Product Description
Type Vintage lever filling oversized fountain pen and pencil set.
Product Name Balance Lifetime set. Circa 1938, pens got model names and this one would be "Premier." This is the fat oversized model.
Manufacturer and Year Sheaffer, made in USA -- 1936-42 (those were the years they made the Balance in this color and with this clip).
Length 5-1/2" (both)
Filling System Vacuum or "Vac-fil" filling system. We've replaced the piston and seals and it's working well. Pencil takes "thin" 0.9mm leads.
Color Golden brown celluloid lengthwise strips alternating with yellow transparent lengthwise strips. It has a white dot above the clip and the radius clip. The cap band is 1/8" wide.
Nib FINE gold nib. It's smooth and firm. It says Sheaffer Lifetime on it.
Condition Very nice condition, excellent except for the crack in the fountain pen cap and priced accordingly. Fountain pen: There is a crack in the cap, which starts at the cap lip and is about 3/4" long, extending nearly to the bottom of the clip. We have included a detailed picture of this area. The cap band holds the cap together, but you will still want to take care with it; we recommend not posting the cap. Some brassing on the clip and cap band. White Dot is perfect. The barrel transparency is perfect and the viewing partitions are not ambered. The barrel imprint is clear. The pen has low handwear. The pen is fully restored and tested, and is working very well. Pencil: No cracks or chips in the material. There are scratches on the nose cone; their placement on both sides suggests that they may be tool marks of some sort. Twist mechanism works well and extends and retracts the lead nicely.