The Sheaffer Imperial Family of Fountain Pens

During 1960 the first pens in the Imperial family appeared, a premium line of cartridge pens called Compact and a Touchdown pen named Target.
The Target was fitted with the cylindrical style nib like that previously used on the snorkel pens, with the body style and trim made to look like a slender PFM III. 

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SHEAFFER'S TARGET FOUNTAIN PEN AND PENCIL SET

The above image has been used with the kind permission of Jim Mamoulides of www. Penhero.com - some great information on the Sheaffer Imperials can be found on Jim's website.

 

SHEAFFER'S COMPACT I CARTRIDGE FOUNTAIN PEN IN BLACK WITH INK VIEW BARREL
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The Compact Cartridge pens were numbered I and II, both had an inlaid nib units fitted to the pens. Comp I had a Stainless steel nib and trim, the clip was stamped Sheaffer’s and had no white dot. The Comp II had a 14K solid gold nib unit, gold plated trim and the clip had a white dot fitted. Two versions of the pens were made, one with an ink view on the barrel and one without. Two different size cap clips were also made, the pens with the ink view barrel normally have the shorter clip fitted.
SHEAFFER'S COMPACT II CARTRIDGE FOUNTAIN PEN IN BURGUNDY WITH INK VIEW BARREL.
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1961 saw the introduction of what many refer to as the proper Imperial, two pens were originally made the Imperial IV and the Imperial VI, both were touchdown pens with inlaid nibs. Later in 1961 the Target was renamed the Imperial III and four new pens were added to the range. The Imperial II, Imperial VIII, Imperial Triumph and the 14K Solid Gold Imperial Masterpiece.
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SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL TRIUMPH TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN.
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SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL VIII TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN IN BLACK.
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SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL VI TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN IN GREY.
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SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL IV TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN IN BLUE.
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SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL III TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN IN BURGUNDY.
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SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL II TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN IN GREEN.
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In 1962 the Imperial I was added to the range, this pen had a short stroke touchdown mechanism. The pen was fitted with a gold plated recessed style nib and trim with gold plate. The first Imperial I pens were manufactured and shipped from Canada.
SHEAFFER'S IMPERIAL I TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PENS IN GREEN AND GREY.
The above image has been used with the kind permission of Jim Mamoulides, Penhero.com.
 
 
A new range of pens came out in 1962, the 500, 800 and 1000 models, given their numbers from the price point, $5.00, $8.00 and $10.00 respectively. The unique diamond point nibs fitted on these pens was actually a cost saving exercise that enabled Sheaffer to put them in at a lower price point, while still retaining the look of an inlaid nib pen. The bulbous shaped nib shell with the recessed style nib, earned these pens the nickname 'Dolphin', as far as I'm aware this name was never used by Sheaffer. The 500 and 800 were available in both the Cartridge and Touchdown option while the 1000 was only available as a cartridge pen.
Above Images taken from a 1963 Sheaffer's 50th Year Anniversary Catalogue.
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1963 was a landmark year for Sheaffer, the 50th anniversary of the company and a new range of pens were introduced to co-inside with this event,  they were named Lifetime pens and given a warranty to match .The following description of the Warranty is taken from a Sheaffer service manual.
The trademark LIFETIME imprinted on the 14K gold point and on the clip to identify the new LIFETIME fountain pen guarantees its proper performance under normal conditions below for the life of the person in whose name a certificate finished for each pen is required. If during your life as the registered owner, this LIFETIME fountain pen should fail to function properly for any cause other than wilful or accidental damage  send the pen to our factory postage prepaid and we will repair or replace it for you completely free of charge.  
Like the Dolphin pens these Lifetime pens were numbered to match their price points,  the following pens completed the range, 1250 (Imperial IV Style), 1500 (Imperial VI Style), 2000 (Imperial IV Style with 14K Cap Band) and 3000 (Imperial Triumph Style). The four new Lifetime models were all cartridge pens and stamped Lifetime on the clip, the 14K inlaid nib fitted on these pens was also stamped Lifetime. The only touchdown fountain pens available at this time was the 1350TD (Imperial IV) and the 14K Masterpiece, both of these pens were not Lifetime models.

