Gallery of Early Uncatalogued Lady Sheaffers 1958–1964

by Jim Mamoulides, April 3, 2023

Uncatalogued Lady Sheaffers left to right, Free Form variation, Tweed variation and Petit Point variation

Out of the Sheaffer Model Shop?

After completing the fall 2020 Pennant article “Lady Sheaffer 1958–1964: A Gallery” I had the opportunity to examine and photograph a collection of uncatalogued Lady Sheaffer pens. It is not established whether these pens were production, prototype, or short-run models, but since none show up in any known Lady Sheaffer catalogs, pricelists, Sheaffer’s Review, or advertisements, I will simply call them uncatalogued unless and until more information surfaces. What’s interesting about these pens is that some are clear variants of catalogued models while others appear to be completely new ideas. All of the pens shown in this article are based on the first type of Lady Sheaffer pens offered from 1958 through 1962. None use the Stylpoint nib unit found on the Balicon models introduced in 1962. No model names are known yet, so descriptive names are used, especially when the pen is similar to a catalogued model. Interestingly, many of these pens came with nib units that were silkscreened with pricing and nib size but without the Roman numeral markings for the model number. This omission does not signal that these models are prototypes vs. production pens, but it is interesting that a model number is absent. As nib sections are interchangeable, I’m not going to use that as an indication either way. It’s not known if these pens pre-date the Lady Sheaffer launch or were part of continuing product development.

The first Lady Sheaffer line was introduced to fashion editors of influential newspapers and magazines at a special press event by Sheaffer on March 20, 1958. Ads were run in Vogue, Mademoiselle, Life, Reader’s Digest, The New Yorker, Ebony, This Week, and Parade. The line of 19 clipless cartridge-only fountain pen models priced from $10 to $110 was the broadest in Sheaffer history. The engraved patterns on the pens were named after fine fabrics, including tweed, corduroy, paisley, tulle, moiré, brocade, spun silver, petit point, damask, and matelassé in order to appeal to women as a fashion accessory. The initial packaging was intended to be similar to that used for perfumes and cosmetics. Inside with the pen was a fabric purse case made in 11 different fabrics to complement each pen design.

I’ve organized the following first by pens that are variations of an existing design/model. This is followed by groupings of pens that appear to be variations on a theme or design. It's not clear if the markings on the pens are engraved or etched, so I'm describing all of them as engraved until more is known. It’s not known if these represent a complete representation of uncatalogued pens. I would be very happy to see any additional examples. There won't be the usual identification guide or performance review as there is little to no primary documentation on these pens to create one and these pens are no different functionally than the standard Lady Sheaffer models, given that they use the same nib section units, so the writing experience would be no different.

List of Models

Tweed Variations:

Tweed engraved double-parallel, gold-fill wave lines on Jet enamel finish

Tweed engraved double-parallel, gold-fill alternate wave lines on Jet enamel finish

The pen that is catalogued as the Lady Sheaffer Tweed (model I) has parallel engraved wave lines with gold fill on the silver (chrome plate) cap and barrel, a Mandarin Red nib section, and palladium silver nib.

The two known uncatalogued variants are shown above. One has engraved double-parallel, gold-fill wave lines on a Jet (black) enamel finish cap and barrel with a Jet nib section, and a palladium silver nib, and the other has engraved double-parallel, gold-fill wave lines with alternate waves shifted 50 percent lengthwise on a Jet enamel finish with a Jet nib section, and a gold nib.

Paisley Variations:

Paisley engraved three-wave gold-fill repeating pattern on Jet enamel finish

Paisley engraved larger three-wave gold-fill repeating pattern on Jet enamel finish

The three catalogued Lady Sheaffer Paisley models include model IV, with a dense, tight repeating engraved gold wave pattern on a Jet enamel-finish cap and barrel, Jet nib section, and palladium silver nib; model V, with a dense, tight repeating engraved gold wave pattern on an Ivory enamel finish, Ivory nib section, and palladium silver nib; and model VI, with a dense, tight repeating engraved gold wave pattern on a Periwinkle enamel finish, Periwinkle nib section, and a palladium silver nib.

The first known variant has a small, engraved three-wave gold-fill repeating pattern on a Jet enamel finish cap and barrel, Jet nib section, and palladium silver nib, and the second has a larger, engraved three-wave gold-fill repeating pattern on a Jet enamel finish, with a Jet nib section and palladium silver nib.

Tulle Variations:

Tulle engraved net pattern on a matte chrome finish

Tulle engraved hexagonal net pattern on a polished chrome finish

The six catalogued Lady Sheaffer Tulle models include the model X, with an engraved gold net pattern on an Ivory enamel finish; model XI, with an engraved gold net pattern on a Jet enamel finish; model XII, with an engraved gold net pattern on a gold plated finish; model XIV, with an engraved gold net pattern on a Mandarin Red enamel finish; later model VIII, with an engraved black enamel-filled net pattern on a polished gold plated finish; and later model IX, with an engraved red net pattern on a polished gold plated finish.

There are two known uncatalogued variants of the Tulle models, including one with an engraved net pattern on a matte chrome finish with a Periwinkle section and a palladium silver nib, and a more hexagonal engraved net pattern on a polished chrome finish with a Mandarin Red nib section with a palladium silver nib.

Petit Point Variations:

Petit Point engraved four-diamond pattern in gold fill on Ivory enamel finish

Petit Point engraved four-diamond pattern with white fill on Jet enamel finish

The two catalogued Petit Point models include model XXIII, with an engraved gold-filled floral embroidery pattern on an Ivory enamel finish cap and barrel and an engraved gold plated cap band, and model XXIV, with an engraved white floral embroidery pattern on a Jet enamel finish and a single engraved white enameled cap band.

