Sheaffer Snorkel
1952-59
About This Model
Introduced in 1952 as a successor to the Touchdown Thin Model and using the Touchdown pneumatic filling mechanism, the Snorkel was Sheaffer’s dominant model during the 1950’s. Because it was the ‘50’s, when no amount of American engineering was enough American engineering, the Snorkel added a mechanism to the Touchdown filler that extends a very narrow filling tube (“Snorkel”) into the ink bottle, with the intention of keeping the nib and feed clean during filling. Although I’ve never succeeded in filling one without actually immersing the nib, it’s a little exciting to see the snorkel appear from behind the nib. Snorkels either come with an open palladium nib or Sheaffer’s Triumph conical nib in two-toned gold or palladium, and they're usually wonderful writers. Like most Sheaffer models, Snorkels came in a wide variety of colors and models, but they were all the same size, 5 1/2” long and just under 7/16” thick.
About This Pen
A periwinkle blue Snorkel Statesman from 1952-59. This pen is a Lifetime model, with white dot, ⅜” wide 14K gold-filled cap band. As a Statesman, it carries a two-tone Triumph conical nib. The Triumph nibs make excellent writers, smooth and a touch softer. This one has a touch of flex as well.
Price: $59 Sold