Happy new year!

I just saw balance demonstrator on ebay with $4500 buy-it-now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=004

Rare pen has hiiiiiiiigh price

Anyone try?

And $200-$300 for shipping outside the US, this guy is dreaming.

Let's see ...

Item location = Columbus Ohio

"bexlevy" = Bexley + Howard Levy

He should know pens but I think he values this one more than I do.

I wonder what his Reserve is?

I have never seen a pen like this. I believe it is extremely rare but good luck finding a die hard Sheaffer fan who can afford that kind of money for a Sheaffer. Maybe Phillip Benz would have snapped it up and protected it from the element.

What I find thoroughly disgusting are those polecats who take an ordinary pen and emboss it themselves with the word "Demonstrator" and then hope to sell it for more than it was worth before they defaced it.

That is a fair thought, but for the sake of this thread let us point out that this is NOT the case for this significant and rare near-modern Sheaffer.

regards

david

An amazing near-modern pen and a few thoughts.

First. This is the real deal. A scarce modern pen that comes close to honoring what the original Demonstrator meant, as opposed to how term is used on most modern pens.

Second. $4500 might be shooting high, but for this pen... might not be. But, that's the charm of the auction setting. Reserve might be $500, we just don't know. But, if i had one of these- and whilst i perhaps have more vintage Sheaffers than Howard, though perhaps not- and indeed i don't have one, have not owned one, have not seen one before this, i would not let it go at trivial price.

Third. Howard, too, is the real deal. A gracious fellow who is a long time collector of vintage american pens and who started a widely appreciated modern american pen company. He knows pens and generally offers auction items with modest reserves. If he thinks this pen is worth the cost...

Will be curious to see what this pulls. A grand pen.

regards

david

Not sure. I've never sent a pen overseas insured for $5000. Anyone know how much insurance runs on USPS for $5000 insurance on overseas package? I went to USPS.gov but could not find the rate card.

regards

david

This pen is rare indeed. Only 100 were made. I spoke with people at Sheaffer back on my factory visit about the pen and even they discussed it as a rare pen. It's also likely irreplaceable - I doubt Sheaffer had many spare parts for this pen, so if you break it, it's probably gone. I wonder how many of these pens were actually inked.

Cheers,

Jim Mamoulides
www.PenHero.com

Notice that Howard stated that international shipping could run $200-$300 because the package includes the salesman's large case and promotional materials. The shipping estimate sounds high, but that may be what it would cost to ship 2 heavy boxes overseas.

I doubt it very much...
Howard Levy is the owner of Bexley Pens and I don't doubt that he did some research on how much it might cost to ship this pen, the dealers case, etal overseas before posting that information. Someone in his business would know shipping rates...
I also would figure that it will not be sent USPS since they do not insure for more than about $2000.00
So the shipment would most likely be UPS or DHL which would insure for the total selling amount and value of this pen...

That is crazy. I put it on my watch list. Curiousity kills the...well...you know.

Me too. I just dont have 4500 to buy this rare pen. Pitty!

Wonder who will get it...

Hi David,

Agreed on all three of your points.
But the one about not letting it go cheaply is the most appropriate.
This pen is in effect "an LE within an LE".
Never released to the general public makes it very desirable especially as the Balance is widely collected model (worldwide).
I am not sure whether $4.5K is an achievable value, but I don't see why it shouldn't make that. Especially when you consider that other modern pens from the same era such as Hemmingways and Prousts change hands for this kind of price and they were produced in their thousands.

A rare pen indeed.
I might have a nibble at it....

I can tell you that this is a VERY-VERY limited edition pen. There are only a few
barrels left in Ft.Madison so I don't think that these could ever be repaired. I'll
call next week and see exactly how many parts are actually left.