The first of these two uncatalogued variants has an engraved four-diamond pattern in gold fill on an Ivory enamel finish cap and barrel with an Ivory nib section and a gold nib. The other has the engraved four-diamond pattern with white fill on a Jet enamel finish with a Jet nib section and a gold nib.

Damask Variation:

Damask engraved gold-fill diamond pattern on Jet enamel finish

The Lady Sheaffer XXXV Damask has an engraved gold-fill diamond pattern on a silver color finish, a raised ring filled with white rhinestones, Ivory nib section, and a gold nib.

This uncatalogued example has the same engraved gold-fill diamond pattern on a Jet enamel finish without the rhinestone ring, with a Jet nib section and a gold nib.

Wave Variations:

Wave engraved parallel gold-fill wave lines on Jet enamel finish

Wave engraved parallel gold-fill wave lines on matte chrome finish

Wave engraved parallel wave lines on gold plate finish

Wave engraved parallel gold-fill large wave lines on Ivory enamel finish

Four known uncatalogued wave variants are shown above. The first has engraved parallel gold-fill wave lines on a Jet enamel finish cap and barrel with a Jet nib section and a palladium silver nib. The second has engraved parallel gold-fill wave lines on a matte chrome finish with an Ivory nib section and a gold nib The third has engraved parallel wave lines on a gold plate finish with a Mandarin Red nib section and a palladium silver nib. The fourth has larger engraved parallel gold-fill wave lines on an Ivory enamel finish with an Ivory nib section and a gold nib.

Star Band Variations:

Star band chrome-plated with engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands with cut-out stars

Star band satin pattern on silver-color finish with engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands with cut-out stars

Star band satin pattern on silver-color finish with engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands with engraved stars

Star band satin pattern on a silver-color finish with an engraved gold-fill cap band with engraved stars

There are four known uncatalogued star band variants. The first has an all chrome-plated cap and barrel with engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands with cut-out stars, with a Periwinkle section and a palladium silver nib; the second has a satin pattern on a silver-color finish with engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands with cut-out stars, an Ivory nib section, and a gold nib; the third has a satin pattern on a silver-color finish with engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands with engraved stars, an Ivory nib section, and a gold nib; and the last has a satin pattern on a silver-color finish with an engraved gold-fill cap band with engraved stars, a Jet nib section, and a gold nib.

Emblem Band Variations:

Emblem band Jet enamel finish with ornate engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands

Emblem band satin pattern on a silver-color finish with ornate engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands

Two uncatalogued emblem band variants are known; one in an all-Jet enamel-finish cap and barrel with ornate engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands, with a Jet nib section and a gold nib, and the other in a satin pattern on a silver-color finish with ornate engraved gold-fill cap and barrel bands, an Ivory nib section, and a gold nib.

Free Form Variation:

Free form matte gold plate cap and barrel with a shiny gold free-form pattern

This example has a matte gold plate cap and barrel with a shiny gold free-form pattern that wraps around the cap and barrel, a Mandarin Red nib section, and a gold nib.

Waterdrop Variation:

Waterdrop gold plate cap and barrel with a repeating engraved waterdrop pattern

This example has a gold plate cap and barrel with a repeating engraved waterdrop pattern that wraps around the cap and barrel, a Mandarin Red nib section, and a gold nib.

Rough Chiseled Variations:

Rough chiseled narrow gold plated

Rough chiseled narrow gold plated

Two known uncatalogued variants have the appearance of roughly chiseled bands down the length of the polished gold plated cap and barrel, with no other ornamentation. The narrower banded example has a Mandarin Red nib section and a gold nib, and the wider banded model has a Jet nib section and a gold nib.

If nothing else, the fact that these pens exist indicates that Sheaffer spent time trying out new ideas on the Lady Sheaffer base pen, including simple variations of production pens, spin-offs of production designs, and completely new designs. It makes me wonder what the decision-making process was to not include any of these in later offerings.

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Acknowledgement

Thanks to Patrick Mohan for loaning pens and for additional information on Lady Sheaffers. Patrick accumulated many examples through his collecting efforts and purchase of a few collections over the years. Most of the uncatalogued pieces were from a collection purchased from the late Dick Johnson, an early and long-time collector of Lady Sheaffers. Some of the uncatalogued pieces were acquired from Dan Reppert, who had access to them as the factory sold off non-production pieces.

Pennant Fall 2021

A version of this story appeared in the fall 2021 Pennant, the magazine of the Pen Collectors of America (PCA). You can learn more about joining the PCA and subscribing to the Pennant by clicking the link.

References

“Competition Moves In…Other Firms Introduce Women’s Pens” Sheaffer’s Review, January 1959, p. 8

“High Fashion Comes to the Pen Industry” Sheaffer’s Review, March–April 1958, pp. 5–6

Lady Sheaffer Catalog, 1959

“Marketing Review… Retail and Popular Price Divisions Prepare Massive Fall Promotions” Sheaffer’s Review, August 1960

Plewa, Fred, “New Lady Sheaffer” Pen World, V. 7 no. 6, August 1994, pp. 24–25

“A Report on Lady Sheaffer… Launching of New Pens is Highly Successful” Sheaffer’s Review, May 1958, p. 8

Sheaffer Catalog, 1963

Sheaffer’s Service Manual, 1962