Wahl-Eversharp Skyline Fountain Pen Review: An Art Deco Revival Worth Writing With

Introduction

Few writing instruments manage to combine genuine history, distinctive design and honest everyday performance, but the Wahl-Eversharp Skyline makes a serious attempt at all three. Revived by a company whose roots stretch back more than a century, this pen carries strong Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences and retails at $69, commonly found for around $52 at the time of writing. That puts it in an interesting spot: inexpensive enough to be an accessible purchase, but costly enough that you should weigh whether it is worth the investment. After extended use, the short answer is that it is, with one or two caveats worth understanding first.

A History Rooted in Art Deco

The Wahl Adding Machine Company was founded in 1905 in Chicago, and in the 1910s made a pivotal decision to expand into writing instruments. Inventor Charles R. Keeler had developed one of the first truly practical mechanical pencils in 1913, the Eversharp pencil. Wahl partnered with Keeler in 1915, acquired the Eversharp business by 1916, and in 1917 purchased the Boston Fountain Pen Company, gaining manufacturing capability in a market dominated by Parker, Sheaffer and Waterman. Wahl-Eversharp quickly rose to become one of the four preeminent fountain pen companies in the United States.

By 1941 the company introduced one of the most famous fountain pens of all time: the original Skyline. Its design carries strong Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences, movements defined by bold geometric forms, symmetry and a celebration of machine-age progress. The pen is widely associated with industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss, though it is important to note he did not directly design it and his name appears on no known patents. His design philosophy, that objects should be both beautiful and intuitive to use, is nonetheless clearly present, giving the Skyline its streamlined profile and making it one of the most recognizable pens of its era.

The rise of the ballpoint pen in the late 1940s and 1950s ended the original era: in 1957 Wahl-Eversharp was acquired by the Parker Pen Company. But in 2012 the brand was revived, led by Sid Saperstein, who acquired the trademark and reintroduced the company with a focus on honoring its historic designs while producing modern writing instruments.

Design and Build: Gold-Plated Cap and Blue Aluminum Barrel

The cap is the star of the show. It is fully gold-plated and textured in a ribbed pattern, very much like the original Skyline, with Eversharp engraved down the clip. The clip is snappy, the cap closes securely and stays closed, and the engraving is pleasant to the eye. The whole pen feels made with attention, robust and well engineered, and nothing has come loose over a month of use.

The barrel, however, is where opinions divide. It is made of polished blue aluminum, stunning to look at and very well finished, but it feels a little slick and quite light. The original 1930s Skylines were made of celluloid, with a warm, almost organic feel in the hand. Aluminum warms up, but it is still metal, and it can create a slight sense of disconnection. The grip itself is plastic or resin with a gold band near the nib, and the threads under the fingers are a touch sharper than on many modern pens. The tapering body and heavy gold cap also make the pen look slightly top-heavy, even if it is gorgeous when it catches the light.

Practical details are well handled. At around 25 grams it sits in a comfortable Goldilocks weight range, easy to clip to a shirt placket or carry in a pocket. It posts comfortably and securely thanks to a slight taper at the barrel end, so posting away should not worry you. The fill system is a standard international cartridge converter, and one is included in the box, which is a nice touch at this price.

Writing Performance: A Joyfully Expressive Nib

The steel nib comes in two sizes, fine and medium, and it is a genuinely lovely piece of design. It flares at the shoulder before racing down to the point of the tines, and it appears custom shaped for this pen rather than a generic part. It is marked Eversharp USA, which feels like a fitting nod to the past.

How does it write? Rather well, really. The nib is incredibly smooth, expressive and well finished, with precise flow and no false starts, skips or imperfections over a month of regular use. Picking it up is a complete joy, and it is hard to criticize how this pen writes. It is an expressive, fun, lightweight writing experience, and for that the Skyline earns real credit.

Should You Buy It?

At around $52 on the street, this is not a bad place to put a pen purchase. It writes beautifully, it is stunningly beautiful in its own right, and it is aspirational without being unaffordable. The main question to ask yourself is simple: do you have a problem with an aluminum barrel on a fountain pen? If you prefer the warm, organic feel of resin, celluloid or lacquer, the Skyline may put a small distance between you and the pen, as it did here. If you embrace the Art Deco spirit of metal, industry and progress, you will likely love it.

For anyone drawn to Art Deco design who also wants a dependable daily writer, the modern Skyline is a compelling choice, provided the aluminum body suits your taste.

Conclusion

The Wahl-Eversharp Skyline is an interesting fountain pen that successfully translates its Art Deco heritage into a modern package. The gold-plated ribbed cap is gorgeous, the custom-shaped steel nib writes smoothly and expressively, and the price is reasonable. The blue aluminum barrel will not be for everyone, and it is the one genuine caveat in an otherwise strong package. With that in mind, this Art Deco revival earns a recommendation.