Sheaffer Sales Training Video 1943

[AAAndrew]

I'm double posting this, to here and to the Pen History forum. If this violates the rules too badly, I apologize and will delete this one if necessary.

 

I have been converting our old VHS tapes to DVD and in our very large collection I ran across one that I had gotten some years ago (over 11 at least). I don't remember where I got it but I believe it may have been someone from this or some other fountain pen forum back earlier this century.

 

https://youtu.be/A8BiarUbUJE

 

The video is from 1943 and is, I believe, a training film for Sheaffer salesmen. It's made by Jam Handy Productions, known for their training and industrial films. In the film a salesman expresses frustration to his boss about the number of pens Sheaffer is producing, which is not enough to satisfy his dealers. The boss then explains about everything that Sheaffer is doing for the war effort and explains why they are producing fewer pens.

 

The film then goes on to address several other "concerns" of the dealers the salesmen works with, including quality of construction of the pens and consistency of leadership.

 

These questions give us then the opportunity to lean about the new Sheaffer Triumph nib, Scrip writing fluid (they never use the term "ink"), and even to see old W.A. Sheaffer himself as well as his son Craig who has been running the business since 1937.

 

The quality is not great since it's most likely a multi-generational VHS copy that's over a decade old, but it's still fun to watch. I tried searching the archives and the only Sheaffer film I can find referenced is the old 26 letters one.

 

https://youtu.be/A8BiarUbUJE

 

 

[3rdlakerobert]

Thank you!

[Ernst Bitterman]

That's magnificent. And the tracking stutter fills me with nostalgia of a different sort (if it can't be helped, it might as well be enjoyed, right?).

[Effin1]

Really enjoyed the video I've never seen it before. Thank you.

[2n7000]

Great video! Thank you for posting it...

[mac.kozinsky]

Mighty thanks!

[Joe in Seattle]

Neat!

[Dickkooty2]

An absolute treat! Thank you!

 

1. As an old guy involved for many years with sales support and promotion, it was a treat to watch the production and writing skills for which Jam Handy was a leader in this industry. Jam Handy was a real person and his bio is worth a quick google.

 

2. And a treat to view the "proper-ganda" of supporting the War Effort. Would language and emotions such as these play today? I think not.

 

3. A treat to see the golden age of the hand-production manufacturing floor before automation and digitalization came in.

 

4. A treat and a lesson in the progress of women from secretaries and "woman's work" production lines.

 

5. A further treat and lesson in the depiction of male leaders and "only male leaders" in business through the 80's.

 

6. The fashion treat of those suits!

 

7. And finally, the treat of viewing the sales pitch itself and the descriptions of the wonderful pens! And seeing the long-time personnel involved right up to Mr Shaeffer and his son. Mr Shaeffer is wearing a then state-of-the art hearing aid!

 

I do wonder how the skills of the Jam Handy Company would dramatize the role of the Newell organization in todays global society and and overseas labor?

[AAAndrew]

I'm glad y'all are enjoying it. I like the footage of the manufacturing process as well. They used some of this footage for the other Jam Handy film that's more commonly seem around the inter tubes, the one about the 26 old characters.

 

It's also fun to see how people actually carried and used fountain pens at a time where they were the common way to work.

[spacecoastpenny]

Very Nice. Thanks!

[Nighttown]

Great video! Thank you!

[FredRydr]

Andrew,

 

Great photos at your link! Do you do film?

 

Fred

[AAAndrew]

I haven't in a long time. The only ones on there that are film are the ones from Pakistan. The two from my father-in-law (him in his mining camp in the early '50's and the picture of my mother-in-law with her new furniture) are Kodachrome slides.

 

I still like the look of film photographs and don't like to over-process like many purely digital photographers do. I really don't like 90% of HDR photos. I'm more influenced by painting for my composition and traditional film for my color and processes.

 

Glad you liked them.

[Tasmith]

Thanks for sharing! Realy enjoyed it!