Jump to content


Photo

Curse of the Black Spot spreads to Wahl!

Wahl Oxford black spot dot equi-poised black dot

  • Please log in to reply
14 replies to this topic

#1 david i

david i

    ADVISOR

  • ADVISORS
  • 7,515 posts
  • LocationEast Coast USA

Posted 02 February 2014 - 12:21 AM

In a recent thread (Jan 2014), we discussed a wacky Sheaffer Balance that had a black dot instead of a white dot, along with other anomalies.

 

 

sheaffer_curse_blackdot700a.jpg

 

 

 

That thread can be found here:   LInk-- Sheaffer OS Balance Black Dot--

 

 

So, figure that recently while reviewing some acquisitions, I found a Wahl Oxford (also 1930's product) also afflicted by that scourge, the evil Black Spot.  This might be viewed as an even more bizarre finding, as Wahl Oxford never had any "dot", but if you think about it and look closely at the pen, it should all make sense, maybe more easily making sense than does the Sheaffer.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

wahl_oxford_blackspot950a.jpg

 

regards

 

David


David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

Posted Image

#2 quinden

quinden

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 31 posts

Posted 02 February 2014 - 12:40 AM

Is it a drilled-out Gold Seal that they tried to hide by masking the color? Nice!

#3 quinden

quinden

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 31 posts

Posted 02 February 2014 - 12:41 AM

Ah, 'masking' should be 'matching' there. Whoops!

#4 JonSzanto

JonSzanto

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 1,021 posts

Posted 02 February 2014 - 12:55 AM

Out, damned spot! out, I say!



#5 david i

david i

    ADVISOR

  • ADVISORS
  • 7,515 posts
  • LocationEast Coast USA

Posted 02 February 2014 - 12:58 AM

Is it a drilled-out Gold Seal that they tried to hide by masking the color? Nice!

 

Hi,

 

OK then... to push it to the next level, why then would a second tier, nearly sub-brand Wahl Oxford have had a Gold Seal in the first place to be drilled out?   Also, as an aside, we note that most drilled Gold Seals on Gold Seal Wahls that were sold without the warranty look to have had a pin sized hole poked  through the Seal, not removal of the seal.

 

I don't want y'all to be bored... ;)

 

 

regards

 

d


David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

Posted Image

#6 quinden

quinden

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 31 posts

Posted 02 February 2014 - 01:11 AM

My Wahl knowledge is about tapped out :)

It has the shape of an Equipoise (maybe?) - maybe the gold seal was never put in, and then Oxford parts were used to complete the pen? (Wild speculation)

#7 david i

david i

    ADVISOR

  • ADVISORS
  • 7,515 posts
  • LocationEast Coast USA

Posted 02 February 2014 - 01:19 AM

My Wahl knowledge is about tapped out :)

It has the shape of an Equipoise (maybe?) - maybe the gold seal was never put in, and then Oxford parts were used to complete the pen? (Wild speculation)

 

Sounds pretty well thought out.  While proof can be difficult, my thoughts are in line with yours.  There are a variety of Oxfords out there. Indeed, there are some with a Gold Seal  (Marked "X" rather than W or double check), but some Oxfords look like they started out life as Equi-Poised, which in standard girth was  a Gold Seal pen. Rather than being a punched seal in a high line Wahl, this pen perhaps was leftover stock, already with space carved for a Gold Seal, but released as lower line Wahl Oxford.  With no need for a seal, the space was filled.  I'd be happy to hear other notions.

Regards

 

david


David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

Posted Image

#8 quinden

quinden

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 31 posts

Posted 02 February 2014 - 01:54 AM

I was trying to figure out how to tie my stab in the dark to the black spot by using a lame pun... My punning engine has failed me!

