Waterman 55 without "IDEAL" stamped on the nib

May 21

This is a Waterman 55 without 'IDEAL' stamped on the nib, does anyone know if this was done by Waterman at any time during the 1910s-1920s or could this be a non-original nib from another time?

Otherwise it looks like the correct nib for this pen.

May 22

I checked the www and readily found 1920s Waterman pens with such nib:

https://antiquedigger.com/products/c1914-waterman-sterling-412-poc-trefoil-pattern-fountain-pen-restored

https://antiquedigger.com/products/1920s-waterman-56-cardinal-red-hard-rubber-fountain-pen-restored

https://www.peytonstreetpens.com/waterman-52-fountain-pen-woodgrain-medium-flexible-2-nib-excellent-restored.html

https://www.vintageandmodernpens.co.uk/shop/rare-watermans-58-cardinal-red-hard-rubber-lever-filler-fountain-pen-fine-flexible-nib/

May 26

Can you see the number? The later 20’s Ideal 4 would be similar size to a 5

June 6

On 5/26/2025 at 10:55 AM, GlenV said:

Can you see the number? The later 20’s Ideal 4 would be similar size to a 5

Yes it's a number 5 nib

I guess I was just curious as to when Waterman started stamping the "IDEAL" onto their nibs

June 6

Sorry, that would be a question for the Waterman experts(David Nishimura or others), It does get tricky as so many old pens no longer have the original nib. If yours is marked 5 it may very well be, sometimes you can see by looking in the old catalogs on the Internet Archive. That's a pretty nib!

June 11

@darkziv: I have a 55 in cardinal -- no IDEAL; a red ripple 56 -- wearing a nice Hundred Year nib (so incorrect: so what?) and a BHR 58 -- no IDEAL. My 94, 52 and 54 all have IDEAL nibs.

Max Davis and Gary Lehrer said almost nothing about nibs in their little book "Waterman Past and Present". Perhaps the smaller models only were equipped with IDEALs?

June 13

On 6/12/2025 at 6:12 AM, Christopher Godfrey said:

@darkziv: I have a 55 in cardinal -- no IDEAL; a red ripple 56 -- wearing a nice Hundred Year nib (so incorrect: so what?) and a BHR 58 -- no IDEAL. My 94, 52 and 54 all have IDEAL nibs.

Max Davis and Gary Lehrer said almost nothing about nibs in their little book "Waterman Past and Present". Perhaps the smaller models only were equipped with IDEALs?

I just checked my other Waterman pens and all my 55 nibs have the IDEAL stamped on them while a couple of my 52 nibs and a #12 nib don't , so who knows.