SHEAFFER'S 3000 LIFETIME CARTRIDGE FOUNTAIN PEN.
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SHEAFFER'S 2000 LIFETIME CARTRIDGE FOUNTAIN PEN WITH 14K AUTOGRAPH BAND AVAILABLE IN BLACK ONLY.
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SHEAFFER'S 1500 LIFETIME CARTRIDGE FOUNTAIN PEN IN BURGUNDY.
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SHEAFFER'S 1250 LIFETIME CARTRIDGE FOUNTAIN PEN IN GREEN.
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Sometime after 1963 the Imperials reverted back to the roman numeral identification and lower priced models were available with the touchdown or cartridge fill systems, while the premium models like the Masterpiece and Imperial Triumph seem to have been offered in touchdown only.
A Sterling Silver touchdown pen in a beautiful cross-hatched pattern was introduced in the late 1960's and named the Silver Imperial, this model introduced a new circular look to the ends of the cap and barrel.
SHEAFFER SILVER IMPERIAL STERLING SILVER TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN .
A few new Imperial pens had been added to the range by 1971 including the Imperial I de-luxe and the Imperial II de-luxe, these had a white dot added to the clip and the cap changed to a satin chrome coloured finish that seemed to have a coat of lacquer over the top, both touchdown and cartridge pens were made in these models.  9ct and 18ct solid gold Masterpiece pens were also added to the range around the same time, I believe in touchdown only.
SHEAFFER IMPERIAL 18K MASTERPIECE TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN .
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SHEAFFER IMPERIAL II DELUXE TOUCHDOWN FOUNTAIN PEN IN GREY.
In 1973 the new Sheaffer Triumph range was introduced, the filling system being cartridge or convertor. Originally only the lower price pens  were called Triumph and all these models were fitted with the small arrowhead inlaid nib, while the prestige models like the Silver Imperial continued to use the longer inlaid nib associated with the Imperial pens.
The following 1974 line up of Imperial and Triumph fountain pens was taken from a UK retail price list.
18K MASTERPIECE
18ct Solid Gold, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
9K MASTERPIECE
9ct Solid Gold, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
SILVER IMPERIAL
Sterling Silver Crosshatched Pattern, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
IMPERIAL SOVEREIGN
14 ct Rolled Gold Crosshatched Pattern, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
IMPERIAL 777
12ct Rolled Gold Lined Pattern, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
IMPERIAL 727
Gold Plated Lined Pattern, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
IMPERIAL 770
12 ct Rolled Gold Cap Lined Pattern, Barrel colours Black, Burgundy or Blue, fitted with 14 ct inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 550
Black, Burgundy or Blue with Gold Plated trim, fitted with small 14ct Gold inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 506XG
Bright Chrome Finish with Gold plated Clip, fitted with small 14ct inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 444XG
Brushed Chrome Finish with Gold Plated Trim, fitted with 14ct small inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 440XG
Brushed Chrome Cap, Gold Plated Clip, Barrel colours Black, Burgundy or Blue, fitted with small 14ct inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 506
Bright Chrome Finish with Bright Chrome Clip, fitted with stainless steel inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 440
Brushed Chrome Cap, Bright Chrome Clip, Barrel colours Black, Burgundy or Blue, fitted with stainless steel inlaid nib.
IMPERIAL II
Brushed Stainless Steel cap with Bright Chrome Clip, Barrel colours Black, Burgundy or Blue, fitted with stainless steel inlaid nib.
TRIUMPH 330
Black, Burgundy or Blue with Bright Chrome trim, fitted with stainless steel inlaid nib.
A couple of new pens were added to the range late in 1976, the Imperial 797 Gold Plated Fluted Pattern and the Imperial 827 Gold Plated Barleycorn Pattern.
By 1980 the short arrowhead nib previously only used on the Triumph range of fountain pens was being now being fitted onto the Imperial fountain pens.
With the introduction of the Sheaffer Targa in 1976 and it's continued success into the 1980's, the range of the Imperial pens became very limited and in April 1983 the only fountain pen left in the range was the 797 fluted. When the October 1983 price list was published the 797 fountain pen had been taken out of the range, the ballpen however continued to be produced and this was re-named the Imperial Triumph in a 1986 catalogue.

