Sheaffer
Pens and Ephemera

Some days you just want a damned fine vintage pen that you don't have to worry about during daily use. Here's a great Oversized Sheaffer Balance that is already heavily brassed and sporting some obvious wear. Yet, the this pen was born to write and still has a ton of good writing left in it. We restored it with a new ink sac. Its thicker grip is ideal for all-day writing sessions. And its solid 14k gold nib just won't quit. We love the classic, firm Sheaffer fine-point feel with just a hint of feedback that lets you feel the surface beneath your point without slowing you down. Click the headline for close-ups. 14.1cm capped.

Sheaffer Craftsman or Sheaffer Admiral...in the mid-to late 1940s they were nearly identical pens. We think this is the Craftsman, but it is just as likely to be an Admiral. Either way, it is a handsome blue vintage pen that has been fully restored with a new ink sac. The barrel has a 350 imprint on it, which meant it originally sold for $3.50. The blue is darkened in some spots, which are more visible in real life than in the photo. The cool part about the pen is that its 14k gold nib has a little flex. You can go from a fine/extra-fine to about a .5mm line if you are slow and gentle. 12.9cm capped.

I am surprised Sheaffer collectors don't seem to put more emphasis on hoarding Canadian-made pens. They seem a bit more difficult to find. We think this is a Sheaffer Craftsman, and we are certain it was made in Canada from the barrel and nib imprint. Click the headline for a close-up. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. Its 14k gold nib is a little springy and writes a smooth, wet medium line. The pen shows a little wear and brassing, but most of us do after 70-odd years. 13.3cm capped.

Social media excels at telling us we misidentify these pens as Sheaffer Craftsman pens. However, we're pretty sure that is what this is. We restored this lever-filler with a new ink sac. These pens came out in the mid- to late 1940s, and the war rationing was evident in this skinny cap band. This vintage pen was heavily used but remains free of cracks. It does have substantial wear and a really deep scratch on the cap, down and to the left of the pocket clip. The black color of the pen helps to hide the blemishes. You will write a wonderful extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib. The nib sounds scratchy but writes surprisingly smoothly. Click the headline for a close-up. 12.7cm capped.

The late 1940s brought the invention of the Sheaffer TouchDown filler. This pen used pneumatics to fill a standard ink sac using a series of metal tubes and an O-ring seal in the tail of the pen. We love these simple filling systems. We think this pen is called a Sheaffer Craftsman, but we aren't sure. We restored it with a new ink sac and O-ring. Its gold-plated trim shows some brassing, but it isn't hideous. The read of the blue pen shows wear from use but no cracks or serious blemishes. You will write a firm, fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib. It has a small hint of feedback. Click the headline for close-ups. 13cm capped.

Our favorite Rube Goldberg filling system in vintage pens has to be the Sheaffer Snorkel. Over-elaborate...but also great for sucking the last drops of ink out of a bottle. We restored this Sheaffer Statesman set with a new O-ring, ink sac and point seal. Cosmetically, it is in very good shape with only light surface wear. You will write a firm extra-fine to fine line with a little feedback. All of that is pretty standard for these conical "Triumph" nibs made of "palladium silver." The pencil remains in great working order and is cosmetically also near excellent with only light surface wear. The vintage pencil comes with a few .9mm leads and the hardened remains of the original blue eraser. Box included.

We think this was an early version of the Sheaffer Student Pens that would be better known as cartridge fillers in the 1960s-'80s. This one sports a TouchDown filler that was first introduced in 1949. We restored this 1960s' pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. You will write a medium line with its slightly scratchy steel nib. Click the headline for close-ups. Overall, the pen is in decent cosmetic condition. Only the top of the nib looks scratched up. 13cm capped.

Sheaffer USA only made these chocolate-brown Sheaffer TouchDown-filling fountain pens with wide barrels in 1949. For now, we are going to assume the same of Sheaffer Canada, where this lovely vintage pen was made. We were surprised to find that this pen had been restored shortly before we got it. The sac is still very pliable, and the O-ring seal is strong and well lubricated. You will write an extra-fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib. If you can write without pressure, there is almost no feedback. Standard writing pressure nets a little feedback. Click the headline for photos. 13.3cm capped.