New Evidence Wahl Eversharp Equipoised pen

[Wahlnut]

For those who may have followed it, there was an academic discussion a while back on one or another list about how long the Equipoised Pen lasted as a model in the Wahl Eversharp Line. Rob Astyk and I were going back and forth about the time-span for the Gold Seal Deco Band, then the Equipoised, and the the Doric eras. Much of the discussion centered around whic pen spanned what period(s), and my contention was that the Equipoised whether in the Sheaffer Balance shape, or the make-shift cylinder with "slapped on" conical endaps, or the final one with slightly tapered barrel and cap with conical ends was the pen that filled the the gap between the Gold Seal and the Doric, I believe that Rob felt that the Equipoised ran if not all the way at least most of the way through the Doric era. I disputed this.

 

Well, new archival material has come to light in the form of sme catalog material from the 1932-35 era that sheds light on this topic.

 

OK, those whose eyes are glazing over about now, click on to the next thread, those who care about this esoterica, read on.

 

As it turns out from this material both positions are correct. How can that be?, you ask. Well it has to do with the "top of the Line" or "premium" pen position and labelling of models. This is as it turns out just like the model naming in other manufactured items, especially cars of the same era. The Top of the Line pen in the Gold Seal Era was the Deco Band...the top of the line in the next era was the Gold Seal bearing (lifetime guarantee) Equipoised, (you know the one with the 3 gold cap bands the center one was the rhomboid design) and the top of the line in the next era was the Gold Seal bearing Doric. Now just to add some extra confusion there were higher and lesser cost models within each of the Equipoised and the Doric model ranges. Anyway, during the Doric era, the equipoised name DID NOT DISAPPEAR from production. 1 point for Mr. Astyk. It did change its look and its price range position in the Wahl Eversharp Line, lost it's gold seal status, and it's distinctive roller clip for a fixed ball "slip clip" and became the "economy model" even though it was a large pen it was only a $3.00 pen in its day as opposed to the $5 and $7.50 pen that the Doric range centered in. The Equipoised pen was not the equipoised pen we knew in the 1930-31/2 era, it was really a very different pen, but the name DID carry on during the Doric years. So while the "top of the line" Gold Seal Lifetime Guarantee Equipoised pen did cease production in about 1931-2, it's name was preserved, and put on the economy pen. This also explains how at the end of the Doric period and at the beginning of the Coronet time-frame, the Doric pen went to the round body shape known as the later Doric (no faceted sides). And to get your eyes really spinning in their sockets from boredom by now, became the body style that was called the Wahl Oxford in the lower price line for a time.

 

OK, OK, you are all saying, "who cares?" well, if for no other reason than that I think there may be some poor lost soul who does care, this unrequsted information is altruisticly offered up.

 

Syd The Wahlnut

CooCooCaChoo

[Psyktek]

Just to drag this back to the light of day (and add another question) .

 

So the pen I have that says "Wahl/Oxford" on the clip could be from that era as well? It is a marbled pearl/black/brown color, quite slender, round and has 2 thin gold bands on the cap.

 

Now the new question. There's a "Doric" on eBay with the #6 adjustable nib, long non-ball clip and a full gold band on the cap. Also, the seal is below the clip, a style I can't find in any of my books, including Lambrou's.

 

Is there a book on the Wahl/Eversharp/Doric pens? Or any combination thereof? :bonk:

[david i]

interesting stuff. Thanks Syd.

 

Gonna hafta putyoo to work scrawling a chapter on this stuff ;-)

 

regards

 

david