Sheaffer Snorkel Photo Thread 1952-1959

[PenHero]

Interesting! I didn't know the Special was a later model. I had a pastel green or sage green Special a couple years ago in mint condition and sold it, which I now regret. I've always liked the Script nibs, whether Triumph or traditional.

 

As far as I know, from catalogs and collector collections, the Special only came in the original Snorkel colors. Have seen Admirals in the new 1957 colors, but no Specials. The 1956 date comes from it being missing from the 1955 catalog and it appearing in 1956 ads.

[inkstainedruth]

Wow. Some of these colors are pretty spectacular. The best colors I have are (I think) Aqua Blue and and one of the more common greens (I think it's been ID'd as Pastel Green). But the best nib I have is the semi-flex Palladium stub nib on one of the black Snorkels.

No pix at the moment, sorry -- the pens are not with me at the moment.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[CS388]

Beautiful pens, congrats to all - and thanks for sharing. A feast of colour!

 

Novice question: What's Saratoga? Is it a different model, or just a colour?

 

Thanks.

[3rdlakerobert]

Beautiful pens, congrats to all - and thanks for sharing. A feast of colour!

 

Novice question: What's Saratoga? Is it a different model, or just a colour?

 

Thanks.

 

The Saratoga is one of the four open nib Snorkel models, the others being the Sovereign, the Admiral, and the Special. BTW, each of these four is pictured in this thread.

 

The Saratoga and Sovereign have two-tone nibs, the Admiral a gold nib, and the Special a palladium silver nib.

[3rdlakerobert]

These pens are interesting not for their color but for their chrome trim. Sheaffer made very few of these. I don't know why but they're called "reverse" trimmed Snorkels (what's the reverse of what?).

 

The Admiral is mint.

 

[Roger W.]

These pens are interesting not for their color but for their chrome trim. Sheaffer made very few of these. I don't know why but they're called "reverse" trimmed Snorkels (what's the reverse of what?).

 

The Admiral is mint.

 

Sam Marshall, who wrote the article on what the snorkel colors were, really didn't like the reverse trim models. They weren't cataloged anywhere and, I think, he doubted their authenticity. There are really too many of them to believe someone is turning them out fraudulently, though any brown pocket snorkels are fraud. There are also all of the colors I've heard tell about (but have never seen) sterling, flighter, canary yellow and white - those are the leading candidates anyway. I've a statesman set in reverse trim which is reverse of gold trim (which I know you know). I suppose "reverse" is as good as "opposite" or "alternative" trim. You did a great job on the photo as mine always turn out as silverish or goldish so you just can't tell they are reverse trim.

 

Roger W.

[PenHero]

Sam Marshall, who wrote the article on what the snorkel colors were, really didn't like the reverse trim models. They weren't cataloged anywhere and, I think, he doubted their authenticity. There are really too many of them to believe someone is turning them out fraudulently, though any brown pocket snorkels are fraud. There are also all of the colors I've heard tell about (but have never seen) sterling, flighter, canary yellow and white - those are the leading candidates anyway. I've a statesman set in reverse trim which is reverse of gold trim (which I know you know). I suppose "reverse" is as good as "opposite" or "alternative" trim. You did a great job on the photo as mine always turn out as silverish or goldish so you just can't tell they are reverse trim.

 

Roger W.

 

I don't doubt that there were other colors made by the Sheaffer model shop, and possibly even sterling or stainless steel (Sheaffer would not have used the Parker name Flighter for sure!), but none of those are catalogued or in the repair manuals, which leads me to believe that if they exist, they were short production for a particular customer (like the recent Levenger Connaisseur pens) or just prototypes. There are enough examples of the chrome trim ones to make me think they may have been a short run or a market test. I would not include any of them in a list of standard colors or types.

[CS388]

 

The Saratoga is one of the four open nib Snorkel models, the others being the Sovereign, the Admiral, and the Special. BTW, each of these four is pictured in this thread.

 

The Saratoga and Sovereign have two-tone nibs, the Admiral a gold nib, and the Special a palladium silver nib.

 

Many thanks.

[corgicoupe]

All those colorful Snorkels and all I have to show are black ones.

Admiral Snorkel with open nib.

 

Statesman Snorkel set with PdAg nib. (Original box, I think.)

 

Valiant Snorkel set. (This one was a gift. I know this is the original box.)

