Waterman Eyedroppers
Waterman Pen Profiles: Eyedropper-fillers - Safeties - Overlay Patterns
For more, see Waterman hard rubber self-fillers & Watermans in plastic, c. 1929 to date
9256: Waterman 22: very rare, very early mottled hard rubber taper-cap eyedropper-filler, 14.9 cm long, with narrow star-imprint nib, narrow three-fissure feed, and pre-globe barrel imprint; left side of imprint weaker and heat-reversed, no number imprint on posting end, hard rubber color is good, with moderate fading. Mottled taper-caps are extremely hard to find; we have only seen a handful in over 20 years of collecting.
DATE: c.
1895 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $950 
9471: Waterman 14: early black hard rubber cone-cap eyedropper-filler, 14 cm long, two-line barrel imprint, narrow 3-fissure feed; barrel very slightly and almost imperceptibly bent, <1mm tight crack in cap lip, only traces of end number imprint present.
DATE: c. 1898 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine stub
semiflex • $225
9010: Waterman 12: mottled hard rubber clipless eyedropper-filler, 13.7 cm long, early example with crisp two-line pre-globe imprint, cap imprint with 1898 patent date, early narrow feed; distinctive early nib; light fading to hard rubber, shadow of price band.
DATE: c. 1899 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine semiflex
• $365
9690: Waterman 12: mottled hard rubber clipless eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, early pre-spoon feed example, 2-line pre-globe imprint with 1884 patent dates, narrow first-design feed, narrow #2 nib with "WATERMAN'S" in semicircle; good color, imprints worn but legible.
DATE: c. 1900 • CONDITION: VG-fine •
NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $285
9133: Waterman 322 Commercial: black hard rubber taper-cap eyedropper-filler, solid 9K English-hallmarked barrel overlay, 14.6 cm long; pre-Globe cap imprint worn but fully legible, seam split at front of overlay rewelded (see details); long-tail feed with patent imprints, early slender #2 New York nib.
DATE: c. 1905
• CONDITION: exc* • NIB: medium fine flex • $1200
9137: Waterman 12: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with London-hallmarked sterling silver overlay, bloodstone seal cap top, 13.2 cm long; seal-top Watermans are rare, and most often found in England and France, but this is an uncatalogued pattern never before seen -- though the hallmarks leave no doubt about it being factory-original. Canadian-made #2 nib, patent imprints on feed, some tool marks to lower barrel overlay; note that "WATERMAN" imprint on cap lip is upside-down -- perhaps to reflect usage of the cap as a seal?.
DATE: c. 1907 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: broad italic semiflex • $6000
5324: Waterman 14 VS: smooth black hard rubber safety pen, 11.6 cm long, rare first version with threaded turning knob and mechanism where nib turns as it extends and retracts; strong imprints, cork seal has not been replaced; 3 mm hairline at edge of vent hole of #4 New York nib (see detail).
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION:
fine-exc* • NIB: fine flex • $250
6130: Waterman 14: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with fluted gold filled overlay and bloodstone cap top seal; 13.3 cm long, a rare but fully catalogued factory model most often found in France and England (a version appears on p. 53 of Waterman's 1908 USA catalog under "Special Mountings" as Emerald End Special Fluted, priced at $50 -- more than three times the cost of a full sterling silver Snake); French hallmarks, no dings, but one small test mark on the seal bezel, imprints on posting end worn but mostly legible; toothy #4 New York nib, spoon feed with patent date imprints.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB:
extra-fine flex • $2650
9134: Waterman 402: black hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler with enameled sterling silver overlay, 14.1 cm long; English-retailed, with the posting end marked "CALLOW OF MOUNT ST. MAYFAIR". Very clean, with no dings, or any tool marks to the posting end, though there are losses to the original inlaid white enamel stripes which have been restored with what appears to be cold enamel of a darker color -- losses which involve only the frontmost part of the barrel overlay, but the better part of the cap (condition otherwise would be excellent). Factory-made Waterman overlays with enamel work are extraordinarily rare, and appear to have been made only for a handful of ultra-luxe European retailers. This is only the second example we have seen in over 20 years of collecting.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: VG-fine* •
