DETAILS: Beautiful and interesting collector's item from my personal collection. Vintage Parker from 1935 USA production ("35" engraved on barrel). Parker Deluxe Challenger Standard "Double-Jewel" Grey Marbled NT fountain pen. NOTE: this particular pen features an unusual (and rare) matching marbled blind cap wrapped in a nickel tassie ring and conical black jewel (similar first generation Vacumatic). Button filler system under a stepped blind cap with a sac. Nickel plated trims. Clip with vertical "PARKER" engraving stamped down a raised, elongated, stylized stretched-diamond emblem. It terminates in a distinct, smooth protective ball at the bottom to secure the pen safely into a pocket without tearing the fabric. Factory-made from nickel-plated brass. Single, medium-width nickel-plated brass Cap band. Solid yellow gold nib, engraved, seems "F" fine tip, stamped with a small "8" at bottom (possibly factory replacement in 1938). Hard rubber original feed. The barrel is extensively engraved and shows a small "35" on the right side. Made in USA. Measures: - length closed, cap on: 129mm - diametre of cap (without clip): 13,7mm - diametre of barrel: 12,1mm Perfectly clean and shiny, in fully working order ! No case or instructions supplied, sorry. All original, vintage and authentic. Please consider the pictures as part of the description as they show the exact item that will be purchased. HISTORY and SCARCITY: The Parker Challenger holds a fascinating place in fountain pen history, serving as a resilient "depression-era workhorse" that helped the Parker Pen Company survive economic hardship. The History: A Depression-Era Savior Introduced in early 1934 and produced until roughly 1941, the Challenger was launched at the height of the Great Depression. Parker had recently debuted its revolutionary, high-end "Vacumatic" line, but at $7.50 to $10 (a fortune at the time), everyday consumers couldn't afford it. To capture the budget and student market, Parker introduced the Challenger line for $2.50 to $3.50. It bypassed the complex Vacumatic vacuum filler in favor of a reliable, traditional button-filler mechanism. Despite the lower price point, Parker refused to compromise on quality, giving the Challenger a premium 14K gold nib and constructing it from the same striking, high-grade marbled celluloid sheets used in their luxury lines. It became an instant sales success. Scarcity and Collectibility While the Parker Challenger is not as rare as some prototype pens, finding an example in the condition of this one is becoming increasingly difficult. The Trim Factor (Scarce): Most Challengers were produced with gold-plated trim. Grey Marbled version uniquely features nickel-plated trim. Nickel plating from the 1930s was highly prone to severe corrosion and "pitting" from sweat and moisture. Finding a nickel-trimmed Challenger where the clip and cap band are intact and clean is significantly harder than finding its gold-plated counterparts. The "Survivor" Reality: Because these were affordable "school and office pens," they were driven hard. Most were thrown into pockets, chewed on, dropped, or left to rot with acidic ink inside them. A massive percentage of the production run was simply thrown away over the last 90 years. The Hybrid Timeline: this pen is a wonderful historical artifact because it bridges two eras—a 1935 barrel with a factory-correct 1938 service replacement nib. In the vintage pen community, these "honest worker" pens that show clear signs of period-correct maintenance are highly respected because they tell a genuine story of ownership. While not a completely unique museum prototype, this pen with matching marbled blind cap wrapped in a nickel tassie ring represents a highly desirable, premium variant. It is exactly the kind of configuration that makes vintage fountain pen collectors jump during an online auction. CONDITION: Near mint vintage overall with very few minor/acceptable marks and wear, no flaws. Only the cap band shows partial plating edge wear and the cap button a tiny edge ding (last picture). Otherwise, all perfect. Shiny with no obvious or hard scratches or marks, microscopic/few very light marks only. No dings, nicks, dents or scuffs and no cracks all over. Very crisp barrel engravings. Slight plating wear to clip ball top, not very noticeable. No other wear to clip and blind cap tassie plating all over. Clip is perfectly straight aligned and adjusts firmly to the cap surface. No repairs. No deformation to cap and barrel. Cap screws smoothly and holds tight both closed and posted. The nib is mint with no marks, no scratches, no bends or deformations, complete iridium on tip. very crisp engravings. Flexible and smooth spring action of filling system push button. However, the button displacement is relatively short and for this reason only a small amount of ink is sucked in, sufficient to write for a while though. Writing perfectly. No leaks or blots. No personal engravings. In full working order and perfectly clean. PACKING & SHIPPING: Worldwide, Low Cost ! Package Includes: Item as described and carefully packed together with Catawiki Invoice. I will post this Item by Registered Mail to all countries in the world (with Tracking Number, to be provided on Catawiki item Order page). NOTE on Tariffs (US Buyers Only): Since this item ships from outside the US, it is subject to import duties and processing fees. Don't worry, though—all these fees are already included in the price you see! This is a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) order, which means you won't have to pay any extra fees during or after delivery. As the seller, I handle all official customs value declarations in compliance with import laws. Please note that while all fees are covered, occasional customs inspection delays may occur.