Parker

The Parker Pen Company is a writing instrument manufacturer founded in 1888 by George Safford Parker in Janesville, Wisconsin. Parker was previously a sales agent for another pen company before creating his own business. The company was one of the top two writing instrument sellers worldwide from the 1920s through the 1960s. Some of its innovations include the "Lucky Curve" fountain pen feed and Quink (quick-drying ink). The Parker Jotter ballpoint has sold more than 750 million units since its introduction in 1954. Through various ownership changes, Parker was acquired by Gillette in 1993, then by Newell Rubbermaid in 2000. The company faced challenges when generic copies of its products arrived on the market after patents expired. In response, both the original Janesville location and the Newhaven, England factory were closed, with production consolidated in Nantes, France. Parker Pens were historically favored by U.S. presidents from Kennedy through Clinton for signing legislation. Today, Parker manufactures various pen lines including fountain, ballpoint, and rollerball pens across different product ranges.