Sheaffer Sales Training Video 1943

[AAAndrew]

I have been converting our old VHS tapes to DVD and in our very large collection I ran across one that I had gotten some years ago (over 11 at least). I don't remember where I got it but I believe it may have been someone from this or some other fountain pen forum back earlier this century.

 

The video is from 1943 and is, I believe, a training film for Sheaffer salesmen. It's made by Jam Handy Productions, known for their training and industrial films. In the film a salesman expresses frustration to his boss about the number of pens Sheaffer is producing, which is not enough to satisfy his dealers. The boss then explains about everything that Sheaffer is doing for the war effort and explains why they are producing fewer pens.

 

The film then goes on to address several other "concerns" of the dealers the salesmen works with, including quality of construction of the pens and consistency of leadership.

 

These questions give us then the opportunity to lean about the new Sheaffer Triumph nib, Scrip writing fluid (they never use the term "ink"), and even to see old W.A. Sheaffer himself as well as his son Craig who has been running the business since 1937.

 

The quality is not great since it's most likely a multi-generational VHS copy that's over a decade old, but it's still fun to watch. I tried searching the archives and the only Sheaffer film I can find referenced is the old 26 letters one.

 

https://youtu.be/A8BiarUbUJE

 

I'll be doing a double posting, and hopefully not violating the rules too badly, but mentioning this as well over in the Sheaffer section of the forum. If this double posting runs afoul of the rules, then I'll let the moderators decide where it should reside.

[Dickkooty2]

An absolute treat! Thank you!

1. As an old guy involved for many years with sales support and promotion, it was a treat towatch the production and writing skills for which Jam Handy was a leader in this industry. Jam Handy was a real person and his bio is worth a quick google.

2. And a treat to view the "proper-ganda" of supporting the War Effort. Would language and emotions such as these play today? I think not.

3. A treat to see the golden age of the hand-production manufacturing floor before automation and digitalization came in.

4. A treat and a lesson in the progress of women from secretaries and "woman's work" production lines.

5. A further treat and lesson in the depiction of male leaders and "only male leaders" in business through the 80's.

6. The fashion treat of those suits!

7. And finally, the treat of viewing the sales pitch itself and the descriptions of the wonderful pens!And seeing the long-time personnel involved right up to Mr Shaeffer and his son. Mr Shaeffer is wearing a then state-of-the art hearing aid!

I do wonder how the skills of the Jam Handy Company would dramatize the role of the Newell organization in todays global society and and overseas labor?

[NinthSphere]

Thanks. Dl'd & tucked away to watch tonight. Sounds interesting.

[adyf]

Is that Letta examining a nib at the 13 minute mark?

[PS104]

Many thanks for sharing. Very illuminating wrt war production and its effect on the home front and the making of the Sheaffer fountain pen.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

I have been converting our old VHS tapes to DVD and in our very large collection I ran across one that I had gotten some years ago (over 11 at least). I don't remember where I got it but I believe it may have been someone from this or some other fountain pen forum back earlier this century.

 

The video is from 1943 and is, I believe, a training film for Sheaffer salesmen. It's made by Jam Handy Productions, known for their training and industrial films. In the film a salesman expresses frustration to his boss about the number of pens Sheaffer is producing, which is not enough to satisfy his dealers. The boss then explains about everything that Sheaffer is doing for the war effort and explains why they are producing fewer pens.

 

The film then goes on to address several other "concerns" of the dealers the salesmen works with, including quality of construction of the pens and consistency of leadership.

 

These questions give us then the opportunity to lean about the new Sheaffer Triumph nib, Scrip writing fluid (they never use the term "ink"), and even to see old W.A. Sheaffer himself as well as his son Craig who has been running the business since 1937.

 

The quality is not great since it's most likely a multi-generational VHS copy that's over a decade old, but it's still fun to watch. I tried searching the archives and the only Sheaffer film I can find referenced is the old 26 letters one.

 

https://youtu.be/A8BiarUbUJE

 

I'll be doing a double posting, and hopefully not violating the rules too badly, but mentioning this as well over in the Sheaffer section of the forum. If this double posting runs afoul of the rules, then I'll let the moderators decide where it should reside.

 

Wow! That was great. Thanks for posting it. I spent a quite pleasant half hour watching that Jam Handy film.

 

It was interesting to see film of the guy who invented the lever filling system.

[bleair]

Thanks for posting that. A fun bit of history..

 

Is it accurate to view this film in the context of Parker causing them the strongest competition?

 

If my dates are right I think Parker has just released the Parker 51 and "super quink". The super quink ink does dry crazy fast, and I wonder if Sheaffer was feeling competitive heat on that front... curious that they wanted to call their ink "writing fluid" and not ink