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<td height="54" colspan="2"><p><img src="bilder/grafik/parklogo.gif" width="164" height="69"><br>
<img src="bilder/grafik/vacumatic.jpg" width="200" height="42"></p>
<p class="verdana14boldBlack">Model identification guide<br>
(under construction)</p></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top" class="verdana12boldBlack"><p><img src="bilder/anfanger/l.jpg" width="23" height="49" align="left">iterary
hundreds of different Vacumatic models exist. This Model Identification
guide is in no way a complete recapitulation of all these models. Instead
it is an effort to help collectors and/or Vac-owners to identify and perhaps
date their pens.</p>
<p>Dating is rather simple, since most Vacs have a date code engraved on
the body. You'll find it to the right of the imprint:</p>
<p><img src="bilder/lockdowns/datecode.jpg" width="469" height="40"></p>
<p>The first date codes emerged in 1935, but lacking a date code doesn't
necessarily mean that the pen was made pre-1935, since many imprints have
been worn off. The first date codes came in two digits, where the first
digit denoted the quarter and the second the year. Hence a pen with the
date code 15 was made in the first quarter of 1935 and 47 was manufactured
the fourth quarter of 1937.</p>
<p>In the second quarter of 1938 this system was however changed to save
production time and a new date code, using a system of dots was adopted.
The stamp initially had three dots and for each quarter one dot was filed
down leaving none for the fourth quarter. Since production was overlapping
examples exist with either the imprint 28 or .8. for the the second quarter
of 1938.</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"><img src="bilder/lockdowns/dots.gif" width="225" height="152"></p>
<p align="center"> </p>
<p align="left"><img src="bilder/anfanger/s.jpg" width="19" height="48" align="left">ince
production continued over a decade a pen with the date code 8 can be produced
in either 1938 or 1948. The models did however differ and this guide will
help You differentiate between them. And even if Your pen has lost it's
imprint this guide will help You to narrow it down a bit.</p>
<p align="left"><br>
It's simple, take a look at Your pen, answer the questions, compare to
the images and click on the pen.</p>
<p align="left"> </p>
<p><img src="bilder/anfanger/t.jpg" width="23" height="48" align="left">here
are essentially three filling mechanisms of the Parker Vacumatics, the
lockdown, the speedline and the plastic. There are some transitional models,
with metal speedline fillers in the rounded plastic blind caps. But for
all general purposes the models are the same.</p></td>
<td width="33%" align="left" valign="top" class="verdana14boldBlack"> <p><a href="lockdown.html">Lockdown
filler:<br>
<img src="bilder/lockdowns/lockdownblindcap.jpg" border="0"></a><br>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="speedline.html">Speedline filler:</a></p>
<p><a href="speedline.html">(under construction)<br>
<img src="bilder/speedlines/speedlineblindcap.jpg" border="0"></a><br>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="plastic.html">Rounded blind cap:</a></p>
<p><a href="plastic.html">(under construction)<br>
<img src="bilder/rounded/speedroundcap.jpg" border="0"><br>
or: <br>
<img src="bilder/rounded/plasticblindcap.jpg" border="0"></a></p>
<hr>
<p><a href="nonoftheabove.html">Non of the above</a></p></td>
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