Sheaffer Tuckaway. History and Photos. More to come...

Sheaffer's Tuckaway pens (short purse-type pens often reflecting the look of typical long models) ran 1940-1950. Quality items, they were not 2nd-tier product.

Pre War, War-Era and Post War (Celluloid, Injection Plastic, Touchdown) pens were made, with the series (is it a series?) ending with the introduction of Thin Model Touchdown in 1951.

Whether one considers the pen collectors often call Tucky to be a series of its own or just "Sheaffer's short version of regular pens", these well lend themselves to collecting.

I figured I'd offer a key image now. I can offer more subsequently. But, I do invite readers to post their own Tuckway pens. Not sure we have enough readers to generate a "post your pens" thread... but time will tell.

Here is a first style set from 1940 or so. No clip. Threaded back end to take the cap for secure posting.

regards

David

If we don't restrict "Tuckaway" to clipless or short clasp-clip models and extend the series to include the Compact I and II of circa 1961-62, then we could include 2 otherwise possibly orphaned models, the Diana and Minerva.

Diana and MiInerva are ladie's versions of the Craftsman (350 price code, 33 nib) and Cadet (275 price code, 23 nib, and chrome trim - the postwar version of the Jr). They are basically a Tuckaway barrel sprouting an open nib, BUT they have full length clips. Diana shown here alongside an Admiral for length comparison:



Note that the matching pencils also use a tuckaway length barrel, but not the blunt Tuckaway tip:



Let's see some pictures! In additions to David's first style, isn't there a solid 14K Masterpiece? Next the clipless wartime Lifetime Triumph and Triumph Crest (is there a wartime Tuckaway Autograph Triumph?). The post war clasp-clip pens include Milady, Lady (white dot and non-WD), Statesman/Tuckaway II (2 different cap band widths), Sentinel, Valiant (2 cap band widths), Crest, and Autograph. Seems like some of the model names change in the Touchdown series?

PS: David shows the only Tuckaway that is lever filled.

Edited by matt, 16 December 2011 - 10:22 PM.

My photos aren't at the level of David's, but I love the Tuckaways dearly.

First, some clipless pens and pencils (so called First Year, and what would have to be (but shouldn't be) so-called 2nd Year.)


Autograph and Signature Tuckaway sets:



Finally, a composite of most of my Tuckaways from a couple years ago (though I haven't added many since then.)



Regards, greg

My photos aren't at the level of David's, but I love the Tuckaways dearly.

First, some clipless pens and pencils (so called First Year, and what would have to be (but shouldn't be) so-called 2nd Year.)


Autograph and Signature Tuckaway sets:



Finally, a composite of most of my Tuckaways from a couple years ago (though I haven't added many since then.)



Regards, greg

Beautiful pens! Tuckaways were never produced in Sterling Silver were they?

Beautiful pens! Tuckaways were never produced in Sterling Silver were they?

Thanks.
No, no Sterling Tuckaways, though I think a "First Year" design in Sterling would be gorgeous.

Regards, greg

Well, shit, that takes away any urgency to photograph my two little pens...

If we don't restrict "Tuckaway" to clipless or short clasp-clip models and extend the series to include the Compact I and II of circa 1961-62, then we could include 2 otherwise possibly orphaned models, the Diana and Minerva.

SNIP

PS: David shows the only Tuckaway that is lever filled.

Hi Matt,

I certainly don't object to including the non-Tuckaway pens you mention, pens which did serve a rather similar niche in the Sheaffer line, if technically not having the formal model name "Tuckaway" in the discussion, perhaps with an asterisk when present. The pens you mention were-- like Tucky-- short versions with similar girth and nib to non-Tucky typical full-length models.

Interesting about the 1940-1 original Tucky being the only one to offer lever. Had not considered that. Will review the 1947 literature, but yeah offhand I don't recall seeing war-era or post-war pens with lever.

regards

david

Greg, thanks for sharing that classic photo of yours. I only might have a variant (probably just for color) you don't show, but that is a pretty comprehensive model range no doubt.

It might be time to do the model range as a list...

regards

david

One thing I notice from these photos is how varied the placement of the White Dot was on Tuckaways. I realize part of this was size, as well as some non-clips. Were there any other model lines that had that much variation in where the dot was placed?

