(photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)
"The Waterman company was innovative in their approach to pen and mechanical pencil design at the outset of the 1930s. So much so, in fact, that the finish of a new line of their pen and pencils branded 100-year (relating to the warranty) was simply exquisite! Finished in transparent coloured Lucite plastic, supplied by the Dupont corporation, the design department at Waterman rendered this fashionable line of pens and pencils in an Art Deco style. Add to this, lateral ribbing on caps and barrel and a fine Waterman 14K Gold nib installed in an adequate section, and there was no amount of 'Wow' which could describe the Waterman 100 Year fountain pen. And to tie the pen with the pencil, decorative banding was the order of the day. Saying all this, Waterman 100-year pens and pencils are not exactly common in the wild. In fact, and to be quite frank, the Lucite used in a lot of cases was far from stable and prone to fatigue and -with it - crystallization. So to find a flawless Waterman 100-Year pen or pencil these days can be both a challenge and costly.
But what of this 100-Year pen and pencil I am featuring? Well, in a way, it is not a true set for several very good reasons. First off, the mechanical pencil is a late first-year production, while the fountain was brought to bear a year later. Secondly, the first-year production pencil is a standard sized model, while the fountain pen is a lady's model. Still, what I think really ties these two writing instruments together and in essence makes them a set, is their very attractive 14K gold filled banding, their matching horizontally ribbed finish, stunning transparent blue colour, and the identical personalization on the banding. My educated guess, would be that they were in fact bought at the same time as a set to be used accordingly.
The lady's pen, like the mechanical pencil is in stunning near mint condition. It is a lever filler, and the barrel sports the typical Waterman 'Boxed' lever. The pen has an adequate grip section that firmly support a superb Waterman Ideal 14K Gold, 100-Year marked super flexy nib. The cap also has both the model and company branding inscribed near the banding, but just above the top end of the horizontal ribbing. What just puts the icing on the cake with this fine pen, is its vibrant jewel like blue transparency. A definite feature of the Lucite plastic incorporated in the manufacturing. The standard sized 100-Year pencil matches the pen in its blue transparency and condition and, in turn, is a magnificent writing piece. But, being a late first year model, it does not have the 100 Year model inscribed on the cap. That came with the second year as such. All in all, Waterman treasures to be favoured and they. in turn. will be a wonderful addition to my vintage pen collection."
Our thanks to Christopher for the photo & write up!
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