The Parker Duofold line was updated to the 'New Duofold' with the introduction of the aerometric filling system on fountain pens in 1953.  This is a 'New Duofold' style propelling pencil.

The pencil is in outstanding condition throughout.  It is finished in blue with Gold filled trim and colour matched cap stud.  The pencil body is unmarked and has the original factory chalk mark.  This was stencilled in wax and was meant to be removed by the retailer at the point of sale. the marks are very fragile and a complete chalk mark suggests very little, if any use.

The pencil has a rotary action which is operated by twisting the cap to extend and retract the lead.  there is a very slight gap between cap and barrel. The cap can be removed to expose an eraser which darkened and hardened wiith age.  The eraser can be removed to access spare leads which are stored in the barrel.

Mechanical pencils have seen an upsurge in popularity recently with new models ranging from a few pounds to over two hundred.  The vast majority of these use a simple and cheap to make 'click action' continuous feed mechanism which depends upon plastic 'catches'.  The original rotary mechanism, as in this pencil, is much more robust and is only found towards the top of the price spectrum. 

At around seventy years old the pencil is clearly of collectable quality but it would also make an attractive and practical every day writer.