Craig
About This Model
Since the beginning, the biggest fountain pen manufacturers all operated sub-brands, most likely to maintain a market presence at all levels without harming the main product line. During the Depression years, having sub-brands to promote was critically important to support cash flow without cutting the top lines’ prices. Sheaffer had numerous sub-brands over the years, including WASP, Vacuum, Vacfill, Univer, Craig, and Fineline, and their pens covered a wide range from lower quality, to school pens, to Balance quality parts. the best of these was WASP (Walter A. Sheaffer Pens), which they appeared from 1936-probably 1941 in a welter of lines, appearances, and plastics. The nrdy WASP line was The Clippers, named for the first public air transport, which opened in 1936. The Clippers were generally solid pens, well-made, wrote well.
About This Pen
Craig was the earliest Sheaffer sub-brand, with lower level production starting in Sheaffer’s earliest days. This pen is in chased black hard rubber, without discoloration, in very nice overall condition. There are no scratches or nicks; the imprint is deep and complete. The lever is very skinny but strong. The nib is warranted 14K, and is this pen’s prime attraction: it is a fully flexible writer, even for this overhand lefty!
Price: $75 Sold