NIB: extra-fine flex • $6500
9139: Waterman 214: black hard rubber half-overlay eyedropper-filler with acid-etched .999 fine silver barrel; 13.9 cm long, unusually heavy #4 New York nib, monogram lightly engraved on indicia; etched Waterman overlays are rare, and even more so as a 214 rather than a 212.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine • NIB:
medium stub manifold • $2875
8647: Waterman 0314 Chased Filigree: black hard rubber half-overlay eyedropper-filler, 13.8 cm long, gold filled raised scroll pattern barrel overlay, indicia engraved "Charles Martin Smith", #4 New York nib, feed with patent date imprint; no brassing, hard rubber under overlay appears to have been reblackened; a scarce and short-lived overlay pattern.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: fine flex • $895
9728: Waterman 22: rare mottled hard rubber taper-cap eyedropper-filler, 14.7 cm long; good globe imprint on barrel, 1903 last patent date, right side of imprint partially heat-reversed; patent imprints on feed, #2 New York manifold nib, good color to hard rubber, cap very slightly bent. Waterman taper-cap pens are not uncommon in black, but are very rare indeed in mottled.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB:
fine rigid • $600
9233: Waterman 14 VS: smooth black hard rubber safety pen, 11.6 cm long, rare first version with threaded turning knob and mechanism where nib turns as it extends and retracts; strong imprints, cork seal has not been replaced, early #4 nib missing tipping on one side; hard rubber crisp and glossy with deep, bold imprints, some scratching to cap from old add-on clip.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: fine-exc* • $250
9110: Waterman 504 Wreath: black hard rubber straight-cap eyedropper-filler with solid 14K gold overlay, 13.5 cm long, crisp imprints and engraving, extraordinary condition with original "Roman" matte finish entirely intact, only a few tiny marks to the cap and some nicks on the barrel next to the "wreath" (see details). Patent imprints on spoon feed, elegantly engraved monogram on indicia.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: exc
• NIB: extra-fine flex • $3500
9697: Waterman 12 Chatelaine: black chased hard rubber screw-cap ringtop eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, gold filled trim; extremely narrow threads, Waterman's first non-safety pen with a screw-cap, very rare model, appears in catalog of 1908, though introduced a few years earlier. Good chasing and imprints, moderate fading, cap lip slightly shortened, cap ring fitting not original.
DATE: c. 1908 • CONDITION: VG-fine*
• NIB: extra-fine flex • $385
9687: Waterman 12: English-market black hard rubber half-overlay eyedropper-filler, 13.2 cm long, 9K solid gold barrel overlay, London-hallmarked with Waterman factory maker's mark; pattern is a combination of twist and deeply hand-chased floral scrollwork -- uncatalogued, and hitherto unknown. Indicia is monogrammed, gold has been polished down, so that the date letter cannot be read..
DATE: c. 1908 •
CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine flex • $3850
9170: Waterman 502 Commercial: outstanding black hard rubber slender eyedropper-filler with full "line and dot" 18K solid gold overlay, London hallmarked and crisp as new. Two small hairlines at the sides of the section mouth (see detail) are the only flaws in this extraordinary pen (18K overlays were the standard for France, but are almost never seen on USA and British-market Watermans).
DATE: 1909 • CONDITION: near mint*
• NIB: fine flex • $2200
8616: Waterman 420: giant black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with full sterling silver Filigree overlay; 17.5 cm long closed, 23 cm open -- truly enormous. A very early example, with especially rounded ends, very clean oversize #10 nib. Few of these pens are known, and they seldom come to market.
DATE: c. 1909 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • Full details on request
9537: Waterman 412 Filigree: black hard rubber slip-cap eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, sterling silver overlay, smooth #2 New York nib does not open up that far, but writes an elegantly shaded line; barrel condition is excellent, but cap has taken a few bumps to the side -- note stable hairline crack in hard rubber under the overlay, visible in last detail.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION: VG* • NIB: extra-fine flex •
$385
4291: Waterman 0512½VS Baby: smooth gold filled overlay safety with rare double cap; 9.3 cm long, has been recorked, turning knob fully marked, virtually no plating wear, but inner cap rim dinged and wavy (see detail), barrel engraved with name.
