Speaking of Oxfords

[LBpens]

I think it would be interesting to gather Oxford models and variations in pictures here and compare. There are so many I doubt anyone has seen them all. I suggested this to Syd awhile back in a PM but didn't get an answer. He may not have seen it. If anyone is interested I'll post some. And David has been taking pictures at pen shows for years so I'm sure he has a lot of Oxfords in his photo collection.

[david i]

I think it would be interesting to gather Oxford models and variations in pictures here and compare. There are so many I doubt anyone has seen them all. I suggested this to Syd awhile back in a PM but didn't get an answer. He may not have seen it. If anyone is interested I'll post some. And David has been taking pictures at pen shows for years so I'm sure he has a lot of Oxfords in his photo collection.

 

Recognizing of course that I likely have not seen "all the information out there", i've nonetheless always been diismayed that so little has been published regarding Oxford. I hve pics of a number of classic and odd-duck models, but really not all that many. Have one catalogue page (late 1930's) showing some of the weaker (parkette-ish quality) Oxes, but no other data.

 

Compiling info on Oxford is something to which i'd be happy to contribute.

 

d

 

 

[Richard]

I've seen a fairish number of Oxfords, but for one reason or another I've photographed only these two, a relatively early one and one from somewhat later:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/oxford_early.jpg

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/ref_info/glossary/zoomed/oxford_later.jpg

 

It's interesting, especially with these two pens in your hand, to observe the deterioration of quality and the diminution of nib size.

[philm]

My contribution to your project.

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y50/munsonhsr/wahl%20eversharp%20pens/DSC_0015.jpg

[JunPat]

I thought I'd add mine since its not one you see often.

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/Slydlok/Picture2002.jpg

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/Slydlok/Picture2001.jpg

Edited August 31, 2008 by JunPat

[Glenn-SC]

philm and JunPat,

 

WOW!

 

Beautiful!!

[jimhughes]

I think it would be interesting to gather Oxford models and variations in pictures here and compare. There are so many I doubt anyone has seen them all. I suggested this to Syd awhile back in a PM but didn't get an answer. He may not have seen it. If anyone is interested I'll post some. And David has been taking pictures at pen shows for years so I'm sure he has a lot of Oxfords in his photo collection.

All:

Noob here. Just got a blue Oxford the other day on Fleabay, to go along with my brown and green Bantams. I'd like to hear/read more on production dates on both Oxford and Bantams and reviews too. Any suggestions on where to start on this? Thanks, Jim

 

[Wahlnut]

philm and JunPat,

 

WOW!

 

Beautiful!!

 

 

This is one design I have never understood. If you're gonna make a pen with stripes, why would you not want the stripes to line up? I can not see the detail of this pen in the old magazine ads well enough to see if it is this one or if its stripes lined up when new. Is it possible the stripes, drifted apart as the pen shrunk? Are there ones that did/do line up and these are "seconds" (doubt that). Kind of reminds me of the "Bankers Suit", you know charcoal gray, black or blue with the widely spaced chalk lines. The lines are supposed to intersect on the lapel, but they sell them that don't and people buy them that way. If you found a suit for sale at a "quality" mens store it would be grounds for rejection, yet here is a pen where the lines are sooo far off. Go figger

[JunPat]

Syd

These Oxfords with the SelectOPoint nibs have letters engraved on them but I know they don't correspond to the nib size since mine says Firm Med, but there is a B above that. I've seen another with a A that is marked Firm Fine. What does the letters mean?

[Wahlnut]

Syd

These Oxfords with the SelectOPoint nibs have letters engraved on them but I know they don't correspond to the nib size since mine says Firm Med, but there is a B above that. I've seen another with a A that is marked Firm Fine. What does the letters mean?

 

I think there was a nib maker/distributor and perhaps even a pen brand named Select-O-Point. I have heard of nibs of that brand showing up in Wahl Oxfords before, but to the best of my knowledge, they are not original to nor do they represent a correct replacement for nibs in these pens. My best guess about A, B, etc is that the letter stands for the size and curvature of the nib and of course the firmness words speak for themselves. Probably A is like a Wahl #2 or a Warranted #3 and a B was like a Wahl#4 or a Warranted #5. Maybe someone on the Pen History forum can put us right about Select-O-Point nibs. No slur against anyone on FPN, but the deepest scholars on obscure pen brands and history seem to reside at the Lion and Pen.

 

Anyway to my way of thinking, for the Wahl-Oxford to be "correct" it should sport a Wahl Oxford, Eversharp or possibly in the last resort a Warranted nib.

 

Syd

Edited August 31, 2008 by Wahlnut

[Have Fun]

philm and JunPat,

 

WOW!

 

Beautiful!!

 

 

This is one design I have never understood. If you're gonna make a pen with stripes, why would you not want the stripes to line up? I can not see the detail of this pen in the old magazine ads well enough to see if it is this one or if its stripes lined up when new. Is it possible the stripes, drifted apart as the pen shrunk? Are there ones that did/do line up and these are "seconds" (doubt that). Kind of reminds me of the "Bankers Suit", you know charcoal gray, black or blue with the widely spaced chalk lines. The lines are supposed to intersect on the lapel, but they sell them that don't and people buy them that way. If you found a suit for sale at a "quality" mens store it would be grounds for rejection, yet here is a pen where the lines are sooo far off. Go figger

 

It does seem illogical but it kind of coincides with camouflage ideas of the period ( battleships etc ) later on maybe this could be seen as desconstructiivsm ... theres's no way the lines were off set on that pen cap to that extent unless they were intentional or a mistake & I don't see how a mistake like that could be made (offsetting the lines on the cap so different from the pen body) .. unless perhaps it's a different cap thats been fitted

 

Anyway congratulations on the pen I hope it writes Ok for you .. which is what really counts

[Have Fun]

Syd

These Oxfords with the SelectOPoint nibs have letters engraved on them but I know they don't correspond to the nib size since mine says Firm Med, but there is a B above that. I've seen another with a A that is marked Firm Fine. What does the letters mean?

