With the goal of creating a new high-end pen, Kenneth Parker and designer Don Doman collaborated once more and combined various characteristics from past creations. From the 45, they took the filling mechanism of the interchangeable cartridge and piston converter. From the VP, they took the gripping section with its 3 flat surfaces, 2 being ribbed, and the ruled section ring and rotating nib assembly. The idea was to allow the nib to be rotated to the angle preferred by the writer. Sterling silver was selected for this all-metal pen, and the crosshatch design was selected, with black enamel used to fill in the lines.
Introduced at the end of 1963, 75s were manufactured in both the USA and in France, and continued to be produced until 1994. They are relatively easy to date because of design changes and new model introductions. From 1980 on they contain factory engraved date codes.
For the most part, I have not polished these pens, as many folks like the age patina which has developed, especially on the solid gold and the sterling silver models. I’m happy to polish before shipping, on request.
There are four main differences in tassies; the earliest being “flat”; in the mid-70’s they became “dished” (a flat, circular recess in the middle); and in the early 80’s became “dimpled” (a centered, circular, pointed, concave depression); and the models with a mounted cabochon. The Titanium 75 has a red, dished bottom tassie. Early gripping sections were triangular, replaced in the 80’s with rounded sections (there is overlapped production of the two different sections). All nibs are 14K unless indicated as 18K.
All Parker 75s are cartridge/converter-fill, and every pen purchased will come with a converter. Nibs other than the ones currently in each pen may be available (some at additional cost), so please ask. Any rollerball can be converted to a fountain pen, and vice-versa. A cap-activated ball pen can be converted to a pencil, and vice-versa, so once again please ask.
(Many thanks to Lee Chait and Lih-Tah Wong for their kind and very knowledgeable assistance with history, identification and valuing.)
