The 1997 Parker Snake is available in 18k gold or sterling silver with emerald
eyes. It is based on the original Parker Snake Pen first introduced
in 1906, still considered legendary among pen collectors today.
The 18k gold pen contains over 50 grams of gold in the snake
motif and on the banding on the cap and barrel. Each silver
pen contains a total of 32 grams of silver also in the snake
design and on the banding. The pen packaging is based on on
early 1900s Victorian Styling. The black leather gift box features
a suede interior and a silver plated snake design clasp with
snake-embossed lid. Like all Limited Editions from Parker, the
1997 Parker Snake is individually numbered, adding to the value
of the pen. The number is displayed on the barrel plaque, the
top cap band and on a certificate of authenticity. There will
be 250 of the 18k gold, and 5,000 sterling silver Snake pens
distributed worldwide.
They attract us and they repel us. They intrigue us, yet they
frighten us. Their symbolism is renowned, with hardly a psychology
book, religious txt or art museum devoid of their presence.
But whatever the feeling that wells up in you at the very thought----or,
heaven forbid, proximity to the real thing---one thing is certain:
no one is immune to the power of the snake.
Snakes are not new to the world of pens. In the early part
of the twentieth century, most of the major pen manufactures
of the time---Parker, Rider, Waterman, Williamson and Wirt---offered
a pen decorated with snakes. But the filigree style associated
primarily with Parker and introduced in 1905 gleaned the most
sucess as evidenced by the number of examples in classic pen
collections around the world. And now, Parker is improving on
the past with a brand new limited edition 1997 Parker Snake
Pen. This latter-day version is genetically superior to its
eyedropper-filled, green-glass-eyed cousin. While the original
had a sterling or gold filled overlay over hard rubber, the
new one is available in either sterling or solid 18 karat gold
over a cst acrylic shell. The eyedropper filler has been repalced
by the more convenient cartidge or convertor, and the green
glass "eyes" are now hand cut and faceted emeralds.
The pen has also gained some girth reflecting current trends
in consumer preferences.
According to group product manager Keith Grabow, the original
Parker Snake was unquestioningly the benchmark for this project.
"It was a beautifully crafted pen, and we used it as the
design foundation," he says. But exact replication was
never the goal. "Our philosophy is to use modern materials
and modern technology in our limited editions. This [new] pen
hsa the benefit of many, many years of Parker's experience,"
he continues, adding that the "function" of a Parker
pen should always be of highest consideration. "When a
person writes with one of our pens, we want him to have a superior
writing experience." Purists may wonder if the eyedropper
filling mechanism was ever considered. Grabow is quick to point
out that the system is "not as good as what we can offer
today," and was therefore never part of the plan.
An English jeweler by the name of Ari D. Norman of Norma Silversmiths
used the lost-wax casting method to create the 1997 overlay.
Specializing in sterling jewelry and ink bottles, Norman formed
a happy and fruitful union with Parker. Nevertheless, it took
a few tries to get the snake overlay exactly right. The fine
tuning included improving the texture of the snake's scales,
moving the eyes a fraction of a millimeter, and re-setting the
emeralds. "They looked just too 'frogish',"says the
perfectionist Grabow of an earlier rendition with cabochon-style
rather than faceted emerald eyes. Unlike the origninal Parker
Snake which displays small identifying marks on the cap band,
this pen is well branded. "We wanted it to be clear that
this is a limited edition Parker," he says, of the metal
indicia on the side of the pen.
What started it all, The First Parker
Snake Pen
