Sheaffer Sentinel ballpoint pen

Sheaffer is an iconic American brand of luxury writing instruments, founded in 1913 by Walter A. Sheaffer in Fort Madison, Iowa. Known for its innovation, including the first commercially successful lever-filling fountain pen, the brand became a global symbol of quality and craftsmanship in the stationery world.

Over the decades, the company underwent several ownership changes. It was acquired by Textron in 1966, then by Bic in 1997, and later by A.T. Cross Company in 2014. Most recently, in 2022, the brand was acquired by William Penn, a leading distributor of premium writing instruments based in India. While the brand remains rooted in its American heritage, manufacturing has transitioned over the years from the original Iowa factory to various global locations including China, India, and Europe to meet modern production needs.