Sheaffer Snorkel Triple Sets

[PenHero]

Hi, folks!

This is a Sheaffer Snorkel Clipper Burgundy in a difficult to find Triple Set including the Clipper fountain pen, retractable Sheaffer Feathertouch ballpoint pen, and pencil c1955-1956. The fountain pen has a Triumph palladium-silver alloy nib (some are hallmarked PdAg), polished stainless steel cap with a repeating pattern of four straight longitudinal engraved lines in a stepped grouping, gold-filled cap band, gold-filled clip, and plastic barrel. Barrel colors produced were black, burgundy, pastel gray, pastel blue (or aqua), pastel green, peacock blue, buckskin tan, mandarin orange, fiesta red, and sage green. The Clipper fountain pen is 5 1/2 inches long and sold for $18.50. The ballpoint sold for $3.95. The matching pencil sold for $7.50.

http://www.penhero.com/Temp/SheafferSnorkelClipperBurgundyTripleSet_1280_01.jpg

There were other Snorkel Triple Sets, but not many include the retractable ballpoint pen. Anyone want to show theirs?

Thanks!

[Ernst Bitterman]

This is a TM Statesman set I got quite a while ago. The BP is capped rather than actuated, so it has the little tell-tale nubbin on the clip:

 

[PenHero]

This is a TM Statesman set I got quite a while ago. The BP is capped rather than actuated, so it has the little tell-tale nubbin on the clip:

 

 

Very nice!!

[3rdlakerobert]

Note that the pastel green BP doesn't have a gold bezel and the pastel blue pencil has no gold on its bezel.

 

The pastel green Clipper FP has a script nib.

The only triple I've seen without metal caps is the burgundy Statesman set, and it's the first Snorkel triple I collected, about 3 years ago. They seem difficult to find.

 

Jim, have you seen a triple in a new Snorkel color?

 

 

Pastel Green Clipper Triple

 

 

 

 

Black Sentinel Triple

 

 

 

 

Pastel Blue Clipper Triple

 

 

 

 

(Old) Burgundy Sentinel Triple

 

 

 

(Old) Burgundy Statesman Triple

 

[PenHero]

Note that the pastel green BP doesn't have a gold bezel and the pastel blue pencil has no gold on its bezel.

 

The pastel green Clipper FP has a script nib.

The only triple I've seen without metal caps is the burgundy Statesman set, and it's the first Snorkel triple I collected, about 3 years ago. They seem difficult to find.

 

Jim, have you seen a triple in a new Snorkel color?

 

 

 

Great sets! The pushbutton ballpoint is only shown in these two versions in the 1955 catalog. I think they were only made in 1955-1956 to match the Snorkel line. Have never seen one in the new colors that came in 1956.

[3rdlakerobert]

 

 

Great sets! The pushbutton ballpoint is only shown in these two versions in the 1955 catalog. I think they were only made in 1955-1956 to match the Snorkel line. Have never seen one in the new colors that came in 1956.

 

I don't really collect ballpoints but I thought the subject related enough to your post Jim to add these comments and photos.

 

The PCA doesn't seem to have a copy of the 1955 catalog. The 1953 catalog is filled with triple sets shown in all the Snorkel models from Crest down to Admiral, all with the Stratowriter-type ballpoints.

 

Strats of course are not retractable ballpoints, but Sheaffer did make a retractable called the "Clicker" shown in that 1953 catalog and listed on the price sheet for $5. The catolog on PCA is b&w so it's hard to say the color of the illustrated Clicker, but it's probably black. The text says they were also available in green, red, and purple. I have a ballpoint that I found in a Clicker box but I doubt it's actually a Clicker (photo below). It's blue (lighter than pastel blue) and the cap is all stainless without the GF trim the cataloged Clicker is said to have. The button is a little different too.

 

 

Then I have a "Feathertouch" in buckskin, a pen I can't find in the catalogs, but probably from a little later period.

 

[PenHero]

This is the page from the 1955 catalog.

 

[3rdlakerobert]

Thanks Jim. The text here says the available colors were black, gray, aqua, burgundy and green--good to know. And I bet the script nib on my green pen isn't correct because those nibs came along after 1956 I believe.

[OMASsimo]

Thanks for all the beautiful pictures and interesting infos. I have a Snorkel fountain pen in pastel blue with Triumph palladium-silver alloy nib that is marked "Made in Australia". It looks exactly like the one shown in post #4 third picture. Any info on that, especially when it was made?

 

Sorry that I cannot contribute any other triple, I only have the fountain pen (with original box, though).

[3rdlakerobert]

Thanks for all the beautiful pictures and interesting infos. I have a Snorkel fountain pen in pastel blue with Triumph palladium-silver alloy nib that is marked "Made in Australia". It looks exactly like the one shown in post #4 third picture. Any info on that, especially when it was made?

