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T he Parker 75 was designed by Kenneth Parker (son of the founder George Parker) and the designer extraordinaire, Don Doman (who also designed the 45, 61, T1, VP and Liquid lead). After the great success with the Parker 51 came an era of decline for the fountain pen, the ballpoints sold in greater and greater numbers. Parker was really fast in introducing the Jotter ballpen which sold very well, one reason being that it fitted as a set to the Parker 51 which was just about in everybodys pocket anyway. Parker tried (as they had before) to capture the broad markets with cheaper pens: Parker 21, Parker 41 and the Parker 45 (introduced in 1960, that was to become Parkers greatest seller in the low-priced area). But Kenneth Parker was not satisfied. The Parker company was always reluctant to appear as anything but a high-classed company that made high-classed pens, and since the Parker 61 never became the ultra-seller Parker had hoped, KP (so called by his employees) wanted to introduce yet another top-line fountain pen. Another reason was that even if the 45 and the Jotter sold very well, they also sold for very little money, leaving Parker with a small margin. Kenneth Parker characterized the company as being "in the early stages of rigor mortis unless something is done to recapture the higher-priced, gift-oriented business". Kenneth Parker wanted the new pen to be aesthetic, innovative, expensive and a good writer. He borrowed the idea of an adjustable nib from himself, from the, at the time, not very popular Parker VP, Very Personal, which he and Don Doman also designed in the early 1960's, (it was launched in 1962). The conformed grip allowed the user to adjust the nib to his hand "...like one adjusts the lens of a fine camera...", as KP used to say. He borrowed the filling system (cartridge or converter) from the Parker 45. He borrowed the grid pattern from his cigarette case, made by a London silversmith. To make the pen in solid gold would have been too expensive so Parker decided on sterling (a very pure) silver. During manufacturing the pens were made in smooth silver inti which was later cut lines and a type of stain was added in the cracks to highlighten the rectangular plates. This made the grid-patterned silver pen only grew more beautiful with time. The gold clip and trim together with the 14 carat gold nib wrapped up the design. When the new pen, called Sterling Cicelé hit the market in 1964 (the pen was finished in 1963, though, Parker's 75:th anniversary) it cost $25, which was extremely high for a pen aimed at the "broader" public. Again proving that if you have a quality product with an interesting design, people are willing to pay high prices for it. The new pen was destined to be produced for thirty years with only minor changes in the design. Some months later a gold-filled version was also offered called Insignia Cicelé 75 By 1965 the Parker 75 range included:
In the early 1960's a man named Fisher was tracing old Spanish treasure ships that had sunk outside the coast of Florida in 1715. Fisher managed to retrieve a lot of gold and silver ingots (bars) from the ships. Designer Don Doman conceived the idea to make a limited edition of the Parker 75 from this old silver. He discussed the matter with one of the Parker Companys vice presidents and was given the go-ahead. Fisher was contacted and quite a lot of the old silver was bought. The Spanish Treasure fleet 75 is today one of the most sought for Parker 75's, if not one of the most sought for (and among the first) limited edition pens. It only cost $75 back in 1966. Why didn't you buy a couple of dozen then? The line in 1966:
In 1967 Parker introduced the Keepsake 75. This pen was made in plain silver with broad "stripes" for "Habitual but well-intentioned forgetters of birthdays and anniversaries" with room to "Engrave this magnificent pen with a record of the important events in your life... all the occasions you want to remember. Anniversary - Family Birthdates - Special Honors - Membership in Fraternal Organizations". The idea might have been good but the pen never really got to the hearts of the public (although it followed the Cicelé pricing). A Presidential Keepsake in solid 14 ct gold was also offered at $100. In 1968 Parker increased the price of all 75's to $30. And in the same year the two Keepsakes were discontinued. Today they are so extremely rare, especially the solid gold pen, that collectors do not even know them well enough to collect them. Kenneth Parker used to carry his in his pocket. And former secretary of state, William P Rogers used his to sign the Vietnam peace agreement in 1973. Other than that, Vincent Fatica has one, and he won't sell... The first Parker 75 was offered with a flat clip-screw, often referred to by collectors as the "flat-top" 75. In 1970 the clip screw was re-designed leaving a small hole in the clip-screw, this way Parker could offer to add an emblem or company logo to the top of the pen. The Parker 88 has the same feature, only a more elongated circle. The first models also had a grading scale engraved to the metal cover separating the nib/feed from the section and a wide, app. 4 mm space at the cap lip, like a cap band. In 1970 the section ring as well as the cap ring became narrower, app 1,5 mm. Also in 1970 a new 75, the Ambassador was offered, this was about the same as the Cicelé with the two differences that it was striped lenghtwise and had chrome trim. It was discontinued in 1980. Also in 1970 the Flighter DeLuxe 75 was introduced. It was made in stainless steel with gold filled trim and the thin cap ring was made in gold. The line in 1970:
In 1979 the French Parker subsidiary in Meru introduced an attractive 75 line called the Lacquer collection inspired by the eastern laquer-painting techniques with layers on layers on layers... The laquer collection consisted of:
The very first series had Chinese signs opposite the clip on the cap end but these was soon discontinued. In 1981 the lacquer collection consisted of:
And in 1983:
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