Any Help Appreciated...

[Casexx]

Hi to all! Long time lurker - first time poster. I received a montblanc rollerball pen for a Christmas gift and I've been on the fpn about everyday since. I recently bought an old sheaffer white dot fountain pen. I acquired it for a starting place to learn about fountain pens - I have never owned one before....but now that I have it at home, I cannot identify it. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated! I am here to learn....I will attach a few pics

[Casexx]

Here's the engraving on the barrel

[Casexx]

The nib

[Casexx]

And another pic

[ashbridg]

Nice catch! It's a late 1930s or early 1940s Balance Vac-Fil. The body is celluloid, the nib is a two-tone Lifetime with a platinum mask. It looks beautiful in the photos. The filling system will need service if it hasn't been done already. Some say the Balance is the best pen Sheaffer ever made. I love mine.

Edited February 6, 2013 by ashbridg

[DrPJM1]

1934-5 Sheaffer Vac-Fil Grey Pearl (marbled), lifetime model (white dot), model depends on size and width. Nice pen with great ink capacity.

[Casexx]

Nice catch! It's a late 1930s or early 1940s Balance Vac-Fil (like the one in my avatar). The body is celluloid, the nib is a two-tone Lifetime with a platinum mask. It looks beautiful in the photos. The filling system will need service if it hasn't been done already. Some say the Balance is the best pen Sheaffer ever made. I love mine.

 

 

Thanks for the info. I will look into getting the filling system serviced. I appreciate all the knowledge on this forum!

Edited February 6, 2013 by Casexx

[Casexx]

1934-5 Sheaffer Vac-Fil Grey Pearl (marbled), lifetime model (white dot), model depends on size and width. Nice pen with great ink capacity.

 

 

Thank you! The pen is not real big - 5 1/4" long, less than 5" without the pen cap....apparently this pen is as old as my dad (77 years)!! Thx again!

[kirchh]

1936 A73W. Handsome pen!

 

--Daniel

[kirchh]

What do you plan to do with the pen?

 

--Daniel

[Shaporama]

Beautiful pen. Congratulations.

 

If you do not already know, Vac-Fils fill on the downstroke. If you are going to test the pen, do not attempt to fill it by pulling up on the rod. Chances are the pen will need restoration. Ron Zorn, Sherrel Tyree and others here on FPN are capable of doing this repair, its not something a novice should attempt. Cost generally ranges from $35 to $50. Turnaround for this type of repair could be measured in months, not weeks.

 

Good luck and welcome!

[Casexx]

What do you plan to do with the pen?

 

--Daniel

 

I am not quite sure. I bought it at an antique store on Tuesday, and I brought it home to try and identify it online. I am thinking of offering it for sale. I want to own and use a fountain pen but since this pen is from the 1930's, I think I would rather sell it and buy something more recent. Let me know what you would suggest. I respect your opinion. Thanks for your help in identifying it for me.

[Casexx]

Beautiful pen. Congratulations.

 

If you do not already know, Vac-Fils fill on the downstroke. If you are going to test the pen, do not attempt to fill it by pulling up on the rod. Chances are the pen will need restoration. Ron Zorn, Sherrel Tyree and others here on FPN are capable of doing this repair, its not something a novice should attempt. Cost generally ranges from $35 to $50. Turnaround for this type of repair could be measured in months, not weeks.

 

Good luck and welcome!

 

Thank you! No, I had no idea - I am definitely a fp newbie! I spoke with a friend last night at church (who uses sheaffer fountain pens) and he didn't have any knowledge about vac-fils....that price range seems reasonable and if I decide to keep the pen, I will for sure consider the option of restoration. Thanks again for the info!

[DET]

I am thinking of offering it for sale. I want to own and use a fountain pen but since this pen is from the 1930's, I think I would rather sell it and buy something more recent. Let me know what you would suggest. I respect your opinion. Thanks for your help in identifying it for me.

 

Sell it and buy a more recent but perhaps inferior pen? Why? Have it restored, use it, enjoy it! That's my advice, at least. I happily use pens from the '20s, '30s and '40s all the time. No reason at all not to use them -- that's what they're made for.

 

 

 

(Edited to fix homoynm error.)