 

I think there was a nib maker/distributor and perhaps even a pen brand named Select-O-Point. I have heard of nibs of that brand showing up in Wahl Oxfords before, but to the best of my knowledge, they are not original to nor do they represent a correct replacement for nibs in these pens. My best guess about A, B, etc is that the letter stands for the size and curvature of the nib and of course the firmness words speak for themselves. Probably A is like a Wahl #2 or a Warranted #3 and a B was like a Wahl#4 or a Warranted #5. Maybe someone on the Pen History forum can put us right about Select-O-Point nibs. No slur against anyone on FPN, but the deepest scholars on obscure pen brands and history seem to reside at the Lion and Pen.

 

Anyway to my way of thinking, for the Wahl-Oxford to be "correct" it should sport a Wahl Oxford, Eversharp or possibly in the last resort a Warranted nib.

 

Syd

 

I have 2 Oxfords both with Selectopoint nibs one A (fine) the other B (medium) & I see a lot of Oxfords offered with Selectopoint Nibs. The clips on these are set high on the cap. Cap rings are usually single band.

Whereas the Oxfords with the clip set lower down on the cap are more likely to have Wahl Nibs especially if they have the guarantee emblem (sorry don't know what else to call it) & these have more rings on the cap.

I suspect (but cannot prove) that Selectopoint were affiliated in some way to Wahl Eversharp (perhaps to avoid guarantee issues) but there does seem to be a proliferation of Selectopoint nibs fitted on Wahl Oxfords

 

BTW I bought both my Oxfords in the UK & both have the visu section

 

 

[david i]

philm and JunPat,

 

WOW!

 

Beautiful!!

 

 

This is one design I have never understood. If you're gonna make a pen with stripes, why would you not want the stripes to line up? I can not see the detail of this pen in the old magazine ads well enough to see if it is this one or if its stripes lined up when new. Is it possible the stripes, drifted apart as the pen shrunk? Are there ones that did/do line up and these are "seconds" (doubt that). Kind of reminds me of the "Bankers Suit", you know charcoal gray, black or blue with the widely spaced chalk lines. The lines are supposed to intersect on the lapel, but they sell them that don't and people buy them that way. If you found a suit for sale at a "quality" mens store it would be grounds for rejection, yet here is a pen where the lines are sooo far off. Go figger

 

Probably did it to bug folks who are obsessed by such things

 

-d

[Glenn-SC]

This is one design I have never understood. If you're gonna make a pen with stripes, why would you not want the stripes to line up?

Well,

When other manufacturers had already made;

- solid black pens

- solid black pens with chasing

- solid colored pens

- solid colored pens with overlays

- solid colored pens with contrasting ends

- marbled colored pens

- rippled colored pens

- swirled color pens

- marbled colored pens with colors swirled through them

- striped pens

- striped and marbled pens (a.k.a. tiger-eye)

- cracked-ice pens

- ringed pens (e.g. Vacumatics)

 

then the "disrupted striped" pen ain't that much of a leap and is "something different"

 

But I know I like them.

 

 

[LBpens]

philm and JunPat,

 

WOW!

 

Beautiful!!

 

 

This is one design I have never understood. If you're gonna make a pen with stripes, why would you not want the stripes to line up? I can not see the detail of this pen in the old magazine ads well enough to see if it is this one or if its stripes lined up when new. Is it possible the stripes, drifted apart as the pen shrunk? Are there ones that did/do line up and these are "seconds" (doubt that). Kind of reminds me of the "Bankers Suit", you know charcoal gray, black or blue with the widely spaced chalk lines. The lines are supposed to intersect on the lapel, but they sell them that don't and people buy them that way. If you found a suit for sale at a "quality" mens store it would be grounds for rejection, yet here is a pen where the lines are sooo far off. Go figger

 

The stripes didn't line up by design, a deco style. These were made wrapping plastic in a barber pole fashion. I have a number of these with both Eversharp and Oxford markings. Also have them in both red and green. They made the matching pencils too. All very scarce.

 

[Vintagepens]

As noted by others, the design is 100% deliberate, and very much in the style of the times -- zigzags, steps, and other interrupted geometric forms.

[Have Fun]

philm and JunPat,

 

WOW!

 

Beautiful!!

 

The stripes didn't line up by design, a deco style. These were made wrapping plastic in a barber pole fashion. I have a number of these with both Eversharp and Oxford markings. Also have them in both red and green. They made the matching pencils too. All very scarce.

 

It would be interesting to see them

 

Are the stripes off set in the sameway as seen in the 1st photo post 5 ? The difference in the offset on the cap is much more than on the barrel

 

[LBpens]

They are all the same in that they have similar deviations like you mentioned. The base plastic was a vertical stripe at regular intervals but then as it is cut and wound the striped no longer line up.

[mandragoru]

I bring here my contribution, a rare pattern (for me, at least) for Eversharps or Oxfords. Maybe someone can say more about this pen.

 

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/8650/dsc0368ok2.jpg

 

[LBpens]

I have these in several colors and again, with both Eversharp and Oxford markings. They came in sets with pencils also.