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Waterman nibs are famed for their writing qualities. This group highlights the best of these from the first quarter of the last century. We have also included two Conklins from the same era as a reminder that great nibs were by no means a Waterman exclusive.
15856: Conklin 2: black hard rubber ringtop crescent-filler with sterling silver Art Nouveau filigree overlay; 11.4 cm long, long-tined #2 nib is a notable writer with a semistub tip and great line width variation.
DATE: c. 1914 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium fine flex • $695
15857: Conklin 20P: black chased hard rubber ringtop crescent-filler, 11.5 cm long, gold filled trim, hard rubber crisp, glossy, and unfaded, long-tined #2 nib has an italic tip, opens up easily for dramatically calligraphic writing.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine italic flex • SOLD
15851: Waterman 12 in box: black chased hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.65 cm long, crisp and glossy, factory stub #2 nib with early New York imprint, sharp imprints on Spoon Feed as well. Like new but has been filled, in box with 173 Broadway address, instruction sheet predating Waterman lever-fillers and discontinuation of #7-size pens.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: medium italic semiflex • SOLD
15855: Waterman 12: black chased hard rubber clipless slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, well-used but sound, cap scratched but no cracks, good imprints, and a fantastic New York #2 nib with long tines and extremely finely ground tipping -- writes hairline-thin but will open for controlled shading. Tightly sprung, snappy not soft.
DATE: c. 1910 • CONDITION: G-VG* • NIB: needlepoint flex • SOLD
15852: Waterman 14: black chased hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, nickel plated clip with "GERMAN SILVER" imprint (discontinued shortly after the outbreak of WW1), sharp imprints and chasing, hard rubber glossy and unfaded, spots of polishing wear to clip; #4 New York nib has excellent spring and snapback.
DATE: c. 1912 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • SOLD
15854: Waterman 15 PSF: large black chased hard rubber clipless lever-filler, nickel plated trim ,13.8 cm long, early 2-piece sprung pressure bar, narrow raised barrel threads, Spoon Feed with patent imprints; cap is a replacement taken from a later pen, and shows more wear and fading than the barrel which is notably black and glossy. #5 New York nib is a responsive writer but shows signs of having been restraightened and has what appears to be a stable crack from the vent hole -- a good user.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: fine flex • SOLD
15853: Waterman 54: black chased hard rubber lever-filler, 13.7 cm long, nickel plated trim, early production with 1910 patent date clip imprint, lever with patent dates on sides, hard rubber glossy and unfaded with crisp chasing and imprints, condition as new but for superficial crack through nib imprint (in upper layer only, does not go through: see details). It would be easy enough to install a replacement nib, but not so easy to find one like this -- a broad flexible factory stub.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: exc* • NIB: broad stub flex • SOLD
15863: Aikin Lambert Mercantile: mottled hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.3 cm long, excellent color and imprints, ribbed section, narrow feed, #2 nib is a lively and responsive writer, the very beginning of an axial stress hairline visible next to the vent hole under magnification. Cap mouth has been sleeved with black hard rubber to repair a small crack, traces now visible only on closest inspection.
DATE: c. 1905 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine stub flex • $265
15879: Conklin 2NL: black chased hard rubber crescent-filler, 13.6 cm long, gold filled trim, clean imprints and chasing with only the slightest fading to the hard rubber and no brassing to the clip. Toledo #2 nib must have been a special order, as it is has one of the finest tips that we have ever seen -- truly crow quill sharpness, which means astonishingly thin lines but also extreme scratchiness, like writing with a needle.
DATE: c. 1919 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: needlepoint flex • SOLD
15882: Parker 75: sterling silver grid pattern, gold plated trim, scarce and desirable first model with metal section threads, flat end buttons, top button with cutout for clip (only first four to six months of production), very early feed with number imprinted on concave slope. US-made, section with nib angle indicator marks, "0" at center, cap marked "STERLING SILVER"; includes old-style convertor; USA 14K #66 nib.
DATE: 1964 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine • $565
15883: Parker 75 Flighter Soft Tip/rollerball: stainless steel cap and barrel, gold plated trim, made in USA, originally sold as a felt tip, but takes standard Parker rollerball refills (one included).
