Need some help on ancient Waterman Ideal

December 10, 2006

I was friendly with a Russian jeweller for a number of years. So much so that when he closed down his shop and moved, he sold me all the leftover gold items for scrap value, and gave me almost everything else he wasn't taking for free.

One of the things I picked up was this waterman pen. It looks most like the one in the last auction. Its nib says "Waterman's" and "Ideal" and something really small I can't make out. The cap has IDEAL in a globe and "Clip-Cap". The bottom of the pen is engraved with the number "55". The nib is a flex of some type. The lever is missing (its a lever fill). It writes beautifully when dipped, so much so I want to buy a flex nib pen now. The cap is missing a chip off it, and has a crack. It does sort of screw in but not very securely. The cap has some light ribbing, the body has no markings except for the gold colour rings. They are either not gold, or a very low content. I can't see any markings. They are engraved with patterns.

I would like to know what its worth, I'd like to know how much it would cost to bring it up to working condition, and I'd like to have an idea of its age.

I wouldn't mind selling it if the price is worth the trouble, and I'd put that money into acquiring another flex nib. So if anyone wants to trade for a good flexnib pen in working condition thats worth a similar amount, I'd be interested. It need not be vintage, just pretty flexible.

December 11, 2006

Waterman 55 is a mid-sized (still a decently large pen) produced starting in 1917.

Can be found at couple different trim levels (gold fill clip, white metal clip, etc)

Smooth black Hard Rubber, Chased BHR, Mottled (called woodgrain today), Ripple (more structured mottling) and Cardinal (red orange) HR all were produced and ascend in value as listed.

A trasher in black might be worth $50+ for the nib.

A gem in Cardinal mint and stickered can exceed $750, i'd imagine.

Lever Boxes if missing can run $35-50

Installation of lever box might run $30

General restoration will run around $30

Yours sounds like black chased hard rubber with gold fill barrel bands (if two, and iirc, that makes it an 0755 or 0655).

Fixing a non-fitting cap can be very tricky.

Pen as described- unless you wish it cleaned up and restored for sentimental reasons (the best reason to fix an old pen- might best be viewed as parts.

Happy to answer more.

You can email me, too, at isaacson@frontiernet.net

regards

david

http://www.removed.xyz