List of Tuckaway Models (including with *asterisk* related non-Tucky post war short-version pens)

The pre-war and war-years pens make for relatively easy collecting. The post-war celluloid era from 1945-7 is the most complicated zone, offering numerous trim levels often in many colors. Some models came and went during the 2-3 year run. It is fair to include a couple non-Tucky models that occupy similar niche, just for sake of completeness. Model spread settles a bit with the introduction of the injection-plastic pens in 1948. This list does not address trim variants within a given model (eg. thinner and wider cap-band on Tuckaway Valiant), and does not address the potential for parts mixes, which can be considered separately. Most of the post-celluloid pens starting in 1948 share model name with earlier pens. Unlike the shift from pre-war to war-years or war-years to post-war models, the two phases of Injection plastic immediately post-celluloid pens and of Touchdown pens can be viewed as evolution of models rather than introduction of new models.


-- feel free to offer corrections and mods---

Pre War: 1940-41 (Both have open nib. Both have no clip. Both have flush cap)

1. Tuckaway (all gold-filled, open nib, threaded tush)

2. Masterpiece Tuckaway (sold gold. style as per Tuckaway)

WWII-Era: all 1942-5 (All have Triumph nib. All have no clip. All have flush cap)

3. Triumph Tuckaway (plastic pen. Gold-filled very wide lip. All five colors)

4. Triumph Crest Tuckaway (plastic barrel. Gold-Filled Cap. Black and Brown barrels)

5. Triumph "Autograph" Tuckaway (plastic pen. Solid gold very wide cap lip. Black alone)

Post War Celluloid Era 1945-7. All have clasp type clip. Wide lip and bead band variants.

6. Tuckway Autograph (possibly done in all five colors. Solid gold trim. Plastic pen)

7. Tuckaway Crest (gold-filled cap on plastic barrel. Triumph nib)

8. Tuckaway Sentinel

9. Tuckaway Valiant

10. Tuckaway II (essentially a Statesman Tuckaway)

11. ?Tuckaway Sovereign. Open nib full-lip pen. (? not shown in my 1947 catalogue)

12. Lady Sheaffer (bead band) (essentially a bead-band Sovereign Tuckaway)

13. Milady. (bead band) (? essentially a bead-band Admiral Tuckaway?)

Post War Celluloid Bead band Non-Tucky pens which match Tucky's niche: 1945-7

13. Diana * (essentially a Lady Craftsman, a with-clip short pen)

14. Minerva* (essentially a Lady Cadet, a with-clip short pen)

Injection Plastic (Forticel) pre-Touchdown 1948 (evolution of some of the 1945-7 pens, rather than frankly fresh models)

15. Tuckaway For Your Autograph (Autograph Tuckaway):

16. Crest Tuckaway Deluxe

17. Sentinel Tuckaway

18. Valiant Tuckaway

19. ? Sovereign type Tuckaway with open nib?

----- apparently the short bead band pens both Tuckaway and non-Tuckaway were discontinued by the end of the celluloid run.

Touchdown 1949-50

20. Tuckaway For Your Autograph (Autograph Tuckaway):

21. Crest Tuckaway Deluxe

22. Sentinel Tuckaway Deluxe

23. ?? Valiant Tuckaway??? (not shown in one 1949 list)

24. Tuckaway (first use of simple Tuckaway name since 1941). Essentially a Statesman Tuckaway with large open nib, noting "Statesman" as of 1949 is an open nib full size pen, instead of a slighly slender (vs Valiant) Triumph-nib pen.

25. Oops. Stratowriter Tuckaway gold-filled ball point. Almost forgot

Note that as of 1949 the only bead band pen is the third tier Craftsman. WHat had been the 2nd tier Admiral gains a conventional cap-band.

Up to 23 Tucky models are listed above, recognizing that the last ten or so really are evolutionary tweaks rather than wholly new models. Still, with some of the models offered in five colors, there are many pens to hunt.

No doubt I'll need to tweak the list both for names ("Crest Deluxe Tuckaway" vs "Crest Tuckaway Deluxe" and so forth) and for description. I gave up pulling all colors for all models, but will play with that later.

Comments are invited.

regards

David

Lovely pens David i
Likewise Matt...
Greg... where does one start with such a modest collection. WOW. A credit to your passion.
Jon... post yours too, please?

I have - like for many other pens - not seen a tuckaway pen - EVER, but they are lovely.
Hugh and Pedro... are you collectors of these too?

