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Pen 3199 -JB: Sheaffer Flat-Top Lifetime Short-Standard size
Uncatalogued Late Production Piece. Superb Jade $210 |
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| Overall Grade:
Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine | Imprint: Exc | Size: 4 1/2 " 11.4 cm | PRICE: $210 |
| COMMENTS: Sheaffer was the first of the "Big- 4" to embrace celluloid, introducing pendom to green plastic pens. Last illustrated in the 1929 Sheaffer catalogue that introduced Balance, modern research has shown that Sheaffer continued to manufacture the venerable flat-topped pens through at least the late 1930's, maybe later still. This is one such pen, showing the blue-tinged Jade celluloid that we believe to be more stable than earlier shades, this pen also packs the low-set "humped" clip and the return of the single cap-band. Great color. Tad of darkening at the threads. | |||
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Pen 3207 JB: Sheaffer Balance Oversized 1935-1936 $485
Ebonized Pearl Celluloid |
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| Overall Grade:
Extra-Fine |
Metal: Extra Fine | Color: Extra-Fine | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Medium | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 14cm |
PRICE: $485 |
| COMMENTS: Not much to say. The largest Ebonized Pearl Balance, final style with "radius" clip. Just a few mm of brassing on one part of cap-band. Nice color, not perfect but better than most. Clean two-tone "Waverly" (upturned) nib smooooth medium-ish point. Sharp imprint. Clean Plastic. Nice pen. | |||
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Pen 3251 R: Sheaffer Oversized Balance Set 1929 $525
Black and Pearl Celluloid. "1st year/1st style". Excellent color |
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| Overall Grade:
ExtraFine |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: Minimal Red | |
| Point: Pending | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/8" 12.9cm |
PRICE: $525 |
| COMMENTS: For certain pens, "color is everything". This first style Balance set (yes, just ONE pen, shown in two views, above) has the long humped clip, short cap, short gripping section, flat feed and monotone nib... all correct. Great color with minimal darkening to part of the cap plastic. The challenges of multiple color spaces being what they are-- getting from camera to monitor-- i believe the pen has just bit more amber than shows above. A "top 5%" if not better OS Black/Pearl Balance. Specks of brassing at usual spot (edge of clip ball of pen) and bit at very top of clip. You can see in the pics- minimal. | |||
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Pen 3258 R: Sheaffer 3-25 Coral (straight orange) Celluloid $175
Short Model with Clip |
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| Overall Grade: Exc+ |
Metal: Exc+ | Color: Exc | |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: XF | Imprint: Exc+ | Size: 4 1/2" 11.5cm |
PRICE: $175 |
| COMMENTS: Sheaffer introduced celluloid to pen making before Parker, but perhaps fearing the shadow of Duofold tended not to emphasize orange pens. Still, they were made and catalogued. This one is the standard girth (as are all catalogued orange plastic Sheaffers) short, clip model. This one pops. Clean pen with great trim, imprint, and plastic. Probably better than the one in my own collection, but what the heck... it's in the sales pile so I will let it go ;) Very fine point, quite smooth for this degree of fineness. | |||
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Pen 3252 R: Sheaffer 3-25 Coral (straight orange) Celluloid $ Withdrawn for now.
