Eye Candy ... Vintage Waterman Pens

[Mauricio]

For those of you who like vintage Waterman pens with flexible and/or stub nibs, here are two pens which have been in the rotation for the last three weeks. I really like the combinations of pen, nib, ink, and paper. It seems like they were made for each other. Attaining attractive matches makes our dear hobby of fountain pens a very, very pleasurable quest.

 

The first pen is a Waterman 32 in marbled brown and gray celluloid with nickel trim, made in Canada in the 1930s. Fitted with a #2 wet noodle nib that writes a medium to triple broad line. This is a smooth and very wet writer, capable of writing at any speed when not flexed. I really like the celluloid colors, like buttersotch. In this particular case, I was in the mood to use a nice ink color that would somehow match the pen exterior, and picked Diamine Amber. This ink is very light in color and the writings are usually hard to read when used with a firm fine nib. However, the wet nib in this Waterman 32 pen brings that light ink color to life. The paper used is a Gold Fibre notepad in ivory color from Staple's, further darkening the finish look of the ink, and turning the final product into a perfect pen/nib/ink/paper combination

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second is a Waterman 94 pen set: Fountain pen, mechanical pencil and its original box. The exterior is marbled blue and orange celluloid with nickel trim. This pen set was made in Canada the 1930s. The celluloid color patterns in this pen is very nice. It has darkened (amberized) some in the fountain pen while the pencil retains its original color. This is a wider pen than the Waterman 32 above and sports a larger nib as well. The nib is a factory Waterman Ideal #4 double broad stub with medium flexibility. Inked with Waterman South Seas Blue ink. This ink is a great looking light turqusoise color with magnificent shading capabilities, especially when used with those nibs that lay lots of ink on paper. The best part of the nib in this Waterman 94 pen is the fact it is one of those rare stub nibs that are also flexible nibs, further enhancing the line variation when flexed. This is an absolutely wonderful nib to write with. Ultra smooth nib that can make very expressive lines. The paper used in the writing samples is Rhodia Block 13.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2011 by Mauricio

[ticoun]

love that flex stub!

[phentrek]

Beautiful pens and writing samples. If you ever put either up for sale let me know!

[rroossinck]

Killin' me, Mauricio...you're killin' me! Those are fantastic! From a daily use perspective, I'd likely go for the 94 set before the 32, as it would fit my hand a little better than the latter. Both of them look to have some pretty stellar nibs, though. Nice work!

[Mauricio]

Killin' me, Mauricio...you're killin' me!

 

[Soot]

Mauricio is killing us with his beautiful handwritings and pens! Especially those beautiful flexy pens~~ :roflmho:

[79spitfire]

I've got a 3V in the top celluloid pattern, it's even nicer in person!!

[Mauricio]

The Waterman 32 and 94 pens above finished their rotation. They have been flushed and put up.

 

Here's the next and only Waterman pen in my rotation at the moment ... a Waterman 0555 with a medium flex M-BB nib, and ultra smooth and wet writer. The Waterman 0555 pen is a Waterman 55 in smooth black hard rubber with gold-filled filigree overlay sleeves on the barrel and cap. These are very large pens, the same size as the Waterman 7 red ripples. They come with #5 nibs, also a much larger nib than the more common #2 nibs in Waterman 52s. Any vintage Waterman pen with filigree patterns, whether sterling silver or gold, are very elegant pens ... and very desirable as well.

 

I have inked it with Diamine Sepia ink. The wet nib gives a little more darkness to this ink. Although this is a medium flex nib, and one of those that writes like a normal nib when not flexed, I am using it as a regular nib for the moment ... What a magnificent writer this is. I can write as fast as I need, whether in cursive or block letters. If needed, I can flex that nib and add some flair to the writings. Here are some pictures of this beauty ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dcpritch]

Mauicio, I like it when you post like this!

 

I've come to enjoy flexible nibs over the past year (with some help from you!), and seeing writing like yours (and a few others here on FPN) is great motivation to continue working on my writing. I also like to see the different inks and paper you use. Thanks for sharing!

[PAKMAN]

Sweet! My friend you come up with some of the best flexers! Can't wait to see you and what you bring to the Dallas show!

[Azuniga]

Lovely pens, I love the 0555, I have a very similar one but it says 0556 and some differences, I am attaching some images and will appreciate your comment on those differences. Those are fast shots but I hope they will give you an idea.

The nib says Waterman ideal 14 K 17 made in USA (It is hard to see it in the image I know), I would like to know more about the numbering in Waterman, I am more used to other kind of pens.

Best Ariel

[79spitfire]

Dude! Your killing me!

[Bo Bo Olson]

What beautiful nibs and pretty pens.

 

My next ten pens has reached 100 by now.

My next ten nib are still at 10. I just made some space at the top.

[Mauricio]

Thanks for everyone's kind words.

 

Perry ... Look forward to seeing you in Dallas in 4 weeks.

 

Ariel ... Great pen you have! Thanks for sharing with us. Your Waterman 0556 is indeed very similar to the 0555. The 0556 is based on the Waterman 56 pen and it is substantially larger and wider than the 55s. It's correct nib is a #6, which is a huge nib. Do a search in the internet as there is a chart specifying the numbering system Waterman used in most of its pens.

[Azuniga]

Thank you, it helps a lot... I have always been curious about the Waterman numberings specifically, I will search...

Love your site by the way, I did not konw it.... I have a very large collection of many different brands but only recently I started searching for the details...

(I am sure I will be your customer soon) I saw wonderful pens there

 

Best, Ariel

[Mauricio]

Ariel,

 

Thanks for your kind words about my website.

 

In my personal collection I have a Waterman 56 in smooth black hard rubber. It has the correct #6 nib, which happens to be a " wet noodle" nib. That nib being so big (for vintage pen standards) combined with the fact it is a wet noodle allows for a very different feeling and flexy writing experience. It is by far one of my favorite vintage pens with a flex nib. Your 0556 is worth more than a smooth BHR due to its gold overlay. You have a very pretty and a very high quality pen there. Treasure it.

 

I found one of those charts with Waterman's Standard Numbering System in Richard Binder's website. Here's a direct link to it. If for some reason it does not work, go to his website www.richardspens.com and do a search with the words "Waterman's standard numbering system." Just bear in mind not all Waterman pens followed that exact classification. There are some exceptions out there.

 

Waterman's Standard Numbering System

[Azuniga]

I just saw that exactly there at richardspens !! Thank you..

Best, Ariel

[Mauricio]

Here are two of the latest Waterman acquisitions. Very, very happy with these two pens. Absolutely gorgeous pens and wonderful flexy writers.

 

Waterman 454 with sterling silver overlay made in France. This one just finished its rotation. It was filled with J. Herbin Pousiere de Lune ink. Its medium flex nib was intentionally adjusted as a dry writer so that in this pen I can use inks that do better with dry writing pens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waterman 403 with a sterling silver overlay, basket pattern. Fountain pen and pencil set in its original box. Getting ready to fill it with Diamine Gray today.

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the pictures!