Parker 45 Classic – Plastic barrel and shell section, silver metal cap, silver arrow and clutch ring. 14K Gold nib. There was also the slightly later “Student” version in vibrant colours or “Happy Colours” fitted with a steel nib introduced in 1969.
The Gold Trimmed version is often referred to as the Parker 45 GT
Parker 45 Arrow or CT (Chrome Trim) – Plastic barrel, shell section and cap, silver (chrome) trim. Introduced in 1962 as the Parker 45 “Arrow” which later became the Parker 45 CT with some examples being marked as “45 School”.
Parker 45 DeLuxe – Plastic barrel, shell section and cap with Rolled Gold trims. Introduced in 1967
Parker 45 Custom – Plastic barrel, shell section with a Rolled Gold “insignia” cap and clutch ring. 14K Gold nib. Rolled Gold would suggest early 1970’s onwards but exact dates are unknown.
Parker 45 Special released in 2001 and featured the new redesigned arrow clip and the cabochon jewel clip screw in gold.
Parker 45 Flighter
The Parker 45 Flighter was introduced early on as a more up market metal bodied brushed steel alternative to the cheaper plastic pens and became a huge success in the 45 line up to the point where right at the end of production the Flighter was the last of the 45s to be made by Parker.
Originally sold with a black plastic end cap in 1964 by the beginning of the 70’s this had given way to a silver chromed end cap which later disappeared all together by the 80’s.
Gold Trim Flighter “Deluxe” or “GT” versions added a touch of luxury to the range with early pens having gold arrow clips and clutch rings. Models from the 70’s had gold coloured end caps as well, replacing the earlier black plastic end cap. Models from the 1980’s onward lost the plastic end cap altogether as the pen design was simplified for cheaper production.
The final version of the Flighter (and indeed the last of the Parker 45 range) was the MK II Flighter with gold trims and a cabochon jewel on the cap. These last of the line pens were produced and sold up to 2008 when the Parker 45 was retired.
Rare examples exist of Flighter “Specials” where the shell grip and end cap were a “non-standard” colour, for example red or blue. Little seems to be known about these pens other then that they appear to date from the late 60’s and 70’s and have been found in Red Blue and Burgundy.
Click To See More About Parker 45 Flighters
Other Parker 45 Models
The Parker 45 Insignia was designed to be an upmarket version of the 45 with either gold filled or rolled gold bodies, gold trim and a unlined area of the body that could be inscribed with the owner’s name. Click Here For More
Parker 45 Lady Pens designed as hand bag pens these pens have no clip and come in gold or silver “brocade” pattern. The gold ones usually have wood end caps, the silver usually come with blue or more rarely black end caps. Click Here For More
The Parker 45 Coronet, released in 1967, was made from anodized aluminum in Black, Blue, Green, Grey, Brown and Red. Coronets have a unique feature amongst the 45’s in that there is always a Parker logo inscribed into the cap in line with the point of the arrow clip. Click Here For More
Parker 45 TX, made for a short period of time between 1979 and 1983, came with an dark blue epoxy paint over brass body with gold trims including a small flat gold end cap on the bottom of the body. Click Here For More
The Parker 45 Harlequin, one of the most collectible of the 45 range from around 1979 to 1984. Usually found in two basic patterns, “shield” or “circlet” with either grey or black paint. Other colours do exist, notably red, although these are very rare indeed. Click Here For More