Anomalous/Uncatalogued Short Slender Model |
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| Overall Grade: VG-F |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine | Imprint: Exc | Size: ~ 4 1/3" |
PRICE: $ |
| COMMENTS: When, a mere year or so ago, in my casual pursuit of orange "Flat Top" Sheaffers, I began to encounter (uncatalogued) slender pens, I met some measure of disbelief from some of my Sheaffer-oriented pen friends who had not seen such a critter, knew it was not catalogued, and doubted I had correctly identified the pen. Since then, he has come around to a proper worldview, though ;) The catalogues we have show only standard-girth orange plastic pens. SInce my first find I've tracked down 5 variants: long and short clip pens with both typical high-riding 1920's catalogue-style clips (like this pen, though of course not catalogued as Slender), long and short clip pens with the low-riding post-catalogue-era "1930's" styling, and... a ringtop. This one is the early style high-clip pen. | |||
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Pen 3219 JB: Sheaffer Flat-Top Lifetime Short-Standard size
Uncatalogued Late Production Piece. Excellent Jade $165 |
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| Overall Grade:
Extra-Fine |
Metal: ExtraFine | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | |
| Point: XF-F | Imprint: Exc | Size: 4 1/2 " 11.4 cm | PRICE: $165 |
| COMMENTS: Sheaffer was the first of the "Big- 4" to embrace celluloid, introducing pendom to green plastic pens. Last illustrated in the 1929 Sheaffer catalogue that introduced Balance, modern research has shown that Sheaffer continued to manufacture the venerable flat-topped pens through at least the late 1930's, maybe later still. This is one such pen, showing the blue-tinged Jade celluloid that we believe to be more stable than earlier shades, this pen also packs the low-set "humped" clip and sees the return of the single cap-band. Very nice color. Firm XF-to-Fine point. <10% cap-band brassing (bottom edge for about 1/3 the band) | |||
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Pen 3120 Sheaffer Balance Standard DEMONSTRATOR $775
A Scarce and Un-catalogued Variant. Nib Somewhat Flexible |
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| Overall Grade:
Extra-Fine |
Metal: Exc | Color: Extra-Fine | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine Flex | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 3/8 13.3 |
PRICE: $775 |
| COMMENTS: Yeah, yeah... here's the screed. In the seven years since I first encountered the clear-green Standard Demo, I've seen maybe 4-5 total; the Demo is grossly more rare than any of the catalogued colors. The oversized Demo carries a yellow tint; standard size is green. All i've seen in green carry mid-1930's trim/imprint. Like most of these, this has internal stress marks at either end, likely reflecting underlying manufacturing process (even colored pens often show stress marks at tips, when examined via loupe). This one has nice color,with ambering only at cap tip. Imprint is sharp. Threads are clean. Trim is clean. | |||
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Pen 3091 Sheaffer Flat-Top Oversized
Jet Black Celluloid. Single-Band. Mid 1920's. Plump Point $225 |
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| Overall Grade:
Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc+ |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Full Medium | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/4 " 13.4 cm | PRICE: $225 |
| COMMENTS: Sheaffer was the first of the "Big- 4" to embrace celluloid. Conventional wisdom has it that Sheaffer introduced celluloid to pen manufacture, though of late some data have arrived suggesting that Leboeuf might have beat them to the punch. This is a relatively early flat-top with high-riding clip and single cap-band. Very clean pen with no brassing to cap-band and lever, and just a bit to the clp-ball. Plump wet medium point with very firm nib. Nice writer. | |||
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Pen 3164 -NB Sheaffer "Truncated Balance" non-Balance Jr. $140
Gray-with-Red-Veins Celluloid. Lever Filler ~ 1934-1935 |
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| Overall Grade: Fine |
Metal: Extra Fine | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine Flex | Imprint: Exc | Size: 4 1/2" 11.5 cm |
PRICE: $140 |
| COMMENTS: For year (or two... or three?) prior to the appearance of a true Balance Junior (with chrome trim, clip marked "Jr", "Jr" nib, etc), Sheaffer produced a non-Balance Junior. Not quite a flat-top the ends have taper that looks as if they were made from chopped Balance stock. I've seen them in Black, possibly Blue "marble", Gray-with-Red-Vens, and Gray-Black. Black and Grey-Black can be found as wire-pens (plunger filler) too. Humble pens costing about $2.75 back in the day, they are not so prevalent now, and are hard to find clean, what with a couple of "sensitive" celluloid colors and that chrome trim> This one is well better than average. Nice color. Clean clip. Bit of brassing to cap-band. Nib with more flex than found on most Sheaffers. | |||
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Pen 3158 Sheaffer Balance Golf Pencil
$90
Black and Pearl Celluloid |
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| Overall Grade:
Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Extra Fine | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: NA |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | |
| Point: NA | Imprint: Exc | Size: 2 1/2" 6.5 cm | PRICE: $90 |
| COMMENTS: Advertised by Sheaffer in some of the earlier colors but also found uncatalogued in some middle-era colors, the tiny Golf Pencil (vest pocket pencil) fits well into Balane collections, indeed carrying more collector cachet than do many of the typical full-length pencils. This one has nice- though not perfect- color. Good amount of original eraser present. CLean trim | |||
