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PeteWK · Seasoned

Sheaffer Gold

Daniel · Newbie

PeteWK wrote:

This is my favorite corner of the pen collecting world.� For me solid gold is preferred but both hard to find and abusive on the pocket book.� Whether gold, gold filled or electroplated, whatcha got?� Just how big is Sheaffer's golden world?

This is a mid 1930s solid gold Balance Fountain Pen, lever filler.� These are nowhere to be found in any catalog.� Sheaffer didn't even list a solid gold pen during the Depression.� I'm told by Fred Krinke (3rd generation owner / operator of the Fountain Pen Shop, open since 1922) that when a customer came into the store wanting a solid gold Sheaffer they were referred to a Sales Rep from the company.� The customer was then told the price, 100 to 120 dollars as he recalls and that would usually have stopped it right there.

If the customer was serious, Sheaffer would then make the pen for them.� This is one such pen.� This is not an overlay but solid to the core.� Everything is solid gold except the feed, section, inner cap and j-bar spring.� I'll put up a few more pics later.� Got any to share yourself?

PeteWK

Sheaffer did list solid gold pens during the Depression; they were priced at $80. This was about a decade before Mr. Krinke began working full-time at the shop, so I'm not sure he would have been familiar with the process of ordering such a pen during the 1930s.

It's very unusual that your pen is constructed in the way you describe. Every other example of this model I've seen has had non-gold metal cap and partial barrel liners. It would be most educational for you to post pictures of the interior of the cap and barrel to illustrate the all-solid-gold construction of your pen.

--Daniel

DWL · ***

Holy Shit!

That has to be the singlemost beautiful balance i've ever seen. Where did you fid that pen man?

Uh...my birthday was back on the 24th. For missing it I'll let you make it up to me by sending it this way for an extended visit. biggrin

Dennis

PeteWK · Seasoned

Daniel wrote:

�

This is a mid 1930s solid gold Balance Fountain Pen, lever filler. These are nowhere to be found in any catalog. Sheaffer didn't even list a solid gold pen during the Depression. I'm told by Fred Krinke (3rd generation owner / operator of the Fountain Pen Shop, open since 1922) that when a customer came into the store wanting a solid gold Sheaffer they were referred to a Sales Rep from the company. The customer was then told the price, 100 to 120 dollars as he recalls and that would usually have stopped it right there.

If the customer was serious, Sheaffer would then make the pen for them. This is one such pen. This is not an overlay but solid to the core. Everything is solid gold except the feed, section, inner cap and j-bar spring. I'll put up a few more pics later. Got any to share yourself?

PeteWK

Sheaffer did list solid gold pens during the Depression; they were priced at $80. This was about a decade before Mr. Krinke began working full-time at the shop, so I'm not sure he would have been familiar with the process of ordering such a pen during the 1930s.

It's very unusual that your pen is constructed in the way you describe. Every other example of this model I've seen has had non-gold metal cap and partial barrel liners. It would be most educational for you to post pictures of the interior of the cap and barrel to illustrate the all-solid-gold construction of your pen.

--Daniel
�

I should mention a couple
of things. First I do note in my first post that the cap has an very thin inner cap, probably made of aluminum and second that Fred was relaying the story from his childhood. I doubt that the story reaches back to say, 1935 though. He would have been 7 years old.

I would be very interested in seeing a price list or other documentation with an 80 dollar pricetag for a solid gold Sheaffer pen. I'm assuming it would be from the early to mid 1930s.

For my part, I'll tear the old girl apart and do my best to picture the insides.

PeteWK

-- Edited by PeteWK at 10:23, 2007-09-28

PeteWK · Seasoned

After taking the pen apart I can confirm and or add several things.

The section has an aluminum sleeve much like a Wahl Eversharp with a personal point nib. This was likely done to add stability because the barrel is solid hollow gold but for the lever assembly.

I haven't done a thorough job on the cap as yet but I can say that the inner cap isn't the typical one found on the 1941 crest masterpiece cap. It actually has a stepped flange to contact the leading edge of the section for sealing the pen nib. Further pictures will clear this up if you're unfamiliar here. As for construction, the cap is also solid hollow gold but for the inner cap. This isn't that unusual though because later TD and Snorkel caps were constructed in this fashion as well. One major difference here is that the inner cap on this pen doesn't start for .3 inches from the lip. There's no reinforcing there, just solid (and rather heavy) gold.

The barrel has no added support apart from the lever assembly. The lever is also solid gold and is attached via a ring right where an earlier Sheaffer would have a pin. The remaining portion of the lever assembly is what appears to be a high end j-bar. Check out the video and see what you think.

PeteWK

Edit here - I'll have to re-edit the little film and put it up on the board later tonight.� That's just too small.

-- Edited by PeteWK at 10:42, 2007-09-29