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View Full Version : Which is the most iconic and most collectible Sheaffer ?



lowks
April 6th, 2015, 08:59 PM
Firstly, just a net cast out for opinions. Kindly don't flame. I am a newb to with my recently purchased PFM (mark 1) and went nuts with it. I absolutely love the pen and am searching places to get the Legacy (before the heritage) with the Touchdown filler. Looking at the vast array of models that Sheaffer offers I was just wondering which model is a must have for all collectors and which is the most collectible ?

folksathome
April 6th, 2015, 09:35 PM
Open nib snorkel imho. They write nice with spring. Also, I really like the early to mid 30'a balance lever filler I have

jar
April 6th, 2015, 10:17 PM
Sheaffer produced a long line of iconic pens and so many would like to have at least one example of each milestone design. I would suggest the following:
A Senior size and 5-30 size flat top.


An early Oversize Balance.
And early Vacfil Balance.
An example of the touchdown fillers; either the fat early Sentinel Deluxe, Snorkel or "TM".
One of the Imperial family of pens.
A Targa.
A Connaisseur.
You have a PFM.
A Legacy family pen.


and the essentials:
A first version cartridge pen AkA "School Pen".
A NoNonsense.


By adding those additional ten (eleven?) pens I think you would have a great selection of the iconic Sheaffers.

Roger W.
April 6th, 2015, 11:49 PM
I generally like jars list. I honestly don't see the need for a vac-fil balance (disregarding my hatred of these pens) as I don't know what it adds to balances in general. I'd differentiate a touchdown from a snorkel (not lumping these into one). So -

Flattop - hard rubber
Flattop - overlay
Flattop - Radite
Balance (any - don't get specifying OS but most would say the OS is the best - honestly they were all made the same without regard to size)
Touchdown - let's go with the early fat ones.
School pen
Snorkel - snorkel or PFM
Imperial - I like the IV but, any
Targa
Connoisseur or Nostalgia
Legacy
Valor

I do not own all of these myself (none of the modern three) though I think it would cover most things Sheaffer and I'd put more emphasis on covering the early years.

Jon Szanto
April 7th, 2015, 12:00 AM
Jar and Roger have it pretty well nailed. I'll just add for grins that if you get a good majority of those, throw in a Tuckaway pen - for a small pen, they are awfully well made, and there is such a variety that it can be fun which to add to the collection.

Also: when you are back in the Balance area, while many people fall for the striated celluloids, I'd keep an eye out for a good Ebonized Pearl. If you find one of those with little ambering, to this day they still *pop* and are unique and elegant.

lowks
April 7th, 2015, 12:28 AM
Sheaffer produced a long line of iconic pens and so many would like to have at least one example of each milestone design. I would suggest the following:
A Senior size and 5-30 size flat top.


and the essentials:
A first version cartridge pen AkA "School Pen".
A NoNonsense.


By adding those additional ten (eleven?) pens I think you would have a great selection of the iconic Sheaffers.

Why is a "NoNonsense" part of the essentials ?

HughC
April 7th, 2015, 05:38 AM
It's always a difficult question marred by, of course, personal opinion !! I think iconic is a bit different to collectible as such.

Iconic I'd consider as being the trend setters that set themselves apart from the competitors so :
Balance (any '30's model) ...the shape that defined design trends for decades and still does to a degree.
Tuckaway ( second generation celluloid, clipless)...again a pen out of the ordinary from the competition at the time.
TM Sentinel Deluxe Snorkel....the ultimate of "out there" filling systems combined with the durability of a SS cap and triumph nib. Can you go past Burgundy as the iconic colour ?
Sterling Silver Imperial Touchdown...just simple elegance.
PFM V ( I like green)...a cult pen nowadays, I like the gold cap


Collectible : Purely a personal opinion !!
"40's Wide Band Triumphs....just love the look.
TM TD's...because I collect them...
Snorkels...I've also a few of them..
Any Australian Sheaffer....again I've plenty of them !!
Any Masterpiece, Autograph or Stirling silver models...because they're expensive..and I'd like more...