Edited February 7, 2013 by DET

[Shaporama]

I am thinking of offering it for sale. I want to own and use a fountain pen but since this pen is from the 1930's, I think I would rather sell it and buy something more recent. Let me know what you would suggest. I respect your opinion. Thanks for your help in identifying it for me.

 

Sell it and buy a more recent but perhaps inferior pen? Why? Have it restored, use it, enjoy it! That's my advice, at least. I happily use pens from the '20s, '30s and '40s all the time. No reason at all not to use them -- that's what they're made for.

 

 

 

(Edited to fix homoynm error.)

 

+1 Something compelled you to buy the pen, maybe it was fate! If you paid a reasonable price for it and if it can be restored for a reasonable sum you will own an instrument of real beauty and personality, (boy, if these old pens could talk!).

[goyo]

If I were you I'd definitely get that pen repaired and use it. It's a beauty and would be a joy to write with.

 

I'm new to Sheaffers myself -- I have a grand total of two -- but from what I've seen they're great pens. I have a later model pen with the same vac-fil system and I love the ink capacity. Celluloid pens also have a tactile sense that the later plastic pens simply can't match.

 

I've been using Pelikans for quite a while -- until recently my daily writer was an M800 -- but I think the older Sheaffers (and Parkers) are simply better pens. From my experience they last longer, too.

Edited February 8, 2013 by goyo

[kirchh]

What do you plan to do with the pen?

 

--Daniel

 

I am not quite sure. I bought it at an antique store on Tuesday, and I brought it home to try and identify it online. I am thinking of offering it for sale. I want to own and use a fountain pen but since this pen is from the 1930's, I think I would rather sell it and buy something more recent. Let me know what you would suggest. I respect your opinion. Thanks for your help in identifying it for me.

My opinion? My opinion is that this pen has been for sale on eBay since yesterday:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/271152217161

 

Are you still "not quite sure" what you are going to do with it?

 

--Daniel

[Casexx]

What do you plan to do with the pen?

 

--Daniel

 

I am not quite sure. I bought it at an antique store on Tuesday, and I brought it home to try and identify it online. I am thinking of offering it for sale. I want to own and use a fountain pen but since this pen is from the 1930's, I think I would rather sell it and buy something more recent. Let me know what you would suggest. I respect your opinion. Thanks for your help in identifying it for me.

My opinion? My opinion is that this pen has been for sale on eBay since yesterday:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/271152217161

 

Are you still "not quite sure" what you are going to do with it?

 

--Daniel

 

Yes, I did list the pen last night ( 9:45 pm ) but that was before I knew about the restoration costs and options that are availale to me. I want to own a fountain pen but I knew absolutely nothing about a vac-fil and now I only know what people have posted. Thanks again for the education.

[kirchh]

What do you plan to do with the pen?

 

--Daniel

 

I am not quite sure. I bought it at an antique store on Tuesday, and I brought it home to try and identify it online. I am thinking of offering it for sale. I want to own and use a fountain pen but since this pen is from the 1930's, I think I would rather sell it and buy something more recent. Let me know what you would suggest. I respect your opinion. Thanks for your help in identifying it for me.

My opinion? My opinion is that this pen has been for sale on eBay since yesterday:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/271152217161

 

Are you still "not quite sure" what you are going to do with it?

 

--Daniel

 

Yes, I did list the pen last night ( 9:45 pm ) but that was before I knew about the restoration costs and options that are availale to me. I want to own a fountain pen but I knew absolutely nothing about a vac-fil and now I only know what people have posted. Thanks again for the education.

I see. So when you wrote on Thursday,

 

I am thinking of offering it for sale

 

...that wasn't true, because you had already listed it on eBay the day before.

 

Just so we're clear.

 

--Daniel

[ashbridg]

Hi to all! Long time lurker - first time poster. I received a montblanc rollerball pen for a Christmas gift and I've been on the fpn about everyday since.

You mean the pen you "bought from a local small town jeweler" and then sold on ebay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Montblanc-163-Rollerball-/271136211421?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f20fa41dd

 

Questions about ebay descriptions are legitimate, but nobody likes to be played for a chump. I am disappointed to see my earlier comments quoted verbatim in your listing that Daniel linked to.

 

Pretending to have interest in a pen so you can trick FPN members into helping you sell it on ebay is offensive. You sure snookered me. Boy, do I feel dumb.