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What Does Engraved Number On Snorkel Mean?

HDoug

By HDoug
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gmark_wa Mint

gmark_wa

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On 12/6/2022 at 8:21 PM, NickJC said:

 

 

 

Does the number font compare equally to any number in the standard barrel imprint?

 

Just wondering if different it could mean a later stamp, as opposed to being pressed when the barrels were done.

 

The standard barrel imprint doesn't have any numbers, so we can't compare.  But, looking at the shapes of the numbers and letters, it seems to me that they are not the same font.  The letters in the Sheaffer's barrel imprint are more squared. In particular, the 'O' and 'S' letters are less rounded when compared to the curves of the '0', '6', '8' and '9' numbers.

 

1018158814_Barrelimprint.jpg.d6494ea0cf12294d709d269e3b4d5a22.jpg 

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23 hours ago, gmark_wa said:

 

The standard barrel imprint doesn't have any numbers, so we can't compare.  But, looking at the shapes of the numbers and letters, it seems to me that they are not the same font.  The letters in the Sheaffer's barrel imprint are more squared. In particular, the 'O' and 'S' letters are less rounded when compared to the curves of the '0', '6', '8' and '9' numbers.

 

1018158814_Barrelimprint.jpg.d6494ea0cf12294d709d269e3b4d5a22.jpg 

That would then lead you to belive that the numbering was done post production?  Right?

 

Given that It is reasonable to think these are just maybe control numbers for QC testing - possibly from a batch? 

 

I do not recall, but have any been sequential?  Is there any noticeable deviation in number spacing from number set to number set? Are they only specific models that have the numbers?

 

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gmark_wa Mint

gmark_wa

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Lots of Admirals

From the numbered Snorkels that we have found so far, the Admiral is the most common model.  They make up over one third of the total number (22 of 58, or 37.9 percent).

Here is a pie graph that shows the current proportion of each model in our database.
364202047_NumberedSnorkelpiechart.jpg.607f605266bd17bd36239943dd1c43ea.jpg

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bsenn Vintage

bsenn

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I really like the investigative logic, but reading this I feel like I'm back at work!

One test is worth a thousand expert opinions.

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

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On 12/29/2022 at 2:03 AM, gmark_wa said:

Lots of Admirals

From the numbered Snorkels that we have found so far, the Admiral is the most common model.  They make up over one third of the total number (22 of 58, or 37.9 percent).

Here is a pie graph that shows the current proportion of each model in our database.
364202047_NumberedSnorkelpiechart.jpg.607f605266bd17bd36239943dd1c43ea.jpg

Very interesting!

I'm now starting to wonder if the numbers have been found on other Sheaffer models, or just on Snorkels.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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es9 Vintage

es9

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On 12/29/2022 at 2:03 AM, gmark_wa said:

Lots of Admirals

From the numbered Snorkels that we have found so far, the Admiral is the most common model.  They make up over one third of the total number (22 of 58, or 37.9 percent).

Here is a pie graph that shows the current proportion of each model in our database.
364202047_NumberedSnorkelpiechart.jpg.607f605266bd17bd36239943dd1c43ea.jpg

 

Granted I'm not a statistician, but there could be a correlation between the popularity of a model (or at least of surviving models) and pens with numbers on them.  Also, given how much parts tend to migrate from pen to pen, I am not sure how much you can really conclude from this dataset. 

 

Then again, I am pretty skeptical that the numbers represent anything meaningful--but I will wait with bated breath to be proven wrong.  

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gmark_wa Mint

gmark_wa

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Black Statesman #1182

 

There is a black Snorkel Statesman on eBay with barrel number 1128.  The post is at: www.ebay.com.au/itm/175628788205

The photos aren’t clear, but the commentary indicates that it has a ‘Steel nib’ and is ‘Marked on barrel W.A.Sheaffer, Fort Madison USA. 1182’.

The number imprint is located to the right of the central cluster area.

 

12307370_NumberedUSASnorkel1182Statesman1.jpg.87add7478000e0a41644b2f2472a88fb.jpg

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gmark_wa Mint

gmark_wa

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That was the 60th numbered Snorkel we have identified, so its time to update the list ...

