Sheaffer's Vigilant Balance (875 price code)

[rroossinck]

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer/Pics/SheafferWhiteDot11.jpg

Picture borrowed from Jim @ PenHero.com!

 

First Impressions

For a long time, I’ve wanted to find a nice example of a military-clip’d Sheaffer’s Balance, and when I found this set at an antique show in February 2009, I decided that this would be a good example.

 

Appearance

The pen itself is striated golden pearl with gold trim and a two-tone platinum masked nib in 14K. Aside from some minor wear from usage (micro-scratching), and a loose trim ring that needs to be swaged a little tighter, this one is in terrific shape. The pencil is in similar condition, although I believe that the celluloid has shrunken over time, as it doesn’t fit quite flush at the mid-section. All in all, it makes for a very nice set. Good imprints on both, with just a little tiny bit of brassing on the trim ring on the pen’s cap.

 

Design/Size/Weight

It’s a classic Sheaffer’s Balance shape, but with a twist; it’s got a military clip so that it’ll ride low in a shirt-pocket. Sheaffer’s was one of a few companies that made these.

 

It’s a fairly standard-sized pen, with an 875 price code on the barrel. This one is the smaller of the White Dot models, with the 1000 price-coded model being the biggest of the lineup. It’s very comfortable to write with (I typically post my pens, and this one is no exception), and it’s lightweight, so it works well for lengthy stints of notetaking.

 

Nib

The nib is terrific on this pen; it’s a Lifetime two-tone nib in 14K with a platinum mask on the upper half of the nib. One thing that’s a little less common about this pen is that the nib has a medium stroke, something that was made in smaller numbers during the 30s and 40s. As soon as it was put to paper, it wrote VERY nicely; no adjustment, smoothing, or anything else was necessary. Very little in the way of feedback on this one, too; it’s really just a great nib!

 

Filling System

It’s a lever filler, and the biggest surprise that I found when I got it home was that it didn’t require any restoration! I didn’t have to put a new sac in it at all; frankly, the tension on the lever and the springbar was perfect. While I haven’t taken it apart yet, it doesn’t show that it’s ever been opened up, so I suspect that this may be an original sac. Great bonus!

 

Cost and Value

I got this one for a steal of a deal, and my best guess is that as a set, it’s probably worth well over 10X what I paid for it. I’m not sure that I’ll sell it, but I’ve seen these go for somewhere in the $100-150 range depending on the nib and the condition of the pen. Either way, I’m really happy with the value I rec’d!

 

Conclusion

These are great pens, and in my opinion, they’re the un-sung heroes of the Sheaffer’s Balance lineup. The military-clip’d models were an example of how Sheaffer’s really liked to make pens that were meant to be used (something that the upper echelon of today’s manufacturers don’t do as often as they should). No glitz, no glamour about this one; just made to do a job, and do it well. If you ever have the chance to try one of these, go for it. They’ve got lots of stories to tell - yours included!

 

Pictures forthcoming; I've been too busy enjoying this one to pull the camera out!

 

 

[Breck]

Nice find! After being mostly indifferent to Sheaffer's since I got into pens last year, I've seen the light recently. The military clips are very cool, and on my soon-to-acquire list.

 

Can't wait to see the photos.

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Great review! I didn't know very much about this Sheaffer model until now.

[penguinmaster]

I agree fully with this review as well, great one to read. I have had many military clips pass through my hands, I've finally settled on a restored lifetime 1000 (the bigger one). I to got mine for a song (read about it here). Mine is a wet medium nibbed one as well. Very nice writing pen.

[MYU]

Glad to hear you made such a nice score, Ryan. I didn't know that the top half was a platinum mask. I always assumed it was stainless steel. The military clips are also one of my favorites... just enough metal to do the job without being too flashy.