Hi .. I am wondering on the expression of " Sovereign" being attached to some Sheaffer Pens.. Can someone enlighten me why and when the pen is called " Sovereign" ..or is it a brand name like 51 and 61 in parkers.. I have seen Plastic sheaffers and called Sovereins and seen also some Imperial silvers also named as " Sovereign" .. what is this all about? what are the measures??

It was a model name attached to a given pen by Sheaffer. Vague recollection is that besides Snorkel, at least one 1940's Triumph Celluloid pen had that name. Probably others.

d

In the case of Thin Model Pens, the Sovereign could be one of two trim models:


Sovereign TM (Early) - The Sovereign TM is essentially the same pen as the Statesman, but without the White Dot and fitted with a Feathertouch type nib. The two pens could easily be confused with a cap swap, and sometimes the pen may be found with the other model pencil.

Identification guide and features:

Conventional 14 karat gold two-tone platinum masked nib, stamped "SHEAFFER'S" over "Feathertouch" and hallmarked - Nib is Sheaffer nib code 73
Some models will have conventional 14 karat gold two-tone platinum masked nib, stamped "SHEAFFER'S" over patent information stamping and hallmarked - Nib is Sheaffer nib code 74
Nib grades included extra fine, fine, medium, broad, and shorthand
Visulated section
Gold filled innerspring clip
1/4 inch wide gold filled cap band
Plastic cap and barrel in solid colors
About 5 1/4 inches long capped and 6 1/8 inches posted
Available colors were Black, Burgundy, Evergreen Green, Persian Blue, and Burnt Umber Brown
Retail price for the pen was US $8.75, matching slip-cap ballpoint US $6.00 (Late 1951), and matching pencil US $5.00


Sovereign TM (Late) - The metal cap Sovereign TM is similar to the Statesman, but with a stainless steel cap with a White Dot and fitted with a Feathertouch type nib. This version of the Sovereign was probably manufactured only in 1951, right before the Snorkel was released.

Identification guide and features:

Conventional 14 karat gold two-tone platinum masked nib, stamped "SHEAFFER'S" over patent information stamping and hallmarked - Nib is Sheaffer nib code 74
Nib grades probably included extra fine, fine, medium, broad, and shorthand
Visulated section
Gold filled innerspring clip
Polished stainless steel cap with five engraved panels - a set of two straight lines with a dashed and diamond line between
Barrel in solid colors
About 5 1/4 inches long capped and 6 1/8 inches posted
Available colors were probably Black, Burgundy, Pastel Green, Pastel Blue, and Pastel Grey
Retail price for the pen was probably US $8.75, matching slip-cap ballpoint US $6.00 (Late 1951), and matching pencil US $5.00

You can read more about TM model pens here:

PenHero.com Sheaffer TM Pens Article

In the case of Snorkels, the Sovereign is a specific trim model:


Sovereign - Open 14 karat gold nib with platinum mask (similar to earlier Feathertouch nibs), polished stainless steel cap with five engraved panels, and gold-filled clip with "SHEAFFER'S" stamped. The cap panels are a set of two straight lines with a dashed and diamond line between. Barrel colors produced were black, burgundy, pastel gray, pastel blue (or aqua), pastel green, buckskin tan, vermilion (a tangerine), and sage green.

You can read more about Sheaffer Snorkel models here:

PenHero.com Sheaffer Snorkel Article

Cheers,

Jim Mamoulides
www.PenHero.com

Is there any evidence that Sheaffer designated this model 'Sovereign', or have you speculatively applied that model name to this pen?

--Daniel

My speculation, and I'm sticking with it. The later "Sovereign" TM differs from the Snorkel model only in its lack of Snorkel filler. I have a hard time believing Sheaffer called it something else.

I suppose I could qualify my position in the article. ;-)

Cheers,

Jim Mamoulides
www.PenHero.com

Not so. Crucially, the pen you're labeling the late Sovereign TM is a White Dot model -- unlike the TM Touchdown model that Sheaffer called Sovereign and the later Snorkel model of that same name. In both those lines, the Sovereign model served as the best non-White-Dot model; you're positing that Sheaffer promoted the Sovereign model to a White Dot model then within a year or so demoted it again back to the non-White-Dot tier.


That suprises me given the reasoning above, the complete absence of direct evidence, and the generally unpredictable and surprising nature of companies' behavior. As a parallel, I would guess that you would have had a hard time believing Sheaffer even made such a model before you saw an example.


Well, given that the name is used without qualification, thus clearly conveying the impression that it is an official name as are the others used, I think adding a clear note that you are applying the name retrospectively based only on your own interpolation would be the responsible approach. Personally, I would not even apply an apparently official name without direct evidence due to the confusion that could be caused when others pass along the information without all the needed qualifications.

I have no idea what Sheaffer called this model, and I offer no opinion on the probability that this model was designated 'Sovereign'. I am completely open-minded on the issue. I hope a boxed or tagged example appears to give us something concrete to go on.

** EDIT: See Jon's post below and my response.

--Daniel

Hi,

Just as an FYI, this thread does discuss a MP - possibly a mate to the putative late-model TM Touchdown Sovereign - that bore a "Sovereign" tag. The White Dot on the pencil makes it an unlikely companion to the non-White Dot Snorkel Sovereign, although it seems to share the slim profile of the Snorkel MP. So - unless it didn't really belong with the pencil - the tag does seem to suggest the existence of a slim, pre-Snorkel Sovereign.

Cheers,

Jon

PS Setting aside for the moment the gold-filled diamond-pattern Imperials that were also called (I believe) Sovereigns, wasn't there a wire-cap-band White Dot Sovereign II as well? If that was a "II," which model was the "I"?

I agree. Though clip tags aren't quite as reliable as are stickers (I have a NOS black and pearl oversized longtail balance with a clip tag reading "$8.75", which might have been a later mark-down), I consider this reasonable evidence of the name of this style.


My guess is that the "II" designations were intended to distinguish the new line models from the earlier Balance-style models of the same names (for example, the Sovereign name was used for a long slender Balance model).

--Daniel

Thank you, Daniel!

Jon

Wow, this place is a treasure trove of information. I am in the market for a Snorkel... when I first read about them, I went nuts. They're so cool!!! The pages at PenHero.com are really quite excellent and have helped me out a great deal in seeing the differences between the models, so I know what I'm looking at.

Crossing my fingers now... I've got my eye on a Sovereign and a Valiant...

... and I wouldn't know what to look for if it wasn't for this forum and all the great resources. So, thank you.