Pen Profiles:
Eyedropper-fillers - Safeties - Overlay Patterns
16049: Waterman 12: black hard rubber clipless slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.6 cm long, well worn but mechanically sound, early nib and narrow feed, imprints on cap and barrel are present but barely legible, pre-globe barrel imprint and 1898 patent cap imprint.
DATE: c. 1898 • CONDITION: G • NIB: medium fine flex • $225
16120: Waterman 414: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, early pattern .999 fine silver Art Nouveau filigree overlay, 13.5 cm long, early Spoon Feed with only May 1899 patent date imprint, initials and 1899 date engraved in barrel cartouche. Marks on silver present including patent dates and fine silver imprint, a few small digs to the side of the posting end of the barrel, end number stamp only barely visible. Unusual example that can be closely dated.
DATE: 1899 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine flex • $950
11773: Waterman 222: rare black hard rubber taper cap eyedropper-filler with .999 fine silver Art Nouveau filigree barrel overlay, 14.6 cm long, Spoon Feed with patent date imprint, early #2 New York nib; imprints on the silver are all present and legible, noting light toothmarks at barrel end.
DATE: c. 1901 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $2250
13606: Waterman 412: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, early pattern .999 fine silver Art Nouveau filigree overlay, 13.35 cm long, feed with patent imprints, imprints on overlay nice and legible, noting nicks and digs to the silver (see details). Hard rubber has been professionally dye-reblackened.
DATE: c. 1902 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: extra-fine flex • $785
14315: Waterman 222: black hard rubber half-overlay taper-cap eyedropper-filler, 14.4 cm long, "Chased" pattern sterling silver barrel with Heath maker's mark, slight even fading, monogram elegantly engraved on barrel, imprint on taper cap is worn but legible, early Spoon Feed with long tail, no imprint on posting end, not uncommon on earlier Watermans.
DATE: c. 1902 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $1250
14151: Waterman 412 in box: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, .999 fine silver Art Nouveau filigree overlay, 13.3 cm long, imprints on overlay present but hard to read, early filigree pattern with large flower. Scattered shallow marks to the silver, cap lip width uneven (see details), sound condition overall, #2 New York nib goes easily from a hairline to extra-broad.
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: G-VG • NIB: extra-fine flex • $825
14043: Waterman 414: early black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with .999 fine silver filigree Art Nouveau overlay; 13.1 cm long, #4 nib is a notable writer, early imprint, stable base crack; imprints on the silver are clean and legible, hard rubber has been professionally chemically reblackened. #4-size fine silver overlays are much less common than #2-size.
DATE: c. 1903 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium stub • $875
9133: Waterman 322 Commercial: black hard rubber taper-cap eyedropper-filler, solid 9K English-hallmarked barrel overlay, 14.6 cm long; pre-Globe cap imprint worn but fully legible, seam split at front of overlay rewelded (see details); long-tail feed with patent imprints, early slender #2 New York nib.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: exc* • NIB: medium flex • $950
15556: Waterman 0514 Chased Filigree: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 13.5 cm long, gold filled relief work scroll pattern barrel overlay, #4 New York nib, feed with patent date imprint. Overlay is in outstanding condition, elegantly engraved presentation inscription on cartouche, unusual 1898 patent imprint on cap rim. Hard rubber shows even moderate fading, slight surface dullness under overlay from "deoxidizing" treatment.
DATE: c. 1906 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • $1250
15527: Waterman 612: black hard rubber slip cap eyedropper-filler with pearl slabs on barrel, 13.4 cm long, smooth gold filled barrel bands, one of which is engraved with a monogram; imprint on cap is worn but fully legible, patent imprint on feed, early #2 New York nib is soft and flexible. Pearl-slab Watermans are not common, and nearly all are taper-caps.
DATE: c. 1907 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium fine flex • $895
10952: Waterman 612: black hard rubber slip cap eyedropper-filler with pearl slabs on barrel, smooth gold filled barrel bands; 13.5 cm long, moderate even fading to hard rubber, #2 New York nib opens up easily with minimal pressure.
DATE: c. 1907 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • $950
13631: Waterman 0502: gold filled "Chased" pattern eyedropper-filler, 13.3 cm long, posting end has usual scratches from cap but "WATERMAN" imprint clearly legible; spoon feed with patent imprints and long internal tail, tail end chipped, section front edge as well (does not affect function), "Vivian" engraved in barrel cartouche.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine flex • $825
14389: Waterman 514: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with solid 14K gold "Filigree" overlay; 13.45 cm long, #4 New York nib, feed with patent imprints, initials engraved on barrel cartouche. Clip is not solid gold, but 18K gold filled (Waterman would install clips on older clipless pens and this was a popular retrofit; the original owner may have balked at paying $2 for a 14K clip when a gold filled clip could be had for $1).