 

Sorry that I cannot contribute any other triple, I only have the fountain pen (with original box, though).

 

I don't know if these dates would also be true for Australia, but Snorkel's were made in the USA from 1952 to 59. A blue Clipper could have been made any time in that time period in the USA. Pastel blue was one of the core colors that endured for the entire Snorkel era, as were pastel green, pastel gray, burgundy, and black. I should mention that if your blue Clipper happens to have a blue section rather than black, that would mean it was made after 1956 or 57.

 

Keep in mind this info is good for USA pens, but not necessarily for those from Australia. Your blue Clipper is a great Snorkel, and it's nice to have an original gift box!

[OMASsimo]

Thanks a lot for the detailed info. My Clipper has a black section, so it might be from the earlier production if your info also applies to the Australian production line. It's a fun pen and a nice writer.

[Brian-McQueen]

Here's a not-great photo of a great set, mint stickered and boxed. First Year (gold Snorkel tube) Pastel Green Statesman triple set.

 

 

Robert111, I've never seen a new color Snorkel BP, and seriously doubt their existence. I see you mentioned something about the script on nibs and dating pens. Do you have any information about the nib imprints and approximate dating?

[Brian-McQueen]

This is the page from the 1955 catalog.

 

Jim, where did you get the 1955 catalog?

[PenHero]

 

Jim, where did you get the 1955 catalog?

 

Bill Acker made and sold high quality copies of many catalogs.

[3rdlakerobert]

 

Bill Acker made and sold high quality copies of many catalogs.

 

I would think PCA would have one then. Is there a funding issue?

[3rdlakerobert]

Here's a not-great photo of a great set, mint stickered and boxed. First Year (gold Snorkel tube) Pastel Green Statesman triple set.

 

 

Robert111, I've never seen a new color Snorkel BP, and seriously doubt their existence. I see you mentioned something about the script on nibs and dating pens. Do you have any information about the nib imprints and approximate dating?

 

Nope, nothing except observation of many Sheaffer pens through my eBay business (3rdlakerobert). My impression is that what I call "script" nibs appear on pens made after the time when the new colors were introduced, and often these new-color Statesman and Clipper models have script nibs. [Edit: Of course script nibs were also done in traditional open nibs too.]

 

You see some on the original colors too but these of course could have been made in this later time period (late 50s), as the original colors continued to be made until the end of the Snorkel period (1959). Some of the later production, original-color pens had the old black sections and some had matching-color sections, and I've seen script nibs on original-color pens with both black and color-matched sections.

 

Maybe if you have late 50s catalogs, the illustrations might offer a clue about their introduction date.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Robert111

[Mr Blifil]

Don't know if this is in the category under discussion, but this is a snorkel PFM triplet:

 

 

[Roger W.]

 

I would think PCA would have one then. Is there a funding issue?

You can't just buy Bill's reproductions and make them generally available. Anyway, Brian McQueen owns originals of the '53 and '55 catalog and those will be available soon on the PCA website (which is a 501c3 charitable organization). I and other collectors have lots of Sheaffer material most of which will be uploaded to the PCA replacing those awful black and white photocopies. We will also be looking for material that others will scan or let the PCA scan for uploading to the library for other company's. We are working on upgrading the PCA library substantially. So the issue really isn't funding so much as time, time scanning, time uploading, time editing. Hopefully by the end of May new catalogs or replacements for inferior copies of catalogs will start to appear on the PCA website.

 

Roger E. Wooten

PCA Librarian

[gmark_wa]

Thanks for all the beautiful pictures and interesting infos. I have a Snorkel fountain pen in pastel blue with Triumph palladium-silver alloy nib that is marked "Made in Australia". It looks exactly like the one shown in post #4 third picture. Any info on that, especially when it was made?

 

Sorry that I cannot contribute any other triple, I only have the fountain pen (with original box, though).

G'day OMASsimo

 

There isn't a lot of first-hand information on the Australian Sheaffers. Snorkel production probably started in c1954 and went through until c1961. It looks like they were only produced in the 'old' colors: black, grey, aqua, burgundy and pastel green.

 

If the pen has an Australian 3-line barrel Inscription, it indicates that it was made in the earlier part of this production period. If it has two lines, then it is later. We don't know when the inscription changed, so this is only a rough indication. There are also reports of Australian Snorkels in 'old' colors with matching section, which would mean that they were produced post-1956.

 

Enjoy your Aussie Snorkel.

 

Regards

 

Mark W

Edited April 25, 2018 by gmark_wa

[3rdlakerobert]

Robert111, I've never seen a new color Snorkel BP, and seriously doubt their existence. I see you mentioned something about the script on nibs and dating pens. Do you have any information about the nib imprints and approximate dating?

 

Brian: I just acquired one in new burgundy.