Waterman's 1885 Patent

[JanK]

Most vintage pen collectors are aware of Lewis Waterman's two 1884 patents. But how many of you know that Waterman held another patent granted in May of 1885?

Beginning in early 1885, and continuing for a few years thereafter, many of Waterman's ads included mention, and sometimes a picture, of a separate device called "The Ideal Pocket". It was a device designed to hold a number of pens or pencils upright in a gentleman's vest pocket.

Although I've spent some time looking for it, I've never seen any reference to a patent number associated with this item. The early ads usually noted that a patent had been applied for, but the later ads don't mention whether a patent had been granted.

Yesterday, I just happened to stumble across the solution to the mystery. A patent for a "Pen and Pencil Holder" had been granted on May 5, 1885 to a Frank G. Davison of Brooklyn, NY, and had been assigned to Lewis E, Waterman. So yes, Waterman held an 1885 patent, but not for anything he had invented. The full patent document can be found here: https://docs.google.com/viewer…

Interestingly, Davison patented a different pen related item later that year, which appears to be an early effort at a clip to hold a pen in place in a pocket. This time though, he assigned the patent to Waterman's some-time partner and soon-to-be nemesis, Asa Shipman.

 

[Sasha Royale]

One-two-three-four-five-six ! Six fountain pens in the pocket.

Beloved Louis Waterman created the first "nerd".

[eharriett]

You should write this up for the PCA magazine. It would be a great submission!

[PS104]

You should write this up for the PCA magazine. It would be a great submission!

Totally agree

Please do so

[JanK]

is the PCA magazine (The Pennant?) still being published. On the PCA website, it looks like the last issue was in 2012.