Full Version: I Want to Add a Sheaffer to the Pile
I have been looking at adding a nice Sheaffer to the collection once the funds are available same as this one sold on E-Bay and was wondering if said cost from the E-Bay auction is normal or average. I understand the pen might require work. Looking for some knowledge from the Sheaffer crew. Thanks.
QUOTE (EventHorizon @ Jul 17 2008, 03:33 PM) 
I have been looking at adding a nice Sheaffer to the collection once the funds are available same as this one sold on E-Bay and was wondering if said cost from the E-Bay auction is normal or average. I understand the pen might require work. Looking for some knowledge from the Sheaffer crew. Thanks.
Given the speculative nature of pursuing a vacuum-filler, it's in the reasonable tending towards cheap line. The dentable metal cap makes it a little more valuable. I just hauled in a surprisingly functional full-size version for slightly less, I've spent somewhat more on a Crest with a duff filler, and I've gotten a lot of five with almost half the fillers working for $10/pen... but I've also had similar things stroll away towards the trans-$50 point where I mustn't play for fear of food shortages.
It's hard to tell from those photos, but this Tuckaway could also be a Touchdown filler- meaning an easier restoration.
IMO, the price paid in the auction is not particularly high or low. You'd definitely pay more for a restored model from a known dealer, but if you watch ebay, you should be able to pick up this Tuckaway configuration for less than $35.
Regards, greg
IMO, the price paid in the auction is not particularly high or low. You'd definitely pay more for a restored model from a known dealer, but if you watch ebay, you should be able to pick up this Tuckaway configuration for less than $35.
Regards, greg
Price OK, not great. You'd be happy of it doesn't need restoring, but if it does will cost $6-10 to send off, $30-35-? for repair depending, and another $6-10 back to you.
I got a working one, non metal cap, off our Marketplace for $45 shipped. Another time got one from a repairer shipped with my repaired pens for $40-45. These were not collector pens, but working pens. They all wrote fine, not beat up.
I got a working one, non metal cap, off our Marketplace for $45 shipped. Another time got one from a repairer shipped with my repaired pens for $40-45. These were not collector pens, but working pens. They all wrote fine, not beat up.
Hmmm...this is an interesting price question.
In my experience, Tuckaways can fetch higher or lower prices than their full-sized counterparts, depending not only on obvious factors like condition and color, but also on less obvious factors (seemingly) like day of the week and sunspot activity. I've seen nice Tuckaways sell for $10, and I've seen unexceptional specimens bid up to $75.
The vac-fill system does potentially complicate matters further, since it's wise to assume that any Sheaffer vac found in the wild will require a full overhaul. While there are more options in terms of restoration than there were only a few years ago, the fact remains that putting one of these pens in first-class writing order will almost inevitably entail a trip to a professional. I think vac-fill prices are moving upward, but it's possible that the repair issue is holding them a notch below lever-fillers, Touchdowns, etc. (all else being equal).
Bear in mind, as Greg says, that this pen may not be a vac-filler; either my eyes or the eBay photos are at fault, but I'm not sure this isn't a Touchdown. I seem to recall, vaguely, that the metal barrel threads on Touchdowns are a bit wider than on vac-fillers, and these threads do appear to be a bit on the wide side. I would expect a Touchdown to sell for more than an equivalent vac-filler.
This is a higher-end Sentinel model; as Ernst rightly points out, the metal Sentinel caps are often found with unattractive dents. If this cap is undamaged, that fact would enhance value and price.
If this is an "excellent+" Touchdown, then I think the selling price may be just a bit on the low side. If it's a vac-fill, perhaps with some unobvious faults, then I think it might be just a touch high. But it's not, to my mind, wildly out of line with going prices either way.
Take this for what it's worth: last year I won a pristine, restored Touchdown Tuckaway Sentinel pen/pencil set for something like $50 - in an auction featuring excellent photographs and a detailed description. I think that was a very good price, but I don't regard it as a "score."
Tuckies are charming pens, and good examples are superb writers. Good luck!
Cheers,
Jon
In my experience, Tuckaways can fetch higher or lower prices than their full-sized counterparts, depending not only on obvious factors like condition and color, but also on less obvious factors (seemingly) like day of the week and sunspot activity. I've seen nice Tuckaways sell for $10, and I've seen unexceptional specimens bid up to $75.
The vac-fill system does potentially complicate matters further, since it's wise to assume that any Sheaffer vac found in the wild will require a full overhaul. While there are more options in terms of restoration than there were only a few years ago, the fact remains that putting one of these pens in first-class writing order will almost inevitably entail a trip to a professional. I think vac-fill prices are moving upward, but it's possible that the repair issue is holding them a notch below lever-fillers, Touchdowns, etc. (all else being equal).
Bear in mind, as Greg says, that this pen may not be a vac-filler; either my eyes or the eBay photos are at fault, but I'm not sure this isn't a Touchdown. I seem to recall, vaguely, that the metal barrel threads on Touchdowns are a bit wider than on vac-fillers, and these threads do appear to be a bit on the wide side. I would expect a Touchdown to sell for more than an equivalent vac-filler.
This is a higher-end Sentinel model; as Ernst rightly points out, the metal Sentinel caps are often found with unattractive dents. If this cap is undamaged, that fact would enhance value and price.
If this is an "excellent+" Touchdown, then I think the selling price may be just a bit on the low side. If it's a vac-fill, perhaps with some unobvious faults, then I think it might be just a touch high. But it's not, to my mind, wildly out of line with going prices either way.
Take this for what it's worth: last year I won a pristine, restored Touchdown Tuckaway Sentinel pen/pencil set for something like $50 - in an auction featuring excellent photographs and a detailed description. I think that was a very good price, but I don't regard it as a "score."
Tuckies are charming pens, and good examples are superb writers. Good luck!
Cheers,
Jon
I am coming around to thinking that is indeed a TD-- it looks like it has some non-threaded metal at the joint, which would be the little barrel-mouth trim piece. I will enter into a circle of concurrence with Jon at this point.
Either way TD or Vac it will make you a nice pen. The conical nibs are wonderful to write with.
QUOTE (Univer @ Jul 17 2008, 10:52 AM)
. . . but also on less obvious factors (seemingly) like day of the week and sunspot activity.
So true!
John
QUOTE (Univer @ Jul 18 2008, 10:59 AM)
Cr*p, and me without funds.
Thanks to all. It appears the TD is what I am after and will focus also on a black barrel. The combo of black with the nib just seems right some how.
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