 

And then to get a little color... a Valiant Touchdown in burgundy. (Note the color of the white dot.)

Edited November 21, 2017 by corgicoupe

[Vintage_FPens]

I don't have a lot of Snorkels. But something from what is. very modestly )))

 

Snorkel Admiral

 

Snorkel Special

 

Snorkel Statesman

 

Statesman, Triumph & Clipper

 

And of course PFM III

 

But that's not all

[Flounder]

Was there any special reason for the change in feed fins (fat fins, slim fins) in the triumph-nib Snorks? Just curious.

[3rdlakerobert]

All those colorful Snorkels and all I have to show are black ones.

 

 

Black pens of course are the best writers.

[3rdlakerobert]

I don't have a lot of Snorkels. But something from what is. very modestly )))

 

 

 

Excellent photos!

[inkstainedruth]

 

Black pens of course are the best writers.

 

My best nib -- the semi-flex palladium silver factory stub Triumph nib -- is certainly on a black pen; the *worst* nib is an EF on the one I *think* is "Aqua Blue" -- it's an EF nib and it's really persnickety about what ink goes in that pen (modern Skrip Purple works well...).

 

@Roger W. --

What is a "brown pocket Snorkel"? (Well, apparently other than a color that Sheaffer apparently didn't make, that is....)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Vintage_FPens]

 

Excellent photos!

Thank You!

[PenHero]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral in Pastel Blue c. 1952-1959. Pastel Blue was one of the original Snorkel colors introduced in 1952. The Admiral has an open 14 karat gold nib, plastic cap and barrel, gold-filled clip stamped "SHEAFFER'S", and 1/4" wide gold-filled cap band. Colors produced were black, burgundy, pastel gray, pastel blue (or aqua), pastel green, buckskin tan, vermilion (a tangerine), and sage green. The Snorkel Admiral pen sold for US $10.00 in 1955 and with a matching pencil, $16.00. This Admiral has a Shorthand nib. Note the marking on the section.

 

 

Thanks!

[3rdlakerobert]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral in Pastel Blue c. 1952-1959. Pastel Blue was one of the original Snorkel colors introduced in 1952. The Admiral has an open 14 karat gold nib, plastic cap and barrel, gold-filled clip stamped "SHEAFFER'S", and 1/4" wide gold-filled cap band. Colors produced were black, burgundy, pastel gray, pastel blue (or aqua), pastel green, buckskin tan, vermilion (a tangerine), and sage green. The Snorkel Admiral pen sold for US $10.00 in 1955 and with a matching pencil, $16.00. This Admiral has a Shorthand nib. Note the marking on the section.

 

F90E5348-A76A-4B62-9154-245013C6FD25.jpeg

 

Thanks!

 

Goodness! What a photo!

[3rdlakerobert]

Roger says (and who knows better?) that fern green is the least common Snorkel color, followed by periwinkle and peacock blue. Let's start with fern green then:

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the difference in the nibs? I won't divert this thread from its focus on photos but start another thread soon on differences in Snorkel features.

Edited November 23, 2017 by Robert111

[pen2paper]

Hi, Folks!

 

This is a Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral in Pastel Blue c. 1952-1959. Pastel Blue was one of the original Snorkel colors introduced in 1952. The Admiral has an open 14 karat gold nib, plastic cap and barrel, gold-filled clip stamped "SHEAFFER'S", and 1/4" wide gold-filled cap band. Colors produced were black, burgundy, pastel gray, pastel blue (or aqua), pastel green, buckskin tan, vermilion (a tangerine), and sage green. The Snorkel Admiral pen sold for US $10.00 in 1955 and with a matching pencil, $16.00. This Admiral has a Shorthand nib. Note the marking on the section.

 

F90E5348-A76A-4B62-9154-245013C6FD25.jpeg

 

Thanks!

This entire thread is Wow!

From the pastel color above - thanks Jim, my first pen, fountain pen, & snorkel, was definitely aqua.

Passed to me by my mom 1958-9 when she moved on to a scratchy dove gray P-51 F. At first entirely a toy that made bubbles in Peacock Blue's inkwell bottle. Then I learned its purpose. In comparison to the P-51 F, the aqua was probably a medium.

[jmccarty3]

I can't wait to retire so I can (1) go to more shows to collect these, and (2) put together the photo setup to do shots like these.

 

Bravissimi to everybody!