Sheaffer Self Filler Info?

[sanesangowdayya]

Hey, I picked up this BHR sheaffer self filler, but my knowledge of vintage pens does not go back this far. From what I've seen most BHR self filler's are marked "Sheaffer's" and the # on the nib as well as marked "Sheaffer's" on the clip. However this one has the correct barrel imprint but has a warranted 14k nib (which I assume was a replacement) but has "security" on the clip.

I'm not sure if this is a mismatch or maybe an earlier version. It measures 5 1/4" and threading is smooth.

 

Also has a '4' on the end of the pen. Any thoughts?

[Roger W.]

Well, it has what we call an accommodation clip. Early Sheaffer's the clip was optional so you'd have them out in store's without clips. Many pen makers, at the time, did not have clips so you had several makers of accommodation clips. We know that this is a "4" Sheaffer which would have had a 4 Self-Filling nib. We can date the pen roughly to 1913-1917 as that is when the oval imprint was used. If it has the hand that says "turn" on the cap it is 1913-1915. Pretty nice pen.

 

Roger W.

[sanesangowdayya]

Well, it has what we call an accommodation clip. Early Sheaffer's the clip was optional so you'd have them out in store's without clips. Many pen makers, at the time, did not have clips so you had several makers of accommodation clips. We know that this is a "4" Sheaffer which would have had a 4 Self-Filling nib. We can date the pen roughly to 1913-1917 as that is when the oval imprint was used. If it has the hand that says "turn" on the cap it is 1913-1915. Pretty nice pen.

 

Roger W.

Wow thank you for the detailed answer. The pen cap also has what I think is a '2' on it which is very faded. Do you know what that might mean? And pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean by the hand that says "turn"?

 

Edit: never mind I don't see the hand with the turn sign.

Edited October 31, 2017 by sanesangowdayya

[Roger W.]

A lot of early caps were slip caps so a threaded cap needed to be noted though Boston caps (Boston Fountain Pen Company) were always threaded from 1904 so it wasn't exactly novel a decade later. Could your "2" on the cap really be a "4"? Normally pens were not double marked, only size stamped on the bottom of the barrel or the top of the cap but it may be double marked and a cap for a 4 barrel wouldn't be wide enough in a 2. Maybe look sideways at it with your head tilted just so...

 

Roger