11 replies to this topic

[david i]

Well, the Great Reorganization of the Pen Room proceeds.

 

I've been finding pens I've not examined in 5+ years, pens that had not at the time of purchase made it into my reasonably well-sorted personal-collection cabinet, awaiting instead eventual restoration and resale. I'm finally embracing the massive backlog. But, looking at trays of pens with fresh eyes-- not to mention a few-to-ten more years in the hobby--  I'm finding some good stuff.  And, I'm finding occasional things that surprise  me. 

 

I did a triple take on this one.  The finding is subtle, but provocative within the collecting sphere.

I'll offer image of the pen, then perhaps some supportive images.

 

There is no trick on this one. The post is not a joke.  Hey, I could be wrong about what I find interesting, but this at least is a straightforward challenge.

 

The pen?  An oversized Sheaffer Balance in Ebonized Pearl Celluloid. Plunger-filler.

The challenge:

 

  What's peculiar?  Why is the peculiarity interesting?

 

 

regards

 

David

[applguy]

I have one of these, but not white dote! I wonder why?

[Roger W.]

Yes, it looks odd for a 1936-38 Eb. Pearl - no radius clip.  Though it looks exactly like the ads from 1934-1936 for Eb. Pearl LT OS (I should say D8W to remove all doubt as to what this is).  Did I miss anything - $10 new in '35...?  

 

Roger W.

 

1935 catalog image

[david i]

Hi Roger,

 

Indeed it is an oversized Ebonized Pearl Sheaffer Balance.  As that color was introduced in 1934 and ran (in some sizes) through at least 1938, the pen can be found without surprise with original full-ball (humped) clip, flat-ball clip and radius clip.

 

And, yes, you did miss something, though it is a bit of a challenge to see. Later today I'll add a second pic showing this pen with another pen.

This is the real deal I belive.

 

regards

 

david

[david i]

This one indeed is a Wooten-level challenge.

 

So, here's a second pic. The original pen under discussion is at left. Added is a 2nd oversized Balance in same color. Both pens are proper size (don't let confusion occur due to camera angle, different filling system impact on shape of butt).

 

The 2nd pen has the later radius clip (and sees the White Dot repositioned for that reason) but both clips and White Dot spots are perfectly normal.

 

Does anything else suggest itself?

 

 

regards

 

-d

[ihimlen]

It does seem to have a slimmer/more narrow cap band. The imprint seems 'later', likely mid to late 30s, (the earlier pens often have patent dates) but judging by the plunger blind cap it may have the earlier (teflon-coated) plunger rod with slightly different setup. So all in all, may be the "depression" production when they used what they had in handy... This is just my guess though, I may well be wrong...

 

(Edit - as I was typing all that, another pic popped up. So I was probably right about the cap band - yippee )

Edited by ihimlen, 29 December 2014 - 01:03 PM.

[Roger W.]

David;

 

It really looks solid for a vac.  Not that the transparency is clouded over but, that this is solid stock for a vac and never had the usual transparency.

 

Roger W.

[david i]

Hi Roger,

 

Will double check, but believe transparency present, though your  hypothesis is a good one, based on the pic. Heavily top-lit on dark background does not favor showing ambered barrel transparency.

 

ihimlen is on track though. Look at the cap-band.

 

regards

 

d

[Roger W.]

David;

 

OK, it's like a 5-30 band on a LT pen and there were 5-30 OS pens so it is interesting.  I've not got time to look further now as I'm of to see a client.

 

Roger W.

[david i]

Hi Roger,

OK, ihimlen and you have identified the anomaly. The OS Balance has a non-lifetime (non-White-dot) 2nd-tier cap-band diameter on a White Dot pen.  That is true.  But, what is interesting about it grows beyond that simple observation. More to follow, but here's a pic showing the four diameter cap-bands found on catalogued Sheaffers.

 

Solid-gold cap-band "Autographs" have very wide band. They of course are a prestige line and marked minority of pens.

Typical White dot pens have smooth single capband fatter than what is found on lower line pens

 

Non WHite Dot pens with #5, #7, 5-30 nibs have a slightly narrower cap-band (and indeed, this oversized White Dot pen anomalously has that slightly narrower band).

 

Low-tier pens ("3-25" or later "3" nibs, and Junior nibs) have thin capband. 

 

Observe:

 

 

 

regards

 

d

[david i]

The vast majority of oversized pens are White Dot pens.  Most years a non White Dot (NWD) oversized pen was not offered. NWD oversized pens are scarce. One can at least infer from Roger's post that he contemplates that this  pen might be a possible factory error, mix of the NWD thinner cap-band with a White Dot still present.

 

Note that Ebonized Pearl indeed was offered on occasion with NWD cap (fitted with 5-30, #7 and maybe even #8 nib instead of Lifetime nib).

 

However, there is one more massive catch to all this.  Though Sheaffer did make scarce non-white-dot oversized pens-- and  here's the killer point-- that pen and possible "accidental placement of white dot on what was meant to be an oversized NWD cap" cannot explain the peculiar pen in this post.

 

Why?  I won't say yet, but will offer a third photo. What do you see?

 

All three pens are oversized Ebonized Pearl. Clips are fine. Size is fine.

 

 

regards

 

-d

[Mike Hosea]

My dearth of experience with EP Balance models is probably showing here, but I do see, in addition to the narrow cap band, that the inlay on the plunger filler stops noticeably sooner as one approaches the end of the barrel.

 

I see that you have a standard size WD (a couple, in fact) that also shows this:

 

http://fountainpenbo...ance-eye-candy/

Edited by Mike Hosea, 29 December 2014 - 07:23 PM.