DATE: c. 1917 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: fine flex •
$450
9492: Waterman 13: a legendary rarity with a stanhope viewer in the cap, made to commemorate Waterman's 35th anniversary; black chased hard rubber eyedropper-filler, 13.4 cm long, fancy gold filled barrel bands, correct nickel silver clip (this apparent mismatch is typical on this model); view through stanhope shows Waterman's Pen Corner in downtown New York City; nice clean condition, slight fading, even wear, all imprints clear. It has been suggested that these pens were made for Frank D. Waterman to present as personal gifts.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: medium flex • $2875
9184: Waterman 442½V in box: black hard rubber ringtop safety, 9.6 cm long, smooth sterling silver overlay with hard to find telescoping outer cap; metal clean, imprints on hard rubber strong, initials "M.W.D." on barrel. Patent imprints on feed, responsive nib.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: exc • NIB:
fine stub semiflex • $550
8403: Waterman 14: black hard rubber eyedropper-filler with smooth sterling silver overlay and bloodstone cap top seal; 13.1 cm long, a rare but catalogued factory model most often found in France and England (a version appears on p. 53 of Waterman's 1908 USA catalog under "Special Mountings" as Emerald End Special Fluted, priced at $50 -- more than three times the cost of a full sterling silver Snake); London hallmarks are worn but mostly legible, one ding to the side of the cap, #4 nib with unusual turnup grind at tip; the smooth silver version of this pen is several times rarer than the fluted version in gold.
DATE: c. 1918 •
CONDITION: G-VG • NIB: medium oblique • $2950
8639: Waterman 45: large black hard rubber clipless safety, 13.8 cm long, smooth solid 9K gold factory overlay with full London hallmarks; hard rubber is worn but sound, overlay is engraved with initials "G. L. B."; no real dings, but some light marks to the forepart of the barrel, and some tight stress hairlines to the metal at the cap rim and front edge of the barrel (see detail; this is typical of 9K overlays where the hard metal is spun down onto the hard rubber); big, smooth-writing #5 New York nib.
DATE: 1919 • CONDITION: G-VG*
• NIB: fine semiflex • $950
8907: Waterman 472: uncommon black hard rubber screw-cap eyedropper-filler with smooth sterling silver overlay; 13.1 cm long, London hallmarks, number at barrel end is simply "72" with no hundreds column digit, as is typical for English-market Watermans; 1925-dated presentation inscription, nice stub #2 nib has an incipient hairline from the vent hole, but should be stable if used without excessive writing pressure; even wear, light marks to metal, one tiny stress crack where barrel overlay crimped in place (see detail; for some reason these are extremely common in English-market Waterman overlays).
DATE: 1920 •
CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium italic • $565
9023: Waterman 42½V: black chased hard rubber vest-pocket safety, 8.8 cm long, crisp imprints and good chasing, some toothmarks to cap; seals replaced, responsive nib.
DATE: c. 1923 • CONDITION: fine •
NIB: extra-fine flex • $165
1947: Waterman Signagraph eyedropper-filler: black hard rubber, 11.3 cm long, unique design made specifically for use in Waterman's Signagraph check-writing machine -- a pantograph-based device that enabled the user to sign multiple checks at once, or to make multiple copies of a handwritten document; no separate section, end of barrel unscrews to fill, middle-joint type construction not found in any other Waterman pen; some fading, good imprints, #4 nib.
DATE: c. 1924 •
CONDITION: G • NIB: medium-fine flex • $150
9135: Waterman 44 set: black hard rubber safety, 12.9 cm long, gold filled French-hallmarked overlay, with matching JiF pencil. The pen has had its seals replaced, and is in near perfect condition; the pencil uses 1.1 mm lead, and is in similar condition but for a very light clip mark (a weakness of the design) and one very slight area of flattening at the shoulder of the front taper. Pen comes with a characteristically French slip-on Waterman clip, fully marked.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB: fine flex
• $785
4089: Waterman 42½V Ripple: clipless vest pocket red and black hard rubber safety, 9 cm long, has been recorked, barrel imprints strong, model number imprint on turning knob weak.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION:
fine-exc • NIB: extra-fine semiflex • $225