What is this?

[beginnersmind]

On a lark I bid on and won this on Ebay thinking this was some kind of "Franken-pen" but it seems too integrated in it's design. I have never seen a Sheaffer with an ink view window before? What is this?

[jar]

Compact Cartridge pen.

[Pen Is Mightier]

Compact Cartridge pen.

He is correct, these little guys are actually quite fun and the inlaid nibs are smooth and pretty. The only downside to this pen is you can't use a converter on it, cartridge only so make sure you have a way of refilling cartridges or you will just be buying them all the time.

[beginnersmind]

So I looked up Sheaffer Compact cartridge pen, interesting history. Thanks guys! Yeah I am too ecologically minded to keep throwing out cartridges. I have a syringe with a plastic tip (got it at a pen show) that I use to refill cartridges. This pen is a nice writer too. I just love those Sheaffer inlaid nibs. The only firm nib I will write with. Super reliable too.

[Ernst Bitterman]

With the gold trim, that's a Compact II (in the early '60s, Sheaffer was using roman numerals to indicate trim levels rather than order of appearance, so unlike Rocky I to VII, Imperial I through VIII and PFM I to V were all in production at the same time). They are dandy little pens, but little.

[brettttt]

Hmmm. Is it true that there's no converter that will fit in this? The squeeze converter works in my little cheapie cartridge pens, though they are all of the usual sort.

[Ron Z]

These really are a cartridge only pen. The end of the barrel is THE end of the barrel inside, unlike other Imperials where there is enough space past the end of the cartridge for the longer converter to fit. The cartridge butts right up against the inside end. Even the button type of converter won't fit, neither will the Montiverdi mini converters. I've tried them, and have the inky hands to prove it. I will admit that I haven't tried Giovanni's Bantam converters, but they don't hold much ink.

[beginnersmind]

With the gold trim, that's a Compact II (in the early '60s, Sheaffer was using roman numerals to indicate trim levels rather than order of appearance, so unlike Rocky I to VII, Imperial I through VIII and PFM I to V were all in production at the same time). They are dandy little pens, but little.

It sure is short. But with the cap posted, it looks and feels quite normal. I wonder why they made the clip so short?

[Ernst Bitterman]

It sure is short. But with the cap posted, it looks and feels quite normal. I wonder why they made the clip so short?

 

I suspect for reasons of proportion, in part. In a picture without any sort of scale, a Compact and an Imperial look much alike. It's also likely that it was viewed as a purse pen, rather like the latter Tuckaways, and you didn't want to offend the feminine sensibilies ( I watch Mad Men, but do not endorse the attitudes) with a big fat clip.

[beginnersmind]

It sure is short. But with the cap posted, it looks and feels quite normal. I wonder why they made the clip so short?

 

I suspect for reasons of proportion, in part. In a picture without any sort of scale, a Compact and an Imperial look much alike. It's also likely that it was viewed as a purse pen, rather like the latter Tuckaways, and you didn't want to offend the feminine sensibilies ( I watch Mad Men, but do not endorse the attitudes) with a big fat clip.

I love mad men too! (Hey the men were suffering in silence as much as the women) But I still don't get what marketers and ad people are thinking half the time. I didn't know "feminine sensibilities" extended to clip "size". I am glad someone is keeping track of these things for me. (I just got a Laban Kaiser, oops, forgot to be offended loving the pen) I always wondered about the tuck aways too. Thanks for the insight.