Early Sheaffer Imperials 1961-1962

Early Sheaffer Imperials 1961-1962
by Jim Mamoulides, December 31, 2001
Thanks to Frank Dubiel, Chee-Heng Yeong, Daniel Kirchheimer, and Patrick Van Hoof

The Largest And Most Diverse Line Of Pens

Sheaffer introduced the new Imperial pen line to its sales force in December, 1960, along with the Compact Cartridge pen and the "Reminder" clip ballpoint. All of these new products followed the new angular Sheaffer profile, a design style established in 1959 by the introduction of the Sheaffer Pen For Men (or PFM). Some of the Imperial pen models are close enough in design and features that they actually look like slender PFMs and thus are often confused with their bigger siblings.

Sheaffer simplified the manufacture of the new Imperial by dropping the complex Snorkel filling system in favor of the simpler Touchdown system, a move that reduced the cost of the pen, though Sheaffer positioned the new pen in the premium price category, just below the PFM. Initially, the Imperial was Touchdown-only, but Sheaffer quickly followed with cartridge versions.

Sheaffer Imperial
Sheaffer Lifetime and Imperial Touchdown Pens c1961-1970

When the new Imperial line was introduced to dealers in January, 1961, Sheaffer was giving the biggest push to the Compact Cartridge pen, a new premium price cartridge only pen and the highest priced cartridge pen in the stable. Although not called an Imperial, it, too closely followed the PFM design and therefore has a definite family resemblance to the Imperial. Cartridge pens had previously been relegated to the popular price category, but the new Compact Cartridge pen broke through this barrier with a premium price offering. Fitted with a 14 karat gold nib, the top Compact Cartridge model priced at US $10.00, the same price as the PFM I, a member of the top Sheaffer line. This bold move opened the door for other premium priced cartridge pens, including later cartridge Imperials.

The first two Imperial models, introduced in 1961, were the Imperial IV, a White Dot model with a matching solid color molded plastic cap and barrel, and the Imperial VI, with the same molded plastic barrel, but given a polished stainless steel cap. Both models were given the royal treatment with a gold-filled clip and cap band and a 14 karat gold nib. The Imperial IV model strongly resembles the PFM III and the Imperial VI is very much the slimmed down sibling of the PFM IV.

The Imperial Line Grows

Sheaffer Lifetime Advertisement 1964 - Scan Courtesy Frank Dubiel

In 1963, as part of the company's 50th Anniversary celebration, Sheaffer reintroduced it's famous Lifetime warranty, which it had discontinued in 1947. The White Dot models in the Imperial line were renamed Lifetime and Sheaffer distinguished them from the rest of the line by stamping the face of the clip and the nib with "LIFETIME." Interestingly, the Lifetime pens were cartridge only, and only the lower price models were given Touchdown fillers.

This new lower priced line, introduced in 1962 and made through1964, were known only by model number: 500, 800, and 1000, but because of their unique diamond shaped nibs and bulbous sections, collectors often call them "Dolphin" Imperials. The Dolphin pens were available as cartridge and Touchdown pens.

Collectors today will generally refer to any Imperial style pens as Imperials, and these came in a host of variations at many price points over the life of the line, including Touchdown versions from 1961 through the early 1970s, and cartridge and converter models available from the very first through the end of the 1990s. There are many Imperial variants that Sheaffer chose not to give the Imperial name, including the 1960 Imperial precursor called the Target, the 1961-1962 Compact Cartridge pens, the 1962-1964 "Dolphin" cartridge and Touchdown pens, the 1963-1964 Lifetime, and the 1970s Triumph pens. All of these pens certainly share the key Imperial design element: the angular PFM shape in a more slender package. As a result, many collectors class them all as Imperials, whether Sheaffer did or not.

Sheaffer Imperial
Late 1960s Sheaffer Triumph With "Arrowhead" Cutout Inlaid Nib c1970
With Cap From Sheaffer 800 c1962-1964

From the beginning, there were Imperial models fitted with many different nib types, the most notable being a smaller version of the trademark Inlaid nib introduced in the PFM. Imperials wear this nib in several different designs, including a PFM style diamond centered nib and an Inlaid "arrowhead" cutout nib. There were several non-Inlaid nib variations, including a truncated version of the Triumph conical nib, introduced on the Target, a semi-inlaid nib called the Stylpoint, as well as the diamond shaped inset nib in the "Dolphin" pens, a design intended to mimic the Inlaid nib with less nib material.

During the 1960s, many of these Imperial variants existed side by side, only adding to today's collector confusion of, "What is an Imperial, really?"

The First Imperial Models: 1961-1962

When introduced, the Imperial line followed the PFM by using Roman numeral model names. In odd Sheafferland thinking, the first models were the Imperial IV and VI, which closely resemble the PFM III and IV. For whatever reason, which I have been unable to unravel, Sheaffer did not align the Imperial model numbers with those of the PFM. A likely possibility is that the numbering was done based on trim level, and the Imperial line simply had a longer list of potential pens than the PFM. The eventual range of models was from Imperial I through VIII, but some of the Roman numbers apparently were not used.

Sheaffer frequently changed model names and features during the forty plus years of manufacturing Imperial type pens, including the very name of the line, making cataloguing these pen models a challenge. Just about every model year has something new. One consistent dating identifier can be found on pens with SHEAFFER'S stamped on the clip. These pens date from 1964 and earlier, when Sheaffer dropped the possessive form of the company name in all advertising and publications. This change occurred when the company was sold to Textron, and reflects the change from Sheaffer direct ownership to Sheaffer becoming a corporate brand.

After the Lifetime models were phased out, Sheaffer resumed the Roman numbering and Imperial name. In the 1970s, Sheaffer dropped the Imperial name in favor of Triumph. The 1990s revival of the Imperial was named Triumph Imperial, a merging of the two. Today, many collectors lump all these pens under the heading "Imperial."

The following list of Imperial versions compiles the early models that appeared from 1961-1962. This model system was interrupted in 1963-1964, when Sheaffer introduced the "Lifetime" pens, essentially renamed White Dot Imperials with "Lifetime" markings and a Lifetime guarantee. Sheaffer restored the Imperial name in 1965, dropping the Lifetime markings, and resumed the White Dot pens as Roman numeral models. This likely continued through at least 1966, when the Stylist line was introduced.

Sheaffer Imperial I Pens:
Evergreen Green Touchdown / Dark Bluish Grey Cartridge Pen

Imperial I - The Imperial I is the oddball of the family. It is the only Sheaffer Touchdown pen that does not use a sac protector, opting to have the bulb shaped sac use the barrel of the pen for that purpose. The plunger is plastic, also unlike the usual metal tube plunger found on other Touchdown pens. The Imperial I is the sole Imperial fitted with an inset Stylpoint nib, similar to those found on certain cartridge pen models. It also has the thinnest cap band, a lip cover only 1/8 inch wide. Initially offered as a Touchdown pen only, cartridge versions exist, and were obviously made later.