Keyhole breather nibs

[eckiethump]

This nib came in this pen, looks as though it should be somewhere else, any comments or information would be appreciated.

Pen size capped is 5 3/16" and it is a #4 size nib

 

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af316/eckiefump/Watermankeyhole012.jpg

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af316/eckiefump/Watermankeyhole001.jpg

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af316/eckiefump/Watermankeyhole015.jpg

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af316/eckiefump/Watermankeyhole016.jpg

Seems wrong match, both pen and nib made in England.

TIA

Eric

[frostdoll]

I'm resurrecting this old thread because I was about to post the same question about a very similar pen!

 

Photo of my pen compared to a smaller English Waterman's.

 

 

Like eckiethump I thought the nib really looked out of place in such pen, but now we have evidence of two pens with the same kind of nib (unless it's the same pen travelling all over Europe )

I hope that meanwhile somebody might have new ideas about this subject!

[brettttt]

Interesting. These pens look to me like 515s, known in the States as Commandos. Interesting that the barrels aren't so labeled. I don't have that many English Waterman's, and I certainly don't have any postwar pens with keyhole nibs, but given the seemingly endless variations in the details on postwar US Waterman's (and given the numerous ads from that time which say, essentially, "Materials are scarce; take whatever you can find at the pen shop") I've gotten the distinct impression that lots of pens went out of the factory/store with anomalous parts. It's pretty easy to imagine the UK Waterman's shop assembling 515s using nibs of the right size left over from the 1930s or whenever. FWIW, I'm attaching a 1948 ad from Punch that shows a 515. Without the keyhole nib, of course.

 

Brett

 

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae246/brettttt/Punch_1948-11-24_pvii_cropped_and_reduced.jpg

[Stylomeister]

Talking of English keyhole nibs that don't quite fit, I found one of these turn up in a #7, its got some good flex to it too. Sorry the pictures are a little dodgy as is my wobbly handwriting but its getting late :-)

[frostdoll]

I've found at least another sold on UK fleabay right now!

But I'm glad that the evidence of at least three pens with the same nib makes it less likely to be a replacement nib, it's probably an "official" frankenpen!

Edited February 17, 2011 by frostdoll

[Stylomeister]

The #7 should have a size 7 coloured nib not a 4 so I'd say with some certainty in the case of the ripple, this is definitely a replacement Waterman's nib. With that said its got some good flex to it - slightly better writing sample attached comparing it to my #2 Ideal nib.

[FredM]

I have the exact same pen as the one pictured in the first post. I got it off of Ebay from England. Mine is a very nice flexible writer. I have looked around several times on the internet trying to identify it and this is the first time I have seen one like it.

[Aborst]

I have one like that too. Mine is green, but has ony 1 trim around the cap instead of 2 like the one in the picture.

[rhosygell]

I have had a couple of Commando / 515 parts pens of late with keyhole nibs.

[Scrawler]

This nib came in this pen, looks as though it should be somewhere else, any comments or information would be appreciated.

Pen size capped is 5 3/16" and it is a #4 size nib

 

<snip>

Seems wrong match, both pen and nib made in England.

TIA

Eric

I found this thread while trying to find information about my pen. I have an almost identical pen. The only difference I can see is that mine has a stubbed nib. Both the pen and nib were made in England.

[red52ripple]

I've had a few of these medium-sized pens with the large keyhole nib over the years. All have been black. I thought they were a mismatch at first, until I saw a second and a third. A superb nib in one of the no-name, no-number pens Waterman made here in the forties and fifties.

 

Regards,

[Uncle Red]

Maybe Brettttt was on to something. A stubbed nib, sweet.

[Scrawler]

Maybe Brettttt was on to something. A stubbed nib, sweet.

See pictures here. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/208220-what-waterman-is-this/page__view__findpost__p__2158524

Edited February 24, 2012 by Scrawler