Regards
Hugh

jar
April 7th, 2015, 07:20 AM
Sheaffer produced a long line of iconic pens and so many would like to have at least one example of each milestone design. I would suggest the following:
A Senior size and 5-30 size flat top.


and the essentials:
A first version cartridge pen AkA "School Pen".
A NoNonsense.


By adding those additional ten (eleven?) pens I think you would have a great selection of the iconic Sheaffers.

Why is a "NoNonsense" part of the essentials ?

The NoNonsense and the first version of the "School Pen" (Sheaffer just called it a Cartridge pen) were very often a US students first fountain pen. They were cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, always worked and a great step up from other pens like the Esterbrook, Wearever or Venus.

SteveE
April 8th, 2015, 06:50 AM
"The NoNonsense and the first version of the "School Pen" (Sheaffer just called it a Cartridge pen) were very often a US students first fountain pen. They were cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, always worked and a great step up from other pens like the Esterbrook, Wearever or Venus."

Jar - I'm not so sure I'd see the School Pen as a step up from my Esterbrooks, other than their convenience as cartridge fillers. I had both pens at around the same period of time, and the Esterbrooks were more consistently good writers. The School Pens were, in my memory, quite variable, often being scratchy - much more often than Esterbrooks. Also, if we had a scratchy Esterbrook, we just went down to the local Hallmark Card Shop and bought a new point. I would call these two a draw, with both of them definitely above most Wearevers (I have no experience with Venus pens).

Just my opinion, which is worth twice what you've paid for it. . .

lowks
April 8th, 2015, 08:22 AM
Is this a good specimen and a price to pay for a no-nonsense ? http://www.ebay.com.my/itm/Sheaffer-No-Nonsense-Fountain-Pen-Old-Style-Magenta-Medium-New-Old-Stock-/111457611417?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19f3642e99

jar
April 8th, 2015, 08:37 AM
I never found any bad specimens and Teri is great to deal with.

dgator
April 8th, 2015, 12:53 PM
I never found any bad specimens and Teri is great to deal with.
+1 for Teri (no affiliation, just a happy customer [emoji3])

Neo
April 8th, 2015, 12:59 PM
I never found any bad specimens and Teri is great to deal with.
+1 for Teri (no affiliation, just a happy customer [emoji3])

Ditto

FredRydr
April 10th, 2015, 08:34 AM
Which is the most iconic and most collectible Sheaffer?

IMHO.... The full Balance is the Sheaffer pen that had the greatest impact on Sheaffer's competition, at least insofar as outward design. I'd call that iconic. I lean towards the early hump-clip/ball-end long oversize model with lever fill because that was the "bomb" that Sheaffer dropped into the marketplace. If you don't want antique or vintage to get that look, there is always the 1990s Balance II with cartridge/converter, and their factory stub is a fantastic nib!

Fred

SteveE
April 13th, 2015, 10:22 AM
IMHO.... The full Balance is the Sheaffer pen that had the greatest impact on Sheaffer's competition, at least insofar as outward design. I'd call that iconic. I lean towards the early hump-clip/ball-end long oversize model with lever fill because that was the "bomb" that Sheaffer dropped into the marketplace. If you don't want antique or vintage to get that look, there is always the 1990s Balance II with cartridge/converter, and their factory stub is a fantastic nib!
Fred

Again, I'm the "wet blanket" here. Guess I'm just picky, but I am underwhelmed by the performance of my Balance II FP. It writes fine, but has no character. Also, the older Balance pens seemed to have a better visual balance (pun accepted) between the dimensions of the pen itself and the nib Sheaffer placed on it. The Balance II nib seems to me like it should be a bit larger.

I do have Balance pens and a set, and I agree that the Balance line is one of Sheaffer's most iconic product lines. Among the vintage Balance pens I have are some of the best writing pens I've owned.