Waterman Lady Patricia

[ElaineB]

My father was digging around in a closet today and pulled out an old fountain pen that he'd picked up in an auction lot a few years back. (He and my mom used to be antique dealers.)

 

He handed it to me and asked, "Think it's any good?"

 

It was small, with gold filled trim on a deep blue and irridescent bronze celluloid barrel. I opened the cap to see the familiar Waterman #2 Ideal nib (which felt very flexy during a quick thumbnail test.) I checked the bottom of the barrel but saw no model number.

 

"This is a very sweet pen. It's a Waterman, nice nib, but I'm not sure what it is."

 

"Well, it's yours," my dad said. "I don't have any use for it anymore."

 

Was I delighted?? Gosh, yes! It's like Christmas in April! I've spent the morning scouring the web, trying to identify the model. Finally figured out that it's a Lady Patricia in the turquoise color. Funny, it doesn't look anything like turquoise. I'd have called it more of a lapis lazuli blue. I get the impression that turquoise is a rare color for this model (but that could also just be a bit of puffery in the dealer listing.) Date is approximately 1936.

 

To my unpracticed eye, it looks to be in very good condition: no scratches or dents to the celluloid, no brassing, not even on the lever and box. Imprint is in great condition, very crisp. The gold fill looks quite substantial. There are no scratches or damage on the nib, but it appears very worn, with only a small bit of iridium left at the tips of the tines. My dad didn't have any ink, so I couldn't do a dip test, but it seems to be a fine with a lot of flex. The pen needs a new sac and I don't know how the ink flow will be, but overall it's a -really- pretty pen. It fits beautifully in my hand, too.

 

So anyone want to venture a guess on how much this might be worth? (Just roughly. My dad, who's still got his antique dealer instincts, is curious about the value.) I've seen listings for Lady Patricias selling for anywhere between $45 to $300. I have no idea how to judge where this pen fits in the grand scheme of collectibility.

 

I don't have photos right now because I'm not home, but I'll post some later today. I'm going to save up some money to send this out for repair. I'm very excited!

 

ElaineB

[Keith with a capital K]

The Lady Patricia is a very beautiful pen that originally sold for the hefty sum of $5.00 back in 1932 when they appeared as a companion to the successful Patrician model.

 

As far as values go I would expect an example in really excellent condition to sell for somewhere in the $200.00 range and although they aren't hard to find in some colours like onyx or moss agate yours is a less common colour and these things can only increase their collectibilty and value. Finding these with no barrel discoloration is extremely difficult and again, this adds value.

 

This early nibs had their tipping fused in a different manner than modern pens with the tipping being more smoothly integrated into the nib as opposed to the larger amounts of tipping we see on many modern pens.

 

Restoration of the filler should not cost much at all and even in the worst case nib scenario, the nib could be replaced for a modest sum as Waterman #2 nibs are not that difficult to acquire.

 

I would also install a silicone sac to preserve the integrity of the barrel.

 

I canna wait to see the pictures...

[ElaineB]

Argh! I'm going to scream...

 

I came home, saw your message, Keith, and dropped everything to get the camera on the tripod and shoot some pictures of this pen. Okay, never mind that the rechargeable batteries ran out as I was shooting, and I had to dig out some alkalines from my alarm clock. I only needed a few pix for you. It'd just take a sec.

 

But after solving that crisis, the USB card reader on my computer decided to self-destruct and take my flash card with it! (Some nerve!!) So no pictures, no flash card, no flash card reader. I am certainly not happy about this.

 

The pen is still cute, though. After your message about discoloration to the barrel, I took the pen into the sunlight to get another look at it. I don't THINK there's discoloration, but I'm not an expert. I can see some variation in the color of the blue plastic throughout the pen, on both cap and barrel. I'm not sure if it's part of the design or if it's due to aging.

 

I did a dip test of the nib, at least. It feels like an extremely fine italic with a bit of variation between the width of the horizontal vs. vertical strokes. But it is also very flexy, going from hairline to strong strokes with a minimum of pressure. I've never felt anything like it before. Here's some scans of my test page:

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricia1.jpg

 

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricia2.jpg

 

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricia3.jpg

 

So, I need to go shopping now and get some new media for my camera. I'll be back later!

 

ElaineB

[Keith with a capital K]

I'm gobsmacked here... those exemplars are gorgeous!

 

That is some serious flex!

 

Now I can't wait to see the beautiful little pen that rendered that writing...

[Cam]

 

Breathtaking. That's amazing stuff right there!!! I really love seeing everyone's writing.

[Maja]

Wow, what great handwriting! I am in awe of some of the talent here on FPN....

 

The pen sounds like a winner....and your handwriting is so nice that perhaps you should keep it for yourself, Elaine (maybe you were planning to do so anyway...) as a "sumgai" find

 

This early nibs had their tipping fused in a different manner than modern pens with the tipping being more smoothly integrated into the nib as opposed to the larger amounts of tipping we see on many modern pens.

Excellent point, Keith! This is something that I discovered just a few months ago when I read it on FPN. For the longest time, I thought that if a vintage pen didn't have much visible iridium, it was automatically going to be a poor writer

Boy was I wrong! Some of my best writers (like my Pelikan 140) have no big 'blob' of iridium on their nibs.

[wimg]

Hi Elaine,

 

3X WOW!

 

Wow for such a great present and great parents, wow for such great handwriting, and wow for such great flex!

