Give him a Parker Duofold

[Heinkle]

Have to admire their replacement policy (April 1933)

 

[PAKMAN]

April 1, hmmm.  Sure can't see a company doing that now a days!

 

[inkstainedruth]

Sheaffer apparently used to have a similar type of warranty.  My late mother-in-law gave me what had been her father's old Sheaffer Balance Oversize (although by that point the cap was missing and the cap from *her* old Eversharp Skyline was jammed onto it to badly that I had to take it to a pen show and find someone with section pliers to get the cap off without breaking it).  She had this somewhat lurid story about how her father had dived off a pier in the Baltimore Harbor to rescue some woman who'd accidentally driven her car off the pier, and lost part of the pen in the process -- I suppose it had been in his coat pocket or something -- and Sheaffer replaced it because of the warranty (it was a white dot model pen).

But yeah, I don't see too many companies doing this these days.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jchch1950]

The pen repair service has changed a lot. Several decades back it was one person one FP for their writing needs, then the fountain pen use became more restricted in daily life and also, some of the brands were promoted as status symbols. As a consequence, the number of FPs decreased at the same time as the need for repairs because some people used their pens for show and others used to buy new ones if they had any problem with theirs. The cost of specialized labour for pen repair increased as the value of a big stock of substitution parts needed to keep working many a decreasing number of FPs. Service and guarantee periods are now limited and sometimes almost impossible to get.

[Glenn-SC]

On 3/1/2024 at 10:16 PM, inkstainedruth said:

She had this somewhat lurid story about how her father had dived off a pier in the Baltimore Harbor to rescue some woman who'd accidentally driven her car off the pier, and lost part of the pen in the process -- I suppose it had been in his coat pocket or something -- and Sheaffer replaced it because of the warranty (it was a white dot model pen).

Interesting story.  I like to know how the act of swimming would cause the cap to unthread and come off the barrel.  And why the cap would leave his pocket yet the barrel remain.  Also, the white dot is located on the pen cap, so if the cap went missing, how did they prove that the pen was a “white dot” model, or did Sheaffer just believe them?

[FarmBoy]

The white dot pen would have had a lifetime nib. 

[inkstainedruth]

5 hours ago, Glenn-SC said:

Interesting story.  I like to know how the act of swimming would cause the cap to unthread and come off the barrel.  And why the cap would leave his pocket yet the barrel remain.  Also, the white dot is located on the pen cap, so if the cap went missing, how did they prove that the pen was a “white dot” model, or did Sheaffer just believe them?

Oh, don't think I haven't wondered the same thing.  I don't know if she remembered the incident or if it's something she was told by HER mother (and my husband has flat out said that THAT grandmother was "fey" -- which basically meant that she'd make up stories to suit the weather, I think).  I just know that was the story she told me when she gave me the pen

And I have no idea if the pen was actually a white dot model or not -- just that she told me that he was able to get the "parts" replaced because there was a "Sheaffer place" [quote/unquote] in Baltimore at the time;  I may have assumed the "white dot" part because of those models HAVING better warranties.  I know that I was able to get a replacement cap that fit it when I had the rehab done on the pen, and now I'm going to have to dig the pen out and SEE if it's a white dot cap or not -- I just don't remember at this point.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[Glenn-SC]

The MOST IMPORTANT thing is that you got your Grandfather’s pen “restored” and that you have it in your care.  
One of the least valuable and the most cherished fountain pens that I have (and the last one I will ever sell, if/when I had to sell my pens) is my Grandfather’s Skyline.  It is the cheapest variant that they made, but it was Grandpa’s and now it’s mine. 

[VacNut]

Biro the wooden train people and Playmobile the toy set company both use to have an unconditional  replacement and repair policy. I don’t know if they still do, but their prices reflected their level of customer service. They even paid for postage.

[VacNut]

Sorry, I meant Brio trains.

i see both company now charges for the service. Too bad

[fullfederhalter]

Some years ago I came across a Parker Jotter pen which was in its original box with papers.  The pen was sold at the Parker Pavillion at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair and had a special clip.  Also included was a written guarantee that the pen would be replaced if lost (although I can't recall how long the offer lasted).  I don't know if that guarantee was provided with all Parker Jotter pens of the time, or if it was something unique to the World's Fair.  

[Glenn-SC]

On 3/6/2024 at 9:12 AM, FarmBoy said:

The white dot pen would have had a lifetime nib. 

The White Dot was used (still is) long after Sheaffer discontinued the Lifetime warranty.  And a “Lifetime Nib” is just that, a nib with a “lifetime” warranty, not implying that any other part of the pen would be so covered.  
 

[inkstainedruth]

On 3/6/2024 at 10:31 PM, fullfederhalter said:

Some years ago I came across a Parker Jotter pen which was in its original box with papers.  The pen was sold at the Parker Pavillion at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair and had a special clip.  Also included was a written guarantee that the pen would be replaced if lost (although I can't recall how long the offer lasted).  I don't know if that guarantee was provided with all Parker Jotter pens of the time, or if it was something unique to the World's Fair.  

I remember GOING to that World's Fair when I was a little kid (we lived in Rockland County at the time, just north of the NY/NJ state line).  But of course my parents wouldn't have bought something like that.  

So what did the clip look like?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[fullfederhalter]

On 3/11/2024 at 3:56 PM, inkstainedruth said:

So what did the clip look like?

It's been quite a while since I last saw it. Sometimes I put things away for safe keeping, then completely forget where that safe place is.  But as I recall, the pen had a metal medallion attached to the top of the clip which was in a shape like the feathers of the arrow, but larger.  That medallion had an image of the Unisphere and I think the words, "New York Worlds Fair."