Dear all.

I am just arriving in your forum. I like it. I just ask you to excuse me for my so poor English ... but I am French.

I will try to search on topics but I have still two questions :

Does an estimation of second hand pens exist ?
In fact, I love Sheaffer pens. I have two Targa line and by fountain one is in a bad conditions because of its age and storage conditions.
I have seen a Sheaffer "Grand connaisseur" which is in black lacquer, good conditions, it seems, in its box. I have no idea of its age and writing qualities.
What is your opinion concerning this model and what could be its price in a second had market ?

After, I have a fountain TARGA. It was a beautiful one with a white lacquer. But it is 15 years old and the lacquer of the handing part is now yellowing a little bit. Also the inside part, in contact with the cap, is a little bit damaged.
Is it possible to refresh it ?
What do you think of this pen : I like it but it is really worth to try to refresh it ?

Thanks a lot for your answers. Best regards

Yann

Bonjour Yann, and welcome to the Nuthouse.

Unfortunately, there is no formal list or website that details the prices of second hand pens (at least, none that I know of). This is mainly due to the laws of supply and demand which makes the effort of maintaining a very up-to-date list very tedious indeed. It requires some effort but what you could do is to observe the Marketplace here on FPN or on other pen boards to have a rough idea of what to expect. You could also search for some sellers of vintage pens and see what prices they offer - a last resort would be to watch ebay.

As far as vintage pens go, Sheaffer is one of my favourite brands. I have a few Targas but no Connaisseur (at least, not yet ), so I'll address your Targa query first.

I'm not quite sure how much pen repairers would charge for fixing your Targa but I'm quite confident that it can be repaired. Unless you are really attached to your Targa for sentimental reasons, you might want to consider getting another one, which you could get for around US$50 or thereabouts (depending on the version and its condition). I love my Targas.

Thanks to an excellent article about the Connaisseur by Dennis Bowden in the latest PCA magazine (a US based pen club) called the Pennant, I learnt that this model was only in production from 1985-1996 but even during this time, there were quite a few versions made. Based on my personal experience with Sheaffers, I would expect this pen to be a great one indeed.

I'm sure other more knowledgable Sheaffer fans here will add more valuable info for you. In the meantime, I'm also quite certain that you have already found very useful info from searching around FPN.

Good luck and hope to see you around the Nuthouse.


raf.

Hello raf.

Thanks a lot for your answer. I hope that many others will help me in this "quest".

New question after your details : Where is it possible to find websites of vintage pens sellers ?

Thanks a lot, best regards

Yann

I don't have the model you are asking about, but a less expensive one based on the same design (a Levenger "seas" pen), I would think that they are quite similar in writing characteristics, with the exception that the grand connaisseur is a slightly heavier pen owing to the laquered metal barrel (pretty sure that they are metal?). in short it writes very consistantly with an extremely smooth nib and good inkflow, the only complaint I have is that the metal trim ring at the end of the section corroded on mine, the pen is still functional, but the ring is ugly now

I think I have seen grand connaisseurs go on ebay for between $100 and $300 US

The Sheaffer Targa is an excellent pen -- my favorite.

Repair should be a good -- or buying another. Pens made 15 years ago but never used are still available for a reasonable price.

Sheaffer Connaisseur is bigger. The Grande Connaisseur is also heavier. If you like a bigger or heavier pen, the Connaisseur or Grande Connaisseur is a good choice. If your Sheaffer Targa is the right size and weight for you (it is for me), then staying with the Targa would be a wise choice.

Both the Targa and Connaisseur models are well made and very reliable.

By the way, welcome to FPN. I hope other members have given you good advice. Other people have been most helpful when I have had questions and I am pleased to be able to share my experiences to help you.

Check here:
http://www.penhero.com/PenBookmarks_PenDealersVint.htm

Hello

Thanks a lot for your answers.

I have just received a "Grand Connaisseur", bought on Ebay. I put enclosed a picture. Does anybody of you know what was the original price for this fountain pen ?

Thanks, best regards

Yann91

The Grand Connaisseur pens were introduced in 1989 in Black Laque and Tortoiseshell Laque at a list price of $275. The Black survived the entire lifespan of the series and was last in the Sheaffer catalog in 1996 with a list price of $410.