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Pen 3176 Sheaffer Balance Golf Pencil $115
Marine Green (mottled) Celluloid ~1930 |
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| Overall Grade:
NearMint |
Metal: Exc | Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: NA |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: NA | Imprint: Superb | Size: 2 1/2" 6.5 cm |
PRICE: $115 |
| COMMENTS: Advertised by Sheaffer in some of the earlier colors but also found uncatalogued in some middle-era colors, the tiny Golf Pencil (vest pocket pencil) fits well into Balane collections, indeed carrying more collector cachet than do many of the typical full-length pencils. This Marine Green example pops. Great color and imprint. Nice imprint. Still most of origin eraser under the crown. No brassing. | |||
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Pen 3177 Sheaffer Balance Golf Pencil $Pending final adjustment
Black and Pearl Celluloid ~ 1930 |
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| Overall Grade:
Extra Fine |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: N/A |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: N/A | Imprint: Exc | Size: 2 1/2" 6.5cm |
PRICE: $ |
| COMMENTS: Advertised by Sheaffer in some of the earlier colors but also found uncatalogued in some middle-era colors, the tiny Golf Pencil (vest pocket pencil) fits well into Balane collections, indeed carrying more collector cachet than do many of the typical full-length pencils. | |||
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Pen 3100 R Sheaffer Balance Standard (5-30) Set ~1929 $250 SOLD
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| Overall Grade:
Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: fine-med | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 3/8" 13.5cm |
PRICE: $250 |
| COMMENTS: Following the Parker Vacumatic, Sheaffer Balance sees the largest representation in my own collection. Those two series targetted similar markets during the 1930's and were in fierce competition. This is an early set, with "first style" features. Unlike later years in which Lifetime and non-Lifetime models would have the same contour, the early non-White Dot pens (5-30 and slender 3-25) had slightly shorter barrels than did the White Dot pens. This one has the long humped clip and short gripping section that mark early pens. Color is excellent, better than most, with slight ambering to parts of the pen barrel. Probably did so well as it had a broken nib and might have been rendered unusable early on. Ron Zorn fitted it with a proper "5-30" nib from my stock and adjusted it for smooth excellent writing, with a fine-medium point. Pen grades full excellent. Pencil is relatively clean but the pearl panel just above the clip does show a bit of internal separation (gives bit of texture to just that 1/4" panel). Great pen. | |||
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Pen 3069 R. Sheaffer Balance Oversized
1929 $685
First style Extra Long. Jade Celluloid with Superb Color Preservation. |
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| Overall Grade:
Nearmint |
Metal: Superb | Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Extx |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: n/a | |
| Point: Med | Imprint: Superb | Size: 5
3/4" 14.4 cm |
PRICE: $685 |
| COMMENTS: Where to start? One of the best five OS Jade pens I've handled in ten years. Part of a pair recently acquired. This one has all correct early style elements, including short non-streamlined section, and monotone nib. This pair matches the pen I've had in my personal collection for 7 years. Clear Sac has been placed for color preservation. As the pic shows, the distal half inch or so shows only excellent instead of "staggering" color. Go figure. | |||
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Pen 3108 R: Sheaffer Balance Admiral 1938-41
Carmine Celluloid $225 |
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| Overall Grade: Exc |
Metal: Exc+ | Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: FINE | Imprint: ExtraFine | Size: 5 7/16" 13.6cm |
PRICE: $225 |
| COMMENTS: Following the Parker Vacumatic, Sheaffer Balance sees the largest representation in my own collection. Those two series targetted similar markets during the 1930's and were in fierce competition. Carmine was introduced around 1938 and is popular with collectors. The model packs the "500" mark representing its $5 price, and eventually gained the name, "Admiral". This one is quite clean with smooth fine point. | |||
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Pen 3094 Z: Sheaffer Balance Oversized. Jet Black Celluloid 1936-41 $235
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| Overall Grade: ExtraFine |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
NM |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: XF-F (2-tone) | Imprint: Extra Fine | Size: 5
1/2" 14.2 cm |
PRICE: $235 |
| COMMENTS: Following the Parker Vacumatic, Sheaffer Balance sees the largest representation in my own collection. Those two series targetted similar niches during the 1930's and were in fierce competition. This is the big one, in conservative black celluloid. No brassing to the metal trim. Clean imprint with a few letters a bit light at the right side. Couple light marks to plastic. Superb correct two tone Sheaffer Lifetime smooth wet nib that is very fine (i label it between Fine and Extra Fine). A nice daily scribbler, no doubt. | |||
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Pen 3122 -S Sheaffer Balance Oversized. 1936-1941 $395
Golden Pearl Celluloid. Unusual Pattern to Cap Plastic |
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| Overall Grade:
Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfet | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Med | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 14 cm |
PRICE: $395 |
| COMMENTS:
Balance is the second most prevalent pen in my personal collection.
