Gifted FP Stuff: Waterman Laureate? Some older Pilot? What is "vintage"?

[Art1sta]

Greetings! I was recently gifted with two fountain pens and two bottles of ink from a friend in her 70s. They'd been sat in her husband's desk for so many years that neither of them can remember getting them or ever using them.

 

• One is a Waterman; some Google-fu suggests it's a Laureate? M gold (plated?) nib. It was used as it had an empty long international cartridge in it. It writes so nicely! I love how slender it is.
• One is a Pilot; steel M nib. No other markings or indications. Appeared to have never been used. Writes okay with the Waterman ink; not as smooth as my newer Pilot Metropolitans. 
• Two bottles of ink: Waterman Washable Blue Ink and Pilot Shin-Ryoku.  The blue is meh but that Shin-Ryoku is a gorgeous teal. 

 

Any ideas how old these might be? Seems like maybe from the 80s or 90s? I assume they don't have high value but are nice enough pens to add to my small collection...and I am really liking that Waterman. 

 

Edited to add: What exactly constitutes "vintage" when it comes to fountain pens and ink?

 

 

Edited April 4 by Art1sta
spelling error

[senzen]

Waterman Lauréat, Pilot Knight. Vintage usually means from the 195's and older but there is no rule. You probably want to thoroughly clean both pens, a dedicated pen flush such as diluted Rapido Eze and a bulb syringe makes this quick, but it might take several sessions if ink is fossilised inside.

[Art1sta]

Thank you, senzen! I did a quick cleaning with water mixed with a tiny drop of Dawn syringed down through the feed, followed by plain water. There was no ink in the Pilot...pretty sure it had never been inked. The ink in the Waterman was that washable blue ink and it rinsed right out. 

[AceNinja]

Pilot iroshizuku immediate spells modern for me.  And that pilot steel nib looks the same nib type as their metro and kakuno etc, so that also immediately spells modern for me.

The waterman ink bottle feels pretty vintage-y, so is the waterman pen.

 

Above is my first impression without further googling what are those pens.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Nice acquisition.  I think those little rectangular Iro bottles date from maybe the 2ks.  I have one in the Yama Budo color.  The Waterman is older and I don't hesitate to use it in vintage pens.

 

 

[XYZZY]

Awesome gifts!  I'm looking forward to somebody explaining what model Pilot you have.  The Iroshizuku inks were first sold in, I think, late 2007.  

[JWG J]

Your Waterman is a Waterman Lauréat I FP, gun-metal finish; the nib material is gold plated steel. These pens were produced around 1985-1990. Waterman Lauréat I was followed up by Waterman Lauréat II (minor difference). In my view, these FP's are underrated, nice writers.

[XYZZY]

Also, those 15ml Iroshizuku bottles are almost always sold as a set of three different colors, so they might have a couple more hiding in the back of a drawer.

[Art1sta]

Many thanks for all the insights...such a braintrust here, much appreciated!