Vintage Pens

Photo Credit: PalsterPro

1950s Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman Fountain Pen & Mechanical Pencil Set

Asking Price: $90 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Mid Century elegance is on full display with this vintage Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman fountain pen and mechanical pencil set, produced sometime between 1952 and 1959.

-The Sheaffer Snorkel line of fountain pens took their named from the pen’s long, thin ink refill tube.  Vintage Sheaffer Snorkels are considered to be very robust pens and work wonderfully as daily writers if you are so inclined.

-The body of both pieces is made from jet black resin accented with gold-filled trim.  This gives a streamlined, understated look that conveys the best aspects of Mid Century design.

-The Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman was a mid-range pen in the Snorkel line.  Even so, it still sold for the not insubstantial sum of $15.50 in 1956, which is equivalent to about $139 in 2017 dollars.  The Statesman pen and pencil set was even more expensive; it would have cost you $22.75 in 1956, or around $205 today.

-This Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman pen and pencil set has the classic White Dot of excellence near the top of the cap.  After its introduction in the 1920s and through the 1930s, the Sheaffer White Dot meant that the pen had a lifetime warranty.  However, in the 1940s, Sheaffer changed it to a marketing symbol that indicated a “symbol of satisfaction” or a “mark of luxury”.

-This Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman fountain pen has a palladium-silver (F4) nib.  Most nibs on high quality vintage fountain pens are made from 14 or 18 karat gold.  Palladium-silver alloy nibs were a reaction by the 1940s fountain pen industry to wartime rationing.  By the 1950s, these special alloy nibs were used in some mid-range models to reduce costs.  Of course, right now palladium is just as expensive as platinum!  What a difference 60 years makes!

–Vintage fountain pens are eminently accessible to the antique collector or investor working on a tight budget.  Many different excellent models can be found in the $100 range, or even a little bit lower.

-This vintage Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman fountain pen and mechanical pencil set comes with its original box, which is always a nice bonus.  Considering its great condition and classic styling, I would say this set is well priced at $90.

Cons:

-The seller does not disclose if this fountain pen and mechanical pencil set has been serviced recently.  I think the safe assumption is that is hasn’t.  Therefore, a prudent buyer would set aside funds to replace the rubber ink sac and seals in the pen, which are prone to degrade over long periods of time.  In addition, new leads should be sourced for the pencil.  This would drive up the total cost of the set.

-The Sheaffer Snorkel Statesman was, ultimately, a mid range pen.  The highest end model in the Snorkel line, the Masterpiece, had either a 9 or 14 karat solid gold cap and body, coupled with a solid 14 karat gold nib.  The Snorkel Masterpiece is a much more desirable fountain pen than the Statesman, all else being equal.  Of course, it also costs a lot more money as well, provided you can find one.

-If you purchase this beautiful pen and pencil set, you are left with the conundrum of whether to use it on a regular basis or stash it away to keep it pristine.  If you choose to use it, you may end up reducing its value slightly over time due to wear and tear.

Photo Credit: Peyton Street Pens

Vintage Sheaffer Imperial 826 Fountain Pen in Sterling Silver

Buy It Now Price: $239.95 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a vintage Sheaffer Imperial 826 fountain pen that was made in the U.S. in 1972.  The barrel of the pen is made out of solid sterling silver while the inlaid nib is solid 14 karat gold.  The pen’s clip is gold plated.

-The Sheaffer Pen Corporation, founded in 1912 in Fort Madison, Iowa, was one of the major U.S. pen manufacturers of the mid 20th century along with competitors Waterman, Parker and Wahl/Eversharp.

-The Sheaffer Imperial line of fountain pens was produced from the early 1960s until 1976.  There were a lot of variations in Imperial models over this time period.  The Sheaffer Imperial 826 was a higher-end dress model from the early 1970s that was intended as a direct competitor to the wildly successful sterling silver Parker 75 fountain pen.

-The sterling silver barrel of this vintage Sheaffer Imperial 826 fountain pen has an attractive, cross-hatched “barleycorn” design.  Textured gold or silver surfaces were very popular in jewelry, wristwatches and other luxury goods in the 1970s and are a great representation of the stylistic zeitgeist of the era.

-The solid karat gold nibs of high quality vintage fountain pens are perennially in high demand.  The flexibility of these vintage solid gold nibs allows writing to flow beautifully and effortlessly, in contrast to modern ballpoint pens.

-This vintage Sheaffer Imperial 826 is in perfect condition with no dents, scratches, or dings.  This is undoubtedly because the pen is new-old-stock.  New-old-stock fountain pens were shipped to retailers but never sold.  As a result, they have usually been in storage for many decades, but are nearly always pristine.  New-old-stock is a very desirable attribute for a vintage fountain pen.

–Vintage fountain pens are one of those inexplicably overlooked areas of the antique market.  They not only look great, but are also usable if you so desire!  In my opinion, higher-end, mid 20th century examples with solid gold, gold-filled or sterling silver trim are particularly desirable.

