Hello All

I am very interested in learning more about the Schaeffer Pen Company as well and the pens that were produced in Ft. Madison. Is there a book out there a person could buy that would have the history and could also help to identify the different pens and what years they were manufactured?

Thanks

Steve

Steve;

No, not really. You could buy some of the general books and they'll give you an idea but, generally these books are innacurate on Sheaffer. You can look at www.richardspens.com and www.penhero.com good quality info on Sheaffer here. Also, my site has ads fro the teens through the 40's and some articles - www.sheafferflattops.com.

Roger W.

Now that the Ft. Madison plant has gone, a pen expert could probably pitch a biography on Sheaffer and his pens to a non-fiction publisher, and it would sell internationally.

Just sayin'.

Must respectfully disagree---There is one of which I am aware--- 1998 Sheaffer Pen Encyclopedia and Data Book, sub titled, A Compendium of Writing Instrument Lore and History, copyright 1997 and 1998, by Ed Pasahow, (privately published I believe). It has an alphabetically organized encycopedic section, a chronology of the Sheaffer Pen Co.---organized by year--e.g., first use of cap bands, skrip ink developed, feed entirely circled with comb cuts, intro of octagonal pencils, 1920's models, #'s, and descriptions and other bits, dating sheaffer clips, length of vac fil plungers and washers, indicators of pen date introductions, Giftie pen sets-dates and descriptions, Radite pen chronology and dates, Skripsert model #'s and descriptions, sac size info, fashion pen models and colors, ditto Imperials, Targas, LE's and so forth. Length about 100+ pages--no pics. Don't know if it's still avaliable. Does not have an ISBN #.

Though this book has impressive scope, and it is an admirable effort, it has many errors and inaccuracies, and I would not rely upon it for any specifics absent independent confirmation.

--Daniel

Fred;

It is an interesting work though, it is not without substantial errors (yes, I own a copy). Very little of the information has sources noted so that we have almost nothing to go back to for validity. There is some controversy to how this book was put together which may be the reason it is not available. Last I knew you might be able to get it from Germany. As far as being able to use this work to identify models it is not laid out in that fashion and it has no pictures. It really has many of the same limitations as most books in that it cannot be updated as the websites can as new information comes to light. It would not be a book I would site for Sheaffer information and, therefore, did not do such in my earlier post.

Roger W.

Is this what you have been looking for? Pen speak,on Todd's site, please scroll down to bottom.
http://isellpens.com/sheaffer%20nos.html

I agree re: errors as I have found some---still for a general work and to help ID stuff about which the non-specialist may not have a clue it is the only text (?) and a reasonable starting point. It certainly isn't a scholarly work in the sense of citations and documentations. The best one has yet to be written--and it will not be complete as new discoveries will render it incomplete and inaccurate before it is printed. Thus with most reference texts/compendiums.

Has anyone read this book? Is this one useful and nice to have? thanks.

Must you do that ?????? Just had a look at the link you supplied re the book being discussed and finished up buying a pen instead

Suppose I should have done what you suggested and scrolled down to the bottom of the page without looking at the pens on offer.

I think this is just a pen glossary.

grrr, happened to me, too! i ended up buying an NOS sheaffer selangor bamboo pen! (couldn't quarrel with the price, which was less than half that quoted in other places--besides, it's got a broad, never-inked nib!)

Oh that is a beautiful looking pen.

Hi

I looked at the book. The price was great until Todd decided that shipping to Israel should be $35 as compared with between $12 and $18 when I buy from an American book shop.

I found a copy of an older edition at Pendemonium for $10, but am waiting to hear what his shipping charges are

Chaim Seymour