Date my 350?

[Friend of Pens]

Hi all,

 

I picked up a 350 at the thrift store today, and am trying to get an approximate age on it just so I can know a little more about it. I've got a dark-ish picture of the cap/clip and the section/nib posted here:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mpclemens/3702548226/

 

It's hard to tell from the photo, but this is a Carmine stripe color. It's also vac-fil, which seems to be problematic for the amateur pen goof like myself. Unless I've missed the signs, this seems to be a standard "Balance" model.

 

Many thanks for any help you can provide.

 

(edits as I've found out more)

Edited July 8, 2009 by Friend of Pens

[Roger W.]

Being Carmine it is no earlier than 1939. It is harder to end date specific models so I'd be comfortable with circa 1940.

 

Roger W.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I think Richard's site gives us a "no later than 1945" sort of thing, so you could say 1939-1945. Or say what Roger says. Equally valid.

[Friend of Pens]

That's about as precise as I expected. Thanks so much!

[Roger W.]

Ernst;

 

Many of Richard's end dates for Sheaffer colors are not valid. The support for such claims is that they are no longer in the catalogues or ads but, very many of the colors were made years after such ad support ended. Rarely did Sheaffer come out and say XYZ was discontinued.

 

Roger W.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I shout "gasp!", and once again shake a frustrated fist in the direction of long-ago Sheaffer for their lack of forethought-- OBVIOUSLY there's be a pack of nerds like us 60 years on who would want to know exactly when a model ran out!

[Friend of Pens]

OBVIOUSLY there's be a pack of nerds like us 60 years on who would want to know exactly when a model ran out!

 

Indeed! You'd think they were in collusion with the typewriter manufacturers, who couldn't be bothered to keep their serial numbers consistent, or embed the year and location of manufacturer in the number itself, and who insisted on using up their old stock of parts on newer models, leading to a myriad of variations on the same basic design. The very nerve!

 

Would clip style be an additional age indicator? I see that the Balance clip evolved over time, and presumably this would be something that pen makers could swap out to modernize their lines without too much retooling on the manufacturing side of things.

 

At any rate, it's a lovely pen, though I think the vac-u-fil has not aged well and will need replacement to be a working example (that, or this becomes an eyedropper.) Even with the problems, it's a pleasure to hold and use (dip) a true vintage pen.

[Roger W.]

Clip style is an idicator but, the flat ball clip was used on the lower end pens into the forties. Carmine actually helps you a lot here eliminating 1934/5 thru 1938.

 

Roger W.

[Zaurux]

I have the same as Richard described on his site :

Sovereign Carmine Set

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=collecti...m#balance_cheap

 

1939 ?

 

With small Leaftime nib.. beautiful writer

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...=103577&hl=

[Richard]

Many of Richard's end dates for Sheaffer colors are not valid.

My dates are indeed based on catalog information. I'd be honored to have any additional (or corrected) information you're willing to offer, and I'll be more than happy to acknowledge your contribution.

[matt385]

The first pen I bought off of ebay was a 350 and it is one of my favorite pens, especially after Richard rebuilt it! It writes very smooth and I like the size. It is a comfortable pen and I have it filled with Diamine Violet.