Friday, May 15, 2009

Sheaffer Imperial Pencil

For some unknown reason I've never really been a fan of Sheaffer, but I’ve ended up with a couple of their pencils. Here’s one I picked up recently at auction. I’m not sure, but from some web searches I believe it is a Sheaffer Imperial pencil dating from the mid 1960’s to the mid 1970's. All photo’s are clickable to enlarge – I’d suggest you do so as this is a fine looking pencil.It uses 0.9mm lead, and is a screw mechanism. The top half of the body winds round and round to propel or retract the lead. Spare lead is stored inside the body, but it is a tip loading mechanism.

Around the centre it is marked “1/30 12K R.G.P CASING ‘crown’ SHEAFFER”. The ‘crown’ bit means there is a little crown logo there, which I assume is some reference to it being an Imperial. So, those markings mean the body is 12 carat rolled gold plate over base metal, the gold layer being 1/30th of the weight of the casing.
The body is decorated with panels of quite deeply engraved floral type designs. I’m not usually a fan of that sort of thing, but it really is quite striking and attractive.
The pocket clip is spring loaded, and carries the Sheaffer White Dot.

22 comments:

B2-kun said...

Nice looking addition to your collection. Seems like a Museum piece. This made me realize that my own collection is entirely composed of clutch pencils and Ratchet-based pencils.

Anonymous said...

Now that's more like it!

;)

AJ

Anonymous said...

I have an old Sheaffer mechanical pencil pencil for sale on ebay and I don't know if it works. I don't know anything about them. Would you be able to tell me how to figure out if it works or not?
Mike

Redds said...

I'm coming to steal this. I know where you live >_>

Anonymous said...

wow, i recognize this pencil. I used to have one of these and I just realized I don;t know where it it..:-(

Sandy said...

Hi i have a Pentel excalibur 0.7 i have had it years now and it is in what i think is stainless steel i would like to know where i can get new lead for it ?
I was going to put it on Ebay but it is a great pencil so its hard to part with it .

Kiwi-d said...

Hi Sandy - It takes 0.7mm lead which is a common size that most stationery stores should have in stock.

Sandy said...

Thankyou Kiwi-d

Michael P. McGrath said...

I just acquired a “1/30 12K R.G.P CASING ‘crown’ SHEAFFER” pen from my father's passing. Any value?

Anonymous said...

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohiooooooooooooooooooow dude

Anonymous said...

I had a pen that shape, but with a crome top, taking 0.9mm leads, and a black bottom half, produced in the 1980s. Could anyone tell me what this would be likely to be?

Anonymous said...

How do you put the refill lead in it?
Thanks

Anonymous said...

The Floral pattern is actually 'Grapes and Leaves', and the pencil is from the 1970's.
It was a 'Limited Edition' Sheaffer Imperial 'Gold Vintage'.
There was also a Ballpoint pen to match - Fortunately, I own both a Ballpoint, and a matching Pencil.
Sheaffer also produced a Silver version, which were named, oddly enough, Imperial 'Silver Vintage'.
I hope this answers your queries.
Mike

Kiwi-d said...

Thanks Mike.

Anonymous said...

It looks like the eraser is missing from the top of your pencil.
A very close replacement is available ferom the 'Parker Pen' company - 6mm size.
The leads are 0.9mm, available from lots of suppliers.
Mike

Anonymous said...

I have a set exactly like this that I got from my grandfather. Mine has the pencil and ballpoint pen in the original case. This is the only one I have found like it online.

Anonymous said...

There is no eraser in this model.
I had the Silver mechanical pencil at 19, in the midle 70's, when maybe it was my only value possesion, and I lost... I cried for years, but my sweetheart (that knew the history) found in a fleemarket at Bs As the ballpoint and the pencil set, in an original case, near mint condition all! and gave it for my birthday, few weeks ago, with my monogram.
I'M SOOOOOOO HAPPPYYYY, PALS...!!!!!!
MRG

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I forgot with the emotion. My congrats to Kiwi for the nice site!
MRG

Kiwi-d said...

Thanks. Glad your sweetheart came through for you ;-)

Anonymous said...

I have one similar:

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aViZSMJ
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=TsXSOA
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxhgKz0

Regards, jorge from Chile.
Jbravocamus@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

This is a very nice thing. I bought the ballpoint version from an antique shop and it is just an interesting and intriguing object.

c1-udonix said...

It happens that I own one, bought in 1974 or 1975.

The mechanism is quirky. Properly loaded, however, it is a good tool to use and I use it on a daily basis at home with a 2B 0.9mm lead. For field use I carry a bagful of Staedtler Mars Micro in various sizes as they are inexpensive and are rather more reliable than Pentel (which do no have retractable leads).

cheers

Jos