Silver Sheaffer Imperial Touchdown

[aurioh]

Hey everyone, I have the Sheaffer Imperial touchdown in sterling silver. I've noticed that there's very little discussion or information about this pen online, so I was hoping we could start our own discussion about this pen and perhaps help answer some questions I have along the way.

 

Some questions:

-Is the 14k gold inlaid nib and clip plated? In certain lights and angles, it looks almost silver, but I don't know whether to attribute it to age.

-Was it made exclusively in 1970-71?

-Which model of Imperial is this pen? Am I incorrect to believe it's the Imperial IV?

-How many of you have/have had experience with this pen? How do you like it?

 

I personally love this pen--I would almost say it's my grail pen. It was my very first exposure to fountain pens and thus has a special place in my heart. I got it from an important old family friend who tells me that he's written quite a few books with this pen. He gave it to me broken and over the past few weeks, I managed to blunder my way into fixing it.

[Roger W.]

According to Sheaffertarga.com it is called a silver imperial. It would not be a IV as that is an all plastic pen (Nor a VI as those just have metal caps). I think the production run would be longer and these came in both cartridge and touchdown. Imperial sovereigns are the same but, rolled gold or gold plated. The nibs should be 14K and the trim gold plated.

 

Roger W.

[cattar]

Like Roger wrote, except

Sovereign was vermeil, gold plated on silver.

 

I think production of silver imperial was late '60s thru mid-70's.

[Happy Harry]

You have a very high quality pen. It's a '60's pen and the nib is solid 14ct gold. Enjoy it as it as few equals regardless of price.

[jar]

Like Roger wrote, except

Sovereign was vermeil, gold plated on silver.

 

I think production of silver imperial was late '60s thru mid-70's.

 

Not quite. I have a Sovereign and it is rolled gold.

[cattar]

Rolled gold, too. Good to know. Looking forward to next pen show.

[sexauerw]

 

Not quite. I have a Sovereign and it is rolled gold.

Mine is also rolled gold, marked 14K.

[aurioh]

According to Sheaffertarga.com it is called a silver imperial. It would not be a IV as that is an all plastic pen (Nor a VI as those just have metal caps). I think the production run would be longer and these came in both cartridge and touchdown. Imperial sovereigns are the same but, rolled gold or gold plated. The nibs should be 14K and the trim gold plated.

 

Roger W.

Interesting, thank you. I did some further digging on that site and found other myself immersed for a while.

 

This might be a silly question: does gold plating rub off over time? in some lighting, the clip AND the nib both look almost silver, which is what originally led me to believe that both had the same design.

[sexauerw]

Gold electroplating, such as would probably be found on the clip of a silver Imperial, is very thin and does wear through over time. And gold-plated nibs suffer the same fate. Also, there are both Imperials and Targas where the entire body and cap are electroplated; same problem again.

 

But gold-filled or gold-rolled items are quite durable and don't wear through unless abused very badly over a long period. Gold-filled and gold-rolled items have a far thicker layer of gold than gold-electroplated items do. And of course 14K and 18K items are gold alloy clear through.

 

I'm not sure what material the clip is made of, but I'm guessing brass. It's totally non-magnetic on the six or seven Imperials that I just tried with a very powerful magnet. But whatever it is, it's gold-plated and I'm quite sure that it's a thin gold-electroplate. By the way, I did get a little bit of magnetic attraction at the top of the clip on all of the pens, that was from the little spring behind the clip, not the clip itself.

 

I absolutely love my silver Imperial Touchdown!

 

http://bulk-share.slickpic.com/album/share/Oz,MOw50T33OAD/8530876.0/800/p/SH159_Sheaffer_Sterling_Imperial_Touchdown.jpg

I see what you mean about the appearance of the clip in different lighting. These two pictures are of the same pen!

 

http://bulk-share.slickpic.com/album/share/Oz,MOw50T33OAD/3623306.0/800/p/Writing_Sample%2C_Sheaffer_Sterling_Imperial_Touchdown.jpg

 

 

 

[Roger W.]

Bill;

 

A little optimistic on rolled gold there. It is true that it is much more durable than plating but, a rolled gold item, used even with care, will rub through as evidenced by a large number of such pens from the 10's and the 20's.

 

Roger W.

[sexauerw]

Roger,

I didn't know that, as I don't have any pens from that era in my collection. Thanks for sharing that information. Does the same apply to gold filled?

[joss]

I found this thread because I am looking for the production period of the sterling silver Sheaffer Imperial Touchdown.

 

I read on www.penhero.com that the sterling silver Sheaffer Imperial was introduced circa 1970-71 while the Touchdown system was discontinued around 1973.

 

That means that the production period of the Sheaffer Imperial touchdown in sterling silver is 1970-73.

 

Is that correct?

[mitto]

I have a C/C sterling silver Imperial. The grid pattern on my pen is different from that of the touchdown sterling silver pen. Were both these versions produced in the same time period?