Best wishes to all for the holidays and for a safe and prosperous New Year.
Pen Profiles:
Eyedropper-fillers - Safeties - Overlay Patterns
16669: Waterman 2: smooth black hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.6 cm long, long-tailed narrow feed, strong two-line barrel imprint without globe logo, #2 New York "star" nib, early pen with rounded ends, no model number on posting end; excellent example, moderate even fading but little wear, some very light tool marks on section.
DATE: c. 1895 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine flex • $450
16635: Waterman 12: early smooth black hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 14 cm long, two-line barrel imprint with 1884 patent dates, cap imprint with 1898 patent date, early star-imprint nib is extremely long and narrow, narrow feed; even fading, imprints all clear and legible, cap may be a very old replacement, as nibs of this type are more typically found on the very earliest cone-caps c. 1894-95.
DATE: c. 1898 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine flex • $375
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
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
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
16634: Waterman 402: long slender English-market black hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler with London-hallmarked barleycorn pattern sterling silver overlay; 13.85 cm long, long-tined New York #2 nib with early imprint is an outstanding writer, long narrow spoon feed with patent imprints, slight seam separation on upper part of cap overlay near vent hole (see details). In fancy hardshell box with compartment for filler (modern glass dropper of old style included).
DATE: c. 1904 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $1250
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
16319: Waterman 15: mottled hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 13.5 cm long, fine color and imprints, #5 New York nib is a smooth and free-flowing writer; more wear to barrel than to cap, which is near mint with deep bold 1898 patent imprint.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: fine semiflex • $345
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
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
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
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
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
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
16751: Waterman 48: oversize black chased hard rubber safety eyedropper-filler, 15.2 cm long, barrel 17 mm thick; end knob worn, model number imprint not visible, pen could be either a 48 or an 18S; #8 New York nib is a flexible and responsive writer, stress cracks visible on lower surface do not go all the way through, do not affect function. A good user, mechanically sound despite fading, wear, and tool marks. Includes old slip-on clip.
DATE: c. 1917 • CONDITION: G* • NIB: fine flex • $895
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
16661: Waterman 20: giant black chased hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 16.8 cm long closed, long cap with nickel plated clip, cap lip has been replaced with original material, visible only from cap interior; #10 New York nib is a massive manifold with a stublike tip, writes a smooth shaded line.
DATE: c. 1921 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: medium fine stub firm • $2750
16588: Waterman 42: black hard rubber safety with smooth 18K gold filled Italian overlay, 12 cm long, notably fine flexible nib.
DATE: c. 1924 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • $625
16507: Waterman 42½: Ripple hard rubber retracting-nib safety, 12.2 cm long, unusual but original configuration with woodgrain cap with red end and black turning knob, new old stock from Swiss Waterman distributor, tight-sprung #2 nib with round vent hole.
DATE: c. 1939 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine flex • $450
16604: Waterman 44 Aero Pen: rare late black hard rubber safety, gold filled trim, artist's nib is extraordinarily fine-tipped, like a sharp steel dip pen nib; moderate even fading and wear, stable 1mm cap lip hairline below the cap band (see detail).
DATE: c. 1941 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: needlepoint flex • $1200
