In 1921 the Wahl company produced their first self filling pen under their own name, the Wahl All Metal Fountain Pen, stamped simply 'Whal Pen'. It was also known as the Whal Art Deco pen, made when the movement was at it's zenith. Contemporary lever fillers, with a metal casing, were made by overlaying the metal on to a hard rubber pen, but Wahl, largely because of their vast experience in working metal, were able to dispose of the hard rubber and build an all metal case.
The patterns were engine turned and given names, sometimes a little obscure. The pattern on this ringtop pen, for example, was called 'Unique' from 1921 to 1924 and chnged to 'Check' in 1925.
The pen has been restored and tested and is in first class working condition. The Gold filled casing is ding free and the imprints are clear and crisp. The lever filling system works well and takes up a surprisingly large volume of ink, given the small size of the pen. This feature was one of the selling points that Wahl emphasised, it was the result of the absence of a hard rubber casing underlaying the metal and allowing use of a larger ink sac. The 14Ct. Gold nib, stamped with the Eversharp name, writes with a firm, fine line.
The pen was a probably made as a 'ladies' version, although it was not marked or marketed as such at the time. The capped length is 9.4 cm., excluding the ring, and grows to a very usable 12.8cm. when posted.
The Wahl Pen was introduced when the Art Deco movement was flourishing and ceased production at around the same time that the movement was losing influence in 1929. The all metal construction was revolutionary, it represents an important milestone in the evolution of the fountain pen.
At around a hundred years old, a Whal All Metal ringtop pen in such outstanding condition is a quite rare, and highly desirable item.