Wahl Engine Turned Design Gallery 1919-1929

by Jim Mamoulides, January 12, 2004, updated May 27, 2018 and February 28, 2025

Wahl Wave design silver filled large size fountain pen c. 1925

A canvas for wonderful designs

This is a companion article to the PenHero article, "Wahl Engine Turned Designs on Fountain Pens Guide 1919-1929." That article is a more detailed chronology of the engine turned and machine engraved designs the Wahl Company used on their Tempoint (1918 to at least as late as 1920) and later Wahl branded fountain pens. It includes model numbers and prices, if known.

Are there production Wahl fountain pens that fall outside of the dates and sizes shown below? Yes. There are several potential reasons for this. First, Wahl made a lot of different fountain pens. Printing catalogs was and is expensive and had deadlines. Some items certainly were released between catalog dates. Second, Wahl was in business to sell stuff. If a customer wanted to order something off catalog as a sufficiently large special order, they would undoubtedly make it. Finally, Wahl may have responded to market demand and made sizes and finishes not shown in the catalogs. There are some examples shown below that could fit any of these scenarios. Without Wahl company documents, it's at best a guess as to why uncatalogued pens exist.

This article is organized where the designs are in alphabetical order and is focused on photos and illustrations of each. Each section describes a design, when it was made, generally what pens it was used on (the pens themselves were updated over the eleven year period), the metals of each pen, and representative photos or illustrations to show each design.

The larger set of designs that appeared only on Eversharp pencils are not included. Those had their own production dates, not always in sync with the fountain pen production dates, if they even appeared on pens. If the reader would like a comprehensive resource for Eversharp pencils, I strongly recommend Eversharp, Cornerstone of an Industry by Jonathan A. Veley. Finally, several Wahl catalogs are unavailable from the years 1919 to 1929, so the information presented is directly from the known catalogs and supplemented from advertisements and retailer catalogs.

Wahl Engine Turned Designs on Fountain Pens 1919-1929

Chancellor 1924	Check 1922-1926	Checkerboard 1923-1925	Colonial 1919-1927
Colonnade 1928-1929	Console 1928	Dart 1922-1927	Diamond 1920-1926, 1929
Grecian Border 1919-1929	Lakeside 1928	Niagara 1927	Oxidized Grecian Border 1927
Ribbon 1919-1921	Ring Colonial 1928-1929	Ripple 1922-1925	Tinted 1927-1928
Unique 1919-1921	Wave 1925	Wedgewood 1927-1928	Zigzag 1921-1924

Chancellor: 1924

Wahl Chancellor design 12 karat yellow gold filled medium size fountain pen c. 1924-1925

Chancellor, a series of repeating panels with diamond shapes on a straight line background around the cap and barrel, was introduced in 1924 on a miniature ringtop pen. The design is visually similar to Diamond, discussed below. The 1924 cataloged pens were 12K solid yellow gold or 14K solid green gold. It does not appear again in any other Wahl catalogs. The pen shown above is a Wahl medium size clip pen with the Chancellor Design on 12 karat yellow gold filled metal, which is likely a production pen made between the 1924 and 1925 catalogs as only the miniature appears in the 1924 catalog and no Chancellor pen appears in any catalog after 1924.

Check: 1922-1926

Wahl Check design silver filled small size fountain pen c. 1922

Check, repeating panels of chevrons on a background of straight lines around the cap and barrel, was introduced in 1922 and continued through 1926. The design is visually similar to Unique, discussed below. Check is named Chased in the 1922 catalog on the page showing pens with the design. Check is the only design that is not described as engine turned and it launched on the first silver filled pens. The lineup in 1922 included two sizes of ringtop pens: the smaller about 3 5/8 inches long capped, and the larger about 4 3/8 inches long capped. It also included three sizes of clip pens: small at 4 3/8 inches closed, medium at 4 5/8 inches, and large at 5 1/8 inches. The metal finishes included yellow gold filled, sterling silver, and silver filled. The earliest known offering of green gold filled Check pens was in the 1924 Wahl catalog. In 1925 the sizes available were reduced to the small ringtop pen, the small clip pen, and the large clip pen.

Checkerboard: 1923-1925

Wahl Checkerboard design 12 karat yellow gold filled small size fountain pen c. 1924-1926

Checkerboard, a repeating pattern of panels of squares in plain blocks and straight lines repeating around the cap and barrel, was announced as a new design in 1923, and on a new miniature pen and pencil, in a company advertisement in the December 8, 1923 Saturday Evening Post. The lineup was expanded in 1924 to include the two sizes of ringtop pens: the smaller about 3 5/8 inches long capped, and the larger about 4 3/8 inches long capped, and the medium clip pen (4 5/8 inches). The metal finishes included yellow gold filled and green gold filled on the miniature pens and 10K solid yellow gold on the larger pens. The design was discontinued after 1925.

