QUOTE (Tytyvyllus @ Aug 3 2005, 08:33 PM)
And I guess if they sell those 500 andother 500 will be made & sold.
Amazing trick with an unnumbered special edition
K H
That's possible, of course, but I very seriously doubt it for a number of specific reasons.
First, the factory in Fort Madison is closing in 2006, so they will be moving production. They won't be in a position to keep making the pens there, even if they wanted to. A second or later run would be very difficult logistically in the midst of moving the factory.
Second, while I agree that an unnumbered edition implies an open ended run, and that individually numbering pens is an expensive extra step that would increase the cost and the price, and I don't think Sheaffer is that interested in creating a limited edition. I do think this is a single run and see this model as the Fort Madison last hurrah.
Third, let's look at how they approached their dealers. Earlier this year, they asked us what we thought of the proposed pen and how many we thought we could sell. They were specific going in that it would not be a numbered limited, but would be made to the demand dealers gave them. They came back later in the summer and said, they were going to make 500 or up to as many as their dealers reserved. They closed reservations August 1 and told us clearly that the number was fixed.
Sheaffer typically only makes 1,000 of their regular sterling silver pens every year. They actually ran out on us in 2004 and had to make more to keep up with orders. But if Sheaffer only makes and sells about 1,000 regular sterling silver pens in a year, why would I think a special edition that's more expensive would sell more? They may have wondered if 500 was the right number.
Lastly, practically, I would guess that the set up on this particular pen is expensive, so Sheaffer had to decide how many blanks they want to make and then run them all at once to keep the cost where they want it. I also do not believe that Sheaffer has the complicated engraving machine necessary to do the work required on this pen. It's possible, but I doubt it. They job some of their finishes now, including the Look of Leather and Rainbow finishes.
So my thinking is that they would need a really big demand to make more, like 200-300 more pens. I don't think it will happen. I intend to find out how many were actually ordered and can say that ours was one of the largest.
