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Sheaffer Flat Top Eye Candy. 1920's pens.

Started by david i, Jun 23 2011 04:32 PM

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11 replies to this topic

#1 david i

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Posted 23 June 2011 - 04:32 PM

I'm at work on my next article for one of the pen mags. Plan to discuss the collecting of Sheaffer through around 1960. I've been dabbling with the photo lab, trying to get some nice cluster shots of pens from the various key eras. Just shot some flat-tops.

Sheaffer flat-tops tend not to get the attention of pens from the competition, perhaps because the styling was a bit more conservative than pens from Waterman, Parker and Conklin. Who knows...

I think they are underrated.

None of the pens in this bunch is a trivial collectable. Each has a special feature. All are OS. Some are Autograph. Some are quite scarce with one truly rare.

And... I like the photo

This look might work for the article, figuring 6-7 photos all told.

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Close in.

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regards

David

David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#2 Pedro

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Posted 23 June 2011 - 05:55 PM

Interesting how the Jade Green Autograph sports a regular non-14K clip.
They are all beautiful.

Pedro
Looking for a Sheaffer OS Balance with a Stub nib and other OS Oddities.

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#3 david i

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 12:41 AM

Interesting how the Jade Green Autograph sports a regular non-14K clip.
They are all beautiful.

Good pick up Pedro.

Most flat-top Autographs (1910's-20's) have matching solid gold clip.

This green Autograph is one of the 1930's post-catalogue pens. One way to recognize that is the low-set hump clip. Balance during the 1930's is catalogued in Autograph family with option for at least one pen with gold band but gold-filled clip.

As this is a 1930's pen, it is reasonably likely this is as manufactured.

regards

david

David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#4 Hugh

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 02:32 AM

Hi David,
I must admit I've taken little interest in Sheaffer flat tops, when you see them like this it does make me wonder why I haven't !! It's nice to see that "whoever" gave the first pen supported the "local" manufacturer. One question, is the orange/red pen a "loaner" and if so is a groove (instead of a cap band) a distinguishing feature of these?

Regards
Hugh

Hugh Cordingley

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#5 jonro

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 04:06 AM

Hi David,

You know that I'm a Sheaffer fan and each of those is spectacular in it's own way. The inscription on the black Autograph makes it quite special. I wonder if you have ever thought about putting together some photos of pens with interesting inscriptions.

Regards,

Jon

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#6 Roger W.

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 05:12 AM

David;

I got this one - large flattops 6 size or better. While shooting this I realize there are a few more I didn't shoot. I like how the coral works in your shot and though those are really loaners I should get me one. One day maybe I'll have the 89BC as well. Here is my contribution.

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38 flattops

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First Lifetime was huge

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Jade

Really clean Jade

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K - DeLuxe - Pearl and Black

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Three chase patterns - Secretary, Draped and Ribbon - The draped pen seen here is a rare white dot model.

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Cherry Red, Pearl and Black, Jade, Black

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Very vibrant

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Too Christmas?

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#7 david i

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 10:34 AM

Hi David,
I must admit I've taken little interest in Sheaffer flat tops, when you see them like this it does make me wonder why I haven't !! It's nice to see that "whoever" gave the first pen supported the "local" manufacturer. One question, is the orange/red pen a "loaner" and if so is a groove (instead of a cap band) a distinguishing feature of these?

Regards
Hugh

Hi Hugh.

The cherry red (not orange) bandless pen indeed is a Loaner. It is catalogued (at least as red and as Loaner), though this one is a tweak on the catalogued catalogued variant, as this one has a normal Sheaffer clip, not the very un-Sheafferlike Z-clip that is shown on the catalogued Loaner and found on the pen I won in that large lot referenced in this thread.

http://fountainpenboard.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1535-isaacson-ebay-bid-hero-or-goat/

The groove is typical to these and is seen on other (not sure on all) bandless Sheaffers. Have to double check on the last point. Waterman used a similar look.

Some of my off catalogue orange (coral) variants are bandless and have similar groove

http://fountainpenboard.com/forum/index.php?/topic/152-sheaffer-1920s-orange-celluloid-flat-end-pens

regards

david

David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#8 david i

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 10:37 AM

Hi David,

You know that I'm a Sheaffer fan and each of those is spectacular in it's own way. The inscription on the black Autograph makes it quite special. I wonder if you have ever thought about putting together some photos of pens with interesting inscriptions.

Regards,

Jon

Would be a significant effort no doubt, especially as one likely would need more than one photo to catch an entire wrap-around engraving. Might be fun to try. Maybe easier to have a thread and invite everyone to show his own engraved pens.

-d

David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#9 david i

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 10:47 AM

David;

I got this one - large flattops 6 size or better. While shooting this I realize there are a few more I didn't shoot. I like how the coral works in your shot and though those are really loaners I should get me one. One day maybe I'll have the 89BC as well. Here is my contribution.

38 flattops

Yeah, but some of those are duplicates. Show me 38 different...

-d

David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

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#10 Roger W.

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 02:52 PM

Yeah, but some of those are duplicates. Show me 38 different...

-d

David;

I made no claim to any of them being duplicates. I've been rather fond of the 8C over the years - you'd think I'd write with them more often.

Roger W.