Sheaffer Balance Photo Thread 1928-1942

[JonSzanto]

Xlnt, thanks Fred! When I look at the photo of Paul's that Brian linked, it looks like the metal 'fin' sticks out right where you grip the pen. Is that really the case? That wouldn't be very comfortable.

[Freddy]

 

 

Fred

 

Welcome home, Bix { a young white tomcat now the Mayor @ Smalls a most amiable cat

who is eager for affection } Spiritus Animalis..........................................................

[Freddy]

  On 7/24/2017 at 8:40 PM, JonSzanto said:

Xlnt, thanks Fred! When I look at the photo of Paul's that Brian linked, it looks like the metal 'fin' sticks out right where you grip the pen. Is that really the case? That wouldn't be very comfortable.

 

For me ....'tis so slight..it's rendered unobtrusive.....In order to remove the section you squeeze the beveled shoulder and pull {works like charm as long there is nothing obstructing i.e. dried ink any other

debris.

 

Btway the nos set needs to be restored..which I will do.and my oldest granddaughter has dibs on it

 

Fred

Edited July 24, 2017 by Freddy

[AlexLeGrande]

I have a junior

[Freddy]

Trio that was sittin' on me desk...............scan to follow..................

 

Fred

[Jorge]

  On 7/24/2017 at 2:31 PM, dannyboy said:

That's a really beautiful desk pen--I've never seen the ebonized pearl in a desk pen! Thanks for posting this treasure from your family's past.

Thank you for your appreciation, Dan.

It is my pleasure to share it with the community

[Jorge]

  On 7/24/2017 at 4:51 PM, BrianMcQueen said:

Jorge, here is a picture of a dry-proof section

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/238341-sheaffer-dry-proof-any-trick-to-removing-section/

Definitely nothing like that on my pen, Brian: It has just a regular straightforward section.

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

Thought I whould show the second early version black Sheaffer Balance c1929. The earliest pens have the clip ball nearly touching the cap band.

http://penhero.com/Temp/SheafferBalanceBlack_1280_01.jpg

This pen is the second largest size, 5 1/4 inches long, selling for $8.25, and is slimmer than the large size pen. The first Balance pens were offered in Jade Green, Black and Black and Pearl De Luxe.

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is the early second version standard size Black and Pearl De Luxe Sheaffer Balance c1929. This pen has discolored to a brown that actually is not terrible. The pen was professionally restored and is a nice daily user.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/SheafferBalanceBlackPearl_1280_01.jpg

A perfect condition Black and Pearl Radite pen should be more white or cream pearl than yellow pearl, so even the less discolored parts on this pen are much yellower than perfect. The Black and Pearl De Luxe was more expensive than the Jade Green or Black Radite pens at $9.50 for this 5 1/4 inch pen and $10.00 for the large size pen.

Thanks!

[Herobrinefly]

Ring top pen in fullsize.The barrel is quitely darkened.

 

 

 

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

Over the next few weeks I am going to consolidate my various posted Sheaffer photos into model threads so people can find them and use them for identification and discussion. Lets all contribute and see what we can do for reference and Q&A purposes. Im going to start with a basic Balance and post some more next week.

This is a Sheaffer Balance 8W / Premier Black Vacuum-Fil c. 1936-1940. It’s about 5 1/2 inches long and sold for $10.00. It has the 1000 price stamping under the imprint on the barrel. The barrel is actually alternating black and clear celluloid strips so that the ink level can be seen by the user. It fills by unscrewing the end cap, pulling out the plunger, putting the nib in ink and pressing the plunger down once. This example is very ambered, so the clear strips are hard to see. The 8W was offered in the 1936 catalog in Black, Golden Brown, Ebonized Pearl, Gray Pearl (silver color trim), and Rose Glow celluloid. Marine Green was added in the 1937 catalog. The Premier name first appears in the 1938 catalog. Ebonized Pearl and Rose Glow were dropped in the 1939 catalog. Carmine was added in 1940.

Thanks!

