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Early Touchdown Pens 1949-1950 by Jim Mamoulides 8/29/02 - Updated 2/13/04 Thanks to Sam Marshall and Richard Binder
The Touchdown Pen Is Introduced Sheaffer introduced the Touchdown filling system in 1949, effectively replacing the fifteen year old Vacuum-Fill system with arguably a more effective, though much lower capacity pneumatic plunger filling system. The new pen line was essentially the same size and style as the previous Vacuum-Fill line, and the new pens carried over many of the existing model names.
As a spotting guide, these pens are about the same length as the following Thin Model or TM Touchdown pens, but are larger in diameter. The cap on a TM pen won't even come up to the section threads on these pens. The caps do interchange with same vintage Vacuum-Fill and lever fill pens.
The new pen was launched to dealers in early 1949, but advertisements for the new pen did not start to appear until mid-year, probably so Sheaffer could deplete its inventory of Vacuum-Fill pens. Early 1949 advertisements still show Vacuum-Fill pens, and later advertisements splash the new pen and filling system heavily. With the introduction of the new line, Sheaffer continued the production of lever-fill pens, but dropped most models back to black only. The Admiral, Craftsman, and Fineline, all entry level pen lines, were continued unchanged as lever fillers only. The large Touchdown line was produced into 1950, when the new Thin Model (or TM) Touchdown line was introduced.
As with the previous Vacuum-Fill pens, the Touchdown pens are filled by unscrewing the cap at the end of the barrel and pulling out the plunger. In the Touchdown pen it is a hollow metal tube instead of the Vacuum-Fill metal rod. The nib section is then put in the ink and the plunger is quickly pushed in, which creates pneumatic (air) pressure that compresses an ink sac inside a tube in the barrel. The user counts to ten, withdraws the nib, wipes, and is ready to write. Although Sheaffer advertisements showed the pen being filled with one hand, it does take two to open and draw out the plunger.
Sheaffer promoted the unique features of this new, "Better Pen" in its ads: "no filler ever made refills so quickly" as "completely with just one down-stroke" as the new Touchdown, the "Exclusively Sheaffer's" visulated "Visible Refill Indicator" section, the unique Triumph nib, and the "Sheaffer's alone" innerspring tensioned cap clip.
Another spotting guide is the found on nib, which is much larger diameter than on the following TM models. The early Touchdown nibs may have a serial number engraved, which was dropped on the later TM Touchdown and Snorkel pens. Sheaffer began the use of injection molded plastics in 1948, a process that required the production of single color pens, which helps date models of 1948 and later, prior to the introduction of the TM or Thin Model line. Sheaffer manufactured the new Touchdown in the same darker solid colors, offering the lines in black, green, brown, burgundy, and blue plastic.
All pens in the new Touchdown line basically differ from each other in the trim levels offered. All of the pens, except the Statesman, have the two-tone Triumph nib, and are the same pen internally with different cap and barrel combinations. This, combined with dropping the Vacuum-Fill and paring down the top lever fill lines to black only probably made production transition easier. All models have the spiral grip, which makes the pen easier to hold, and with less finger pressure. The section has metal threads, for a more secure grip on the cap. Sheaffer offered sixteen different nibs, including flexibles, accountant, shorthand, stubs, obliques and music. The Triumph nib pens will run stiffer than similar marked open nibs. All Touchdown models had matching pencils and Stratowriter ballpoints with the same trim. The ballpen and pencil were unchanged from prior year models that that complimented the lever-fill and Vacuum-Fill lines using the new injection molded plastic manufacturing process introduced in 1948. The ballpen was a capped Stratowriter style pen, with a tapered spiral grip similar to the pen. Higher line pens and ensemble sets were packaged in attractive brown leather grained clamshell boxes. The complete model list is as follows, in general order of original price: Open Nib White Dot Model
Statesman - The Statesman is the entry level White Dot Touchdown pen and the only one with a conventional open nib. Identification guide and features:
Sheaffer made a lever-fill Statesman in black only, for the same price as the Touchdown pen. A Tuckaway conventional nib model similar to the Statesman was available and sold for the same prices. Triumph Nib White Dot Models
Valiant - The Valiant is the entry level Triumph nib White Dot Touchdown and is otherwise identical to the Statesman. The nib is the reason for the 25% price premium. Identification guide and features:
Sheaffer made a lever-fill Valiant in black only, for the same price as the Touchdown pen.
Sentinel Deluxe - The Sentinel Deluxe may also be seen in advertisements and box labels as the Sentinel De Luxe, a hold over from earlier models. Although the cap looks like chrome plating, it's actually polished stainless steel, a much more durable finish Sheaffer called "Mastermetal". Identification guide and features:
Sheaffer made a lever-fill Sentinel Deluxe in black only, for the same price as the Touchdown pen. A Tuckaway Sentinel Deluxe model aimed at ladies was available and sold for the same prices.
