Australian Snorkels

[HughC]

I have been able to locate a bit of info but all dates should be viewed with a ? .

It appears that Snorkel production began in 1954, several years after the Aust. plant opened in Melbourne. I've based this on several things, firstly no Aust. Snorks with the early section appear only later sections introduced in the US in '54. Secondly in Feb. '54 two Sheaffer vice presidents visited Aust. , one being John Sheaffer and the other Grant Olsen. The latter died Mar. '54 in a BOAC crash in Singapore en route to the US. A number of Aust. Snorks turn up with a gold filler tube, in US models a sign of early first models, so it may well be the case that the Aust. versions are also first models. Here's one

2859

At best guess it seems production continued until 1962. To date I've found only standard colours and none of the "new"colours although I have found a pre '60 sage green early Imperial so I wouldn't rule them out. Likewise no models higher than a Crest, I doubt an Autograph or Signature model would have been offered and I've not seen a Masterpiece. I would think a gold plated model could be "out there". Other than that the models are the same as the US.

2860

This shows the colours (pastel green, pastel blue, burgundy, grey and black), note the matching colour section on the grey as it's the only matching section I've seen which is a late model feature. I've found most nibs tend to be medium with a high percentage of stubs. Of the ones pictures there are 2 stubs, a broad, 3 mediums. None of the nibs carry a nib code common on US nibs.

Any further info. , pics, catalogues, ads etc. would be greatly appreciated so please add !!

Regards
Hugh

[cedargirl]

Nice.

You've only included triumph nibbed snorks. Are we talking about open nibbed snorkels here too?

I have an Admiral snorkel in pastel blue. Nib is marked "Sheafer's Australia 14k 5".

[HughC]

Nice.

You've only included triumph nibbed snorks. Are we talking about open nibbed snorkels here too?

I have an Admiral snorkel in pastel blue. Nib is marked "Sheafer's Australia 14k 5".

Hi Claire,

All snorks !! Remember I told you I only have half a dozen...I don't have any open nibbed ones....yet !!

Regards
Hugh

[snedwos]

I have an Australian TM Touchdown (at least that's what I think it is). It seems to be a really small pen... I was going to ask if anyone knew anything about it.

[cedargirl]

I have an Australian TM Touchdown (at least that's what I think it is). It seems to be a really small pen... I was going to ask if anyone knew anything about it.

Hi snedwos

Can you post a photo? (I'm a great one to ask that!) Or a description of your pen.

(This thread was going to be for Snorkels. There's another more general thread on Australian Sheaffers here -http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/2182-Early-Australian-Sheaffers)

[whych]

Thanks for the info Hugh.
You've given some Sheaffer history that isn't on the usual Sheaffer info sites.
I suppose the next thing is to find out how much they cost new ;)

[snedwos]

Looking at the other thread, I think it's an Imperial (TMTD with sooth section and small Triumph nib). I'm afraid I have no photos, and it's currently at the repair shop. For a trivial repair that I should have performed myself. :redface:

[cedargirl]

Looking at the other thread, I think it's an Imperial (TMTD with sooth section and small Triumph nib). I'm afraid I have no photos, and it's currently at the repair shop. For a trivial repair that I should have performed myself. :redface:

I've found this place http://www.sheaffertarga.com/Imperial%20and%20Triumph/Imp%20Triumph%20Ref%20List.html good for identifying Imperials. If it is a no. II with a white dot, it's an Imperial II Deluxe - these seem to be a recent NOS arrival.

[HughC]

It sounds like an early Imperial, won't find them on Gary's site though.

[whych]

Perhaps better to look at Pen Hero for the old models:
http://penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer/Sheaffer.htm

The thin model touchdowns were only made for a couple of years (50-52) before changing to snorkels.

[cedargirl]

Thanks for that - I hadn't seen that page before.

[HughC]

Perhaps better to look at Pen Hero for the old models:
http://penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer/Sheaffer.htm

The thin model touchdowns were only made for a couple of years (50-52) before changing to snorkels.

Hi John,

It's not a bad reference site for TM TDs ( my main focus) but it lacks a lot of the rarer and unusual pens and some of the info. is suspect, still best online page. I suspect the pen Snedwos refers to is an Imperial made around '59, these are similiar to a TM TD but have the small nib seen on the Skripsert cartridge pens from that period and most have single colour 9ct gold nib. They vary from the TM TD in that they have a smooth , colour matching section otherwise the cap (which is a snorkel one rather than a TD TM, the TM TD caps like this didn't have Sheaffer on the clip) and barrel are interchangeable. No literature has come to light about these and exactly what they are named is not widely know, I happened to stumble across a mint chalk marked one. This Imperial line also had a couple of slip cap TD models (like the early Skripsert cartridge pens) , one with a gold cap ( a Golden Imperial according to Daniel K.) and one with a stainless steel cap, neither of which I have. All are non WD models, I find them a nice pen to use. Of course it might not be one of these....

Regards
Hugh

[HughC]

I should add that I've not seen a Sovereign model ( ss cap with squiggly line pattern and open nib) and the case with the Crest set above is probably correct as the end of the Aussie Snorkel run crossed over with the early Imperials, I think they just rationalised on cases. Later nibs do not mention Aust. , just 14ct-585 and the imprint is different with a third line that says Aust. Pty. Ltd. , the earlier 2 line imprints read "Made in Australia" over "W.A. Sheaffer Pen Co."

Regards
Hugh