[mac.kozinsky]

Thank you Jim :-) I really appreciate your sharing this info with us.

 

I have a question, you might know the answer to. Premier was not the only pen with 10 dollars price and 1000 price code on the barrel, as per 1939 and 1940 catalogues. The other pen (leaving military clip pens and Skyboy aside for now) was of a smaller diameter so distinguishing them shouldn't be a problem if we have them side by side, but I've always wondered why W.A. Sheaffer had two pens - only one of which presented and positioned to be at the top of the regular offer - at the same price? 10 dollars was already so much, it wasn't a good idea to make the Premier even more expensive or Statesman and Premier were both two top line pens, one of them just being the offer for people with bigger hands? But if that was the case why the (matching) pencils were sold for a different price? 4 dollars pencils were "a match" for at least 3 other models, it seems, so maybe comparing them is not helping ...

 

As a side note: I think "c. 1936-1920" needs correcting. Also: wasn't Carmine introduced in 1939?

 

Best Regards,

Maciek

Edited February 22, 2018 by mac.kozinsky

[PenHero]

  On 2/21/2018 at 3:32 PM, mac.kozinsky said:

Thank you Jim :-) I really appreciate your sharing this info with us.

 

I have question, you might know the answer to. Premier was not the only pen with 10 dollars price and 1000 price code on the barrel, as per 1939 and 1940 catalogues. The other pen (leaving military clip pens and Skyboy aside for now) was of a smaller diameter so distinguishing them shouldn't be a problem if we have them side by side, but I always wondered why W.A. Sheaffer had two pens - only one of which presented and positioned to be at the top of the regular offer - at the same price? 10 dollars was already so much, it wasn't a good idea to make the Premier even more expensive or Statesman and Premier were both two top line pens, one of them just being the offer for people with bigger hands? But if that was the case why the (matching) pencils were sold for a different price? 4 dollars pencils were "a match" for at least 3 other models, it seems, so maybe comparing them is not helping ...

 

As a side note: I think "c. 1936-1920" needs correcting. Also: wasn't Carmine introduced in 1939?

 

Best Regards,

Maciek

I’ve always been puzzled by the Premier and Statesman both being $10 and without any primary information to help, I guess the cost is in the nib, not the celluloid and turning, so they made the call to price them the same. There is a $15 dollar pen, too.

 

I corrected the date - thanks for the catch!

[PenHero]

Also - on Carmine, I checked the catalogs and am pretty sure about the dates, but will recheck and correct next week if wrong. Thanks!

[mac.kozinsky]

Thanks for the explanation Jim. I think the nibs were also bigger in Premier, so the cost was (substantially?) higher.

There was a Radite-only 15 dollar pen?

 

I can't be entirely sure if the pages come from the same paper catalogue (I have the scans) but that's what my digital (most probably) August 1939 copy shows:

 

 

Anyone can confirm the dates here? Any other theories about the same price for Premier and Statesman?

 

Regards,

Maciek

[PenHero]

  On 2/21/2018 at 5:43 PM, mac.kozinsky said:

Thanks for the explanation Jim. I think the nibs were also bigger in Premier, so the cost was (substantially?) higher.

There was a Radite-only 15 dollar pen?

 

I can't be entirely sure if the pages come from the same paper catalogue (I have the scans) but that's what my digital (most probably) August 1939 copy shows:

 

 

 

Anyone can confirm the dates here? Any other theories about the same price for Premier and Statesman?

 

Regards,

Maciek

Looks right to me. I’ll check my catalogs over this coming weekend and update!

 

Thanks!

[Roger W.]

Yes, Carmine was introduced in the 1939 catalog - so those pages are from the same catalog.

 

Roger W.

[corgicoupe]

My question: What actually "defines" a Balance fountain pen? Are there sub-names within the Balance name?. Is it the shape? Is it the years of manufacture? How many filling systems did the Balance have?

[gregamckinney]

Petite Balances

Best Regards, greg

[mitto]

Nice herd, greg.