Identification Help

[LarryinIowa]

I have a vintage Sheaffer with a Watermans cap.

I'd like to learn what model the Sheaffer is and whether its worth hunting a cap. I think its a full size Balance, but am not sure.

I posted a photo of it on the Sheaffer group of Facebook. That hasn't yielded any real help yet.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AiHswN_3yTszk6Exi7f3EMQW7WOuSQ?e=SUNDGb

Do I post a photo here? Or how do I best get it identified?

TIA

More pics attached

[Chrissy]

Do I post a photo here? Or how do I best get it identified?

TIA
Yes please edit your post and add close-up photos in it. See ^^^^ FAQ Reading & Posting Messages > Attachments & Images.

[LarryinIowa]

Photos added

[Jon Szanto]

From what I *can* see it most definitely appears to be a Sheaffer Balance. Nib looks clean and in good order, imprint looks pretty good and overall condition seems good, too. A shot of the entire barrel would help.

ID for the actual model would be based on measured dimensions at this point, because similar models can look alike without any reference for size. Especially measure the width of the barrel at the widest part. Then take a look at Richard Binder's Balance entry (http://www.richardspens.com/ref/profiles/balance.htm), scrolling down to a table that has some measurements. Some of those are for the length of the pen, capped, which you can't offer. Still, we might get close with the girth.

It is going to be a bit tricky to find a cap just out of the blue, because the threads might not match exactly or celluloid shrinkage on barrel or cap. Best thing would be to find yourself at a pen show and ask for loose caps. Barring that, you might find something at Five Star Pens, not certain. Is it worth all the trouble? Well, if it were an Oversize, maybe, and those early Sheaffer nibs are my favorites (I just bought an OS Balance almost solely for the nib). It is ultimately up to you as to how much the chase is worth.

[Motomachi10]

The hunt is part of the hobby of pen collecting.

[LarryinIowa]

Looks like the girth correlates to an Oversize.

Full image attached

I'm guessing this will make finding a cap doubly difficult

[Jon Szanto]

Looks like the girth correlates to an Oversize.

Full image attached

I'm guessing this will make finding a cap doubly difficult

To the latter, not necessarily! Black was the color that lasted from the first Balance to the last, and in the oversize there were two barrel variants, the earliest being a bit longer. I have both and will measure later today to confirm. Honestly, to make the pen whole you may be on the hunt for a 'donor' pen that might have other issues but the cap is good. It will be up to you how much of a chance you are willing to take (and spend) if you go that route, but sourcing just the cap has similar issues of finding the right one.

Still, this is the hunt. Take a look at this auction (https://www.ebay.com/itm/295459349952); here you have the earliest version of the pen, as noted by both the clip (called the "hump style") and the length of the taper at the end, with is a bit longer than later models (as noted by the length *beyond* the end of the lever to back of pen. I am fairly certain yours is a later pen, being a bit shorter and also having a flaired section rather than a flattened edge.

Anyway, I'll pop back in with comparison to my pens for certainty. Keep in mind that the black pens were likely the most numerous, and hence still show up the most, and often hold the least fascination for new users and might be less pricey.

[Jon Szanto]

Larry, I commented on the size in your post on FB. I don't know that I have a lot more to add at this point. We've touched on the cap issue - it will be somewhat difficult, and the other aspect is price. Sellers tend to put a real premium on price, some bordering (and surpassing) on gouging. Not much I can say about that, but I did come across this eBay listing (https://www.ebay.com/itm/165720856785?hash=item2695bb98d1:g:-WkAAOSwHvZjRTqg&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsM5%2FKsY83LVzU%2Fwj95IfzWINZ zwMIuQIlrZTWLS1%2F1%2BmiFX7eb5ZUFovnQEmUCNAKGEG4Z2 5K7%2FDYK7F9UJC42RsJfJzIkIjHobQXZGI68ZCE0E1mYNWgM1 qA1topK66ZeIY9TxhDIUH9y%2FQFy%2B6kubM9LhdcMFSr%2Bd AnK1dWApOAGXL5ABZY0FTqpbm8A2a9ZaHoPJNMYbps9B9YOuHj 9%2B%2FhU2bs4r%2FY5%2FseAyGd%2BqZ%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9b6 p8S0YQ) for a cap that I believe would work. In spite of what they say, in situations like this I would certainly be sure they would take a return if it doesn't fit.

[LarryinIowa]

Thank you Jon for your excellent assistance.

I am fortunate enough to have some nice daily use pens. I will keep my eyes open for a cap for the Balance with the intent of finding one at a lesser price than the eBay listed one. The Balance isn't worth the price of that particular cap - at least to me, its not.