Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica by Chris Thompson 2001

by Jim Mamoulides, January 12, 2002, updated July 5, 2002, and May 19, 2023

Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica by Chris Thompson 2001

Fabulous and Faux, A Real Tribute to an Iconic Pen

The bug had bitten me really hard back in 2000. I really wanted a Lapis Lazuli Blue Senior Duofold flattop. The problem: a really nice one was going to cost a mint.

At about the same time I started on this quest, I ran across a post on the Zoss Pen List from a man named Chris Thompson who was turning Duofold replicas in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The pictures showed an exact copy of an old Parker flattop with original Duofold parts, right down to the laser cut imprint, which included the added statement "Replica 2000." Chris Thompson does not want his pens to be known as copies, or to deceive prospective buyers or future owners. And the pens are that good.

Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica by Chris Thompson 2001

At a Washington D. C. pen show some years ago I was able to see and handle a number of his replica pens. The plastic ones are visually identical to the real thing and post the same. Very high quality and exactly what a person would want if they were looking for a new condition daily user version of a vintage pen.

I reached out to Chris and after a few emails back and forth and decided on getting the lapis lazuli blue color model pictured in this article. Chris turns the cap and barrel, but the other components on this pen are original Duofold parts, which is part of the appeal. Older parts have to come from loaner or broken pens and sourcing these becomes harder or more expensive as the supply is limited. Some customers provide their own parts or donor pens. Clips and replacements for the hard rubber parts could be supplied from replica made sources. Chris made the process very transparent, so the customer knows exactly what they are getting and the parts choices, original or replica, affect the final price.

It's A Countertop Pen!

Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica flanked left by a Parker Duofold Streamline Senior Lapis Lazuli Blue c. 1930-1932 and right by a Parker Duofold Junior Lapis Lazuli Blue c. 1928-1929

The "lapis lazuli blue" material used for the cap and barrel of this pen is made from the same stuff used to make countertops, giving the pen a cool to the touch feel. If you ever wondered what a stone pen would feel like, this is it. There were actually two types of the original Lapis Lazuli Blue celluloid used by Parker, one having white flecks, which this material mimics, and the other having black and dark blue flecks.

I ordered the pen and Chris kept me updated by emailing me pictures and progress reports. It was a very quick turnaround and soon the pen arrived.

Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica laser cut barrel imprint detail

Everything about this pen says, "I'm a brand new vintage Duofold", just as if I had a new old stock pen. All the vintage parts were in excellent condition, and everything fit together like a newly made pen. Chris did excellent, high quality work. This has none of the look or feel of a "craft" or kit pen. It well represents the original flat top Lapis Lazuli Blue Duofold except for the imprint, which on my pen clearly states, "Replica 2001". The large size replica Lucky Curve imprint is hard to see in the sea of blue and white, but it's really there.

As this is essentially a bespoke pen, I’m skipping the usual identification guide. If you’ve seen an oversize Lapis Lazuli Blue Duofold from 1928-1929, it’s the same size and features except for the cap and barrel material. Let’s get down to the test drive!

Performance

This is an outstanding replica of a 1928-1929 Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue fountain pen. Fabulous and faux, a real tribute to an iconic pen. I reshot the photos for this article since the originals were from 2002 and I wanted to do justice to this pen.

Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica nib detail

The pen fills with a press of the button, just like the original. Unscrew the barrel end cap, insert the nib in ink, press the button and count to 20, remove the nib and wipe. I later had the nib changed to a broad Canadian nib, which writes like a wet paintbrush. This is the smoothest Duofold nib I have and has a lot of flex and character which I felt the Thompson Replica pen deserved, making it a signature pen. Now it's the perfect nib to sign one's name with flair. I moved the excellent medium nib he shipped the pen with to another Duofold. The simple answer to how the pen works and writes is exactly like the original. In every way, this is a flattop Duofold experience. If I have a gripe about this pen, it's that the cap does not post as securely as the original. I believe this is more due to the material than anything about Chris' workmanship.

So how does it look, compare with the real thing? The cap and barrel are a brighter blue than the original and the white flecks are larger and more numerous, giving the Thompson pen a more speckled feel than the original’s predominantly blue with small white specks. The photo shows the Thompson Duofold Senior Lapis Lazuli Blue Replica 2001 with two Parker Lapis Lazuli Blue Duofolds, one a Streamline Senior c. 1930-1932 and the other a flattop Junior c. 1928-1929.

These pens are extremely well made, and the price back in 2001 for Thompson Duofold replica pens was $300 and up, a real value. Vintage parts made the pen cost more. Chris did offer modern Duofold nibs as an option. I can't say enough good things about the pen, and the man that stands behind them. Highly recommended for anyone who wants an homage to a great pen of the past with the quality and reliability of a skillfully made custom limited edition. I can also say it's stood the test of time - over twenty years and still going!

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References

As of this updated publication Chris Thompson's website is back under construction, so I am providing a link to his Facebook page below.

Parker Catalog 1928

Parker Catalog 1929

Parker Catalog 1930

Parker Catalog 1932

Thompson Pens on Facebook