#9 ihimlen

ihimlen

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 41 posts

Posted 03 February 2014 - 04:57 PM

Yup, this Oxford (when it was still parts) started its life as an Equipoised (with different, more basic trim, sans cap top/barrel end rings) - probably a 1932 model, introduced alongside the Doric and sold alongside the "Equi-purse pens". But it looks to be assembled in c. 1934/35 (probably in the parts blow-out extravaganza) and released as an Oxford, albeit with better trim (the bands and the lever look like GF Equipoised trim - a mighty upgrade for an Oxford... except for the plated Oxford clip). And since the Gold Seal emblem was not needed for an Oxford, it was filled in with black celluloid plug. David's theory is by far the most plausible one and the parts blow-out can be also evidenced by c. 1934/35 Oxfords in.... Flamingo (here's one on the 'Bay)

 

Attached File  Flamingo Oxford.jpg   72.08KB   0 downloads


Edited by ihimlen, 03 February 2014 - 05:04 PM.

Life is too important to be taken seriously
(Oscar Wilde)

#10 RickB

RickB

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 109 posts
  • LocationBaltimore, MD

Posted 03 February 2014 - 09:31 PM

Ar!  Equipoised, with a bit cut out.  "Depposed" to just an Oxford, as it were.  A curiosity indeed.

 

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.



#11 RickB

RickB

    journeyman

  • Members
  • 109 posts
  • LocationBaltimore, MD

Posted 16 February 2014 - 02:19 AM

OK, so just a bit too obscure.  Or no Treasure Island fans here.



#12 john54green

john54green

    greenhorn

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 11 posts
  • LocationLand of Enchantment

Posted 17 February 2014 - 10:19 PM

Somewhat related to the topic, my apologies if I'm veering too far, but has anyone seen a cigarette holder like that in the images?  It is hard rubber, has a white dot, and was great fun to show to my students when I was teaching the Twenties.



#13 john54green

john54green

    greenhorn

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 11 posts
  • LocationLand of Enchantment

Posted 17 February 2014 - 10:20 PM

Somewhat related to the topic, my apologies if I'm veering too far, but has anyone seen a cigarette holder like that in the images?  It is hard rubber, has a white dot, and was great fun to show to my students when I was teaching the Twenties.

Attached Files



#14 Wahlnut

Wahlnut

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 60 posts
  • LocationAlamo, CA

Posted 13 March 2014 - 12:19 AM

I know, I know, I'm late for this but here goes:

 

Here's a page from the 1935 catalog (there were 2 by the way - one for USA and one for "International" and the international showed no prices and it had 1st gen Dorics still for sale overseas)

 

 

6ead3fbf-c2ae-4d72-b423-e3dbcb6baa0e_zps

 

 

The Oxford shown is all the same as the "mystery" pen in question except for the black dot.  The Oxford pens were the same dimensions as the 2-band Equi-Poised pens too, so the substitution would have been easy. Tacky as it might be for a 1st class company to do, the Great Depression took its toll on many a company's "standards" and I suppose a pen that on a pen that sold for under 2 bucks you could get away with it.  So, I'm on the "lets-plug-a-gold-seal-hole" answer for now.  


Syd "the Wahlnut" Saperstein
Pensbury Manor
The WAHL-EVERSHARP PEN COMPANY
and Home of Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Pen Potion No.9
and GREAT KNOBS! for cars

#15 david i

david i

    ADVISOR

  • ADVISORS
  • 7,515 posts
  • LocationEast Coast USA

Posted 04 July 2014 - 08:10 PM

Hi Syd,

Not sure that 1935 catalogue shows pens similar to the black-dot pen. These appear to be slender pens, similar to the non-gold-seal Wahls from the 1932 catalogue. My pen is Standard girth. Obviously, there is some style similarity between slender and standard pens from the 1932 catalogue, but hte slender pens never were Gold Seal.

 

regards

 

d


David R. Isaacson MD. Website: VACUMANIA.com for quality old pens with full warranty.
Email: isaacson@frontiernet.net

Posted Image




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users