Product Description
Type Fountain pen and mechanical pencil set
Product Name Balance Lifetime. There's a "Lady Lifetime" nib which is probably from an earlier flat top model.
Manufacturer and Year Sheaffer, made in USA -- 1929-31 (the long humped clip is the original clip that was phased out by 1931).
Length The fountain pen is 5-5/8" and the pencil measures 5-3/8". The pen is the same length as oversized models, but it is more slender.
Filling System The fountain pen is a lever filler. It has been fully restored with a new sac and is working well. The pencil lead extends via a twist mechanism and takes "thick" or 1.1mm leads. An eraser is stored beneath the cap, though it's very hard.
Color Jade Green with gold plated trim, and the long humped clip. The pen has a White Dot, but the pencil does not.
Nib FINE gold Sheaffer Lady Lifetime nib is in nice condition with appropriate tipping material. It's smooth and firm. The nibs with the "Lady Lifetime" imprint appeared between 1924-26, and were usually found on the smaller flat top pens, so the presence here is a bit unusual. It was probably swapped out by a previous owner.
Condition Excellent condition with great color. The fountain pen looks great, though the middle part of the barrel is slightly yellowed and darker, probably due to offgassing from the ink sac. The cap lip has a small area that looks like it's been sanded down a bit. The cap has light scratching, with more moderate scratching at the top. The main part of the clip has some spots of brassing along the sides and around the top; the ball end is brassed. There are tool marks on the section. The lever bar has plating wear along the sides. No cracks in the cap lip or barrel threads. The pencil has light to moderate scratching on the cap and barrel. The cap doesn't connect completely to the barrel, there's a thin gap, probably due to material shrinkage. There is also brassing on the cap band, ball of the clip, and cone.
