The Parker Duofold

(ikonzine summer 99)
Dimensions : (Centennial model)

Height -
capped closed : 5.26 inches
cap posted : 6.8 inches
sans cap : 5.15 inches

Barrel circumference -
1.6 inches approx.

Platinum inlaid 18Kt gold nib with the Duofold logo. Plainer nib on pre-'95 models.

Available in XF F M and B and Italic

Long plastic comb feed with straight (uncombed) visible back of extruded plastic.
Nib is quite thin with laser cut tine insert onto Iridium ball.
Cap is well appointed with the Parker clip which is a washer held clip.
Top has the Duofold logo in gold electroplate.
Two gold plated rings adorn the cap end.
Dome has had ongoing design changes.
Cartridge/Converter mechanism with plastic cutter.
Brass assembly on section screwing into the tapped celluloid barrel.
Black colored barrel and section ends have had on-going small design changes.

Originally introduced in 1921 and subsequently re-introduced in 1989. Continuing to influence design today the Parker Duofold is now available in a variety of colors the most popular being pearl and black it is also available in blue, red and green. Our sample was 'Jasper Red'. A handsome pen available in two sizes: The international and The Centennial. Our review sample was the bigger Centennial size.

Description :
A beautiful marbleized red barrel is offset against black cap and barrel ends. A thick barrel wall and Parkers Dimonite G coated appointments ensure a robust pen with first impressions being that the pen is good value for money. The pen comes with Parkers converter which is simply pushed onto the cutter. From there the nib is hooked onto the feed. This simple mechanism should ensure a long life for the pen. The nib is a strong though thin item, it was elegantly engraved with the Duofold symbol and the 18K mark with a Parker logo engraved Platinum inlay. Our sample came with a Fine nib.

The pen is nicely balanced with the cap posted and the fact it comes in two sizes should ensure a continuing wide market for this pen. The feeling of solidity when writing with the pen is an added bonus and Parker's long history with pen manufacturing is evident here.

None of our reviewers had any complaints about the weight and balance of this pen, a testament to its heritage.

Performance :

Showing it's age in terms of technology, the F nib used on our sample was variously described as 'raw', 'scratchy' and 'unyielding'. A switch to an M nib gave a better performance with a smoother writing experience, although the line was quite wet. A blobbing feed was another problem on start-up - a problem which did not recur once writing had started. The facility to use the famous (infamous?) Penman ink with impunity was a real plus with this pen. A beautiful ink with rich color tones especially in black worked well in this pen.

All our reviewers again commented on the size of the pen and how easy it was to write with it. Once the pen 'got started' it gave a good performance and despite the stiff nib - all our reviewers felt at home with this pen. The converter was used for testing and gave a good performance once properly inserted into the pen and bled through the feed. As with all converters the supply of ink is limited in comparison to piston fills - one reviewer reckoned this was a good thing, being forced to change ink and clean the pen frequently. Despite the stiffness of the nib it wrote without any splaying artifacts and was well controlled.

The famous arrow clip and the converter fill allow this pen to travel easily, this coupled with the pens simplicity and durability had one reviewer adopt it as a signing pen.

Conclusion :

This is a handsome pen with a deserved pedigree. Parker have chosen to keep the original Duofold aesthetic and technology alive with this pen and as a result in terms of writing it is beginning to show it's age. Having said that here was a real 'at home' feeling among our reviewers when using this pen. In comparison to other pens on the market ; there are better nibs, feeds and fillers; however none really combine the friendliness, durability and style this pen has to offer. This pen 'feels' like it should last a lifetime with a minimal amount of wear.

Recommended

The Visconti Manhattan

(ikonzine summer 99)
Dimensions :

Height -
capped closed : 5.5 inches
cap posted : 6.5 inches
sans cap : 5 inches

Barrel circumference -
1.625 inches approx.

Nib is yellow 18kt gold.
Available in STEEL 14KT AND 18KT gold (Europe). Available in 18KT gold elsewhere.
Nibs widths :F M and B.
Long plastic comb feed with straight (uncombed) visible back of extruded plastic.
Cap is of striated, translucent celluloid.
The cap top is a homage to the Art Deco period Manhattan skyline.
Clip is a sprung leaf type. A Visconti staple.
All cap appointments are in electroplated gold.
The cap band has a 'V' repeating logo in an Art Deco motif.
Uses the Visconti 'Power Vacuum' filler.
Extensible screw thread barrel end engages the filler via a steel pushrod mechanism
Close tolerance engineering allows the vacuum to draw a large ink supply which is well regulated.
Translucent one piece barrel.

An elegant pen that despite it's Parker Vacumatic striated celluloid and stepped cap motif gives an austere and unassuming look. The in-house Visconti celluloid gives a wonderful tactile feel to the pen and the unusual clip give this pen a unique feel and appearance.

Description :

Available in blue, green and red with electroplated appointments, this is a relatively new pen from a new pen company. It's Art Deco design is very well executed and at first glance seems like an interpretation of the Vacumatic. It's unique cap with its steeped top and sprung clip work well with the barrel material which is translucent. The unique Vacuum filler on this pen works superbly and is well built. A big filler, this is without a doubt a modern design and the flow of ink is very well regulated. The gold nib with the Visconti logo seemed undersized for the pen. The excellent filler and the wonderful celluloid makes this pen good value for money.

There was mixed reviews to the balance of this pen with one reviewer claiming the weight shifted about the pen's axis as she wrote. It does seem that this pen is weighted around the top middle of the barrel with the cap posted with a separate reviewer claiming he preferred to write sans cap. There was a good consensus on the 'feel' of this pen with one reviewer claiming it was a joy to write with. Nicely weighted according to the rest of our reviewers, the celluloid made for a very tactile experience when writing. The narrowing grip around the section made this pen comfortable for all our reviewers, all commenting that it was a nice size.