Wahl Checkerboard design white gold filled small ringtop fountain pen c. 1924-1926

As seen with the Chancellor design, Wahl evidently made pens with the Checkerboard design in metal finishes that were not included in the available catalogs. The 12 karat yellow gold filled and white gold filled pens shown in this section are uncatalogued.

Colonial: 1919-1927

Wahl Colonial design 12 karat yellow gold filled small size fountain pen c. 1922

Colonial, a repeating pattern of straight lines around the cap and barrel, is first seen in the 1919 Wahl catalog on the two sizes of Tempoint ringtop pens. These first Colonial pens were made of 14K solid yellow or green gold, 18 1/8 K yellow or green gold filled, and sterling silver. In 1921 small, medium and large size yellow gold filled clip pens were added and solid gold Colonial pens were no longer cataloged. In 1922 green gold filled and sterling silver pens were added to each size. The lineup was expanded in 1924 to include the new miniature ringtop pen in yellow and green gold filled. In 1925 the sizes available were reduced to the miniature ringtop pen, the small ringtop pen, the small clip pen, and the large clip pen. The design was discontinued after 1927.

Colonnade: 1928-1929

Wahl Colonnade design 12 karat yellow gold filled medium size fountain pen c. 1928

Colonnade, a stacked ring design with cut out black enamel tinted panels repeating up the cap and barrel, is first seen in the 1928 Wahl catalog on two pen sizes, the small ringtop and the medium clip pen. The metal finish was yellow gold filled. In the 1929 catalog the medium clip pen is dropped and replaced with the large size clip pen. The design was discontinued after 1929.

Console: 1928

Wahl Console design 12 karat yellow gold filled medium size fountain pen c. 1928

Console, a set of repeating panels of bell and flower shapes around the cap and barrel, is shown in the 1928 catalog only on pencils, but Console pens obviously exist and likely appeared after the catalog was released. Console is also not specifically stated in the 1928 catalog to be engine turned or even how it's made. The metal finish was yellow gold filled. An unusual feature of Console Design pens is the red mottled hard rubber section. Medium and large size clip pens are known. The design does not appear in the 1929 catalog.

Dart: 1922-1927

Wahl Dart design 12 karat yellow gold filled small ringtop fountain pen c. 1928

Dart, a repeating pattern of panels of straight lines with a small curve out that create a repeating arrowhead effect around the cap and barrel, is first shown in the 1922 catalog on pens. The lineup in 1922 included two sizes of ringtop pens: the smaller about 3 5/8 inches long capped, and the larger about 4 3/8 inches long capped. It also included three sizes of clip pens: small at 4 3/8 inches closed, medium at 4 5/8 inches, and large at 5 1/8 inches. The metal finishes included yellow and green gold filled and sterling silver. In 1925, the line is reduced to the small ringtop pen, the small clip pen, and the large clip pen. The design does not appear in the 1928 catalog.

Diamond: 1920-1926, 1929

The three sizes of Wahl pens with the Diamond design shown in the 1925 Wahl catalog

Diamond, a repeating pattern of diamond shapes in a diamond pattern on a straight line background around the cap and barrel, is first shown in the 1920 catalog on pens, but is not given its design name until the 1921 catalog. The 1920 catalog described it as "a new and distinctive design" and it was only offered in 14K solid yellow or green gold and only on the small and larger ringtop pens. The lineup in 1924, still only in solid gold, included the two sizes of ringtop pens: the smaller about 3 5/8 inches long capped, and the larger about 4 3/8 inches long capped and the small, at 4 3/8 inches closed, and medium at 4 5/8 inches clip pens. In 1925, the larger ringtop pen is dropped. The design does not appear in company advertisements or catalogs in 1927 or 1928, but makes a return in the 1929 catalog on the small ringtop pen, the small clip pen, and the large clip pen, but only in 18K solid green gold.

Grecian Border: 1919-1929

Wahl Grecian Border design 12 karat yellow gold filled small ringtop fountain pen c. 1928

Grecian Border, a repeating panel consisting of a continuous wide line with square turns set in a line pattern around the cap and barrel, is the only engine turned design that appears continuously on pens from 1919 through 1929, and the only design used on pens that was patented. John C. Wahl was granted U. S. Design Patent 58,693 on August 9, 1921 for the "ornamental" design, shown in the patent application on an Eversharp pencil.

