Silver Sheaffer Targa...plated, Filled Or Solid?

[Bill Nick]

I'm tempted by this Targa (and a couple of others) but have a daft question about the silver.

 

Some sellers describe it as 925 silver, implying that it is solid, others use the term plated for the same model. The ones that I am considering all seem to be in the same $180 - $230 region. I know that a Jeweller named FRED produced a few very expensive hand-made solid silver versions but I'm not referring to those! Unfortunately.

 

I suspect it is just plate but I have been wrong many times before. Can anyone help?

Edited February 25, 2018 by BillNick

[Barkingpig]

If it is sterling silver (925,) NOT plated, it will be marked "sterling;" my Targa is marked so around the cap band, in a sorta running line, with "...........Sheaffer USA." The best rule I know is always to assume if it is NOT marked, it is plated.

[Chrissy]

As Barkingpig said, if it's silver it has to say so on the metal parts. Either by having a silver 925 (or lower) hallmark stamped on the silver if it's European, or by being marked as "sterling" if it's American.

 

Unlike gold plated pens that can have GP or GF or Rolled Gold on them, silver plated pens aren't often marked as such.

[northstar]

This is the 1006 model and its sterling silver (NOT plated), and as others said you will find the words "Strling Silver"around the cap.

[Bill Nick]

Thanks to all, all the ones that I have seen have had the "Stirling Silver" wording around the cap band so they must all be solid silver.

[pen lady]

A question for anyone familiar with silver marking. If this pen model was sold brand new in the U.K. would it have been stamped with English Hallmarks or just "sterling"?

[Charles Rice]

Yes, a 1006 for sure. I bought mine new, and until now never noticed that it said "Sterling" on the cap.

[mitto]

Visit sheaffertarga.com and opt for reference by finish. You would see this fonish with detailed information.

[mitto]

Here it is.

 

http://www.sheaffertarga.com/Ref%20List/1006%20Sterling%20silver,%20Chequered%20pattern,%20CP%20trim%20Classic.html

[Bill Nick]

Visit sheaffertarga.com and opt for reference by finish. You would see this fonish with detailed information.

 

Thanks I found that fantastic information source last night, never realized that there were so many variations of the Targa!

[Bill Nick]

Here's another question. One of the other 1006 examples I've seen has 'Made in USA' on the cap but the nib is stamped 'Aust', has anyone come across that anomaly before? Logic tells me that he pen is not 100% as it came from the factory and that either the section or the cap have been replaced but the seller insists it is all original. I doubt it.

[mitto]

Yes I have a limited edition Targa Foxhead right now in my hand whose nib is marked Sheaffer USA 585 14k and whose cap says Sheaffer England.

 

Likewise, Sheaffer with an AUST nib with cap marking as Sheaffer USA is, in my opinion, normal.

[Chrissy]

A question for anyone familiar with silver marking. If this pen model was sold brand new in the U.K. would it have been stamped with English Hallmarks or just "sterling"?

 

If it was made in the UK or in Europe then it would have a 925 hallmark

[Bill Nick]

Yes I have a limited edition Targa Foxhead right now in my hand whose nib is marked Sheaffer USA 585 14k and whose cap says Sheaffer England.

 

Likewise, Sheaffer with an AUST nib with cap marking as Sheaffer USA is, in my opinion, normal.

 

Well that's sorted that out, still think it's a bit odd, though, don't you? Anyway, I've ended up going for a 1024x with all matching ID marks! As ever, thanks for the input.

Edited February 27, 2018 by BillNick

[jar]

 

Well that's sorted that out, still think it's a bit odd, though, don't you? Anyway, I've ended up going for a 1024x with all matching ID marks! As ever, thanks for the input.

Nope, not odd at all. Sheaffer often made pieces parts in quantity and the shipped those parts to other Sheaffer units.

[bebe0953]

Pay attention with this pattern, I just found a curious item.

I have more than 100 Targa in my collection.

All my Targa in sterling silver (1004, 1006, 1024, 1026) have one of these imprints on the cap :

Sterling silver [crown] Sheaffer U.S.A.

Sterling silver [crown] Sheaffer AUST

Sterling 925 [crown] Sheaffer U.S.A. {hallmark}

All my Targa in silver plated have the imprint :

Silver plated [crown] Sheaffer England

Silver electroplated [crown] Sheaffer England

Silver plated casing [crown] Sheaffer U.S.A.

All my targa gold plated have the imprint :

Gold electroplated [crown] Sheaffer U.S.A.

Gold electroplated [crown] Sheaffer

I have no one in solid gold.

I have never seen the [crown] on the models in bright chrome, brushed chrom or brushed stainless steel.

The model I just received has this chequered pattern like 1006 and 1006x, the cap is imprint only : Sheaffer [Crown], and it seems to be chrome plated, with a gold plated clip.

According to the sheaffertarga site, the chequered pattern exists only for the two models 1006 and 1006x in sterling silver, for the models 1007 gold plated, and for the model 1024XG in white gold plated. I am sure that it is not one of these models, but I have not the 1024 XG white gold plated, so I don't know which imprint it has.

I have seen recently two others identical item on eBay with only the crown on the cap and this chequered pattern looking like chrome.

Can somebody help me ?

Edited March 4, 2018 by bebe0953

[Bill Nick]

Nope, not odd at all. Sheaffer often made pieces parts in quantity and the shipped those parts to other Sheaffer units.

 

Did they make all the parts for all the countries in one place so some were stamped USA, some Aust and then ship them to the other country for assembly? Or did they mix those foreign-stamped parts for assembly with US parts in one factory?

[Sarandipity]

Hi everyone

 

I worked for Sheaffer Pen Australia for 21 years. When I first worked in the Corporate side of the business. We had a factory and assembly plant - repair plant. In the early days most penware was sent in "parts" for assembly. Later the factory was scaled down and writing instruments came in complete for the retail trade.

 

At that time we were dependant on USA for Corporate Personalisation i.e. Clip Emblems with Company Logos - Lazer engraving (Hi Tech then) - coloured logos in the caps and printing (No Nonsense Range) on the cap or barrel.

 

We would send an order to USA with artwork but the process took so long - weeks to get the goods back, we were loosing valuable business. I then went to the Corporate side and was asked to source manufacturers who were able to replicate USA personalization techniques. Die Struck emblems & epoxy coated printed logos for the clips and caps of penware , also sourced Laser Engraving and Printing. Luckily an Aussie who worked for the USA Plant doing Laser engraving returned to OZ to set up business - so that fell in nicely for us. Initially printing on No Nonsense and other pens was done "in house". Better printing machines were sourced and eventually printing was sourced locally. Great emblems were manufactured in Hong Kong for us - they did a fantastic job. When Hong Kong went back to China - the company evenually moved to the USA.

 

For the Corporate side - it was easier to send "parts" to the manufacturers and then re-assemble instruments when the personalisation was done.

 

Some pens/ and parts coming from USA had Sheaffer Australia engraved on them. Also we worked closely with Japan - Sailor Japan supplied us with Sentinel Range .

 

Sorry to have waffled on but hope it clarifies the question.

Edited May 28, 2018 by Sarandipity