  1. 0004 Black Snorkel Valiant
  2. 0032 Black Snorkel Clipper
  3. 0105 (Colour not stated) Snorkel Admiral
  4. 0167 (Colour not stated) Snorkel Saratoga
  5. 0191 Green Snorkel Admiral
  6. 0251 Black Snorkel Crest
  7. 0312 Burgundy Snorkel Statesman M4
  8. 0335 Black Snorkel Admiral
  9. 0356 Green Snorkel Admiral F2 nib
  10. 0387 Green Snorkel Statesman F4 nib (pen & pencil set)
  11. 0404 Black Snorkel Valiant
  12. 0424 Black Snorkel Sentinel (pen & pencil set)
  13. 0429 Green Snorkel Clipper
  14. 0448 Black Snorkel Clipper F4R nib
  15. 0453 Aqua Snorkel (Model not stated)
  16. 0453 Grey Snorkel Admiral (pen & pencil set)
  17. 0454 Black Snorkel Saratoga F3 nib
  18. 0494 Grey Snorkel Admiral M2 nib
  19. 0514 Black Snorkel Crest
  20. 0516 Black Snorkel Sentinel
  21. 0517 Black Snorkel Autograph
  22. 0534 Black Snorkel Valiant X5 nib
  23. 0565 Green Snorkel Admiral
  24. 0597 Burgundy Snorkel Admiral X2 nib
  25. 0612 Black Snorkel Valiant
  26. 0664 Burgundy Snorkel Sovereign
  27. 0674 Black Snorkel Sentinel (gold snorkel)
  28. 0714 Burgundy Snorkel Admiral
  29. 0720 Grey Snorkel Admiral
  30. 0731 Grey Snorkel Admiral
  31. 0736 Grey Snorkel Statesman M4 nib
  32. 0755 Grey Snorkel Admiral (pen & pencil set)
  33. 0765 Black Snorkel Admiral
  34. 0810 Black Snorkel Valiant X5 nib
  35. 0858 Black Snorkel Clipper
  36. 0861 Black Snorkel  Valiant F5 nib
  37. 0925 Black Snorkel Admiral M2 nib
  38. 0960 Black  Snorkel Admiral
  39. 0969 Grey Snorkel Admiral
  40. 0988 Black Snorkel Sentinel
  41. 1045 (Colour not stated) Snorkel Valiant
  42. 1055 Grey Snorkel Crest
  43. 1127 Burgundy Snorkel Valiant
  44. 1127 Green Snorkel Sentinel
  45. 1137 Aqua Snorkel Admiral A2 nib
  46. 1145 Grey Snorkel Sovereign
  47. 1151 Grey Snorkel Crest
  48. 1153 Burgundy Snorkel Admiral
  49. 1182 Black Snorkel Statesman
  50. 1215 Aqua Snorkel Admiral F2 nib
  51. 1305 Grey Snorkel Admiral
  52. 1316 Aqua Snorkel Statesman
  53. 1369 Black Snorkel Admiral
  54. 1674 Grey Snorkel Clipper
  55. 1846 Burgundy Snorkel no cap (Valiant)
  56. 1852 Black Snorkel Admiral
  57. 2183 Green Snorkel Saratoga
  58. 2251 Black Snorkel Admiral
  59. 2253 Aqua Snorkel Crest (pen & pencil set) M5 nib
  60. 2259 Green Snorkel Sentinel
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gmark_wa Mint

gmark_wa

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There is an Aqua Snorkel Admiral with barrel no. 1928 on eBay.  The post is at www.ebay.com.au/itm/275765932153

The number is high and to the right of the central cluster area.

In the photo, the number imprint appears different to the barrel imprint which suggests it was added separately.

 

1234888584_NumberedUSASnorkel1928Admiral-111.thumb.jpg.0d10361854f069d09a32a768238d71c8.jpg

 

Also, the individual numbers are not aligned. While most of the number imprints we have seen are aligned, we do have other examples of this minor misalignment.  This probably tells us something about the equipment used to make the number imprints.  

 

1576568024_Misalignednumbers.jpg.db8b32737b6faf643200b666eb163ec6.jpg

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gmark_wa Mint

gmark_wa

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Admiral #0831

There is an aqua Snorkel Admiral on eBay with barrel number 0831. The post is at: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/225470100316

The photos in the post don’t show the number clearly, but the seller has confirmed it is 0831 and provided a clearer photo. 

The pen has a medium (M2) nib. The number is positioned slightly high and to the right of the central zone. 

 

NumberedUSASnorkel0831Admiral1a.thumb.jpg.00e14310de1d6a5b6ee752a34790364a.jpg

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