Parker Pens
The Parker Pen Company was founded George S Parker in 1889, he had previously been a salesman for the John Holland Gold Pen Company.
In 1894 Parker received a patent on his so called “Lucky Curve” feed, which was reputed to draw excess ink back into the pen whilst the pen was not in use. The Lucky Curve patent feed was used in various pen up until until 1928.
Between 1920s to the 1960s Parker Pens was either the number 1 or 2 pen seller.
After this point the development of the ballpoint pen by companies such as BIC
Around 1931 Parker created a quick drying ink trade name Quink which removed the need for blotting and lead to the development of the Parker 51 pen the most widely sold fountain pen in history with an estimated sales of $400 million worth in its 30 year history
Production facilities were set up all over the world including in France Denmark and Canada, United Kingdom abd Denmark
Parker pens where often used to sign important history documents most famously the the World War II armistices.
After a management buyout in 1987 parker pens moved at headquarters to Newhaven, East Sussex, England previously the Valentine Pen Company previously bought by Parker.
In 1993 Parker was acquired by the Gillette Company and combined with other brands such as papermate. Gillette then sold the pens division in 2000 to Newell Rubbermaid.
The Major Pens that Parker has produced to date
1899 – Jointless
1909 – Jack Knife Safety
1921 – Duofold
1932 – Vacumatic
1941 – the model “51″
1954 – Jotter
1956 – the model “61″
1964 – the model “45″ and “75
1967 – Classic (1967)
1973 – the model “25
1982 – Arrow
1986 – Vector
1987 – Duofold International
1988 – the model “95″
1993 – Sonnet
2004 – the Parker 100
