Parker "35"

1979-1986

HISTORY

At first glance, the Parker "35" looks very much like the Parker "75" and has also sometimes been called the "Baby 75", although the features — sans the size and nib — are actually more similar to the Parker "180". The Parker "35" was a pen with an open nib introduced in 1979 as a smaller (about 125 millimetres) and lower-priced second cousin to the Parker "75" and Parker "180", sharing many finishes. It does not, however, like the Parker "85" and Premier, clearly belong to the Parker "75" core family, since few parts are interchangeable.

The Parker "35" was produced in Meru, France, and was aimed at the European market. It was offered as a fountain pen, pencil, fibre tip and ball pen. The fountain pens had a smooth tassie, tapered the "wrong way", a bit wider at the bottom (as on the Parker "180"), while the ball pens were of the shape and size of the Parker "75", including the bottom stacked coin tassie. These "winged" tassies were actually designed to "hook" into the cap when it was posted on the back, to prevent the pen body from scratches while writing.

Image © Tsachi Mitsenmacher

Parker "35" Laquer from 1979 to 1983". Note the difference in colour of the two Lapis pens

The Parker 35 range 1979:

Yellowish Brown Tortoiseshell

Green Malachite

Jasper Red Quartz

Greyish Brown Thuya (aka Woodgrain)

Blue Lapis Lazulii

The Parker "35" had a black plastic section and a combed ink feed — smaller, very similar, but not identical, to the one on the Parker "75". The Parker "35" section was rounded and smooth, while the Parker "75" (Mark I) was ribbed and of a more triangular shape. The tassies were thinner than those on the Parker "75", and the tassie on the Flighter models even thinner still — really only a button. The Parker "35" had a medium-sized smooth cap band with the lettering "Parker Made in France". Cap, clip and clip screw (also of the stacked coin design) were very similar to the Parker "180". The nib was marked Parker 750k (denoting 18k gold) and also had the French diamond-shaped Parker logo. There was a thin gold band between the section and body, again like on the Parker "180".

It was initially offered in five lacquer finishes — the same as offered in the first Parker "180" line-up.

In his book Fountain Pens of the World, Andreas Lambrou repeats the colours advertised in France with food references.

The Parker 35 range as advertised in France:

Safran (Saffron)

Muscade (Nutmeg)

Gentiane (Gentian)

Poivre (Pepper)

Olive

The first-year pens, like on the Parker "180", were marked on the cap (close to the lip and opposite the clip) with Chinese characters that are pronounced "Pah Kuh", which of course translates to "Parker" in Chinese. The cap lip also had the additional letters "Laque".

When the Laque Collection was discontinued in 1983, the Parker "35" was offered in a variety of beautiful metal finishes also seen in the Parker "180" line, and most in the Parker "75" line.

The Parker 35 range in 1983

Flighter (Stainless steel with gold-plated trim)

Silver Milleraies (Striped silverplate over brass)

Gold Milleraies (Striped goldplate over brass)

Silver Grain d'Orge (Barley silverplate over brass)

Gold Grain d'Orge (Barley goldplate over brass)

Silver Guirlande (Garland silverplate over brass)

• Gold Guirlande (Garland goldplate over brass)

The last official finishes of the Parker "35" in 1983. Flighter, Silver Milleraies, Gold Milleraies, Silver Grain d'Orge, Gold Grain d'Orge, Silver Guirlande and Gold Guirlande

All Parker "35" pens are hard to find in the US. The metal pens are very collectible — especially the Guirlande finishes, a very attractive pattern introduced on the 1979 Parker "180" and also found on some rarer Parker "75" pens. Some pens have been found with titanium nibs.

The easiest way to spot a Parker "35" from a Parker "75" is that the cap slides over the body, while both the Parker "75" and Parker "180" have caps flush with the body.
The Parker "35" was discontinued along with the Parker "180" in 1986.

In 1983 the laquer finishes were discontinued. On the sister pen, Parker "180" they were replaced by a single coloured laquer finish in Black, Burgundy, Blue and Green. Although prototypes, or test market items, like the ones above do exist they were not part of the official Parker "35" range.

Above test marketing or prototypes. Variants of Jasper, Thuya and Tortoiseshell (aka Ecaille).

There were a multitude of finishes and colours used in the test production. Prototypes of all three sister-pen models, the Parker "75, Parker "180" and Parker "35" have been found in the same or similar finishes. Above are four attractive Parker "35" variants of spotted laquer. Note the later style flat blind cap.

Parker "35" prototypes. Three Flighters, note the chrome clip screws. A Titanium "35" with a "45"-style clip. A Gold Guirlande variant. A gold Milleraies and a Gold Barley, followed by a silver "35" in a wavy scale-like pattern, and lastly a Silver Godron with gold filled trim.

(Updated 2019)