$22.99delivered
The lowest delivered 21 here at $23. The title says nothing about whether it fills, so ask the seller to dip it in water and press the bar.
"PARKER 21" Black/Chrome Cap & Trim Fountain Pen Vintage
Parker · 1948–1965 · Aerometric
Parker 21
Mark I, 1948 to 1951
After the 51 took off, Parker wanted a cheaper pen with the same look. The 21 arrived in 1948 at a much lower price and quickly took most of Parker's sales in its price range. It has a hooded front like the 51, a steel nib Parker called Octanium after the eight elements in the alloy, and a simplified version of the Aero-metric filler that came out the same year. A 1950 pen is a Mark I. It has a Lustraloy cap, a ridged clip, and a date code printed around the barrel near the clutch ring. The Mark I could dry out and blob, so in 1951 Parker redesigned the front end, and the Mark II became the steadier writer. The 21 first came in red, blue, green and black, with gray added later. It's a cheap way into hooded Parkers, and there are plenty to choose from.
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Parker
- Filling system
- Aerometric
- Era
- Post-war golden age
- Years made
- 1948–1965
- Made in
- Janesville, Wisconsin
- Material
- Plastic barrel and hood, Lustraloy steel cap
- Cap
- Slip cap
- Nib grades seen
- Fine, Medium
- Typical eBay ask (Oct 5, 2026)
- $25–$40
What to check before you buy
The inexpensive plastic of the shell and barrel tends to crack, and the Mark II is the worst for it. Mark I pens can dry out or blob, which is why Parker redesigned them.
- 01Cracks: Look closely at the hood and the barrel threads in the photos. There should be no hairline cracks.
- 02Version: Check the gap between the hood and the nib in the photos. A Mark I has a visible gap, and on a Mark II the hood nearly touches the nib.
- 03Date code: Read the imprint around the barrel in the photos. A Mark I carries a date code, and a Mark II has none.
- 04Filler: Ask whether it fills and holds ink. Pressing the bar should draw ink in, with nothing weeping into the barrel.
- 05Nib: Zoom in on the nib in the photos. The tines should be straight and the tip unworn.
Buying guide
Which one to buy
§ Oct 5, 2026For a first hooded Parker, buy a 21 titled working or tested from a US seller with near-perfect feedback for about $35 delivered. There are 34 listed and most ask $25–40 delivered, so there's no reason to pay more for a plain one like the $88 red pen from Thailand. The plastic cracks easily, so zoom in on the hood and barrel threads for hairlines, and ask whether it fills and holds ink, since an unserviced Aero-metric sac can need replacing. The 1948–1951 Mark I has a ridged clip and a date code printed around the barrel near the clutch ring, but no title here claims one, so don't pay extra for a year.
- Listed now
- 34
- For parts
- 0
- Typical ask
- $25–$40
- Full range
- $18–$69
Cheapest 
Best value $34.88est. delivered
Titled working, at $35 delivered inside the $25–40 band. Ask whether that means it has been inked and written with, and check the hood for cracks in the photos.
Parker 21 Black Vintage Fountain Pen Working
View on eBay ↗: Parker 21 Black Vintage Fountain Pen Working$34.88 est. delivered
Easiest to get working $34.95delivered
Titled tested, so it should need nothing before you fill it. Ask what the test was, a water fill or actual writing.
Parker 21 Fountain Pen – Made in USA – Aerometric – Black – Tested
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 5, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
For sale on eBay
8 of 34 listedChecked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 5, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
- Used
- Cheapest
"PARKER 21" Black/Chrome Cap & Trim Fountain Pen Vintage
$22.99delivered
$22.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$22.99
Good buy
Black with a chrome cap. Not titled tested.
Seller: collectiblesetal
100% positive
- Used
- Best value
Parker 21 Black Vintage Fountain Pen Working
$34.88est. delivered
$25.00 + $9.88 shipping
Buy It Now$25.00
Good buy
Black, titled working.
Seller: pensnpenns
99.5% positive
- Used
- Easiest to get working
Parker 21 Fountain Pen – Made in USA – Aerometric – Black – Tested
$34.95delivered
$34.95 · free shipping
Buy It Now$34.95
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Black, titled tested.
Seller: zaccass4405
99.9% positive
UsedVintage Parker 21 Burgundy w/Stainless Steel Cap & Chrome Trim Fountain Pen
$29.99delivered
$29.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$29.99
Our take
Burgundy with a steel cap. Another seller lists the same title, so compare the photos.
Seller: allstar110255
99.9% positive
UsedVintage Blue Parker 21 Fountain Pen Aerometric Filling
$30.60est. delivered
$21.95 + $8.65 shipping
Buy It Now$21.95
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Blue, Aero-metric filler, not titled tested.
Seller: ibuyo60
100% positive
UsedParker 21 Stainless Steel & Red Extra Fine Stainless Steel Nib Fountain pen
$31.00est. delivered
$25.00 + $6.00 shipping
Buy It Now$25.00
Our take
Red with an extra-fine steel nib.
Seller: raedmandawi2012
99.7% positive
UsedAlmost NOS Blue Parker 21 Fountain Pen Clean Sack Never Used Slight Storage Wear
$46.16est. delivered
$39.99 + $6.17 shipping
Buy It Now$39.99
Our take
Titled almost NOS with a clean, never-used sac. Slight storage wear.
Seller: alderneycafe
100% positive
Used- Priced high
💥 Nice Parker 21 Fountain Pen Red with Chrome Trim Made in USA Nib M Or B ?
$88.00est. delivered
$69.00 + $19.00 shipping
Buy It Now$69.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
About $48 over the band, and the seller isn't sure if the nib is M or B. Ships from Thailand.
Seller: lakthai
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 5, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchInk and cleaning kit
A pen that’s sat in a drawer for decades wants a flush before it sees ink. A bulb syringe, pen flush and a bottle of well-behaved ink cover most of it. This searches Amazon for the usual kit.
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