The Parker Pen Company is an American manufacturer of luxury pens founded by George Safford Parker in 1888 in Janesville, Wisconsin, Unites States. Parker was a sales agent for the John Holland Gold Pen Company. He founded the company after failing to find a pen that wrote well and didn’t leak and the story of Parker pen company began.

In 1894, Parker received a patent on his “Lucky Curve” fountain pen feed. This pen feed was used in various forms until 1928. The Parker Jointless pen was the first successful pen that released in 1899. Russell Parker, George’s son joined the company in 1914 to concentrate on production and administration.

The company launched their most famous pen the Duofold fountain pen in 1921. It gave Parker the reputation as the most dependable pen manufacturer at the time. It was also the most fashionable of its time.
Before the development of the ballpoint pen, Parker was either number one or number two in worldwide writing instrument sales from 1920’s to 1960’s.

In 1941, during the World War II, Parker created the Parker 51, the most widely used model of fountain pen in history (more than $400 million worth of sales in its 30-year history). Then in 1954 Parker released the Jotter ballpoint pen and the sale went over 750 million units during its history.

In 1986, the company’s headquarters moved to Newhaven, East Sussex, England followinf a management buyout. The in 1993 Parker was purchased by the Gillette Company and in 2000 Gillette sold its writing instruments division to Newell Rubbermaid and they became the largest writing instrument manufacturers in the world at the time.

Parker pens were a favorite choice for US Presidents for decades. Parker Jotters were used by John. F. Kennedy for signing legislation and as gifts. This tradition continued until President Bill Clinton era with Parker retained a special representative to handle White House orders.

President Lyndon Johnson once ordered 60.000 Parker pens. He would use up to 75 pens to sign document and bill, writing letters and giving them to his allies and supporters.

After Parker became non American-owned company, later presidents switched to A.T. Cross Company pens.