Yuri Rashkin, a journalist from Janesville has kindly allowed me to publish some video-interviews with connections to the Parker Pen Company of Janesville. There's also a vintage recording from the factory in the 1930's and a few TV-ads. Enjoy!
More of Yuri's interviews from Janesville here:
http://www.discoverjanesville.com
An interview with Geoffrey Parker, great-grandson of the founder Geo. S. Parker:
An interview with Roger Axtell who worked for 30 years for The Parker Pen Co., retiring as Vice President, Worldwide Marketing.
PLAY part 1
PLAY part 2
PLAY part 3
The Parker factory in Janesville in the 1930's:
PLAY
Growing up Parker. Geoffrey Parker, great grandson of George S. Parker spoke at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum about the history of Parker Pens and his family connection to it. Presented by the Pen Collectors of America. (Some sound issues):
PLAY
A fun Parker Jotter ad, starring the well knowns British actress Penelope Keith, one of the stars from "To the Manor Born".
PLAY
Another fun ad is starring the Indian actress Genelia D'Souza. In India she is "The Parker girl". Film director Shankar offered her a role in his acclaimed film Boys after seeing this ad, and of course later she appeared in the Academy Award winner movie "Slumdog Millionaire".
PLAY
She was not featured in this follow-up, called Blah, blah, but it's very amusing:
PLAY
This is a vintage ad for the Parker Touché, a felt-tip pen.
PLAY
A 2007 ad for the Parker Urban:
PLAY