This 1930's series fit a similar niche to Parker's Vacumatic. With long
production period and wide range of price points, with catalogued and
un-catalogue variants, one can pursue a huge range of variants.
Oversized pens have grown more difficult to find of late. This
one is a very clean brown striper. The striated plastic dates to
1936-41, though we believe that the 1000-imprint appeared after a year
or more of production. This one has a neat finding, a skewed
helical flavor to the cap-plastic. Probably a batch variant, the
variegation at top suggest the plastic used in the blind cap of
some of the plunger-fill pens. Quite appealing, to my
eye. Very smooth medium wet line. Clean pen. Great writer. Funky variant plastic. |
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Pen 3190 -R Sheaffer Balance Oversized $675
Carmine Celluloid. Smooth Wet Med+ Point |
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| Overall Grade:
Exc+ |
Metal: Exc+ | Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | Section Clarity: Mild | |
| Point: Med+ | Imprint: Exc+ | Size: 5 1/2" 14 cm |
PRICE: $675 |
| COMMENTS: Balance is the second most prevalent pen in my personal collection. This 1930's series fit a similar niche to Parker's Vacumatic. With long production period and wide range of price points, with catalogued and un-catalogue variants, one can pursue a huge range of variants. Oversized pens have grown more difficult to find of late. Carmine is considered a "better" color. This one is a primo example with clean plastic, trim and imprint. Superb two tone nib writing a medium+ smooth wet line. | |||
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Pen 3061 JB Sheaffer Balance
Slender Standard SIlver Pearl $115
Wide Milled Cap-band. An Uncatalogued, Relatively Scarce Variant. Clean. |
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| Overall Grade:
Fine |
Metal: Fine | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | Plastic: Fine |
| Point: Fine-Med | Imprint: Exc | Size:
5 3/8" 13.5 cm |
PRICE: $115 |
| COMMENTS: Balance sees the second greatest prevalence in my personal collection, following Vacumatic. As with Vacumatic, its long production run and success allowed for some relatively unusual and uncatalogued variants. Silver Pearl pens from the 1930's (Parker, Sheaffer and Waterman) often suffer relative to other colors, as the plastic shows ambering more readily than do more highly pigmented colors, and that "white" trim once worn cannot be readily polished as can be the gold-filled trim of other colors. Clean Silver Pearl pens thus command some degree of extra cachet. This one is... a decent example of the uncatalogued "Jeweler's Band" pen in Grey Pearl> Color is excellent. Cap trim is pretty much excellent too. The lever however is somewhat pitted. Smooth F-M point. | |||
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Pen 3069 R. Sheaffer Balance Oversized
1929 $700
First style Extra Long. Jade Celluloid with Superb Color Preservation. |
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| Overall Grade:
Nearmint |
Metal: Superb | Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Extx |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: n/a | |
| Point: Med | Imprint: Superb | Size: 5
3/4" 14.4 cm |
PRICE: $700 |
| COMMENTS: Where to start? One of the best five OS Jade pens I've handled in ten years. Part of a pair recently acquired. This one has all correct early style elements, including short non-streamlined section, and monotone nib. This pair matches the pen I've had in my personal collection for 7 years. Clear Sac has been placed for color preservation. | |||
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Pen 3072-R Sheaffer Balance Standard
(5-3)) ~1930 $265
Jade Celluloid with Superb Color |
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| Overall Grade:
Exx |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Medium | Imprint: Extra Fine | Size: 5
3/8" 13.6 cm |
PRICE: $375 SOLD |
| COMMENTS: Jade is amongst the first three Balance colors dating to 1939. This is the largest catalogued non white dot Jade variant as the oversized pen has the white dot. Superb color with hint of ambering to part of barrel just by lever, as per the pic. Clear sac placed for color preservatoin. | |||
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Pen 3008-S Sheaffer Balance Oversized $245
Jet Black Celluloid 1936-1941 |
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| Overall Grade: Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Perfect | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: Perf | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Full Medium | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 9/16th" 13.7 cm |
PRICE: $245 |
| COMMENTS: Big honkin' Balance with plump medium two tone Sheaffer Lifetime nib. | |||
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Pen 3018-S Sheaffer Balance Standard $ yeah- dream on $
Scarce Uncatalogued Double-Deco Band usually found on earlier colors. The FIRST I've seen with "late" plastic. From Vacumania's "Show n' Brag" Page |