-This particular vintage Sheaffer Imperial 826 fountain pen is a great alternative investment at only $240.  The seller currently has 9 examples in stock, but once they are sold you will have little chance of finding similar new-old-stock specimens for the same price.

Cons:

-While Sheaffer is a respected name in vintage fountain pens, Waterman and Montblanc are widely considered to have produced the best of the best.  However, vintage Waterman and Montblanc fountain pens are priced significantly higher to match their perceived status.

-There are really almost no negatives to this vintage Sheaffer Imperial 826 fountain pen.  Vintage luxury goods from the 1970s and 1980s are becoming increasingly desirable as they approach the half-century mark and vintage fountain pens are a great way to ride the trend.

Photo Credit: calsstuff4u

1960s Sheaffer PFM fountain pen in Burgundy with 14K Gold Nib

Buy It Now Price: $180 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a very desirable vintage Sheaffer PFM fountain pen from the 1960s.  The plastic barrel and cap are in the classic burgundy color while the band and clip are 14K gold-filled.

-The Sheaffer PFM fountain pen was the oversize follow-up to the company’s highly successful “Snorkel” series of pens.  The PFM was meant as a luxury pen and incorporated the same advanced “snorkel” ink refill apparatus as its predecessor.

-Five major versions of the Sheaffer PFM fountain pen were produced between 1959 and 1968.  This particular specimen is a Sheaffer PFM series III.

-PFM stands for “Pen for Men”.

-The nib of this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen is solid 14 karat gold.  Solid karat gold nibs were typically used in higher-end vintage fountain pens.  This is because karat gold has better writing characteristics than cheaper nib materials like steel.  The lower end PFM models used a cheaper (at the time) silver-palladium alloy nib.

-Although barely visible in the photo, this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen has the iconic White Dot near the top of the gold-filled clip.  The White Dot originally indicated that the pen in question had a lifetime warranty from Sheaffer.  By the time the Sheaffer PFM fountain pen was produced the White Dot had evolved into a corporate trademark representing a “mark of luxury” or “symbol of satisfaction”.

-Although the $180 buy-it-now price for this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen might seem somewhat high, it is actually rather reasonable.  Vintage PFM fountain pens are extremely desirable in the collector’s market and examples in good condition, like this one, command very strong prices.

Cons:

-I would have loved it if this vintage fountain pen came with its original box.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  However, this is a minor drawback.

-While the PFM series III is an excellent fountain pen, there are two much rarer PFM models.  They are the Masterpiece, with a solid 9K gold barrel and cap, and the Autograph, with a black plastic barrel and cap with a 14K gold band.  Both of these exceedingly rare PFM models are more desirable than the PFM III series, but are priced to match.

-The seller does not mention when this Sheaffer PFM fountain pen was last serviced.  Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the buyer will, at a minimum, have to replace the rubber ink sac, which deteriorates with age.

Photo Credit: wbm78

Vintage Parker Vacumatic Fountain Pen and Pencil Set from the Early 1940s

Buy It Now Price: $499.99 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Few pens can wow a crowd like the Parker Vacumatic fountain pen.  This superb, vintage Parker Vacumatic fountain pen and mechanical pencil set was made in the early 1940s, between 1939 and 1942.

-This attractive fountain pen and mechanical pencil set has celluloid bodies with 14 karat gold filled caps and trim.

-This set’s color is known as “Golden Pearl”.  It is also has a “blue diamond” clip to denote a lifetime warranty.  Parker only used the “blue diamond” clip on higher-end pens priced at $8.75 or higher.  This was a substantial amount of money in the early 1940s, equivalent to about $151 in 2016.

-The Parker Vacumatic fountain pen, with its alternating opaque and translucent celluloid stripes and chunky, bold design, is one of the most iconic of Art Deco fountain pens.

-The set comes in its original case, which always boosts investment appeal.

-The condition of this Parker Vacumatic fountain pen and mechanical pencil set is excellent, with no visible cracking, chipping, brassing (wear through the gold-filled trim) or other damage.  The writing nib also appears to be in good condition.

-I especially like the investment potential for vintage fountain pen and mechanical pencil sets.  I think they are one of the most undervalued areas of the fountain pen universe at the moment.

Cons:

-The $500 asking price is very high.  The seller knows he has a gem in this vintage set and is demanding a steep premium for it.  However, it is common for exceptional, investment grade antiques to trade for exceptionally high prices.  I suspect the $500 price may not seem so high in another decade or so.

-The set is being sold “as is” with no guarantee that either the pen or pencil work.  The ink filling device in a Parker Vacumatic fountain pen, called a diaphragm, is made out of rubber.  This can rot out over time, requiring replacement.  If necessary, this fix would cost additional money.

-The gold filled caps are engraved with the initials “DM”.  Some people avoid any antique that has been monogrammed.  However, I feel that initials or monograms are neutral to the valuation of a fine antique in most instances.