Re: PICS: Unusual vintage Sheaffer Balance construction

Hi David:
I call the pattern of the "fixed" tip, a "cathedral weave". You will find it on blind caps of the 1930s. In the 40s, blind caps were no longer made that way and resembled more your pic of the unreconstructed cap. As far as the "fix", it seems quite ingenious and not bad looking, though I have never seen it before. After all, if the very tip of a cap was smashed, why destroy another cap to fix it? Why not, instead, just find the appropriately sized blind cap a "glue" it on? Too much for a cheap balance, yes. But suppose it had sentimental value or it just happened to be, for whatever reason, your favorite? 
Best,
Gerry

david isaacson wrote:

Mornin'.
OK. So i collect Sheaffer Balance. Neat pen 1930-1941 or so. Have not counted of late but probably 100-150 in the collection, not counting the stuff for sale via Vacumania.com. And, i concede i have not examined each pen for the features discussed below. However, usually i peek at the ends of the pens to search for damage at time of purchase, so figure i'd've noticed this before.
Anyway, first see a picture of a typical balance in striated celluloid. Note how the striations run all the way to top of pen. 


http://vacumania.com/penessay/sheafferbalanceendpiece850a.jpg
Next, examine the pen i recently acquired. The top caught my eye. The plastic at the top is not aligned with the rest of cap. Indeed seems to be more of a cross-hatched pattern with a visible (though not quite palpable, though i note solvent welding can be sneaky that way) seam. 

http://vacumania.com/penessay/sheafferbalanceendpiece850b.jpg
So, what's up with that, says I. Could this pen have suffered a fracture at the top only to have someone massage in a replacement end? Seems a lot of work for a standard Balance, but not unheard of. Woe is me, having bought a Balance that had been played with. 

Well... maybe not.
In a rare flash of inspiration, i decided to look at the other en of the pen (blind end, butt, barrel end, etc). Lo and behold... 

http://vacumania.com/penessay/sheafferbalanceendpiece850c.jpg
Same thing. I greatly doubt the pen happened to have damage at both ends replaced the same way. Seems this is original.
Now, perhaps this finding is not uncommon in the experience of some collectors, but this is the first Balance i've seen to have this construction. Could it be a "late" development? Dunno. Still, i find it interesting. Will hafta go back and look more closely at all the other striated Balances sitting around, but do suspect this is the first of this sort i've encountered. 

regards

david



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