Sheaffer Balance Photo Thread 1928-1942

[3rdlakerobert]

  On 2/22/2018 at 9:02 PM, gregamckinney said:

Petite Balances

Best Regards, greg

 

Beautiful collection Greg! I think the nice thing about these Petites is they look so much like the oversize Balances, just miniaturized. I mean they seem to have the same proportions. With cap posted, its size is no handicap at all. In fact I found photos of mine:

 

[gregamckinney]

  On 2/23/2018 at 5:35 PM, Robert111 said:

 

Beautiful collection Greg! I think the nice thing about these Petites is they look so much like the oversize Balances, just miniaturized. I mean they seem to have the same proportions. With cap posted, its size is no handicap at all. In fact I found photos of mine:

 

 

Great pens!

greg

[PenHero]

  On 2/22/2018 at 8:46 PM, corgicoupe said:

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?

You might find this 1929 Sheaffer ad helpful. Yes there were many model names created over the 10+ years the Balance was offered. Balance pens were lever filled and Vacuum filled.

 

 

Thanks!

[corgicoupe]

Does this qualify as a Balance? It's engraved 1000 on the barrel.

 

[corgicoupe]

I think these two qualify. The first is imprinted 350, and the military clip is imprinted 875.

 

 

[gregamckinney]

I'll put my 2c out there and say that it is the shape more than anything that defines the balance, at least at first. The distinction between the flat-top predecessors and the first balances is so striking.

Where I could see people (especially pen people) arguing is when the blances _ended._ Quite a few of the Triumph pens look pretty Balance-y to me.

 

Best Regards, greg

[PenHero]

  On 2/24/2018 at 8:24 PM, corgicoupe said:

I think these two qualify. The first is imprinted 350, and the military clip is imprinted 875.

 

 

Yes all three are Sheaffer Balance pens.

[JonSzanto]

Oh, my, I do love my Balances, none more than the OS. Here is my latest addition to the family, a black-and-pearl OS, circa 1934-5, that has aged remarkably well...

 

[3rdlakerobert]

  On 3/2/2018 at 12:44 AM, JonSzanto said:

Oh, my, I do love my Balances, none more than the OS. Here is my latest addition to the family, a black-and-pearl OS, circa 1934-5, that has aged remarkably well...

 

 

Jon, that IS a gorgeous example! Congratulations as well on a fantastic photo!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Sheaffer Balance lever fill fountain pen in Black Radite c. 1929. It's a full length, 5 11/16 inch long pen but in the standard size, selling for $8.25. It's close to the same length as the larger diameter oversize pen. All trim is gold filled, though this example shows typical plating wear. This pen has a chip out of the cap lip. The barrel is stamped W. A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. over FORT MADISON, IOWA, U.S.A. over PAT'D - PAT. PENDING. The 14 karat gold Lifetime nib is stamped SHEAFFER’s over LIFETIME over REG. U.S. PAT OFF. over MADE IN U.S.A. over a serial number.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/SheafferBalanceBlack_1280_02.jpg

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Sheaffer Balance Blue Short fountain pen c. 1931-1932. It's a 4 1/8 inch long lever filler with all gold plate trim. The color name is simply Blue in the Sheaffer price list, though many collectors call this celluloid “blue and black.” Examined in bright light the colors are actually a marble of different shades of blue, though on discolored pens the darker blue will appear black. This blue marble was offered on non-White Dot Balance pens, including a longer clip model and a same size ringtop model. The 14 karat gold nib is stamped SHEAFFER’S over 3 over MADE IN U.S.A. It sold for $3.25 and the matching pencil sold for $2.50.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/SheafferBalanceBlue_1280_07.jpg

 

Thanks!

[Argee]

So I've always been curious why this color never appeared with a white dot. To my knowledge it's the only color not to do so. Anybody know?

[PenHero]

  On 8/15/2018 at 5:08 PM, Argee said:

So I've always been curious why this color never appeared with a white dot. To my knowledge it's the only color not to do so. Anybody know?

 

As far as I know, this color was never done as a White Dot or an Oversize pen.

[Roger W.]

I'd say it was offered in a lower level pen as a depression offering. Perhaps not considered a color for a businessman as it was more whimsical. In the mid 30's there was a dark green pen offered only in a desk pen. There is also the 3 sized red loaner pen that wasn't offered in other sizes.

 

Roger W.

[Glenn-SC]

I have one of these.

 

Unfortunately, it is discolored like your second example.

[Parker51]

I had one, with great color. I sold it and the pencil allong with the origonal box without doing adequate research. The buyer subsequently sold it for a decent profit, but that is OK. I would have done the same and have done the same with other transactions. No one can know everything.

Yes, the color and pattern is quite attractive, but the pen as mentioned earlier is rather small. I have extra large hands and it wasn't a comfortable fit and thus it was identified for sale for that reason. I limit my collecting as I know it could easily consume all of my available funds and really only keep those pens and pencils I enjoy using, except for sentimental items.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Parker51

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

I thought I would post a nicer shot.

 

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.

 

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/SheafferBalancePremierBlack_1280_02.jpg

 

Thanks!

[PenHero]

I merged several other Balance photo threads into this one

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

This is a Sheaffer Balance First Lady / Lady Sheaffer Gray Pearl Lever Fill fountain pen c. 1937-1941. It’s about 4 3/4 inches long and sold for $8.75. It has the 875 price stamping under the imprint on the barrel. The section has a clear ink view window so that the ink level can be seen by the user. The First Lady was offered in the 1937 catalog in Black, Golden Brown, Ebonized Pearl, Gray Pearl (silver color trim), Rose Glow, and Marine Green celluloid. The Lady Sheaffer name first appears in the 1938 catalog. Ebonized Pearl and Rose Glow were dropped in the 1939 catalog. Carmine was added in 1940.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/SheafferBalanceLadySheafferGrayPearl_1280_02.jpg

Thanks!

[Lazard 20]

Black & pearl with barrel end flat and Balance cap. This color, since its appearance in 1927, was overvalued in relation to the existing jet black and jade green (e.g. $10.00 vs. $8.75 in "oversize" models)

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by RamonCampos