Identification

[kingfissure]

Greetings! I'm new here, and honestly am new to fountain pens; this seemed like a great resource for getting started! I am an illustrator, and my goal is to try my hand (so to speak) at using fountain pens for hand-lettering. Currently I'm using a Kuretake brushpen for such things, which is not ideally suited to the task and therefore trying at times. One of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman, recommended fountain pens for lettering tasks; I can be a little over-zealous at times, and I think I jumped the gun a little when I went ahead and bought a fountain pen on ebay without doing much research on the individual pen!

 

I've scanned the archives, and taken a look at some of the pen resource pages, in a quest to identify the pen in question. So far I haven't had much luck. I'm going to continue to browse the resources, but I figured I might as well plop down some images and see if any of ya'll might have any insights as to the year this pen was produced, and how this particular model stands up compared to others.

 

I know that it is a Waterman 52 1/2V, which makes it a slender-barrel pocket pen. It measures, according to the seller, 4 1/4" in length.

 

Here is an image:

 

http://geist.gravco.com/random/waterman_pen/MVC-082S.JPG

 

I have a few more images available if you click HERE.

 

Any help would be most appreciated!

[KendallJ]

Wow, talk about jumping in with both feet. I'm not a waterman expert, but it is black hard rubber, which probably means it was made before 1930. I'm sure someone can give you exact timing.

 

The Erano book has a Watermans 1918 add on p. 172 with a "No. 0852 1/2V" that looks very similar (wide cap band, etc.)

[kingfissure]

Kendall > Yes, my friends know that I'm the kind of person who never does anything halfway. One of these days it's bound to get me in trouble! I'm hoping that today is not that day

 

That's certainly a start, it could help to narrow my focus a little. Thanks!

[KendallJ]

It ought to be a fairly simle pen to restore. The big question is "How is the nib?" Don't worry. The nibmeisters can take care of just about anything you choose to think is worthy...

[Johnny Appleseed]

Well, I am pretty new to the whole Waterman dating game, but I'll give it a shot.

 

First, I am assuming the end imprint on the pen was 52 1/2V. The number indicates a lever filler (5x) with a number 2 nib, in the slender diameter (the 1/2), vest-pocket model. However, IIRC, a 52 1/2V would have left the factory without any gold bands - it was the basic model. Kendall is right to compare it to an 852 1/2V - with that band it should have been stamped either 852 1/2V (for a solid-gold band) or 0852 1/2V (for a gold-filled band). Either someone decided to swap the cap on an (0)852 1/2V with a 52 1/2V barrel, or the gold band was added after it left the factory by a jewler - not sure how one would tell the difference.

 

Waterman started using the 5X numbering system in 1917 and I believe continued to make them up through the 30s. If the barrell of the pen had a single imprint with several patent dates, the last of which is August 4, 1903, then the pen is from 1917-1927. If it has an imprint with "Waterman's Reg. US Pat. Off. Fountain Pen" (in 3 lines with an "Ideal" logo in the middle) and then also has a second imprint running around the end of the pen, then it is from 1927 on. Is the nib imprinted "Waterman's Ideal Reg. US Pat Off" (the later imprint) or "Waterman's Ideal New York" (earlier imprint - sometimes the "New York" part can be partially buried in the feed)? That can help, though nibs are easily swapped.

 

Resacking and restoring these is not hard, and the nib should smooth up well. I think most early Waterman nibs have a fair amount of flex to them, but they can range from super-flexible to fairly stiff nibs (especially if imprinted "Acct." or "Manifold"). Be careful when you clean this up that you don't soak it or use hot water on it - hot water especially can cause the hard-rubber to discolor.

 

Either way you have a great pen and it should serve you for years of use. It has been around 70-80 years and should be good for at least that many more. I have 10-12 hard-rubber Waterman pens and I love them - especially for the flexy nibs.

 

For more info on Waterman Numbering, check:

http://www.vintagepens.com/FAQhistory/wate...numbering.shtml

 

info on how to resack a pen, look here:

Richard Binder on Sack Replacement

 

Johnny Appleseed

[kingfissure]

KendallJ> That's very reassuring The seller tells me the sac is in good condition, as well as the nib, so hopefully it will be in relatively good writing condition on arrival.

 

Johnny> Thank you!! I will definitely update when I've received the pen with some of the smaller details, hopefully they should be able to definitively place the pen. I'm really glad to hear that you've had good experiences with these pens, I was a little nervous about the whole thing but you've put me at ease. It's funny that I told my father that I just bought a pen that is, more like as not, older than he is

[Maja]

Hi kingfissure,

 

I can't really add much to what Kendall and Johnny have said, but I just wanted to remind you to only use fountain pen ink in your fountain pens.

[kingfissure]

The pen came in!

 

The barrel has the imprint ending in "August 4, 1903" and the nib has the engraving "Waterman's Ideal New York", so that gives me a pretty good idea of its date, according to what Johnny posted.

 

Now--to get some ink (FP ink, haha thanks for the tip Maja ) and give it a whirl!

 

Thanks for the help, all!

Edited November 9, 2005 by kingfissure

[Johnny Appleseed]

Pictures, pictures - we want pictures!

 

JA

[Maja]

Now--to get some ink (FP ink, haha thanks for the tip Maja ) and give it a whirl!

Well, it never hurts to remind people who may have come from the world of drawing inks, etc...

 

Enjoy your new pen, Kingfissure!