What Does Engraved Number On Snorkel Mean?

[gmark_wa]

Evidence of a duplicated barrel number #0004

 

There are two Snorkels with the same barrel number on eBay at the moment.

Black Snorkel Crest with barrel #0004 and personalisation W.H.S. is at https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/126227901432

Black Snorkel Valiant with barrel #0004 is at https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/296099261228.  I previously recorded this pen in November 2022 from the same seller.

This appears to be the first photograph-confirmed evidence of duplicated barrel numbers.

The imprint on both barrels appears to be the same (ie. the number position relative to the rest of the W.A. Sheaffer Pen Co. imprint) which suggest they were both made by the same die.

 

[3rdlakerobert]

I'm suspicious. He says the Crest has an extra fine nib🫤. I think he used the photo of the barrel with the 004 in both posts. In any case, things are a little confused.

[gmark_wa]

12 hours ago, 3rdlakerobert said:

I'm suspicious. He says the Crest has an extra fine nib🫤. I think he used the photo of the barrel with the 004 in both posts. In any case, things are a little confused.

These are two different sellers: the Crest is from rarefindantiques in Valrico, Florida and the Valiant from estateinternetsales in Providence, Rhode Island. 

 

I am sceptical about the Valiant.  The imprint is quite clear in the photo that shows just the barrel.  But I can't see it in any of the other photos of the pen.  So, I emailed the seller and asked "is the Sheaffer barrel imprint with 0004 on this pen?  You have a separate picture of the imprint, but it doesn't show on any of the other photos".  The seller replied "Yes, all the printed information is part of this pen".  This is a bit ambiguous.  Their barrel imprint photo has the same background as the other Valiant photos, so they must have had a barrel 0004 at some stage.

 

I can't see any problems with the Crest post (other than the incorrect nib size).  At least the 0004 imprint also shows on one of the full Crest pen photos.

 

 

[gmark_wa]

Black Snorkel Valiant #0516
There is a black Snorkel Valiant on eBay at the moment with barrel number 0516.  The post is at: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/325972987262.  The pen has an extra-fine (X5) nib.
 

[gmark_wa]

Another duplicated number – with proof

The black Snorkel Valiant with barrel number #0516 (above) is the second pen we have found with this number.  I recorded a black Snorkel Sentinel with barrel #0516 from an eBay post in September 2022.

This time, we have good photos of each barrel imprint, and they are clearly different.  The number in the Sentinel imprint is centred and close to the W.A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. imprint.  The number in the Valiant imprint is higher and to the right.  In the photo below, the Sentinel imprint is on top, and the two lower images are from the Valiant.

  

[gmark_wa]

Snorkel Cipper #1828

There is a green Snorkel Clipper on eBay with barrel #1828. The post is at:   https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/285662721343.
 

[gmark_wa]

Snorkel Clipper #0544
There is an aqua Snorkel Clipper on eBay with barrel #0544. The number in not very clear in the photo, but I have confirmed it with the seller. The post is at: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/116107657468

 

[inkstainedruth]

Ooh.  That's a pretty color Snorkel.... (Must not bid, must not bid -- I've already bought 8 pens since the beginning of the year as it is...).  And for way less for most of them, even with repairs on some of the vintage ones.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[gmark_wa]

Snorkel Clipper #0375
There is an aqua Snorkel Clipper on eBay with barrel #0375. 

The post is at: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/226078612408

[vicpen123]

I have two Snorkels.

 

A burgundy Valiant with a Triumph nib has the W.A. Sheaffer..... engraved on the barrel but no number.

 

A burgundy PFM with no name and no number. Interesting, I know that it is a PFM because it is thick, has a Sheaffer inlaid nib and has a snorkel filler.

 

But nowhere on the pen does is say PFM or Pen For Men. Where should it be? Could it have been "rubbed" out?

[gmark_wa]

Snorkel Admiral #1003

There is a burgundy Snorkel Admiral on eBay with barrel number 1003. It has an M2 nib and colour matched section. The imprint photos are not clear but the seller has confirmed the number. The post is at: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/226132116078

[gweimer1]

One of these finally turned up in my stuff.

 

0647 Sheaffer Sovereign Pastel Green.

 

 

[gmark_wa]

14 hours ago, gweimer1 said:

One of these finally turned up in my stuff.

 

0647 Sheaffer Sovereign Pastel Green.

 

 

A rare one too.  Only the third Sovereign on the list.

[gweimer1]

2 hours ago, gmark_wa said:

A rare one too.  Only the third Sovereign on the list.

 

Given how Sheaffer models were determined by the combinations of cap and nib, I wonder how many green snorkels are on the list, and what the number range might be.   Remember that all this stuff was probably assembled from traysy of parts, so there might be Admirals and Statesman, etc in this list.

[gmark_wa]

12 hours ago, gweimer1 said:

 

Given how Sheaffer models were determined by the combinations of cap and nib, I wonder how many green snorkels are on the list, and what the number range might be.   Remember that all this stuff was probably assembled from traysy of parts, so there might be Admirals and Statesman, etc in this list.

I currently have 91 numbered Snorkels on the list.  14 of those (or 15.4%) have green barrels.  Here is a pie diagram showing the breakup of the barrel colours.

[gmark_wa]

12 hours ago, gweimer1 said:

 

Given how Sheaffer models were determined by the combinations of cap and nib, I wonder how many green snorkels are on the list, and what the number range might be.   Remember that all this stuff was probably assembled from traysy of parts, so there might be Admirals and Statesman, etc in this list.

And here is the breakdown of Snorkel models.  I agree that this is pretty random, because the caps and nibs on at least some of the pens have probably been swapped at some time in the past 70 years.

[gmark_wa]

Aqua Snorkel Admiral #0756

 

There is an Aqua Snorkel Admiral on eBay with barrel #0756.

The post is at: https://www.ebay.com/itm/166779306335

 

[3rdlakerobert]

0516 pastel blue (aqua) Valiant

 

Has a residue of adhesive on the section threads indicating to me it's probably an original pen not serviced prior to my opening it up.

 

Second generation sac protector with 4 narrow rails. The nib is engraved 'F5".

 

This was part of a set purchased by me on eBay from a seller from Waupaca, Wisconsin.

 

Look at the Jan 19 posts from gmark_wa

 

[gmark_wa]

On 6/21/2024 at 1:50 AM, 3rdlakerobert said:

0516 pastel blue (aqua) Valiant

 

Has a residue of adhesive on the section threads indicating to me it's probably an original pen not serviced prior to my opening it up.

 

Second generation sac protector with 4 narrow rails. The nib is engraved 'F5".

 

Look at the Jan 19 posts from gmark_wa

 

What an interesting find! 
 

So we now have three pens with barrel #0516. I wonder what that tells us about the reason Sheaffers put these numbers on some Snorkels?

[3rdlakerobert]

1186 Aqua Sentinel. 

 

This is a pen I restored and sold maybe 6-8 years ago (my Chromebook saves all the photos I edit and upload to eBay).