I am not a particularly delicately-built person. For some reason,
many of the pens I get which are in rather good shape or have really
interesting writing properties are better suited to the petite hand--
the Waterman 52½V, the Remex, the "17"
Lady, and this object. Actually, this pen is a little
better suited to my hand than the
other Balance I have, as it's not a slender model, but the
shortness of the "Junior" designation is a small issue.
More of an issue, at
least for a pen loonie like me, is sorting out the age of this pen.
The colour of the body, I learn from Richard Binder's most helpful site,
appeared in 1936 and ran until 1945. Elsewhere there, a chart of
clip-shapes for Balance models shows 1935 for the flat-backed but
humped version of the clip... on the lifetime models. Less
expensive models? "...Probably into the 1940s." As this
pen has a marking on the clip and no white dot, it's clearly a less
expensive model, which is more than confirmed by a price code impressed
upon the body-- this pen cost $2.75 when new. Update: I've since come into
possession of Sheaffer's catalogues from 1938 and 1941-- the earlier
shows Juniors at $3.00, the latter at $2.75, so it appears my estimate
was correct.
For all that it's a cheap model, it's a brilliant pen. There's
enough flexibility in the point for expressive line variation (although
it's not a "flex" pen as such), and it's as smooth as any other
Sheaffer. The body-length ink window means there's no surprises
regarding supply, and since the whole body is a reservoir there's
plenty of ink on a filling. My one concern with is it how much of
it peers out of the pocket when it's in carriage-- it feels like it
might pitch out at any moment, or catch on passing door-frames.
I can understand why the US military was against the
configuration.
Specifications:
Fine gold point; no hallmark, but it is stamped "Sheaffer Junior"
which is rather interesting. Vacuum filler. 12.2cm long
capped, 14.7cm posted.
Condition:
The only problems are ambering of the ink windows (currently a light
beer-bottle colour) and a small ripple in one tine which looks like an
repaired bend. It doesn't affect performance and gives no hints
of impending stress failure
Repairs:
None by me. The previous owner did a fine job of polishing it and
restoring the filler. I should, I suppose, ask about the point--
it's long enough since I bought it that it won't come across as
sniffing around for a rebate on the purchase price.
Location: My collection.
For sale?:
I shouldn't say so. I might trade with someone who has a
similarly-made and -maintained Standard model, who feels they'd enjoy a
shorter pen, but otherwise I quite enjoy it to write with.
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