10 replies to this topic

[david i]

Recently picked up a 1930's Waterman Ink-Vue Demonstrator. Grand pen. We actually have Waterman documentation for it, though I must dig up the Pen Prophet (Waterman period literature) that shows it. True Demonstrators essentially are one-in-a-thousand pens, as generally a store acquired one to use along with the oodles of regular pens it so sold for years. This thing is far rarer than the better known Parker 51 and Sheaffer Snorkel demos. All I've seen have at least a yellow cast to the celluloid, and I don't know offhand if this represents the typical early ambering seen to clear celluloid or if the pens were made with that bit of a yellow tint.

I've seen maybe 5-6 of these in thirteen years collecting, counting retail websites, 80 pen shows attended, ebay hunted daily... with the caveats of course that I might overlook some and that my memory might not be perfect

I've not yet cleaned and flushed this one, but figured I'd share it. There even is a surprise in the last image.

regards

David

[George]

Awesome David! Without getting into the scarcity vs value debate, I can appreciate the rarity of these types of pens (especially with a sticker!). The Ink Vue demos are particularly interesting to me because they show how Waterman was trying to reinvent themselves; trying to stay in competition with Parker and their Vacumatic filling system.

Take a look at this 5116 Demo from David Nishimura's site for added Ink Vue demo awesomeness:

http://www.vintagepe...?id=9351&pics=8

Regards,
George

[csikora]

These really are good lookin' pens. I stumbled upon one sometime last year and just haven't gotten around to getting it restored. The example I have is fitted with a Purple nib...is this common to the others?
Far too much to do...

[david i]

These really are good lookin' pens. I stumbled upon one sometime last year and just haven't gotten around to getting it restored. The example I have is fitted with a Purple nib...is this common to the others?
Far too much to do...

Nice one.

Not sure on the purple nib. Vague recollection is that Ink-Vue does turn up with keyhole nibs, sometimes with color markings. Whether intended for this mid 1930's series or leftovers from slightly earlier (overlapping?) Waterman #7 ripple then plastic, i cannot say. I'm not sure I've seen hard listings for start and stop dates of many Waterman 1930's pens. For example Patrician often is considered an early 1930's product as is Waterman 94, but I have a 1937 ad that shows both, even though Waterman was well into the Ink-Vue era. Certainly a #7 Keyhole nib in a color carries more value than a generic mid 1930's nib.

regards

d

[vintage penman]

Just adding to the mix, my early Silver Ray has a red keyhole nib but others I have seen have had a variety of round hole, heart hole and the keyhole type nibs without colour imprint.

[Rick Krantz]

I got a mint, uninked silver ray, keyhole nib, no color assigned to the nib. unfortunately, it ain't no stinkin demonstrator.

[david i]

I got a mint, uninked silver ray, keyhole nib, no color assigned to the nib. unfortunately, it ain't no stinkin demonstrator.

Uninked... works for me. I've seen these with round vent hole nibs too. Have sneaky suspicion these were around long enough to have more than one nib style be acceptable or correct.

So, since I've shown the Demo... I wonder if it is time to pull the image of the Waterman Ink-Vue Fetus Pen, tragically miscarried before completing gestation. The only one I've ever seen.

-d

[Teej47]

Huh?

[david i]

Huh?

I might need more than that to answer

-d

[Teej47]

I might need more than that to answer

-d

"Fetus pen" ?

Tim

[david i]

"Fetus pen" ?

Tim

Aye, verily.

Poor thing didn't make it full term. Only one I've ever seen.

-d