Info on this Waterman 52

[Kbbond172]

I am very new to the vintage pens but knew I wanted a waterman.  Browsing eBay I came upon this pen that looked to be a good condition 52 with “2 18k gold bands” and the price was pretty decent at $180.  The time remaining was short so I didn’t have much time to research so I took a gamble and won the pen.  Since then I really haven’t found much or even similar waterman’s (hopefully I wasn’t overly hasty) so I was wondering if anyone can tell me more about this pen, was it a good buy or did I get duped?  Seller said pen does fill and write properly.  Thanks!

[pen lady]

As long as the tipping on the nib is good, it should write well with reasonable flexibility. It looks like the original clip is missing and it has an accommodation clip though.  I wouldn't trust the sac unless it has been replaced recently, are you up to doing that repair yourself?  You might not want to practice on an antique hard black rubber pen that cost you $180.  Just sayin'😉

[Kbbond172]

Thanks!  I was kinda wondering about the clip, looked like the right shape but no text so that was a little concerning, but not the end of the world if everything else is good (pretty much just use clips as a roll-stop anyway 😂).  I always heard to assume a pen hasn’t been restored even if they say it has, so I was planning on looking at the sac right away to see its condition.  
 

do you have a good recommendation for someone who can work on the nib and sac if either are needed?

[pen lady]

Ron Zorn would be my first choice, but ask about his turn around time.  He's a busy man and not just with pens.  If the nib is toast, it's a #2 and there are plenty around, cheaper to replace than re-tip. Though looking closely at your photos, it doesn't look bad. Good luck.

[davisgt]

That's a pretty hefty price for a 52. You'll more than likely need a new sac.  Check some of the weak points when you receive the pen: lever rust; section cracks; feed clogs; and nib tipping. I would second Ron for repairs.  

[Kbbond172]

43 minutes ago, davisgt said:

That's a pretty hefty price for a 52. 

Oh no! 😥 

[Kbbond172]

57 minutes ago, pen lady said:

 Good luck.

We’ll see how it looks, thanks!

[GlenV]

This looks like a cool pen to me, this type of accommodation clip was from Waterman, although you wouldn’t expect a pen this late, 1925 or thereabouts, to be without a clip cap? The rings are custom and probably solid gold, maybe even the lever ( think I see some plating though) but can’t check until the old sac is gone. These are easy to restore but the old hard rubber is brittle so have to be a bit careful.

The nib looks ok for tipping as long as not cracked you should be good the box looks good.