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| Overall Grade: Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: Perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: F | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 13.9 cm |
PRICE: $ No way no how $ |
| COMMENTS: Yeah, Balance is my second most collected pen after Parker Vacumatic. Just picked up this gem. Figured I'd share it for show n' tell, though it will remain with me until (if/when) i ever decide to liquidate my Balance collection. Pretty thing, no? | |||
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Pen 2863-M Sheaffer Balance Petit ("vest pocket") $120
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| Overall Grade:Exc |
Metal: NM | Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine | Imprint:NM | Size: 4" , 10 cm |
PRICE: $120 |
| COMMENTS: Balance is the second most prevalent pen in my personal collection. The number of variants gives Vacumatic a run for the money. The Petit model is relatively early product found in colors believed produced from 1929-1932. The girth is that of a Slender model, but the pen is markedly shorter in all proportions. This wee charmer is in nice shape, with sound imprint and with clean trim. This is a white dot Lifetime model. I had the cap rotated to wrong position for the photo. | |||
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Pen 2883-S Sheaffer BalanceLong Standard $155 ('sm' image accidently doubled. will fix)
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| Overall Grade: Extra Fine |
Metal: Extra Fine | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine | Imprint: Exc | Size:
5 1/2" 13.6 cm |
PRICE: $155 |
| COMMENTS: Balance is the second most prevalent pen in my personal collection. The number of variants gives Vacumatic a run for the money. This one has very clean plastic. The cap band has bit of brassing at edges here n' there. | |||
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Pen 2884-S Sheaffer Balance Long Standard $145
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| Overall Grade: Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: F-M | Imprint:Exc | Size:
5 1/2" 13.6 cm |
PRICE: $135 |
| COMMENTS: Balance is the second most prevalent pen in my personal collection. The number of variants gives Vacumatic a run for the money. This one is a full size (long standard) non-white dot pen with correct Sheaffer Feather Touch two tone nib. Clean all around. Quite a nice writer. | |||
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Screaming Souls In Purgatory Pen. Green Celluloid |
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| Overall Grade:
Exc |
Metal: exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: perfect | clarity: NA | Plastic: Exc |
| Point: | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5" |
PRICE: $165 |
| COMMENTS: A quite nice example of a charming cellulloid found in Sheaffer's sub-brand WASP and VACUUM series. During an on-line discussion, a collector suggested the plastic evokes screaming souls in purgatory. Hence the name. Comes in two colors at least two sizes. Decent trim is key. This one has it. | |||
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Pen 2592 Sheaffer Balance OS Pencil AUTOGRAPH $100
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| Overall Grade: VG |
Metal: Nearmint | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: NA |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | |
| Point: NA | Imprint: Nearmint | Size: 5 3/4" 14.6 cm |
PRICE: $100 |
| COMMENTS: Autograph- solid gold trim, hallmarked 14k at clip, capband and cone. Pens cost $25 back when typical OS pen was $8.75 and one months Relief Payment from the gov't during the Great Depression ran $10. A non trivial pen. This pencil is enhanced by lack of engraving on the cap-band, uncommon on these gift/executive pens. The flaw is translucency and stress marks/crazing at top of pencil. Priced down to reflect. Nice color. Clean trim. | |||
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Uncommon and Uncatalogued Semi-Stubby Standard Variant. |
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| Overall Grade:
NM |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
NM |
Thread: perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/4" 13.2cm |
PRICE: $210 |
| COMMENTS: Recognized by those who know this one is a kosher "Semi Stubby" standard girth model. Might be the first I've had that features the 1000 price code imprint, suggesting relatively late issue for this anomalous pen. The cap is stubby standard length, similar to that found on Stubby Standard pens better known in earlier colors. The barrel is not as short as the Stubby but also is not as long as the full Standard. It is... intermediate. Our speculation is that this sort of pen represented attempt to use up remaining stubby caps. For somone who wants an esoteric Balance, something that does not come along every day. | |||
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Pen 2600 Sheaffer Balance Standard $90