One must be careful on eBay becasue I often see Connaisseurs offered as Grand Connaisseurs when they are really the standard plastic models which are worth much less. A Grand Connaisseur has a lacquered brass barrel over a plastic insert (at least the Black and Tortoiseshell colors) and will have a two-tone nib. The earlier Grand Connaisseur nibs were also larger than the standard nibs and carried the imprint of "1920" on them. Many of the earlier sections had a metal threaded sleeve which may have a number and the nib size imprinted.

In terms of relative value, lowest to highest, my experience has been 23K Gold Plated, Black Laque, Tortoiseshell Laque, and Sterling Silver.

Hope this was of some help. The Summer 2006 issue of The Pennant has my article on this series. I consider the Connaisseur pens among the best of any modern c/c filler pens.

Dennis B

One additional note. Your pen appears to have a Balance II section instead of a Connaisseur section. Is the nib also a Balance II nib (it will say Feathertouch on it)? In recent years, Sheaffer has used the Balance II section as a repalcement when Connaisseurs were sent in for warranty service (I know from experience).

Still a nice pen.

Dennis B

Hello

Thanks for details, but my pen technical english is quite poor. So I have difficulties to understand all the details.

Nib is 2 colors 18K . See picture.
It's difficult to know how heavy it should be ...

I have bought it as a Grand Connaisseur for 44 Euros + 8 Euros shipping. So it's about 67 USD all included. What's your opinion ?

Thanks

One more pic :

The nib and section are from a Balance II. But, even if the pen is a standard plastic Connaisseur and not a Grand Connaisseur, the price you paid was reasonable.

I am not at home now with access to my photos, but will post a photo later of a Grand Connaisseur nib and section.

Enjoy your pen.

Dennis B

Hi Yann. If you could weigh the body only in grams, we could tell you if it was a regular plastic Connaisseur or the metal Grand Connaisseur.

Regards,

PeteWK

Connaissuer nibs and sections as I promised.

Type I - Early standard Connaisseur. Not often seen with metal sleeve.
Type II - Usually seen standard Connaisseur nib and section.
Type III - Early Grand Connaisseur two-tone nib with "1920" imprint and metal sleeve.
Type IV - Later Grand Connaisseur two-tone nib and all plastic section. This nib is smaller than the Type III.

Closeup of section with metal slevve and imprinted number. Some also have the nib size imprinted.

Note the sections have straighter sides than the Balance II sections.

Hope this is informative.

Dennis B

Hello

Thanks for these pics .... But my nib is different of these four ones. All the extremity of my nib is silver colour. For the black piece (to hold the pen), the curve is also different. You can see it in one of my pics.

For the weigh of the pen :
- All the pen : 35,7 grams (with cartridge)
- The black body only : 14,23 grams

Regs

Yann91

Hi Yann

Don't you love these guys? Where else would someone, a complete stranger, go to all that trouble to provide you with such great info?

Brilliant. Thanks, Dennis.



Nick

My point exactly. Your pen does not have an original Connaisseur nib and section. The nib looks like one from a Balance II pen (as does the section). Does it have Feathertouch imprinted on the nib?

Dennis B

Dennis,

Thinks written on my nib :
- SHEAFFER'S
- Feather Touch
- 18K - 750
- MADE IN USA

One more detail :
There is two things written in the gold ring of the cap ! SHEAFFER'S in one side, and ENGLAND in the other side.

So ....

Thanks, Yann91

Yann91,

Your nib and section are definitely from a Sheaffer Balance II pen. That is not necessarily bad, just that they are not original to the pen.

The additional detail of the cap band being marked "ENGLAND", tells me your pen is indeed a Grand Connaisseur. As far as I know, only the Grand Connaisseurs were made in both the U.S. and England. All the standard Connaisseurs I have seen are marked USA on the cap band.

Enjoy your pen.

Dennis B

I looked at my Grand Connaisseur's (4 in all, one made in England) and they are all type III. In looking at them I could not see the nib type F, M, B?

I really don't see too many with the nib size stamped on the metal sleeve. Most had the nib size screened in gold on the section like many other Sheaffers and that wears off pretty rapidly.

Dennis B

Hi again Yann. I would say the weight certainly confirms that your pen is a Grande model. My plastic Connaisseur barrel weighs in at 10.1 grams. Regards,

PeteWK