DATE: c. 1976 • CONDITION: exc • $120
15880: Parker Duofold International Check Amber: 13.15 cm long, uses standard cartridges, slide converter included; made in UK, "TI" date code, 18K two-tone nib is a smooth writer. As new, but no box or packaging.
DATE: 2005 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: broad • $595
15881: Pelikan 400NN: green striated piston-filler, black cap and filling knob, 13.1 cm long, gold filled trim, barrel transparency excellent, clean imprints at end of barrel; EF nib writes a precise line with springy medium flexibility. Section has an area of surface cracking which is very shallow (we have pressure-tested the area to verify this -- see detail).
DATE: c. 1956 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: extra-fine flex • SOLD
15862: Security Giant: oversize mottled hard rubber self-filler, 14.7 cm long, gold filled trim, made by Greek immigrants Kritikson Brothers in Chicago; high quality with distinctive end knob actuated pressure bar filling system, check protector at top of cap (rotating blades were rolled over a signature, making any attempt at alteration immediately apparent since the ink would bleed along the cuts in the paper). Name on barrel, overall condition would be excellent with strong imprints and only slight fading but for a tiny nick in the cap lip and an almost invisible repair to the end of the barrel (sealed crack with new aluminum liner -- see details). Unusual factory italic nib but tipping material rough; fully usable but drags on rougher paper.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: broad italic • $695
15873: Tiffany retracting dip pen and pencil combination: large gold filled holder, marked only with patent date of Feb 19, 1867 for US62227, assigned to Hicks, 8.4 cm long closed, 13.8 cm extended excluding #6 ventless gold Tiffany-marked nib. Taper is pulled to extend, twisted to extend pencil nozzle, uses 1.5 mm lead. The Hicks-Tiffany connection was long, continuing well into the 1900s.
DATE: c. 1875 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine flex • $600
15867: Ullrich Independent stylographic pen: black chased hard rubber lever-filler, 12.6 cm long, gold filled trim, weighted needle intact, stable crack at front of lever slot does not affect function (see detail). Use with any fountain pen ink, writes like a rollerball but wetter and smoother.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine • $120
15861: Wahl-Eversharp Signature: oversize jade flat-top lever-filler, 14.15 cm long, gold filled trim, largest pre-Gold Seal model, the precursor to the oversize "Deco Band". Some discoloration to ends, polishing wear, both nib and clip appear to have been replaced in the Gold Seal era (both marked "Wahl Eversharp" rather than simply "Wahl", roller clip is longer than original).
DATE: c. 1926 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $450
15860: Wahl-Eversharp purse pen: vest pocket size lever-filler in jade green, 11.5 cm long, Equi-Poised profile, gold filled trim, small clasp clip, #2 Manifold nib is notably fine and precise. Some discoloration, but moderate and mostly even.
DATE: c. 1932 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine firm • $160
15877: Waterman 52½V: black chased hard rubber vest pocket lever-filler, 10.95 cm long, nickel plated trim, unusual configuration with clip. Early production with patent dates on lever, 1910 patent date wide clip with large rivets, New York imprint on nib. Even wear and fading, long-tined nib is a responsive writer with plenty of flexibility but with some waviness from restraightening towards the tip.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: medium fine flex • $165
15843: Waterman 42: black hard rubber clipless safety with 18K gold filled Italian overlay in a striking Art Deco pattern; 12.1 cm long, engine turning crisp with only a few minor bumps and marks, #2 nib produces an elegantly shaded line with excellent control.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine flex • $785
15878: Waterman 52½V: black chased hard rubber ringtop lever-filler, 11.4 cm long, bright nickel plated trim, hard rubber black and glossy with crisp imprints and chasing; nib is a smooth and wet writer, opens easily for dramatic line width variation.
DATE: c. 1927 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium stub flex • $220
15872: unmarked novelty pencil: giant nickel-plated brass mechanical pencil, 20.7 cm long, marked only "GERMANY", uses 3 mm lead; hexagonal barrel, some age dulling to plating but no dings, perfect working order.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine • $85
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