David,

9,10, and 11

10 is correct Lady Tuckaway is a "Sovereign" tucky w/ bead band. Then the Lady and Soveriegn lost their white dots and gained an open nib and the Statesman capband.

11 Milady is an "Admiral" tucky, but as far as I know, only made w/ a "59" Triumph nib. Have yet to see one....

Matt

David,

9,10, and 11

10 is correct Lady Tuckaway is a "Sovereign" tucky w/ bead band. Then the Lady and Soveriegn lost their white dots and gained an open nib and the Statesman capband.

11 Milady is an "Admiral" tucky, but as far as I know, only made w/ a "59" Triumph nib. Have yet to see one....

Matt

Hi Matt,

I had screwed up the numbering and have now corrected. I appreciate your info. Can you double check the numbers now against new list. Then I'll issue an updated complete list after your post.

regards

david

11. ?Tuckaway Sovereign. Open nib full-lip pen. (? not shown in my 1947 catalogue)
12. Lady Sheaffer (bead band) (essentially a bead-band Sovereign Tuckaway)

I would put #11 after 12 because the open nib pens all have the internal capsule filler and I think they were still called a Lady, just like the similar-nibbed full sized pen was still called a Sovereign.

Edited by matt, 18 December 2011 - 03:08 PM.

Great thread and some great photos, but this one is causing me to do a lot of digging and sorting. Attached is the first of several photos I hope to post that will build, I hope, on Greg's post and show how diverse the Tuckaway product line. David's listing shows how difficult it is to cover the various models, let alone the models in all the colors, and then some of the models have different price imprints which must have reflected the effect of inflation during that era. The attached photo shows the diversity in just a few of the colors.

BTW - if anyone has a brown plastic Stratowriter cap that would work on the Strato barrel in the top row, please let me know.

Pat

Great thread and some great photos, but this one is causing me to do a lot of digging and sorting. Attached is the first of several photos I hope to post that will build, I hope, on Greg's post and show how diverse the Tuckaway product line. David's listing shows how difficult it is to cover the various models, let alone the models in all the colors, and then some of the models have different price imprints which must have reflected the effect of inflation during that era. The attached photo shows the diversity in just a few of the colors.

BTW - if anyone has a brown plastic Stratowriter cap that would work on the Strato barrel in the top row, please let me know.

Pat

WOW, Pat, very nice collection!
I don't think I have a cap, but I will check.
Regards, greg

A bit more on the price imprints. Not all Tuckaway barrel imprints had the price also imprinted but it is a strange kind of fun to track, and collect, the ones that do. An example of the inflation shown by way of the imprints, and I wish my photography skills were good enough to capture it, was on the Crest models where we can track the pen moving from 1500 to 1750 and the pencil going from 500 to 600.

Pat

David, you started an afternoon project for me as I've spent most of it rummaging through and sorting Tuckaways, and I've only gotten part way.

Attached is a shot of black Tuckaways which once again shows the variation among the different models. As with the earlier tray I posted, there are no duplicates on this tray, even though there are some very subtle external differences, particularly if one compares the bands on the pens and pencils on the top right where, for example, the second and third in from the top right have the same band and appear to be the same except the second in has no white dot and the third in has a white dot on the top of its cap. Once opened, the pen without the white dot has a flat nib and the pen with the dot on its top has a triumph nib.

In the bottom row, the 3 on the right have 14K trim but I recommend people look at Greg's more complete shot of those.

In my experience, the black with chrome trim on the bottom left are pretty tough to find.

Pat

Wonderful thread.
Finally I might get an ID for this. My wife's parents gave it to her as a graduation gift.
Based on Greg's photos, and DI's list, is this an Autograph? Are visulated section a standard element?







Thanks, David. Revised per your suggestion. But what about the section?

Edited by Blotto, 19 December 2011 - 12:23 AM.

Wonderful thread.
Finally I might get an ID for this. My wife's parents gave it to her as a graduation gift.
Based on Greg's photos, and DI's list, is this an Autograph? Are visulated section a standard element?

Hi Blotto,

The 1945-7 Celluloid era is the most challenging for Tuckaway collecting, no doubt. This set appears to be Tuckaway II (essentially a Statesman Tuckaway). Nice item.

Note too if you need more photohosting than the limited space given for uploads with posts, you can use our GALLERY which gives more flexibility and far more space

regards

david