Was bored so I got the camera out.

Very nice, Cam You've accumulated some nice examples of vintage Sheaffers---some Balances, a Triumph Lifetime, a Craftsman and a Tuckaway.
Which one of the group above is your favourite?

The black one (is that the Craftsman?) is in great conditions and is a funky wee pen and the first of the red ones is that vacu-to-ED conversion that Dennis Lively did, and the small green striated has got a fantanstic #2 nib on it. But, my favourite is the third from the left -- the smallest red striated. It is in great shape, has an awesome nib, looks really nice, and feels 'just right' in the hand. And it cost me the least too!!

Excellent! I call the one that is 2nd from the left (with the very, very thin cap band) a "Craftsman"...The black one is a Balance.

What a lovely collection of Sheaffers...

I see:

Balance
Craftsman (does it have a #3 nib?)
Balance
Triumph Tuckaway
Balance
Balance
Triumph (1250?)

All the pens are Balance based, some just have different names.

Here's another nice old Sheaffer that will be joining those pens rather soon...





$22.95 was quite a bit of cash back in '52 and buying this set would have been considered a major purchase at a whopping $30.45

Keith (and Maja) -- thanks for the extra info!

Here's the nib inscriptions from left to right:

1. "Sheaffer's" over "3" over "Made in USA"
2. "Sheaffer's" over "33" over "Made in USA" over "14K"
3. "Sheaffer's" over "Feather Touch" over "Made in USA" over "5"

4. "Sheaffer's" over "79" over "LIFETIME" over "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off" over "Made in USA" over "14K"
5. "Sheaffer's" over "3" over "Made in USA"

6. "Sheaffer's" over "3" over "Made in USA"
7. "Sheaffer's" over "79" over "LIFETIME" over "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off" over "Made in USA" over "14K"


Does that stuff change anything?

Those are beautiful! I am beginning to pursue those sorts of Sheaffers, and am fascinated to see so many (and faintly envious).