I actually need help dating a PAIR of snorkels - I've made plans to take them to the same restaurant on the same evening! I hope nothing wacky happens!

But seriously, I'm wondering if there's any way to tell a more specific date than 1952-1959 for a snork. I've read various things on the internet but I thought I would ask the experts here. I'm including an unfortunately blurry picture, but I will also describe them. Our own Cntrlfrk restored them (for free, even!) and he did a fabulous job, so they look and write brand new.

- A triumph-point Crest model, white dot gold-filled cap with groupings of four parallell lines of descending length."Sheaffer's - Made in USA" on the cap. Black with black section. "Sheaffer'S Made in USA 14k" on the point (which is two-tone). It's an extra-fine (WAY finer than the supposedly needlepoint Hero 327, for instance).

- An open point Saratoga, in maroon. Plastic cap with "Sheaffer'S" on clip; wide metal band at the bottom (may be gold filled?). Black section, point says "Sheaffer'S reg. US patent off. Made in usa 14k". The point is two-tone and open.

Any info would be much appreciated!

Sheaffer did not date their products, and since black and maroon were produced the whole run, there is no way to tell what year those pens were made, to the best of my knowledge.

If one of them has a gold snorkel tube, it's from '52 or '53, as supposedly the gold tube was only used in initial production, but that's the only hint I have.

Peter

Ah well, that's pretty much what I thought. No gold tube on either one.

I've never dated a snorkel, but I went out with a star-bellied sneetch once.

The metal-capped one is a Sentinel. 1953-1959 is the entire run; as has been said, the maroon was a long-run color.

Would the Sentinel happen to say "A4" or "A5" on it anywhere by any chance? I am curious to know whether it's an Accountant nib, considering it's finer than your Hero (which make some darn fine nibs).

Best,
Summer Greer

ah that was YOU!!! I didn't realize I'd leave such an impression!



Seriously, I've been trying to determine date of production for many of my Sheaffers as well, and there really is very little pinpoint information other than "the gold tubes", or "Lifetime on the clip" - for specific years inside a run, but without those marks it could be any other year during the run.

To me it's rather ridiculous not to date code pens.. how expensive it is really? I guess if they save a penny per pen in the process it will add up over time, so, charge an extra nickel for the pen and make 400% profit on the silly date stamp. That way we all know exactly when our pens were made, and our future generations will know the dates of their vintage pens (our modern ones) as well. But what does a true star-bellied sneetch really know?

charming