John -

Magic Lantern projectors evolved over time from flammable materials driven devices to electricity, but still referred to as magic lantern projectors into the early 1900s.  These slides were for the electric versions.

Best,

Pat

Roger -

I have that same Columbia slide but mine is advertising for an "Olson Drug Company".

Best,

Pat

An article it is then.

I've picked up some interesting Sheaffer ephemera over the years.  For years I didn't know what a Magic Lantern Slide was until Don Lavin ran across a few Sheaffer slides and turned me on to them.  As I recall, he was at a show somewhere away from Chicago and called me to see if I would be interested in a few of them that were being offered at the show.  Since I knew nothing about them, and had never seen one, I naturally said yes.  My thanks to Don for all his help.

I then learned that these Magic Lantern Slides were shown using a Magic Lantern Projector and were generally used as advertising pieces for local retail merchants at intermissions during movies when reels were being changed.  All the slides that I have are 3.25" x 4" framed glass.  I've since picked up about 20 different slides for different Sheaffer products and different pen/pencil  sellers who did the advertising. The last that I found was probably 8 years ago on Ebay in a collection of about 50 different slides for a wide variety of products.  Attached is a photo of one of the slides.  

I took some of the slides to the Raleigh show for a bit of show and tell. I'm going to have to pick David's and Don's brains for how best to take photos of these slides so they can be shown to a wider audience.  I took this photo by just setting the slide on a window frame this afternoon and using an iPhone for the shot.  

Best,

Pat

A good friend recently asked me about Imperials and Imperial era demonstrators, having seen one on Gary's great Targa (and much more) site.  As is usual for me, that caused a couple days of sorting through things until I uncovered the slotter box with 1950s and later demos.  This picture shows most of what was in the box.

The two pens on the left are Sheaffer's TDs with dolphin nibs.  The picture may not do the second pen justice but it is a demonstrator nib.

The blue pen is a Lifetime cartridge pen with a Skrip Converter and a dolphin demonstrator nib.

The next two are Sheaffer's demo pencils, the second of which still has the tag from the Harry Bouras auction held on April 25, 1994 (which I did not attend). The second TD demo from the left was sold at that auction as a set with this tagged pencil at the price of $517.50, including a 15% buyer's premium.

The third pencil appears to be a Snorkel demo.

And the last three are ballpoint demos.

I'm going to keep sorting through things looking for more, and hope this thread causes more demonstrators to be uncovered.

Best,

Pat

Sorry but I don't have any info on the blue pencil.  I've had it a long time and can't remember the source, and I've never seen any advertising materials covering it.  Dan Reppert is a good source for all things Sheaffer.

Best,

Pat

I really enjoy these threads that cause me to go searching for what, if anything, I can add to cause.  So, attached is a shot of some of the Univer pens and pencils that I've dug up in my collection.  David has added the links to some of the other Univer threads that contain some of the shots of other of my pens. It seems that we are patching together quite a range of Univer styles and colors.  Thanks for starting this thread.

Edit: Pat's Thumbnail image from FPB Album presented full size via pasting the BBC Code option, courtesy of Ye Olde Admis

Best,

Pat

 

 

David and Hugh -

I have a couple additional variations of the Executives.  One is in fact a solid green barrel and derby with a striped cap and the other is a black barrel and derby with a striped cap much the same as the cap on your blue pen.  I'll try to shoot them before Raleigh and post the photo, but if not I'll bring them to Raleigh so that you can see them.

I think that the OS Executive Skylines are pretty scarce, and most of them that are out there often go unrecognized unless they are seen side-by-side with the other two Skyline sizes.  They just aren't seen enough to instantly be recognized as OS.

BTW - in my experience the standard size with the gold derby and wide band as shown in the photo isn't all that easy to find.

Best,

Pat

Wow - that took a lot of work to cobble that together.  At least there is disclosure of the alterations, which took some degree of creativity.

Thanks and best,

Pat

Interesting pen and interesting thread.  Not sure I can add much except wonder why someone would want to have a black dot and a tarnished clip.  Could it be to limit what might reflect light when clipped into a pocket? -- Nothing more than speculation.

While on the subject of black dots, attached is a 3.5" jade set with black dots that I picked up years ago with the understanding that they were Sheaffer knock-offs.  The pen has a Warranted 14K nib. These are the only writing instruments I've seen - until David posted his - with black dots.  Would be interested in seeing others.

Best,

Pat

Roger -

Have you been successful yet getting access to the archives to be able to see if any production records were kept/archived?  It's hard to believe that a manufacturing company wouldn't maintain detailed production records.

Thanks and best,

Pat

Gary -

Thanks for the information.  Also, your site is a great reference source and much appreciated.

Best,

Pat

I've seen enough of the "plugged" dots to not think it was done by an employee on a lark, but to come up with a definitive answer is tough.  As David notes, there are a lot of possibilities.  I do find the variation among the "white" dots to be interesting, something to which I'll have to pay more attention.

With respect to the red-veined gray balance that David I. just purchased, I will be interested to learn how the dot became black/discolored and the clip tarnished/blackened.  I have seen that done on military clip pens and was told, long ago, by a retired WWII military officer that the shine on pen clips was reduced/removed by some in the military to avoid something in a pocket or in use that would pick up reflection or glare.  I don't have any evidence on that other than the anecdotal which seemed to make sense at the time I was told.

Best,

Pat

Gary's website - as Roger, David and Matt note - is a source of great information on Targas, as well as Crests, Connoisseurs, etc.  While Gary shows the GP nibs, my experience is that they aren't that prevalent.  Of the hundreds of Targas I've handled and seen, I've seen pens with them (GP nibs) in the past couple of years, particularly in the slimline model.  The same as David, I went years and never ran across anything but the solid 14K and steel variations.  The first time I bought a Targa with a GP nib - also on ebay - that fact slipped past me as well.  I saw the gold nib but didn't look closely enough to note that it was GP and not solid 14K.  Regardless, Targas are great pens with any of the nibs.

Best,

Pat

David I - what nib is in the pen?  Haven't been able to track it down yet on ebay.

Thanks,

Pat

David does a great job going through price considerations and discusses flaws counting on price, and the biggest issue I find in particular for a V is the condition of the cap.  Dings naturally matter and the wear around the top edge of the cap is always an issue to consider.  Caps in primo condition usually generate a premium.

Best,

Pat