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: fine flex • $865
14340: Waterman 0514 Chased Filigree: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 13.5 cm long, gold filled relief work scroll pattern barrel overlay, #4 New York nib, feed with patent date imprint. Overlay metal crisp, only trace plating wear around cap crown rim, shallow ding in barrel cartouche, pinhead ding to side of cap top (see details). An unusually clean example of a scarce and short-lived pattern.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $950
15751: Waterman 402: slender black hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler with uncommon "Golph" or "Golpheresque" pattern (catalogued under both names) sterling silver overlay, 13.4 cm long; monogram on barrel, some scratching to posting end, but the silver is otherwise extraordinarily well preserved, with strong imprints and chasing work sharp to the touch. Narrow long-tailed feed with patent marks, narrow #2 nib is somewhat later, one sealed stress line at mouth of section cannot be distinguished from a very light scratch even under magnification.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: medium fine flex • $1600
6130: Waterman 14: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with fluted gold filled overlay and hardstone cap top seal; 13.3 cm long, a rare but fully catalogued factory model most often found in France and England (a version appears on p. 53 of Waterman's 1908 USA catalog under "Special Mountings" as Emerald End Special Fluted, priced at $50 -- more than three times the cost of a full sterling silver Snake); French hallmarks, no dings, but one small test mark on the seal bezel, imprints on posting end worn but mostly legible; #4 New York nib, spoon feed with patent date imprints.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: extra-fine flex • $1450
9687: Waterman 12: English-market black hard rubber half-overlay eyedropper-filler, 13.2 cm long, 9K solid gold barrel overlay, London-hallmarked with Waterman factory maker's mark; pattern is a combination of twist and deeply hand-chased floral scrollwork -- uncatalogued, and hitherto unknown. Barrel cartouche is monogrammed, gold has been polished down, so that the date letter cannot be read..
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine flex • $2850
14060: Waterman 504: black hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler with full smooth solid 14K gold overlay, 13.5 cm long; imprints sharp, small test marks to back of cap near rim, 18K gold filled clip is a slightly later addition. Ex-Tefft collection.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: exc* • NIB: fine semiflex • $1275
13648: Waterman 412S Filigree: early black hard rubber safety with sterling silver overlay, 12.8 cm long, threaded turning knob, early mechanism with helically-grooved barrel interior, nib turns as it is extended and retracted, #2 New York nib has some spring but not true flex, feed with patent imprint. Some flattening to the cap crown, no trace of a number imprint on the turning knob, seals have been replaced.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine • $750
14475: Waterman 14: rare black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, with 18K solid gold fluted overlay, French-hallmarked, with bloodstone seal at end of cap with applied crowned monogram in gold; 13.6 cm long, scattered light dings, mostly to the cap, one small chip in the bloodstone seal.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: extra-fine flex • $2250
16103: Waterman 412½ VP: scarce and unusual black hard rubber screw-cap vest pocket size eyedropper-filler with sterling silver "Pansy Panel" pattern overlay; 11 cm long, narrow raised threads, early clip with 1905 patent date, large rivets. Numerous shallow dings to the overlay, nicely engraved presentation inscription on the barrel. New York #2 nib is a smooth, wet writer with easy flex.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium flex • $425
8403: Waterman 14: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with smooth sterling silver overlay and bloodstone cap top seal; 13.1 cm long, a rare but catalogued factory model most often found in France and England (a version appears on p. 53 of Waterman's 1908 USA catalog under "Special Mountings" as Emerald End Special Fluted, priced at $50 -- more than three times the cost of a full sterling silver Snake); London hallmarks are worn but mostly legible, one ding to the side of the cap, #4 nib with unusual turnup grind at tip; the smooth silver version of this pen is several times rarer than the fluted version in gold, which is itself quite hard to find.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium oblique • $1950
12440: Waterman 0512 Filigree: black hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, gold filled overlay, 13.6 cm long, initials "A.G.C." engraved on barrel, lively and responsive #2 New York nib, cap dome is more yellowish in tone than the rest of the overlay.
DATE: c. 1919 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium fine flex • $425
15118: Waterman 442½V: black hard rubber ringtop safety with sterling silver "Filigree" overlay, 9.4 cm long, slight fading, even wear, turning knob model imprint without the 4 in the hundreds position, Waterman #2 nib is an old replacement, likely c. 1940.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine flex • $295
8907: Waterman 472: uncommon black hard rubber screw-cap eyedropper-filler with smooth sterling silver overlay; 13.1 cm long, London hallmarks, number at barrel end is simply "72" with no hundreds column digit, as is typical for English-market Watermans; 1925-dated presentation inscription, nice stub #2 nib has an incipient hairline from the vent hole, but should be stable if used without excessive writing pressure; even wear, light marks to metal, one tiny stress crack where barrel overlay crimped in place (see detail; for some reason these are extremely common in English-market Waterman overlays).
DATE: 1920 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium italic flex • $485
15772: Waterman 0542½ Etched in box: black hard rubber retracting-nib safety with full 18K gold filled hand-engraved overlay, 13 cm long; long-tined New York #2 nib is smooth and flexible, overall appearance is excellent noting dents in packing housing overlay and rim bumps to cap crown. The "Etched" pattern is one of Waterman's most attractive, but normally only found on smaller ringtop models.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • $785
