The Parker 45 Harlequin was made from right at the very end of 1979 and into the early 80's, with most models dating from 1980 through to 1982, as an attempt to revive sales by giving the Parker 45 an exciting new look.

All Harlequins were made in the UK. As dating pens started at the UK Newhaven factory in 1980 most Harlequins will carry a date stamp with the exception of a small handful of early examples.

The Harlequin has two basic patterns, the Circlet (or Circle) Pattern and the Shield Pattern both of which can be found in various colours. Nibs are usually stainless steel and the arrow clip and clutch ring are chrome.

The commonest colour to find is Grey (sometimes called white) so most Harlequins are found as either Grey Circlet or Grey Shield patterns. Black Shield is a little bit more scarce where as Black Circlet is very scarce. Grey and Black pens will come with a black shell section.

The coloured pens are the rarest of the Harlequins and can be found in Red, Green and Blue usually in the Shield Pattern although we have seen one Red Circlet pen. Red Shield Pens are rare and there is some argument over whether or not the colour was ever officially released (We think that it was as it appears in advertising and there are a few around) or whether it is a prototype. Green Shield pens are even rarer and the Blue Shields are rarer still making it likely that these pens are more likely to be experimental examples.

It would appear that Parker had problems producing the Red, Green and Blue pens as many examples exhibit flaws in the colours and patterns, some with patchy paint work, some with misaligned etching and other production inconsistencies or slight differences in the pattern.

Either way the Parker 45 Harlequin was only made for a very brief period of time making them very collectable and driving the price up over a standard 45 Flighter from the same time period.

Grey and Black coloured pens come with a black plastic shell section, coloured ones used matching colours for the plastic shell section.

Some examples have been seen with a silver (chrome) flat end cap at the end of the barrel body although most production models go without.

Typical Parker 45 Harlequin Fountain Pens will come in either the black slide top box or slightly earlier ones in the brown flip top box although other boxes are known these are the most common for a single fountain pen.

On the cap you should find engraved "Parker" on one side followed by "Made In England" then a date code on the other. No date code would indicate one of the earliest examples from 1979 before codes were introduced.

Typically you should find a Steel Nib although with nibs so easy to change gold ones are common as well. Clip and Clutch Ring should be chrome.

Ink Converter should be the long slim steel one although again with the ease of swapping them any Parker converter will fit.

Harlequins are also available as Ball Point Pens and Fibre Tips.

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