U. S. Design Patent 58,693 for the Grecian Border design awarded on August 9, 1921

The 1919 Wahl catalog shows the design on the two sizes of Tempoint ringtop pens. These first Grecian Border pens were made of 14K solid yellow or green gold, 18 1/8 K yellow or green gold filled, and sterling silver. In 1921 small, medium and large size yellow gold filled clip pens were added and solid gold Grecian Border pens were no longer cataloged. In 1922 green gold filled and sterling silver pens were added to each size. The lineup was expanded in 1924 to include the new miniature ringtop pen in yellow and green gold filled. In 1925 the sizes available were reduced to the miniature ringtop pen, the small ringtop pen, the small clip pen, and the large clip pen. In 1928 the line was changed to a miniature ringtop pen, the large clip pen, and the oversize clip pen, only in 12K Yellow gold filled. The line in 1929 included only the yellow gold filled miniature ringtop pen and large clip pen.

Lakeside: 1928

Wahl Lakeside design 12 karat yellow gold filled medium size fountain pen c. 1928

Lakeside is described by Wahl as a champlevé technique design where the cap and barrel are engraved with repeating panels of a wave pattern that is overlaid with tinted blue enamel. It does not appear in the 1928 catalog, but appears in a Wahl advertisement in the December 15, 1928 Saturday Evening Post, likely added after the catalog was printed. Only one size, the medium clip pen, is known. The design does not appear in the 1929 catalog.

Niagara: 1927

Wahl Niagara design 12 karat yellow gold filled over silver medium size fountain pen c. 1927

Niagara is engine turned coral shapes cut into a 12K yellow gold filled on sterling silver base metal. It only appears in the 1927 catalog. Niagara is shown in the 1927 catalog on the small ringtop pen, the medium size clip pen, and the large size clip pen. The design does not appear in the 1928 catalog or later.

Wahl Niagara design 12 karat yellow gold filled over silver small ringtop fountain pen c. 1927

Niagara is engine turned coral shapes cut into a 12K yellow gold filled on sterling silver base metal. It only appears in the 1927 catalog. Niagara is known on the small ringtop pen and the medium size clip pen. The design does not appear in the 1929 catalog.

Oxidized Grecian Border: 1927

Advertisement in the August 27, 1927 Saturday Evening Post showing
the Wahl Oxidized Grecian Border design, third from top on the right

Oxidized Grecian Border takes the Grecian Border design and adds an oxidized black on plain silver plate finish on the cap and barrel. The design appears in a company advertisement in the August 27, 1927 Saturday Evening Post, but no catalog information is available, so there is no detailed information as to what size and types of pens were offered. The design does not appear in the 1928 catalog or later.

Ribbon: 1919-1921

The five types of Wahl pens with the Ribbon design shown in the 1921 Wahl catalog

Ribbon, a repeating pattern of four straight lines and a space around the cap and barrel, is first seen in the 1919 Wahl catalog on the two sizes of Tempoint ringtop pens. These first Ribbon pens were made of 14K solid yellow or green gold, 18 1/8 K yellow or green gold filled, and sterling silver. In 1921 small, medium and large size yellow gold filled clip pens were added and solid gold Ribbon pens were no longer cataloged. In 1922 green gold filled and sterling silver pens were added to each size. The design was discontinued after 1921.

Ring Colonial: 1928-1929

Wahl Ring Colonial design 12 karat yellow gold filled over silver large size fountain pen c. 1929

Ring Colonial, is a modification to the yellow gold filled Colonial design, "stopped off" with black enameled bands. A pair of wide rings are created with three cuts that are filled with black enamel, creating bands on the repeating pattern of straight lines on the cap and barrel. The first Ring Colonial pens appear in the 1928 catalog on the small ringtop pen and the small size clip pen. The small size clip pen is replaced in the 1929 catalog with the large size clip pen.

Ripple: 1922-1925

Wahl Ripple design 12 karat yellow gold filled over silver large size fountain pen c. 1929

Ripple, a repeating pattern of straight lines with a small curve out that create a ripple effect around the cap and barrel, is first shown in the 1922 catalog on pens. The lineup in 1922 included two sizes of ringtop pens: the smaller about 3 5/8 inches long capped, and the larger about 4 3/8 inches long capped. It also included three sizes of clip pens: small at 4 3/8 inches closed, medium at 4 5/8 inches, and large at 5 1/8 inches. The metal finishes included yellow and green gold filled and sterling silver. In 1925, the line is reduced to the small ringtop pen, the small clip pen, and the large clip pen. The design does not appear after the 1925 catalog.