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| Overall Grade: Fine |
Metal: EFinexc | Color: Perfect | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Exc | clarity: NA | |
| Point: F-M | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 13.6 cm |
PRICE: $90 |
| COMMENTS: Entry level full sized Balance. Late 1930s Non White Dot pen with replacement (yet upgraded) Lifetime monotone (instead of Feather Touch) nib. Smooth Fine-Med firm point. Bit of trim brassing. Fairly clean plastic. | |||
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Pen 2524 Sheaffer Balance Slender set $225
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| Overall Grade: NM |
Metal: Mint | Color: Perfect | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: MInt | clarity: Superb | |
| Point: F-M | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 14 cm |
PRICE: $225 |
| COMMENTS: Slender ($3.50 pen) in popular Carmine Red. Late 1930's. Nearmint in the strictest sense. Dipped maybe filled. Perfect cosmetics. Mint stickered pencil. Gorgeous set. | |||
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Pen 2445R Sheaffer Balance "1st Year"/1st Style $265
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| Overall Grade: Extra Fine |
Metal: Lite brass in places. | Color: Wxc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine-XF | Imprint: Exc | Size: 4 5/8" 14.4cm |
PRICE: $265 |
| COMMENTS: Balance is the 2nd most prevalent pen in my personal collection, after Vacumatic. Many variants out there. This one- in Jade celluloid- is a "first year" Balance in standard size, longer than later standard pens. This one has excellent color, probably a shade away from perfection, and quite even . Clip-ball brassing is noted as well as speck or two on cap-band. Nice example of the first Balance. | |||
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Pen 2442 R Sheaffer Balance Standard $145 withdrawn from sale
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| Overall Grade: XF |
Metal: Exc | Color: Cap bit darker | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine-medium firm | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 3/8" 13.6cm |
PRICE: $145 |
| COMMENTS: Balance is my second most collected pen, following Vacumatic. This one is a "full size" Long Standard, one size below OS. Plastic, trim, imprint, nib all clean. Gripping section with excellent clarity. Clearly, the barrel is bit lighter than the cap. Proper Feather Touch nib. Typical firm fine-medium point. Nice ink flow. | |||
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Pen 2483R Sheaffer Balance $245
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| Overall Grade: Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Perfect | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: Exc | clarity:NA | |
| Point: F-M | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 13.9 cm |
PRICE: $245 |
| COMMENTS: Clean, smooth-writing pen. | |||
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Pen 2476 Sheaffer Balance Set. $195
(Withdrawn from sale for a bit, it needs a bit more restoration) |
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| Overall Grade: Exc |
Metal: Exc | Color: Exc | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: perfect | clarity: Extra Fine | |
| Point: Fine | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 3/8" 13.6cm |
PRICE: $195 |
| COMMENTS: The second largest Balance, in non white dot trim (correct Feather Touch nib) in popular Carmine. Plunger filler in excellent working order. | |||
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Pen 2348R Sheaffer Balance Oversize Autograph $325
Solid 14k hallmarked Clip and Cap-band. |
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| Overall Grade: Extra Fine |
Metal: No Dings | Color: Perfect | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: XF-F Smooth | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/2" 14cm |
PRICE: $325 |
| COMMENTS: Sorry for the dust in the picture. This photo shoot was a bit rushed ;) Sheaffer during the 1930's catalogued and sold far more solid gold trim pens than did other major manufacturers. The pens we lump under "Autograph" in general packed solid 14k hallmarked clip and cap band (not lever). This one writes a smooth fine-medium point. The metal is clean. The plastic has scattered quite superficial use marks, and minimal scratches. There is slight notch at edge of lever slot. | |||
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Coral Red (orange) Celluloid |
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| Overall Grade:
Extra Fine |
Trim: Perfect | Color: Perfect | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: NearmInt | Threads: Perfect | Plastic: Slight
posting mark at back of barrel |
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| Point: Med |
Imprint: Perfect | Size: 4 3/4" | PRICE: $125 |
| COMMENTS: An all-correct mid-1920's Sheaffer in the Coral Red celluloid that looks disturbingly Duofold-like. A clean pen with great trim and imprint. Correct 3-25 nib. Amongst the plastic flat-top pens, orange, whilst not rare, is less commonly seen than are black, black/pearl and jade. They also are more scarce than orange pens by Parker. Nice-writing Medium nib. | |||
