Shallow pockets and special Balances.

**david i** · February 5th, 2015, 03:49 PM

Since class envy seems to be a theme in Balance collecting (long story), let's share a tale of a special Sheaffer Balance.

It was years ago that I picked up one of the monsters for my Sheaffer collection, a Balance from the late 1930s of the sort that was later featured in my article "Cap Banditry: Hunting Off-Catalogue Sheaffer Balance".

What with being a wee dabbler in Sheaffers-- but with a knack for finding exotic variants from my core era of focus (1930s American Celluloid)-- I was charmed to find the only known late-era standard-diameter striped Sheaffer Balance with the double deco cap-band. It was a bargain, though I did hear some public lamentations about "deep pockets" necessary to grab it, from one of the underbidders of the auction (which perhaps is telling). Weird, how some people see things, though perhaps that's a chat for another day

It's been what, idunno, 6 years since I found this pen?

Double cap-band Balances tend to turn up in earlier colors. Sheaffer's catalogues show single-band pens with smooth cap-band.

I have a few double band pens now in the striated plastic, though iirc just the one in standard size and in green (the others are slender or oversized or not green).

I'm not sure anyone else ever has found one in this size/color, so here's some vintage Sheaffer Balance eye-candy for your consideration.

A gem from Davey's personal Sheaffer collection

I've shown you mine. Now, you show me yours.

regards

-d

**david i** · February 5th, 2015, 04:00 PM

Four American Sheaffer Balance cap-band patterns not found in the 9 or so 1930s Sheaffer catalogues.

The lined "jeweler's" cap-band is relatively common. The others not so much. I'm likely due to tweak the original 14 page article for a couple profiles over at Vacumania.

regards

d