Parker Pens - From Lucky Curve to Duofold - Make a Better Pen!

Founder of The Parker Pen Company, Georgewas that of the Duofold fountain pen that earned
Safford Parker, was determined to make a betterParker its reputation as the pen company that
pen when he couldn't find one that wrote well andproduces the most dependable, as well as the most
didn't leak. The name Parker has becomefashionable writing instruments on the market. The
synonymous with high quality writing instruments,Duofold, nicknamed "Big Red," embodied the feel of
bringing to mind descriptors such as reliability,the Roaring Twenties - big, bold and very jazzy. Now
dependability, tradition, streamlines, style, prestige,synonymous with vintage fountain pens, The Duofold
innovation and timelessness. George Parker began hisproved its durability and Parker decided to guarantee
career as a teacher of telegraphy and to supplementthese pens for twenty five years. Parker's Duofold
his teaching income, he started selling pens for thefamily expanded in 1926 and 1927 to include Jade
John Holland Pens Company.Green, Mandarin Yellow, Lapis Blue and Pearl and
Unexpectedly, the pens he sold, mainly to hisBlack. All of these pens were available in a
telegraphy students, malfunctioned and he feltfirst-of-its-kind durable plastic called Permanite. The
obligated to fix them. Soon becoming overwhelmednew material replaced the traditional vulcanized
with repair work, he decided to invent his ownrubber, which tended to be brittle.
version of the fountain pen. In 1888 the Parker PenAfter years of intensive research, Parker launched
Company was born. The following year he patentedthe first self-filling fountain pen, the Parker 61, in 1956.
his first fountain pen. In 1891 he found an investor,Engineered to "self-draw" ink from the bottle, the
insurance broker W.F. Palmer, who initially investedParker 61 could hold enough ink to last for six hours
$1,000.00 and bought half of Parker's shares in bothof steady writing. The British Royal Household
the patents and the business.awarded Parker the Royal Warrant as its sole supplier
The first major technological breakthrough for theof pens and inks in 1962. Also in that year,
company came in 1894 with the Lucky Curve inksubsidiaries opened in Peru and Columbia.
feed system. The feed system was designed toCelebrating the company's 100th birthday in 1988,
drain the ink back into the reservoir by capillary actionParker relaunched the most famous Parker pen, the
when the pen was upright in the pocket of itsDuofold, now recognized as the Duofold Centennial.
owner. Parker became a major player in the fountainParker established the Platinum Club in 1989 in the
pen industry with the introduction of the LuckyUnited States and Australia for Duofold owners,
Curve. In 1900, The Gold Filigree Lucky Curve Pensoffering elite privileges and complementary services.
were introduced. Also that year, Parker patented theFor more than a century, Parker has been a leader in
taper on the inside of the outer cap, a designthe writing instruments industry. After years of
improvement to make it fit more securely. In 1911, andiligent and determined attempts "to make a better
improved Lucky Curve feed was patented and inpen," this world famous idea of George Safford
1912, a new form of the safety cap was introduced.Parker came to life. Today, The Parker Pen Company
There were several precursors (The Black Giant, Thecontinues their commitment to strive towards
Emblem Pen, The Sterling Silver and Gold Snake Pen,scientific improvements and excellency. With the
The Trench Pen and The Jack Knife Safety Pen) tolatest technologies, traditional skills, using the finest
Parker's next star: The Duofold. In 1921, thematerials, techniques and craftsmanship, Parker Pens
company's biggest and most important launch to dateare "beyond words!