 

Congratulations!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[smudgy]

I love your writing! And not that I know very much about FPs - have never had the opportunity to try a flex nib - but I think that it must take some serious talent to write with one that is capable of that much variation. I am sure I would have just made a big blobby mess.

 

Can't wait to see the pictures!

[ElaineB]

Okay, it's ended up being a disastrous day here in tech land... the stupid card reader and flash card ended up being the least of my worries. But I'll get to that later. Without further ado, here is Ms. Lady Patricia in all her blue glory:

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patriciaclip.jpg

(I'm such a great photographer. I chopped off the very end of the pen barrel in this shot!) I love the Art Deco clip. The jewel is simply a flat gold-filled disk on the top of the cap.

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricialever.jpg

So here's the part I clipped off, with a better view of the lever box. Also, on my computer screen, this is the most accurate depiction of the dark blue lapis color celluloid.

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricianib.jpg

A view of the nib. Looks like your standard, every day Waterman Ideal #2.

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patriciacolor.jpg

Detail shot of the blue and bronze celluloid on the barrel and cap. These shots make the blue look alot brighter than it is in person. But you can see the plastic is pretty evenly colored except near the section, where it's darkened a bit. What these photos don't capture is the irridescence of the bronze bits. They look a bit like tiger-eye gemstones. Very pretty against the dark lapis blue.

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patriciacolor2.jpg

Another detail shot.

 

So, there it is. Btw, my dad gave it to me with the stipulation that I keep and use it, not sell it. Not that I mind. But I can't really take the credit for the "sumgai" find -- it was my dad who pulled it out of some auction lot that he'd bought for his business. He likes fountain pens, even if he doesn't know anything about them. In fact, I also brought home his very vintage Parker 51 with a gold-filled cap. He bought it new when he got out of the army after the Korean War and used it for many years to write the monthly checks. I'm going to get it repaired for him as a birthday gift.

 

Okay, now to go mourn the loss of my laptop. It's been a very bleak day here in computer land...

 

ElaineB(

[Keith with a capital K]

 

Stunning!

[antoniosz]

Not only you have a great pen but your handwriting is excellent.

The pen in very good condition is being sold around $250 by dealers.

This means that "street" price is around $150-175. If the condition is excellent that might bring the price a bit higher. The flex nib is a plus and it is awesome.

[wimg]

Hi Elaine,

 

Another wow! What a beauty! Thanks for sharing!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[georgem]

WOW on the pen!!

 

WOW on your beautiful handwriting!!

 

:bonk: :bonk: :bonk: computer :bonk: :bonk: :bonk:

[Maja]

Wow, what a pretty pen! Enjoy using it, Elaine!!

(sorry about the laptop )

[ladybird8]

Argh! I'm going to scream...

 

I came home, saw your message, Keith, and dropped everything to get the camera on the tripod and shoot some pictures of this pen. Okay, never mind that the rechargeable batteries ran out as I was shooting, and I had to dig out some alkalines from my alarm clock. I only needed a few pix for you. It'd just take a sec.

 

But after solving that crisis, the USB card reader on my computer decided to self-destruct and take my flash card with it! (Some nerve!!) So no pictures, no flash card, no flash card reader. I am certainly not happy about this.

 

The pen is still cute, though. After your message about discoloration to the barrel, I took the pen into the sunlight to get another look at it. I don't THINK there's discoloration, but I'm not an expert. I can see some variation in the color of the blue plastic throughout the pen, on both cap and barrel. I'm not sure if it's part of the design or if it's due to aging.

 

I did a dip test of the nib, at least. It feels like an extremely fine italic with a bit of variation between the width of the horizontal vs. vertical strokes. But it is also very flexy, going from hairline to strong strokes with a minimum of pressure. I've never felt anything like it before. Here's some scans of my test page:

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricia1.jpg

 

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricia2.jpg

 

 

http://www.urbanspinner.com/images/misc/patricia3.jpg

 

So, I need to go shopping now and get some new media for my camera. I'll be back later!

 

ElaineB

 

 

hi elaine,

i have just registered to the fpn because i was desperate to see your writing with the lady patricia but for some reason no images are showing up for me and i can't figure out why.

would you have any idea what i can do to see your posted images...i so want to see your pen and how it writes.

thanks : )

 

[sumgaikid]

Your father and mother had good taste in colors--your pen color is known as "turquoise"(Waterman in their brochures simply called it "blue & gold"). If it were a Patrician,restored and in good to excellent condition,ebay value would run anywhere from $600 to $1000-1400(someone would be willing to pay that much for it). It's the most sought after color in the Patrician line.

 

John

[Tsujigiri]

Yeah, the pictures aren't working for me, either. But it does sound like a cool pen.

[artaddict]

Yeah, the pictures aren't working for me, either. But it does sound like a cool pen.

 

Me neither. Being an old thread, the pix links must be broken.

[ladybird8]

Yeah, the pictures aren't working for me, either. But it does sound like a cool pen.

 

Me neither. Being an old thread, the pix links must be broken.

 

 

hi,

i am new to FP's and i think i want to try a flex nib pen.

hence my interest in the waterman lady patricia.

do you have any suggestions of other good pens to try? i think i might want a combo of eyedropper fill and flex nib.

thanks : )

[Tsujigiri]

Yeah, the pictures aren't working for me, either. But it does sound like a cool pen.

 

Me neither. Being an old thread, the pix links must be broken.

 

ah, that explains it. wow, I feel like an idiot for not checking the dates...