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Pen 2279 Sheaffer Balance Oversized $400
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| Overall Grade: Extra Fine |
Metal: Extra Fine | Color: Extra Fine | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc |
Threads: perfect | clarity: NA | |
| Point: Fine Firm. | Imprint: Exc | Size: 5 1/4" 13.2cm |
PRICE: $400 |
| COMMENTS: Following the Parker Vacumatic, Sheaffer Balance sees the largest representation in my own collection. Those two series targetted similar niches during the 1930's and were in fierce competition. This is the big one, in a relatively early color. Color well better than average showing ambering on just couple pearly panels. Trim is clean noting bit of brassing at top of clip and on the clip ball. Smooth Fine Firm nib. | |||
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| Overall Grade: Exc | Trim:
Excellent |
CLICK FOR LARGER PIC | |
| Nib condition: NA | Mechanism: Perfect | Transparency: NA | Plastic: couple tiny flea bites |
| Point: NA |
Imprint: Perfect | Size: 4 3/4" | PRICE: $85 |
| COMMENTS:
Excellent
short Roseglow pencil, a match for either the $8.75 Lifetime
pen or $5 Feathertouch. For the collector of the Sheaffer
color packing the highest cachet with modern collectors. |
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| Overall Grade:
Extrafine |
Trim: Couple tiny
marks |
Color: Superb | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: NM | Threads: Perfect. | ||
| Point: Fine |
Imprint:
Perfect |
Size: 4 7/8" | PRICE: $175 |
| COMMENTS: Gray with Red Veins is a high cachet color in the Sheaffer universe. Often discolored even crazed, at risk for hairline cap-lip cracks, finding clean specimens is a nontrivial venture. This one is quite sharp, with no brassing, great color, no crazing or cracks, razor imprint, and clean threads. The flat-ball clip on this one is the second clip style to appear on this color Balance. Nice Balance. | |||
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| Overall Grade:
Excellent |
Trim:
Perfect |
Color: Exc |
CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | Plastic: Clean | |
| Point: Firm Fine-Med |
Imprint: Perfect | Size:
4 7/8" |
PRICE: $125 |
| COMMENTS:
Carmine Red tends to rank just below Roseglow in the cachet heirarchy
for the striped Balances produced from 1937-1941. This one is
a
non-white-dot "500", the most pricey of the three levels
of short
slender pen below the white dot "875" model. |
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| Overall Grade: Fine | Trim:
Perfect |
CLICK FOR LARGER PIC | |
| Nib condition:
VG |
Threads: Perfect | Transparency: NA | |
| Point:
Med+ Smooooth |
Imprint: Perfect | Size: 5 3/8" | PRICE: $245 |
| COMMENTS: Sheaffer
during the 1930's
catalogued and sold far more solid gold trim pens than did other major
manufacturers. The pens we llump under "Autograph" in general
packed solid 14k hallmarked clip and cap band (not lever).
This
pen is the second largest size, what eventually would be called the
Statesman and would eventually (in non-Autograph trim) pack the "1000"
barrel imprint. This pen dates earlier, probably early-mid 1930's. Very
clean shape. Sharp sharp barrel imprint. No plastic flaws. Clean trim.
The smooth medium+ upturned monotone Sheaffer LIfetime nib does have
one tiny nick at an edge. Lovely pen |
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Radius Clip Late 1930's $215 |
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| Overall Grade: Extra Fine | Trim:
Exc |
Plastic: few light tooth mraks | CLICK FOR LARGER PIC |
| Nib condition: Exc | Threads: Exc | Transparency: NA | |
| Point: Fine-XF | Imprint: extrafine | Size: 5.5" | PRICE: $215 |
| COMMENTS: The Sheaffer OS Balance is one of Vacumania's bread and butter vintage pens. Available in a plethora of colors, Black is the most stable color and of course represents a certain conservative elegance. The OS Balance represents the ideal mix of large size, top quality manufacture, vintage look, big name and relatively affordable price. Scattered very light toothmarks at butt of pen. A smooth ,quite fine monotone Sheaffer Lifetime nib rounds out the package. | |||
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Radius Clip Late 1930's $220 |
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| Overall Grade: ExtraFine | Trim:
One tiny capband ding. |
CLICK FOR LARGER PIC | |
| Nib condition:
Exc |
Threads: Perfect | Transparency: Exc | |
| Point: Fine Firm |
Imprint: Exc | Size: 5.5"" | PRICE: $220 |
| COMMENTS: The Sheaffer OS Balance is one of Vacumania's bread and butter vintage pens. Available in a plethora of colors, Black is the most stable color and of course represents a certain conservative elegance.. The OS Balance represents the ideal mix of large size, top quality manufacture, vintage look, big name and relatively affordable price. Fine piont nib and clean plastic | |||