Performance :

A very well regulated though free-flowing ink supply coupled with a soft nib allowed us to write with a more viscous ink and all our reviewers agreed that the pen wrote nicely without overly controlling the flow of ink. The nib was excellent, it wrote without splaying and yet allowed a soft feel back to the hand. The size of the nib was commented on again and a bigger nib would have been more suitable for this pen. The fine nib supplied on our sample was more than adequate for all our reviewers and it is recommended that you test this before opting for a medium, which we used briefly and found it to lay down a slightly wet line.

A good reserve of ink ensured a long writing time between refills. The filler on this pen precludes air travel whilst full and the unique clip leaves the pen cap sitting high in the pocket or briefcase leaving it prone to being stolen or falling out.

Conclusion :

This is a pen you will either love or hate in terms of styling and performance. As mentioned before it is unique in many ways and the celluloid re-appears on the more upmarket Copernicus Ltd. Edition. which is a crescent filler. The Manhattan is a well executed pen with the exception of the nib size. It is very well finished and performed for us without skipping or blotting. Even if you like the style of this pen you should check carefully that you are comfortable with its balance and weight. Recommended

The Cross Townsend

(ikonZine Autumn 99)
Dimensions :

Height -
capped closed : 5.875 inches
cap posted : 6.25 inches
sans cap : 5.2 inches

Barrel circumference -
1.5 inches approx.
Older nib is yellow 18KT gold. Newer nibs are 18KT two tone with Rhodium plate.
Decorated with Cross logo and nib specific ellipse details.
Nibs widths :XF F M B BB OM IM IB
Long plastic comb feed of extruded plastic.
Cap manufactured from sterling (925) silver.
The cap top features a black anodized band with black anodizing in the center of the cap top.
Clip is silver sprung leaf type containing the cursive style Cross logo.
The cap end features the distinctive CROSS DOUBLE BAND motif with black anodizing between the bands.
The cap continues the Cross pinstripe pattern from the barrel as shown.
Cartridge/Converter fill with plastic cutter mechanism.
Clutch cap mechanism makes for clean lines with the absence of screw threads.
Well designed and engineered clutch grip assures no marks n the barrel over time.
Sterling silver barrel in pinstripe with a plain barrel end separated by an anodized black band.
The Townsend models represent Cross' flagship range and are available in semi-precious stone finish - Lapis Lazuli. Precious metal finishes : gold and Silver and lacquer and metal finishes. We take a look at the Silver model - pitched in the middle of the Townsend range.

Description :

A solid pen with a beautiful silver lustre, the pinstripe detail on the barrel and cap give a modern feel and the discrete logoing and detailing coupled with the heft of the pen give the impression of a workhorse designed specifically as a writing tool rather than an ornament. The cap slip clutch mechanism adds to this impression with the feeling of a well made product. The packaging echoed these sentiments with no special effort made for the precious metal cargo inside, this is the same packaging that comes with the most lowly (lacquered) version of the pen.

Bearing in mind that the price of this pen comes in at around one third less than most of the other silver pens on the market (Aurora 88's and other exceptions noted) good value is a byword here and this pen is squarely marketed at an audience who recognize the Cross brand name as representing quality and good design. Having said all that most of our reviewers were left somewhat cold by the lack of imagination in the design - too plain to recognize any inherited ethos or paean to the past and too pedestrian to lay claim to any modern design ethic. It straddles the ground between the power pen and the knowingly functional (i.e. the Duofold). This well constructed pen still gives the bearer the assumed air of good judgement, if not quite superb taste.

Performance :

With the cap posted the pen is very obviously top heavy. However, all our reviewers felt comfortable with this pen in their hand for brief letter-writing and no complaints were forthcoming on the balance of the pen, which seemed nicely weighted around the top of the cap. The size of the pen had a lot to do with this. The Townsend is a standard size that can best be described as 'a little smaller' than the Duofold International. Any bigger and this pen would have been impossible to write with. As it stands the weight of the pen would mitigate against anyone using it to write their memoirs.

A small nib, wonderfully designed with crossing ellipses that encompass the gold parts of the two tone array, the nib design set off the plainer barrel design to perfection and provided much needed decoration for the pen. This is a nice nib that writes with a slightly wet line in medium and has a moderate amount of flex. Any user of a modern pen that emanates from outside Italy will be happy with this nib. As with most other modern nibs it writes with a rounded line. The ink flow was excellent through the feed and there were no hints of stalling or skipping. The feed seemed oversized in comparison to the nib but flow control was excellent. It handled all of our inks with aplomb and gave no hint of drying out or clogging.

The cap and clip deserve special mention. The cap fits over the barrel by clutching it with an internal plastic grip that should do away with any scuffing of the barrel over time. When posted the oversize cap makes the pen top heavy, which, considering the overall weight of the pen is definitely a good thing and makes the pen easier to write with. The clip itself is unadorned and cut into the cap just so, giving a good trade off between tensility and flex.

Conclusion :

There was an overwhelming consensus on this pen. All of reviewers came to the same conclusion that this is a great workhorse and well worth the money. Surprisingly, no one could find fault with it [and believe me that is surprising !! - Ed.], however, where there was a divergence of opinion, it was this: Dave O'Loughlin reckoned that it was one of the best pens on the market in terms of value for money and looks as good as any pen that costs twice as much. John Quinn reckoned that it had nothing to set the heart on fire and even tough it was a nice pen to write with, it wasn't a great pen to be seen writing with.

Value, it seems, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Recommended