made by Parker during WWII? It's all here, plus a lot more. There is even a Parker family genealogy chart so you can finally keep all those family members straight.

The book is designed to be a reference guide to "51" models and its variations as well as containing those interesting informational sidebars. The authors take us through the "51"'s history and development; evolution of the range through the Vacumatic and Aerometric fillers; components and designs, including barrels, caps, clips, nibs and inks; marketing and advertising; and repair tips and identification guidelines. If you need to identify a "51" as to date and model, just about everything you need is in here. There are extensive illustrations of caps, clips and barrels to aid in this effort. There is also a valuation section with pricing guidelines for various models (with illustrations), broken into low, average and high price ranges.

In addition to covering the standard information on the "51" fountain pen, the Shepherds also provide insight into some of the lesser known products in the "51" line. For example, there is a section on the development and production of the Liquid Lead (LL) pencil, which was introduced in 1955 and had a production run lasting well into the 1960s. In many ways the LL pencil was the forerunner to the erasable ballpoint pens of today.

Layout and production quality of the book are excellent and meet the highest professional standards. The design layout is quite contemporary in style, with text interspersed with extensive use of photos and diagrams. This style tightly couples the text with its accompanying illustrations and makes for a very readable presentation. In fact, in many cases the text is actually just a considerably expanded photograph caption.

Parker "51" is well researched and presented in an engaging, informative style. The index makes it easy to look up specific information should the need arise, and the extensive use of illustrations adds to the effectiveness of the presentation. Given the wide range of published work on the "51" that is out there today, a bibliography or reference list would have been helpful for those seeking further information. But that is a minor point, and in no way detracts from the usefulness of the book. If you are a "51" collector (casual or serious), you need this book. It should quickly become the standard reference on "51"s, which is quite an accomplishment indeed.

All rights reserved by the author. This article was first printed in the PENnant, The magazine of Pen Collectors of America in Winter 2004.