Rare 1940s Wahl Eversharp Skyline Burgundy Red 14K Gold M Lever Fountain Pen & Mechanical Pencil Set with Case Item ID: VAR-015

Eversharp Skyline Set

Manufacturer/Model: USA/Wahl Eversharp/Skyline
Year of production: 1941 to 1948
Filling system: FP: Lever Mechanism with Bladder (new J bar and new bladder installed); MP: 1.18mm leads 
Nib:14K 585 Solid Gold M Size (Large oversize nib)
Material: Celluloid & Hard rubber; Gold filled metal parts
Length (pen closed): Both FP and MP at 133mm
Condition and information:

The gorgeous Eversharp Skyline is made out of Celluloid, an early plastic based on cellulose nitrate which gives the pens that superb performance and look. With a 14k gold nib F to M size and some flexibility, making it ideal for everyday writing. The thin lines are great for small notebooks, diaries and more. All the metal parts are gold filled, creating a high quality pen that won’t blemish easily or wear off over time. This is probably one of the best looking pens for 40s in a stunning Art Deco design. The lever filling system was standard for many pens of the time and a new rubber sack and new J bar has been installed. The Skyline is one of the first pens that made an attempt to make their pens flight friendly by installing a so-called breather tube to let air in as pressure changed and, and when placed/hanged in the pocket, prevents ink blowouts. The large Ebonite feeder makes for steady, uninterrupted ink flow. The shape of this pen is very unique. The grip is slightly tapered to be easy to hold and control. In addition, the pen is quite striking visually with its clean design that tapers to a smooth point. The pencil uses 1.18mm leads which are still widely available. Eversharp initially found their success in pencils, especially as their mechanical pencils were among the first to use ‘repeater ’ technology, which is the concept that the lead feeder is activated by a push button and can be pushed back in with a finger. Most mechanical pencils today use some variation of this technology. The eraser located under the push knob. The set comes in a leather coated box with brass frame and blue, white and red stripes. The dark red color of both pieces of the set is nearly burgundy, is rich and evocative of art deco design. The clips are made with a supporting clip base so they can extend quite far from the pens and be easily placed in a pocket. The set is in mint condition with minimal surface scuffs and some micro scratched. Eversharp was most successful in the 1940s, when high quality materials were often diverted to the war effort so the plastic of many pens had not weathered the test of time, often cracking or shrinking. However the celluloid did not, and this is what makes these pens special. Its nearly the perfect material to make pens from. The Skyline was designed by Henry Dreyfus, perhaps one of the most famous designers of the mid-20th Century, he designed   the round Honeywell thermostat, classic rotary phone and much more.