I have the prettiest vintage Sheaffer mechanical pencil. It seems like it would be part of a set – like it should match a fountain pen. I am a greenhorn and I am just guessing at that.

I have looked over the web and here in the forum. I believe that the color is called “Golden Brown Striated.” If that is true, does this mean it is celluloid and can be dated from sometime in the 1930’s to 1947? The color is just gorgeous, particularly portions of the bottom of the barrel – almost gold – like a tiger’s eye.

This pencil seems different due to the gold band, too. It has a square box imprint in the back of the band. I don’t understand why that would be there. Is it a special way to open it? I can’t really figure out how it works.

It has a plain gold clip (or gold colored, it is not marked). The marking on the pencil is on the back body of the top – just above the gold band. It states: SHEAFFER’S, MADE IN U.S.A., PAT’D IN U.S.A.

It is approx. 5 ¼ inches long.

Can anyone help identify this pencil? Possible dates, the material, does it go with a fountain pen set?

The extra imprint regarding a Patent and the strange gold box on the barrel makes me think it might be something special.

My photography is not the best. The real color is closest to the close-up of the back of the band

Hi,

Most sheaffer pencils from that era matched up to a pen, but of course could be purchased alone.

The pen it matches is called Sheaffer Balance, so you have a Balance Pencil

Production of this one ran around late 1930's.

Probably is a standard size pen though i cannot quite rule out oversized model from the pic.

Made of celluloid (cellulose nitrate in camphor moiety) with gold filled trim

This one is part of a series of uncatalogued but well recognized pens with wide milled band often called "Jeweler's" Band or "Deluxe" Band.

The imprint in the cartouche (engraving box) likely is an initial, though i don't insist.

The double stamping of made-in-USA is charming.

I don't believe the pencil is anything out of the ordinary, otherwise

Here's the sort of pen your pencil would match.



regards

david

Thank you, David. I was actually just surfing your site (really pretty pens), and I thought I found one like mine. It does not have an intial in the box, but it is nice to know that is what it was for. It does not have an extra "Made In" - but it does do the Made In and then the Pat'd In. So, is this golden pearl, and not the golden brown striated I saw on another site?

It is approx. 5 ¼ inches long. The circumference is a bit tricky to measure. It is somewhere between 1 1/4 to 1 3/8ths in circumference at the widest point. Doing the width instead of circumference it appears to be about 3/8ths of an inch.

I don't see any gold metal markings, but is it gold?

Oops, I did not read carefully. You already answered my metal question. You said it was gold filled trim. Thank you. I am sorry I did not read more carefully. I do so much appreciate the information.

Golden Pearl is term Parker used for its brown stripe. It is possible Sheaffer just called it brown. I don't have my catalogues in front of me.

regards

d