Product Description
Type Vintage snorkel filling fountain pen and mechanical pencil set, restored and working well.
Product Name Admiral Snorkel, in a hard to find color
Manufacturer and Year Sheaffer -- 1952-9.
Length Pen is 5-1/2" long, and pencil is 5".
Filling System Pen is a snorkel filler. We've restored it with a new sac, point gasket, and O-ring. It's working perfectly. Pencil extends and retracts the lead by twisting the "cap" or top half.
Color Vermilion body and cap with gold plated trim and a 1/4" cap band. This is one of the six colors considered most collectible. In Snorkels, Fiesta Red and Vermilion are very close in color, both a bright orange-red, but Vermilion is correct for the Admiral which was not made in Fiesta Red.
Nib EXTRA FINE 14k #5 nib. No size label on it, but it is a fine, single-tone 14k #5 nib. It is correct for the Admiral model. It's smooth and firm with nice tipping material and has a little spring and a little line variation. See writing sample below. Pencil takes 0.9mm leads.
Condition Excellent + condition with minimal handwear. Some plating loss on the section threads, but the clip and cap band look really good. We would grade the condition as Superior, but there is a very short (1/8") crack in the pen's section threads near the nib, which you can see in the pictures. It will not affect the writing performance of the pen, and we have tested for leaks and found none. No bite marks, major scratches, or personalization. The imprints are clear and readable, and both pieces are working perfectly.