While the Imperial pens were being phased out of the Sheaffer line up, the lower priced Triumph pens continued being produced, however the only two models available between 1983 and 1988 were the Triumph 440 and 444.

In 1988 the premium line pens were re-introduced however this time around they were named Triumph instead of Imperial and two new finishes appeared, the 787 Matte Black GT and 770 Gold Plated Cap with Black Laque Barrel.
Scan from a 1988 Sheaffer catalogue.
The 797 Fluted fountain pen was still in the range and like the others was renamed Triumph.
Scan from a 1988 Sheaffer catalogue.
The Triumph pens continued to be produced until the launch of the new Triumph Imperial pens in 1994, these pens were a reintroduction of the original Imperial shape from the early 60’s, but this time around they were all cartridge/convertor fill fountain pens and came with either steel or 23K gold electroplated nibs.
The following pens completed the starting line up in 1994.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2797-
Gold Electroplated Cap and Barrel with 23ct Gold Electroplated accents and a 23ct Gold Plated Nib.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2790
Gold Electroplated Cap and Black Lacquered Barrel with 23ct Gold Electroplated accents and a 23ct Gold Plated Nib.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2555/2556/2557/2558
Black, Burgundy, Blue or Green Cap and Barrel with 23ct Gold Electroplated Accents and a 23ct Gold Plated Nib.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2444
Brushed Chrome Cap and Barrel with a Bright Chrome Clip and a Stainless Steel Nib.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2440/2441/2442/2443
Brushed Chrome Cap with a Bright Chrome Clip, Black, Burgundy, Blue, or Green Barrel and a Stainless Steel Nib.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2330/2331/2332/2333-
Black, Burgundy, Blue or Green Cap and Barrel with Chrome Accents and a Stainless Steel Nib.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2979 GOLD ELECTROPLATED
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2979 GOLD ELECTROPLATED CAP WITH BLACK LAQUE BARREL
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2555 BLACK WITH 23k GOLD ELECTROPLATE ACCENTS
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2444 BRUSHED CHROME WITH BRIGHT CHROME CLIP
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2441 BRUSHED CHROME CAP WITH BRIGHT CHROME CLIP AND BURGUNDY BARREL.
TRIUMPH IMPERIAL 2333 GREEN WITH CHROME ACCENTS
In 1995 the 2780 pen was introduced in palladium plate with 23ct electroplated gold trim and nib.
IMPERIAL TRIUMPH 2780 PALLADIUM
1996 saw the launch of Sheaffer’s colour palette programme, the idea of the programme was to give the consumer the choice of four captivating colours in four different price ranges. The Sheaffer Crest, the Sheaffer Targa, the Sheaffer Fashion and the Sheaffer Triumph Imperial made up the collection.
The Triumph Imperial colour palette collection was as follows,
2661 Flame Red, 2662 Ultramarine Blue, 2663 Emerald Green and 2664 Cadmium Yellow.
The Imperial Triumph Holly pen was made for the 1996 holiday season and was the first in a limited series of Holiday Originals. An original illustration, drawn by Coles Phillips and featured in Sheaffer's 1920's holiday advertising, inspired the festive decoration of the Holly pen. Delicate holly leaves and berries are etched into the 23K gold electroplate ridged cap and then handpainted in a glossy green and red enamel.The merry design is completed by the berry red barrel, 23K gold electroplate trim, and the year engraved on the cap.
After 39 years of production the last Imperial style pen listed by Sheaffer was the 2797 Imperial Triumph Gold Electroplated Lined Pattern in July 1999.