Pen Profiles: Safety Pens, Moore Safeties, Waterman Safeties
9654: American Fountain Pen Co. Moore's Non-Leakable: mottled hard rubber retracting-nib safety, 12.25 cm long, 1903 patent cap imprint, safety post in cap; has been recorked, strong imprints, noting scratching to barrel (see detail); smooth-writing 14K gold warranted replacement nib.
DATE: c. 1915 • CONDITION:
fine • NIB: extra-fine • $395 
10508: Arnold Fountain Safety Razor: patented portable razor in the form of an oversized black chased hard rubber pen, complete with gold filled cap band; 15 cm long, crisp chasing and imprints, moderate fading; blade holder unscrews to allow blades (not included) to be replaced.
DATE: c. 1910 •
CONDITION: exc • $165
10778: Moore Non-Leakable Inktab: black chased hard rubber safety, 13.2 cm long, rare "trench pen" model with detachable ink tablet compartment with glass window on cap; very clean, responsive Moore nib, an outstanding example of a hard to find WW1-era pen.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: exc • NIB: fine
flex • $785
9628: Moore Non-Leakable Inktab: black chased hard rubber safety, 13.2 cm long, rare "trench pen" model with detachable ink tablet compartment with glass window on cap; crisp and glossy, responsive Moore nib, an outstanding example of a hard to find WW1-era pen.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: near mint • NIB:
extra-fine flex • $850
10525: Phenixor safety: black chas ed hard rubber,11.5 cm long, chrome plated trim, made in France, 18K nib; never filled with ink, seal is still good, as new but for age spotting to clip.
DATE: c. 1930
• CONDITION: near mint • NIB: medium fine flex • $150
9718: Rover safety: black hard rubber with gold filled overlay, 10.9 cm long, milled ends, translucent red inlay in cap crown; most Rover pens appear to have been made by other makers, and this example seems to be a Montegrappa product. Seals have been replaced, a good writer, in clean condition aside from some plating wear.
DATE: c. 1928 • CONDITION: VG • NIB: extra-fine • $450
8667: Soennecken safety: unusual black chased hard rubber clipless model, 12.7 cm long, with a ventless Hicks New York 18K gold nib with French hallmarks; condition is like new, but the original barrel imprint of this French-market pen appears to have been polished away -- most likely out of WW1-era anti-German sentiment. Early production Soenneckens often carried New York-made nibs, but most were from A. Morton.
DATE: c.
1913 • CONDITION: exc-near mint* • NIB: extra-fine flex • $325
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 •
$375
10604: Waterman 42: unusual Canadian-made black chased hard rubber clipless safety, 12 cm long, crisp and glossy with bold imprints, extremely narrow barrel threads; condition like new, but may have been assembled from earlier parts, as the turning knob is marked "44", though the nib is a very smooth Canadian #2.
DATE: c. 1918 • CONDITION: exc-near mint • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $205
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 • $500
10845: Waterman 42½: black hard rubber clipless safety, French-hallmarked 18K solid gold overlay; 12.8 cm long, metal crisp and fully marked, a few shallow bumps to the cap mouth not readily noticeable. Long-tined 18K New York #2 nib is a wet writer, permits dramatic line width variation.
DATE: c. 1920
• CONDITION: exc • NIB: medium fine flex • $975
10733: Waterman 42½: black hard rubber safety with French-hallmarked silver "Night and Day" overlay, 12.8 cm long; initials "P. B." engraved very lightly on indicia. 18K French hallmarked #2 nib has typical soft flex, to be used with a light hand.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: medium
italic semiflex • $900
10848: Waterman 42½: black hard rubber safety with French-hallmarked sterling silver "Night and Day" overlay, 12.8 cm long, slip-on clip is also hallmarked silver. 18K New York #2 nib has a semistub tip.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium semiflex • $985
10269: Waterman 0542½V: black hard rubber ringtop safety with telescoping cap, 9.4 cm long, full gold filled overlay including turning knob and barrel threads (most overlays cover only the center of the barrel). Scattered pinhead dings, shallow bumps to cap, seals have been replaced, nib writes an elegantly shaded line, but will not open wide.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: fine • NIB: extra-fine flex
• $465
10361: Waterman 0542½: black hard rubber clipless full-length slender safety, 12.9 cm long, gold filled "Filigree" pattern overlay, lively #2 nib writes a nicely shaded line; hard rubber under the overlay has been professionally reblackened, seals replaced, overall condition sound with even wear.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION: VG-fine • NIB: fine semiflex • $500
10093: Waterman 41 Ripple: rare US-made French-market slender hard rubber safety, 11.5 cm long, crisp and glossy, original cork seal has not been replaced but appears to be sound, pen has never been filled, nib is a French-hallmarked 18K warranted replacement of excellent quality, good writer with restrained line width variation.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: mint* • NIB: fine semiflex •
$400
10435: Waterman 45 Ripple: large hard rubber safety for the French market, 13.4 cm long, two 18K solid gold barrel bands of distinctively French form, French hallmarks on bands and 18K nib. Barrel imprints have been almost completely polished away, cap lip crack has been repaired by internal sleeving and is now virtually invisible (see details; lip is not stressed when cap is posted). Nib writes smoothly with elegant shading, seals have been replaced, overall appearance excellent.
DATE: c. 1930 •
CONDITION: VG* • NIB: medium fine semiflex • $500
10603: Waterman 42: red hard rubber retracting-nib safety with elaborate Italian gold filled overlay; 12.25 cm long, excellent quality, very rare over red, crack in barrel from mouth through threads has been sealed and stabilized with an added ring of original Waterman red hard rubber in front of the threads (see details).
DATE: c. 1935 • CONDITION: VG-fine* • NIB: extra-fine firm
• $2000
10732: Waterman 42 in box: black hard rubber safety with octagonal gold filled overlay, 12.65 cm long, three-color banding on cap, overlay at barrel end bears both the winged mark of Davide Capra, Waterman's official agent in Italy, and the smaller mark of Montegrappa, maker of the overlay. #2 nib is smooth with easy flexibility, pen is like new but for a few small usage marks.
DATE: c. 1940 • CONDITION:
exc-near mint • NIB: medium stub flex • $1200
9970: unmarked safety: miniature black hard rubber retracting-nib German safety, 8.35 cm long, engine-turned silver overlay marked only "900" at the center of the cap crown; despite size, a fully functional pen, cork has been replaced, 14K gold warranted nib has considerably flex, but due to dimensions line width variation is limited.
DATE: c. 1920 • CONDITION: fine-exc • NIB: medium fine flex
• $400
10568: unmarked safety: black hard rubber, small and slender with silver overlay; 9.45 cm long, French made, 18K warranted nib is serviceable but toothy, tipping scant.
DATE: c. 1925 • CONDITION:
fine-exc • NIB: fine semiflex • $225
2700: unmarked safety: clipless miniature, 8.1 cm long, transparent pale blue enamel over sterling silver with guilloche work; cap crown marked "STERLING", "GERMANY"; excellent quality, some chipping to enamel at edges (see pictures), not inktight (cork seal needs to be replaced); 14K warranted nib.
DATE: c. 1925 •
CONDITION: fine-exc* • NIB: fine flex • $500
10566: unmarked safety: black hard rubber, vest pocket size with silver overlay with grouped parallel lines pattern; 10 cm long, French made, small 18K warranted nib is smooth and opens up with the slightest pressure; a couple of small dings to the top edge of the cap overlay, internal spiral has been repaired.
DATE: c. 1930 • CONDITION: fine* • NIB: fine flex • $265