Id Help

[ahayman]

Hello,

 

I recently purchased a Waterman from an auction. I think it is a Skywriter but am unsure. It has extra concentric circles on the end if the call, which I didn't see in any of the research I've done so far. The nib has "Waterman's Ideal M24" etched on it and it appears to be gold. Other than that and the word "Waterman's" on the clip, there are no other identifying marks.

 

Also the section does not want to stay in the body. It slides right out if I hold the pen bib-down. Any help on fixing that issue would be greatly appreciated.

[ahayman]

Helps if I attach the image!

Edited July 28, 2015 by ahayman

[drafty]

That looks like one of the Hundred Year Pens, so named because Waterman gave them a hundred year guarantee. They were the first Lucite pens. The threaded cap version came on the market in 1943 alongside the 'clutch cap' models.

 

I can't see a star above the stripes on your photo but there should be if it is the 100 year pen (I think). Also, there is no appreciable step in the barrel for the threaded cap which that model had (maybe due to wear over time??).

 

They did revert to celluloid during the war so it might be that but it looks shiny enough to be Lucite in the top picture. It may have been re-nibbed but that also looks original.

 

As for it coming apart - hit them up for the 100 year warranty. You never know!

[South Line]

Some more info on Watermans 100yr fountain pens

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/profiles/hundred_year.htm

 

 

Waterman site hasn't forgotten about its 100yr warrenty

 

1939

HUNDRED YEAR PEN

A WATERMAN pen launched with its unique 100 year warranty.

 

http://www.waterman.com/en/content/9-the-heritage

Edited July 29, 2015 by South Line

[ahayman]

Well thank you very much drafty and South Line! That was really helpful! I looked at the cap and there does not appear to be a star above the stripes on the cap. Maybe it wore off?

[drafty]

No probs.

Could be that it wore off but they would have engraved at the same time as the stripes and they look fine. Besides, it takes effort to remove trace of engraving without leaving evidence of that behind.

 

I'd put it down to wartime pen making to be honest, and Waterman don't even have much detail about the twist cap 100 yrs themselves, so the rest of us are screwed ('scuse the pun).

 

Like South Line says, the warranty might be an interesting line to follow. Send a pic to Waterman and see whether there's interest. They might love the opportunity to fix/restore a piece with so much history.

[Ernst Bitterman]

The trim suggests a Stateleigh (yes, that's how Waterman spelled it) rather than a 100 Year, although the lack of a star is surprising. The latter usually also had the model name on the point, but I'll freely admit to having no notion what that M24 is about. With the section loose in the barrel, it's not impossible that it's an ad hoc replacement of a damaged original; it is possible to build up the section to get it to fit properly, so that's not a big deal whether it's a replacement or just a case of differential shrinkage.

 

I wouldn't hold out much hope for current Waterman looking at it-- even if they don't try to wriggle out of it with claims that only the original owner can make the claim or that warranty was offered by Waterman USA which went out of business in 1954, they'd likely say "It's out of production; we'll replace it with something from the current line." I would, though, get it resacked and put back on its feet by a non-company technician, because Watermans of that age usually repay the cost of repair handsomely in nice performance.

[ahayman]

Ernst, do you know if a size 16 sac would potentially fit? Or is there another size that I need to use?

[Ernst Bitterman]

Probably a #18 rather than a #16. I'm the stupid sort of lazy when it comes to sac sizes, though; rather than write it down once (the smart lazy), I just go though my stores, starting at the one that looks closest, dropping in candidates until I get the right one. I'll bet someone else will have a better documented answer.

[drafty]

Well, if it's a Stateleigh then it'll take a 16.

 

Hundred Years take either 15 or 18 depending on whether they are an oversize or not.

 

I reckon Ernst is probably on the money with an open nib Stateleigh though, as that lack of barrel step is evident.

 

However, you might have a cross-breed on your hands there due to some creative part matching!!

[ahayman]

So, I put in a #16 sac and it seems to fit. Well, I didn't have any problems with it anyway. It draws ink and writes well. It gives a bit of feedback when writing though. As for the section falling out, I took Ernst's advice and built up a ring of shellac to tighten the fit. It worked like a charm!

 

So, while I'm still unsure as the model (100 Year, Stateleigh, Skywriter) I have to say I'm pretty happy with my find. Thank you all for your help!

 

~April