Rob,

I have been wondering for a while what model of Waterman I have here and thought that you might know.

I placed it alongside my Waterman 7 Emerald Ray for comparison and all I know it that it's gorgeous, was pretty much mint when I found it, and has a flexibile #5 nib.

I am guessing it dates to the late 30's or very early 40's as the barrel end is stepped like older Waterman pens like the Emerald Ray.

That picture...

Rob,
Thank you for answering not one, but two people's questions; I have the same pen and it is grey with blue pinstripes, too! (it is a lever-filler as well, and has the same cap and cap rings as Keith's)
I have always wondered if my pen had a model name (it reminded me of a Commando, but the ends of the barrel had that raised 'bullseye' patern...) and/or what its model number was. It is one of my favourite pens and although the nib is very stiff, I like the way it writes very much.

Thanks Rob!

So my dating is correct and we knew it was a 5 series pen... not knowing what the model is drives me nuts.

I guess we could double the variants if we consider that these were probably made on both sides of the border so there are Canadian and American pens.

They're a pretty spectacular pen and I almost agree when you say the nibs are unexcelled... it's case mate is one of the sweetest writing pens I have ever owned as it is fitted with a very flexible and smooth red nib.

Both were found locally and the price I paid for the 5 series pen might cause a few people to faint in awe or envy and the Emerald Ray was also a pretty good deal.

I am going to have to take some pictures that do these pens justice.

A NYC retailer's ad in the new Erano book (p. 177) gives the model number as the 511 and calls it "Waterman's newest model."Price was given as $6.80.

The ad is not dated but the caption puts it in the 1930s--late '30s, I think, from a previous discussion Rob and I had about this pen. The other models show are Lady Patricia Ink Vues, Thorobreds, the Ink Vue, and a black plastic #7.

I have one in grey and truly love it. Nice solid pen and very handsome. We have something in common besides terrible terriers, Maja!

Dan

Thanks for the ID help Dan.

Cheers!

Keith,

Thanks for the welcome elsewhere and now I cannot resist adding a photo of this pen--a close-up to show how the clip on mine differs from your later one:

Dan (guess I better work on image sizing!)

Thanks, Dan...and welcome to FPN! Terriers (or as I call my parents' two fox terriers..."terrors") are great....Just don't let 'em play with your pens!

Dan, thanks for the photo; it gives us a nice close-up of the clip. Looks like your pen is very much like the one Keith and I both have, except for the clip and the cap rings....

All this has me thinking why the heck there isn't a current book on soley devoted to Waterman pens? (ie. one that shows all the model names and model numbers, etc.)
I know this is a Herculean task and probably not a big moneymaker (I would imagine that well-reserached books that cover a wider range of pen brands would sell better), but it would be incredibly useful....

Ditto for a book on Sheaffer pens. I went to http://www.booksaboutpens.com but I couldn't find any books listed that were exclusively devoted to any of these two pen companies...From what I could see, there was a book published on Waterman overlays (1900-1940) by an Italian publisher four years ago, but other than some old catalogs there really isn't anything out there devoted soley to Waterman pens (or Sheaffers). Thank goodness for the Internet!!

Try placing the image width (in this fashion, width=700) right after the quotes surrounding the URL for the picture in a TAG image file. A width of 640 to 700 usually fills the screen just right.

George.

:ph34r:

The board software does not support sizing tags on images...

I first resize and then upload images to my server so that they will fit and the other plus in all this is that is also saves space.

Cheers!

Yes, it does save space.

An unintended drawback though is that if people change their picture storage arrangements, move on or otherwise lose interest, it is probable that pictures associated with the messages will be lost. Since one of the advantages of this forum was the longevity of the information on the board, it is unfortunate that the picture archive is not likely as reliable as the text one.

Gerry

Thanks, George and Keith, I'll try some different resizing methods next time around.

Maja-- Maybe the brilliant success of the Parker 51 book will encourage books on other major pen models and makers. Granted, the Parker 51 is an exception to all the rules, but if a book on one pen model can be a success, surely a book on a great maker like Waterman or Sheaffer can be a success also. Hopefully, the new Pelikan book--which I have not seen--will also help to encourage would-be authors.

Even books on more general topics--more specific than all pens, but still covering a lot of ground--could be popular and sell well. For instance, well, how about RHR?

grins, Dan