Tinted: 1927-1928

Wahl Tinted design with blue-green enamel small ringtop fountain pen (left)
with Colonnade design small ringtop fountain pen (right) c. 1928

Tinted pens have engine turned straight and ripple line patterns cut into the base metal and are then overcoated with a translucent enamel. Blue-green and rose-pink enamel was used. Tinted first appears twice in company advertisements in the May 7 and June 4, 1927 Saturday Evening Post and is called "pink brocaded." Four distinct versions appear in the 1928 catalog: with the design on a gold filled or silver small ringtop pen with either blue-green enamel or rose-pink enamel overlaying the engraved surface. The design does not appear after the 1928 catalog.

Unique: 1919-1921

Wahl Tempoint pens with the Unique design from the 1920 catalog,
shown in sterling silver and yellow gold filled

The Unique design, a repeating panel of checks (or chevrons) in a line pattern around the cap and barrel, looks very similar to Check, but there are differences. Unique is engine turned and Check is chased. The chevrons point away from the center of the pen with the cap closed, in the opposite direction, where on Check they all point toward the top of the pen. The chevrons and the panels on the Check design are larger and wider than on Unique. Unique is first seen in the 1919 Wahl catalog on the two sizes of Tempoint ringtop pens. These first Unique pens were made of 14K solid yellow or green gold, 18 1/8 K yellow or green gold filled, and sterling silver. In 1921 small, medium and large size yellow gold filled clip pens were added and solid gold Unique pens were no longer cataloged. In 1922 green gold filled and sterling silver pens were added to each size. The design was discontinued after 1921.

Wave: 1925

Wahl Wave design silver filled medium size fountain pen c. 1925

Wave, a panel of straight lines with a small curve out grouped evenly that create a series of two waves repeating around the cap and barrel, is only shown in the 1925 Wahl catalog and only on three sizes of silver filled pens, the small ringtop, the small size clip pen, and the large size clip pen. The pen shown above is the medium size, which may have been released between the 1925 and 1926 catalogs.

Wedgewood: 1927-1928

Wahl Wedgewood design 12K yellow gold filled over silver medium size fountain pen c. 1927-1928

Wedgewood is an engine turned repeating straight and ripple line pattern panels cut into a 12K yellow gold filled over silver base that exposes the silver underneath. It first appears in the 1927 catalog on the small ringtop pen, the medium size clip pen, and the large size clip pen. The large size clip pen does not appear in the 1928 catalog.

Zigzag: 1921-1924

Wahl Zigzag design yellow gold filled small size fountain pen c. 1922-1924

Zigzag is repeating pattern of wavy lines in a zigzag around the cap and barrel. It first appears in the 1921 catalog on the small, medium and large size yellow gold filled clip pens. In 1922 it's added to the small and larger ringtop pens and the metals are expanded to 14K yellow gold filled, 12K green gold filled, and sterling silver. The design does not appear in the 1925 catalog or later.

Wahl machine turned pens have become a focus niche, with some collectors seeking complete sets of the patterns across all the pen lines, including hard rubber pens, which also carried some of the same patterns as the metal pens. Other collectors focus on just the pencils, in their various sizes and designs, or the ringtop pens, tiny jewels, which also came in several styles. Wahl pens and Eversharp pencils were very popular and durable so many good examples exist today, allowing for the possibility of a large and varied collection of quality writing instruments.

---

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Sid Saperstein for providing 1927-1928 catalog reference material.

Thanks to Matthew Greenberger for providing several of the pens photographed in this article and help with some of the patterns.

Thanks to Scott Miller for providing a Niagara Pattern photo for reference.

Thanks to David Nishimura for data on pattern names.

References

Advertisement, The Saturday Evening Post, December 8, 1923, pages 122

Advertisement, The Saturday Evening Post, June 4, 1927, pages 187

Advertisement, The Saturday Evening Post, May 7, 1927, pages 102

Advertisement, The Saturday Evening Post, August 27, 1927, pages 110

Advertisement, The Saturday Evening Post, December 15, 1928, pages 110-111

Eversales The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1927

Eversales The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1928

Eversharp and Wahl Pen, General Catalog No. 100 The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1921

Eversharp and Wahl Pen, General Catalog No. 101 The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1922

Eversharp and Wahl Pen, General Catalog No. 103 The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1924

Eversharp and Wahl Pen, General Catalog No. 104 The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1925

Eversharp, Cornerstone of an Industry by Jonathan A. Veley, Total Printing Systems, Newton, IL, Copyright 2024 by Jonathan A. Veley, pages 57, 62, and 87

Fountain Pens of the World by Andreas Lambrou, © 1995 Zwemmer, London, United Kingdom

Wahl-Eversharp, Christmas Catalog The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1926

Wahl-Eversharp, General Catalog The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1927

Wahl-Eversharp, General Catalog The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1928

Wahl-Eversharp Personal-Point Fountain Pens, General Catalog 298 The Wahl Company, Chicago, IL, 1929