RE: [ZossPens] PICS: Unusual vintage Sheaffer Balance construction

I own a barrel like this. I also thought it was a repair since I don't have
a cap. I did notice that the pattern of color is more like "stained glass"
than stripes on the end of mine and on both ends or yours. This would not
have been simply a "repair" because that pattern of color does not appear on
the pen anywhere. It had to be some special model or some intentional
modification (like in body mods for cars).

Regardless, it is an interesting variation. 


Steve
Pens-n-Things
Accumulator, Repairer, Admirer,
User of fountain pens
Collector of oblique nib holders
703-401-4875 mobile
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-----Original Message-----
From: david isaacson [mailto:isaacson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:05 AM
To: pens@xxxxxxxx
Cc: fptalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ZossPens] PICS: Unusual vintage Sheaffer Balance construction

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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