#sheafferbalance

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This is a throwback photo from 2004! This is a Sheaffer 74TC Jet Black Balance and a Sheaffer J8TC Jade Green Oversize Balance c. 1928-1930. These are lever fill fountain pens. The Jet Black pen is about 5 5/8 inches long and sold for $8.25 and its matching pencil sold for $3.25. The Jade Green pen is about 5 3/4 inches long and sold for $8.75 and its matching pencil sold for $4.25. Each has a firm gold nib stamped SHEAFFER’S over LIFETIME over REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. over MADE IN U.S.A. over a number. Each barrel is stamped W. A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. over FORT MADISON, IOWA, U.S.A over PAT’D – PATENT PENDING. The ball clip is stamped SHEAFFER’S and the White Dot is positioned just above it. The box is from the 1940s. #pencollecting #fountainpen #sheaffer #sheafferpen #lifetime #radite #sheafferlifetime #balance #sheafferbalance #jade #sheafferjade #celluloid #penhero https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5xpm3DDeq/?igshid=1tr6sstc2gchw

[penhero]

This is a Sheaffer Balance Model K74TR ringtop lever fill fountain pen in Black and Pearl celluloid c. 1928-1929. The celluloid shows typical discoloration.  Excellent examples will appear closer in color to black and mother of pearl.  It’s about 5 3/4 inches long and sold for $9.50.  It has the Sheaffer Lifetime nib.  The trim is gold filled.   The barrel is stamped W. A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. over FORT MADISON, IOWA , U.S.A. over PAT'D - PATENT PENDING.  Since the Balance design patent 78,795 was awarded June 18, 1929, this example is probably earlier than the one shown in the 1930 catalog.  The matching pencil was $4.00. 

[penhero]

This is a Sheaffer Balance lever fill fountain pen in Black Radite c. 1929.  It's a full length, 5 11/16 inch long pen but in the standard size, selling for $8.25.  It's close to the same length as the larger diameter oversize pen.  All trim is gold filled, though this example shows typical plating wear.  This pen has a chip out of the cap lip.  The barrel is stamped W. A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. over FORT MADISON, IOWA, U.S.A. over PAT'D - PAT. PENDING.  The 14 karat gold Lifetime nib is stamped SHEAFFER’s over LIFETIME over REG. U.S. PAT OFF. over MADE IN U.S.A. over a serial number.       

[penhero]

This is an Eagle balance shape lever fill fountain pen in green and black lustre pearl celluloid c. 1930-1931.  The pen borrows the look of the cap and ball clip from Sheaffer's Balance, introduced in 1929.  The barrel is a departure, flat ended and not fully tapered.  The cap top ends with a flat surface, where the Sheaffer design is rounded.  Sheaffer's Balance led to the entire industry adopting cigar shaped pens, with some more aggressively knocking off the Sheaffer design than others.   It's about 5 1/4 inches long capped.  The clip is stamped EAGLE on the face and U.S.A. at the top.  All trim is gold plated, though the it is heavily worn off.  The nib is stamped 14K over MADE IN U.S.A. There is no barrel stamping.     

[penhero]

This is a Sheaffer Balance A8 / Premier Black Vacuum-Fil c. 1936-1940. It’s about 5 ½ inches long and sold for $10.00. It has the 1000 price stamping under the imprint on the barrel. The barrel is actually alternating black and clear celluloid strips so that the ink level can be seen by the user. It fills by unscrewing the end cap, pulling out the plunger, putting the nib in ink and pressing the plunger down once. This example is very ambered, so the clear strips are hard to see. This size White Dot Balance pen was offered in 1936 with Black, Golden Brown, Ebonized Pearl, Gray Pearl (silver color trim), and Rose Glow celluloid. Marine Green was added in 1937. Ebonized Pearl and Rose Glow were dropped in 1939. Carmine was added in 1940.

[penhero]

This is a Sheaffer Balance II Black model 873 c. 1998. Its about 5 3/4 inches long and sold for $99.00. It's a cartridge / converter pen.  It has the Sheaffer White Dot on the cap, SHEAFFER'S stamped on the gold plated clip, and a single gold plated cap band.  The trim is all gold electroplate.  The 14 karat gold medium nib is a replica of the Sheaffer Lifetime nibs of the 1930s.  Matching ballpoint and rollerball pens were also made.    

[penhero]

This is a Sheaffer Balance II Millenium model 891 sold in special packaging with a clock/pen holder and a bottle of ink c. 1999. Its about 5 3/4 inches long and sold pen only for $175.00. It's a cartridge / converter pen.  It has the Sheaffer White Dot on the cap, SHEAFFER'S stamped on the gold plated clip, and a single gold plated cap band stamped MILLENIUM.  The trim is all gold electroplate.  The 18 karat gold broad nib is a replica of the Sheaffer Feathertouch nibs of the 1930s.  The nib shows unexpected loss to the palladium plating. Matching ballpoint and rollerball pens were also made.     

[penhero]

This is a Sheaffer Balance II Tiger Eye model 879 sold as a Levenger special edition c. 2000. Its about 5 3/4 inches long and sold for $175.00. It's a cartridge / converter pen.  It has the Sheaffer White Dot on the cap, SHEAFFER'S stamped on the gold plated clip, and two gold plated cap bands.  The trim is all gold electroplate.  The 18 karat gold medium nib is a replica of the Sheaffer Feathertouch nibs of the 1930s.  Matching ballpoint and rollerball pens were also made.