The Parker Duofold is perhaps one of the most iconic of writing instruments. From its introduction in 1921 through to its resurrection as Parker's premier model in 1988, this distinctive pen has been one of the most recognizable of any pen to collectors and enthusiasts world wide.
With the publication of Parker Duofold David Shepherd and Dan Zazove have brought a wealth of detailed information to those who collect the Duofold. This book is destined to be considered a landmark in the history of books relating to the hobby of fountain pen collecting, it not only covers the material exhaustively, but does so in an easy to read style, with information arranged in an easy to access fashion.
The
level of research involved in this project is staggering. With access
to the Parker archives, the authors were able to assemble much in the
way of "first source" material regarding the Duofold. In addition
to this cooperation with Parker itself, several noted collectors allowed
access to their collections and information, and finally, Geoffrey Parker
allowed access to material from the personal journal of Kenneth Parker.
With this level of research behind it, it is easy to see how this book
should probably be considered to be a "must have" for anyone
interested in Parker pens.
The book begins with a general overview of Parker's history, and then jumps into the design and creation of the first Duofolds themselves. The various versions are covered separately, divided by the timeframe of their introduction. Separate sections deal with desk pens, pencils, demonstrators, prototypes, nibs, and packaging. The material in this chapter is very in-depth, thoroughly covering the genesis and consequent development of the Duofold pen itself. The layout is excellent, with plentiful use of original Parker advertising and in-house publications, as well as very good photos of examples of the various pens under discussion in any given section.
The design of the Duofold is covered separately, with subsections covering materials, shapes, imprints and so forth. The wealth of information covered in this section alone makes the book well worth the price. This is the "go to" section for anyone with a question about exactly what it is they have found when they first come home from the antique shop with a Duofold. With separate sections to cover everything from color, shape, style, trim, imprints, and even a discussion regarding the discoloration commonly seen in vintage Duofolds found today, this section is an invaluable reference.
You can pretty much manage to identify anything in the way of a Duofold that you come across, whether it be in a local antique shop, or from the wilds of ebay. The coverage extends to the Duofolds produced in Canada, England, Denmark, and elsewhere. As far as pen reference books go, it is easy to put this one at or near the top of the list. The material is inclusive, well ordered, and above all, useful. Not only to the high end collector interested in only the most esoteric of models, but to anyone with even a basic interest in Parker pens.
The Parker Pen company history is well covered, with a lot of detail regarding not only the company itself, but a great look into the live of Kenneth Parker, one of the driving forces behind the successful (and at the time ground breaking) Duofold. Extracts from the personal journal of Kenneth Parker make this section literally come alive for the reader. It is very clear that the authors took a great deal of pains to ensure that this section provides an in depth look into the inner workings of the Parker Pen company during the time in which the Duofold was being produced and marketed.
The
marketing of the Duofold was ground breaking for the time, and this
area is also well covered in the book, with an entire section devoted
to the various maneuvers utilized by Parker to get the Duofold off the
ground and to keep it competitive during a very difficult time for the
pen industry. Detailed coverage of the advertising, both inside the
US as well as that designed for foreign markets, the artists used, and
promotional material are all part of this section. There is also coverage
of Parkers use of famous personages of the time in advertising, aviation,
and contests, all of which figured prominently in Parker's marketing
of the Duofold. Although perhaps not as useful to the "nuts and
bolts" collector, I found this to be the most interesting part
of the book. It might not have helped me with pinning down the production
date of any of my pens, but it proved to be a very interesting
read!
Of
course, the Duofold gave way to the Vacumatic as the 1930s began, but
at the company's one hundred year mark, a new model of the Duofold was
launched. The section on the modern Duofold provides a great deal of
information on this modern classic, and fully lives up to the portions
of the book relating to the original Duofolds. Details of the manufacture,
marketing, and advertising of the modern Duofolds are included. If you're
a fan of only the "new" Duofolds, this book still has quite
a lot to offer. It is one of the most in depth reference works on a
modern production pen model that I've seen to date. There are also sections
covering limited edition versions of the Duofold, maki-e versions, and
customized pens based on the Duofold. Even a section addressing "Homage"
pens made by some of the the world's most talented pen-makers. Bexley,
Fultz, Torelli, and Thompson pens are all covered.
All
in all, there just isn't any downside to this book. It's easy to recommend
to anyone who is into the Parker Duofold in whatever iteration. As a
reference book the information and the way it is presented are first
rate. With a list price of $80, I think it really is fair to say that
Parker Duofold is easily worth twice the price.
It was so good in fact, that after reading through it I just had to go dig out a Duofold from the display case and fill it up!
Images copyright 2006 William Riepl