Quink

A.K.A. Double Quink, Parker 51 Ink.

Developed by The Parker Pen Company, the brand name is an amalgam of quick and ink in reference to the "world's first quick drying ink". A common misconception is that Quink was invented as the ideal ink for the world's most successful fountain pen, the Parker 51 (over $400 million in sales in it's 30 year history), whereas the Parker 51 was in fact developed as the only pen of the time capable of using such an ink effectively.

In 1928 the Parker company under the direction of Kenneth Parker invested three years and $68,000 into the development of an ink that would eliminate the need for blotting, partnered with the Parker 51, this was to become a completely new "writing system". Research was headed by chemist Graham Sayler in a small laboratory at the company headquarters in Janesville, Wisconsin. The major discovery in this ink's development was in creating an ink that dried by absorption as opposed to evaporation.

Quink was first marketed in 1931, and the resulting product was strongly alkaline and contained isopropyl alcohol, a solvent not found in ink at the time. This meant that Quink often damaged the pyralin used in manufacture of most pen barrels and caps of the time. It was this problem that led to the development of the Parker 51. Quink however would have to wait another ten years for the appearance of its "writing partner".

The success of Quink lay in the fact that it resisted water, did not clog, had the desired quality of ink flow, was non – moulding, non corrosive, did not leave deposits, was non fading and of course was quick drying. It was manufactured in four colors: India Black, Pan American Green, China Red, and the famous Tunis Blue. Sold in bottles made by the Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster PA which were designed with a low centre of gravity to prevent tipping. The ink was to have several improvements over the years, an even quicker drying product was brought out in 1939 called "Double Quink". With a further refinement in the addition of the chemical SOLV – X which dissolved sediment and cleaned the pen when writing.

In 1941 the Parker 51 was launched, and as a marketing initiative "Double Quink" was renamed and repackaged "Parker 51" ink. As with the sales of ink cartridges for modern day computer printer companies, Parker's ink sales became the key to maintaining the company's profitability. Further enhancements were made to Parker inks with it's revolutionary "Super Chrome" ink being marketed in 1947 after 17 years of research and over $200,000 it claimed to be the "first basic ink improvement in over 250 years" offering almost instant drying, greater brilliance and a wider selection of colors.

Whilst Quink ink is still the world's biggest selling pen ink in this millennium, use of fountain pens gradually fell out of favor at the end of the last. So much so the Parker 51's manufacture was phased out in the UK in 1972 and the US in 1978. The legend of the Parker 51 still lives on however with a large world wide network of collectors and enthusiasts still using these vintage pens today (in 2002 Parker introduced a limited edition 51 revival pen), whilst insisting on using Parker's quick drying ink as the perfect partner for this classic of engineering and design.