24 replies to this topic

[Cob]

Today I bought this pen - at a very modest price, even stranger, I was the only bidder (on a well-known auction site of course).

 

What do you experts think?

(Seller's Pictures of course)

 

Thanks,

Cob

Edited by Cob, 23 January 2015 - 01:18 AM.

[vintage penman]

Rather nice by all appearances - it has a period Waterman accomodation clip. Must be a clipless model.....or the original clip has gone missing.

[Cob]

Rather nice by all appearances - it has a period Waterman accomodation clip. Must be a clipless model.....or the original clip has gone missing.

[Cob]

Rather nice by all appearances - it has a period Waterman accomodation clip. Must be a clipless model.....or the original clip has gone missing.

[Cob]

Seller says that the clip is stamped Ideal Waterman's Made in France.

The pen is coming from France
Cob

[Procyon]

Appears to be missing the Globe on the lever.  Not sure what that means.

[Cob]

Appears to be missing the Globe on the lever.  Not sure what that means.

Thanks yes I had noticed that - annoyed now I sold several old BHR52s all with good levers! We'll have to wait and see how it looks int he flesh so to speak.

 

I do have a very good spare but it's gold plated!  Perhaps someone will do me a swap 

 

Cob

Edited by Cob, 24 January 2015 - 06:24 PM.

[Procyon]

Actually, all the hardware should be gold filled - except for the accomodation clip, I suppose.

[Cob]

Actually, all the hardware should be gold filled - except for the accomodation clip, I suppose.

OH! on a 52 I had no idea!  I have had only the BHR models and these had nickel-plated levers and in one case a nickel-plated Ideal accommodation clip.

 

My spare is in the barrel of a very old 32½; if my 52 should have a golden lever  well all I can say is that I hope it will work with the thicker barrel.

 

Thanks for the information

 

Cob

[David Nishimura]

Actually, all the hardware should be gold filled - except for the accomodation clip, I suppose.

 

Not for French-market Watermans.

Ripples were sold in France with nickel or chrome-plated trim. If you look at the cap band in the photo in the original post, you'll see it's different from USA-market bands -- it too is characteristically French.

The nib will surely turn out to be 18K, as well.

[Cob]

 

Actually, all the hardware should be gold filled - except for the accomodation clip, I suppose.

 

Not for French-market Watermans.

Ripples were sold in France with nickel or chrome-plated trim. If you look at the cap band in the photo in the original post, you'll see it's different from USA-market bands -- it too is characteristically French.

The nib will surely turn out to be 18K, as well.

 

Thank you David; I can sleep easier tonight!  I am pleased to hear this obviously - it suggests to me that all is well, though frankly it wasn't very much money so even if it turned out to be a Frankenpen I wouldn't mind - in fact I love Frankenpens.

 

PS Apologies for the multiple posts; this computer is getting very difficult and I am just setting up the new one that arrived yesterday.

 

best wishes

 

Cob

Edited by Cob, 25 January 2015 - 12:17 AM.

[Procyon]

I stand corrected.  Guess I've never seen a French ripple. Is the lack of a globe on the lever also common for those?  Seems like I have seen that before, but I can't remember where.

[Cob]

Gentlemen: thank you for your erudition.

 

Cob

[David Nishimura]

I stand corrected.  Guess I've never seen a French ripple. Is the lack of a globe on the lever also common for those?  Seems like I have seen that before, but I can't remember where.

 

You aren't going to see a lot of French-market Watermans in the USA, but if you've done a lot of buying in Europe, they are a familiar sight.

The globe isn't so much missing as polished away. If you look closely you'll see the pen's ends are decidedly rounded, indicating it has been subjected to some aggressive polishing.

[Cob]

Thanks again, but oh dear! have I bought a dog? 

 

On the other hand I suppose some rounding off is not unsurprising/impossible after 90 years; what one might call a "used" pen!

 

Cob

[jonro]

It looks like a very nice pen to me. The body looks clean, the accommodation clip is a nice touch and you will have an uncommon (for the US) 18K nib. It may not be "investment grade," but if you enjoy writing with it, you have a heckuva pen with character. Please let us know what kind of nib is on the pen and if it is flexible or not. I'm curious about how Waterman's French nibs might compare to their US nibs.

[Cob]

Hullo.

 

Well the pen has arrived, and as David observed it has been over-polished .  It is evident that the cap band was once gold plated The filler lever has been polished and i can just make out the remains of the Ideal mark. I might fit my spare golden lever box which is perfect - only it's in a 32 1/2 and I suppose might not work.  Can anyone tell me if this is likely?

 

The nib is really rather nice, not a boiled spaghetti noodler but has good flex and character.

 

Meanwhile I have bought another - better I think and even less money

 

 

Cob

Edited by Cob, 27 January 2015 - 12:40 PM.

[Cob]

Update.  The first one turns out to have less than perfect cap/barrel threads, so it's going back to the seller.

 

Fingers crossed for No2  I am most grateful for the information from all of you.

 

Cob

[Cob]

In such chaos today with dreadful computer problems - I rather rushed at the second one it having such a short time to go,  and find that it in fact has cap/barrel thread problems too.  However it's cheaper (I am to be refunded for the other one) and I fancy having a go at repairing the threads...

 

As the SAS motto has it "Who dares wins"!

 

Cob

Edited by Cob, 27 January 2015 - 05:59 PM.

[toltotoll]

 

Actually, all the hardware should be gold filled - except for the accomodation clip, I suppose.

 

Not for French-market Watermans.

Ripples were sold in France with nickel or chrome-plated trim. If you look at the cap band in the photo in the original post, you'll see it's different from USA-market bands -- it too is characteristically French.

The nib will surely turn out to be 18K, as well.

 

Just a contribution to the subject of French ripples with nickel or chrome-plated trim :