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Partly by accident I purchased something called a Wahl Command Performance pen today.
My long suit is Mabie Todd, and I know practically zero about Wahl-Eversharp. Here's a snap of the pen I have purchased, which I expect will arrive next week.
Attachment 36036
Perhaps one of you Wahl enthusiasts could tell me something about it?
Thanks in advance.
Cob
Congrats
Every collector needs at least one solid gold pen. The Command Performance is common (for a gold pen), so I feel comfortable using mine when I am out and about. The bold styling of the Skyline looks pretty darn sharp in smooth gold.
Take care - Bob
Was this the one that was on auction?? I was thinking of bidding on that one but didn't..
Many thanks for taking the time to reply - I am embarrassed - I really could have looked this up couldn't I - except of course your personal experience was nice to read.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seattleite
Cob
Yes it was. The funny thing is I didn't know about it until I joined the auction for another lot of three pens (that I bought rather cheaply happily) that included a Swan and a Waterman's 52. Whilst waiting the Wahl came up and my twitchy finger acted. I then thought "What have I done?"Quote:
Originally Posted by Stickler
I hope it is the genuine article!
Rgds
Cob
The waterman caught my eye.. and I bid on it.. way too low
One of yesterday's lots included an Onoto Magna. I knew, much as I would like one, that there was no point in bidding - never a bargain with those these days, but it was funny: the auctioneer said "Right we'll start the bidding at £50... Oh!! it's gone straight in at £320." I thought that he was quite shocked!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stickler
Cob
I wish I had accidents like that...
I got a few of my pens from the auctions. Most that I won were huge savings.. some were totally disasters (one actually crumbled in my hands after the first filling).
Yes I have a few problems here currently that owe me good money!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stickler
C.
My experience with on-line general auctions is similar to what I am reading here. Nice pens in small lots can be bargains due to a small audience, while a high-profile pen will always attract serious (people of more means than myself) bidders. What I notice the most is that there is often a lack of detail in descriptions and images that might let on-line bidders make a good appraisal/diagnosis. Some auctions that offer on-line "live" bidding seem behind the times in this regard. One pen I won is a great pen - when viewed from its good side. A previous owner removed a personalization by replacing it with a scale model of the Grand Canyon. Nice cap and nib, but a quick shoot of the "dark side" would have been nice. I don't think that it is deception, as much as old habits from a Brick and Mortar tradition.
Bob
Its underlying Dreyfus "Skyline" design is one of my favorites. Trains, planes, and fountain pens.
Attachment 36164
Yes.. you really need to bid online with the mindset that you are going to spend $30-50 in restoration (although you often don't have to).. and if you can go to the auction in person.. you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seattleite
I am fallen for a Skyline recently and it was just a nomal less prised pen. What I love about skylines is there are amazing flex nibs . I am not much care about Gild pens but for their extrodanary nibs. It dosen't mean that I don't like gold Wahl pen if I have the oppsertunity to find one for my price. I have learnt most of the vitage pens are very different than modern in writing. So I am always curious for finding new instuments.
You are fortunate: the gold one I mentioned above had a nail for a nib.
Cob
Some rundown on the Command Performance.....
The "14K Solid Gold" stamping/hallmark is a bit of a misnomer. The body has an inner liner made of a lesser metal, such as brass, which is about 15 tp 20 thousandths thick. A veneer of 10 to 13 thousandths thick gold sheet is bonded to the inner shell. I have seen inner liners for the cap made out of both polystyrene and celluloid. The gold clad outside of the liner is equally thin as the body. Due to the cap having a more resilient liner, it is less likely to be dented on the cap, but my have pin-prick dents.
The Sac replacement is not performed by removing the section, rather, it is performed by removing the threaded plastic piece from the body (which is typically pressed and glued into the metal body). I call this part the "plug" for clarity. A section is pressed and glued into the "plug". The sac actually shellacs to the plug, and not the section. The lever is typically the "type 3" lever, which has a semi-circular spring clip which holds it in place. The most common nib is the Eversharp Banner Nib with Teardrop, but other nibs can be found with this pen, it is hard to say whether they were replacements. The bodies are found with two different tail outlines; one is thinner at the tip, the other is more blunt (believed to be more recent). As far as I know, these were only made in the Standard length, I have never seen any documented examples of a Command Performance in either Demi or Executive sizes. I have never seen a Command Performance with "WAHL" on the clip, only "Eversharp".
Here is a disassembled Command Performance as an example:
Attachment 49440