Crest Deluxe - As with the Sentinel Deluxe, the Crest Deluxe is sometimes seen in advertisements and box labels as the Crest De Luxe, also a hold over from earlier model names. From the late 1930s until the end of the Snorkel line in 1959, Sheaffer associated the Crest model name with its gold filled metal cap pens. Identification guide and features:
Sheaffer made a lever-fill Crest Deluxe in black only, for the same price as the Touchdown pen. A Tuckaway Crest Deluxe "made in form and size to fit the feminine hand" was available and sold for the same prices. White Dot 14 Karat Gold Trim Models Autograph - The "Triumph for your Autograph" was advertised as available with the owner's personal signature engraved on the 14 karat gold cap band. The Touchdown Autograph continued that tradition with the widest cap band of any of the all-plastic pens in the line. As with the previous Triumph lines, the Autograph was only offered in black. Identification guide and features:
Sheaffer made a lever-fill Autograph also in black only, for the same price as the Touchdown pen. A Tuckaway Crest Deluxe "made to fit the feminine hand" was available and sold for the same prices. Crest Masterpiece - The Crest Masterpiece is the upscale Crest and the most prestigious model in the Touchdown line, with solid 14 karat gold cap and clip. The cap has an extra wide band for engraving. The Masterpiece pen was made only as a lever-filler. Identification guide and features:
Sheaffer made a lever-fill version of the Crest Masterpiece in black only, for the same price as the Touchdown pen. Performance I test drove two fat Touchdowns for this review, a Sentinel Deluxe and a Crest Deluxe. If you've used a Thin Model Touchdown or Snorkel pen, the first thing you're going to notice is this pen is fatter. Compared to the TM Touchdown pens, both are the same length, about 5 1/4 inches long capped and 6 1/8 inches posted, but the early Touchdown is a bit heavier, probably due to added bulk. It's not an overly heavy pen, however, and the extra width may make it more comfortable in some hands. Both pens are well balanced (they're Sheaffer's after all) whether the cap is posted or not, but seems happier with the cap posted due to the fairly short length of the pen. Posted, the cap is secure and stays put. The plating on both of the caps is heavy and very well done. This particular Sentinel Deluxe has some noticeable dents and dings, but the finish is not broken or marred. High quality and made for years of use.
This Sentinel Deluxe introduces staggered cap lines, as on the Crest Deluxe, which carried into the later Thin Model pens and move the line decidedly from a 1940s to a 1950s look, where chrome seemed to be added to everything. The previous model Sentinel Deluxe, a lever or Vacuum filler, has a plain cap which is somewhat less shiny. The caps and the section hold securely with metal threads, and the clip is spring loaded, giving a positive and secure place in the pocket. The color selection is late 1940s darker tones, and this carries on with the TM Touchdown pens. All Touchdown pens are easy to fill: unscrew the cap, pull out the plunger (out of the ink!), dip the nib and section, push in the plunger once, count to ten, remove, and wipe. The Touchdown filler is an improvement on the Vacuum-Filler it replaced. Sheaffer did continue to make lever fillers along with these pens, but the Touchdown is definitely more fun! These are very reliable pens, and found in the wild, many will work right out of the box, but consider having any older Touchdown serviced, as o-rings, seals and sacs can age out and leak. The Triumph nibs on both pens are stiff, but smooth and wet writers. As with earlier Triumph models, they will write both ways: a fatter line in the normal position, and a fine line held upside down. Sheaffer actually considered this a feature when the Triumph nib was introduced, but it was dropped with the redesigned TM pens and their smaller diameter nibs. I've found that unless the pen has been abused, most of them have great writing nibs. I am partial to Triumph nibs, and a pen so equipped will often find its way into my pocket. They tend to be very stiff and will write through carbons, which was important in the late 1940s and early 1950s. These pens have visulated sections, but they may be clouded or ambered. A good repair person should be able to clean that.
This was the first iteration of the Touchdown pen and was probably made for only about 18 months. They aren't common, and as such, they will price higher than their TM siblings. Fortunately, they haven't been "discovered" like other pens, such as the Parker 51, so prices should not be too high. Expect a premium for similar grade and model pens over TM Snorkels, for example. If you like the TM pens, but wish they were bigger in your hand, these are the pens for you. As with the TM pens, they work and write very well and are great everyday pens. These are well made pens that look just vintage enough, and yet modern enough, and will give lots of great daily use. Acknowledgement Thanks to Sam Marshall for providing detailed information from the 1949 Sheaffer Catalog. Thanks to Richard Binder for his photograph of the Sheaffer Sentinel in Persian Blue. Comments on this article may be sent
to the author, Jim Mamoulides |
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