For your consideration, we are offering for sale this Restored Circa 1915 Waterman Black Chased Hard Rubber Sleeve Filler Fountain Pen with 18K Gold Filled Barrel Banding Trim. This fountain pen has been thoroughly taken apart, cleaned, put back together, and now is in wonderful writing condition.

I have cleaned the NIB, feed, and section. Hand cleaned the inside of the barrel and cap with mineral oil. Replaced the old rubber sac with a new, properly sized silicone sac. Hand polished the Waterman Ideal 18K Gold Filled Barrel Banding along with the flexible Ideal 14K #2 NIB.

This fountain pen is made from black chased hard rubber. The color of the ebonite display a deep black coloring with no oxidation. The chasing is very light but still can be seen with the naked eye. The fountain barrel has a strong, clean imprint on the side of the sleeve that reads, "PAT'D 1884 MAY 23, 1899 WATERMAN'S FOUNTAIN PEN N.Y. U.S.A. & AUG. 4, 1903 along with the Ideal Globe logo". The butt end of the fountain pen displays a light 12 SF imprint. The 18K Gold Filled Decorative Floral Barrel Banding displays no wear and has the initials engraved into the cartouche area, "P-J Co.".

The cap is a "slip" type cap that is always securing to the barrel. The fountain pen cap does not have a clip and there is no indication there was ever one. There are no monograms or personalizations to either the cap or barrel (other than the gold filled barrel banding). There are no cracks, nicks, repairs to the hard rubber, and the color displays vibrantly - an extremely clean pen. This Waterman measures 5 1/2" in length capped and 6 7/8" posted.

This Waterman is known as a "Sleeve Filler". One would slide the sleeve to gain access to the pressure bar, push the pressure bar down with the nib is in ink, release the pressure bar to has the ink be absorbed into the new silicone sac, and slide the sleeve back over the pressure bar to close the are to begin writing. 

The NIB on this Waterman is a New York 14K #2 size. The NIB writes with an extra fine point and can flex up to a triple broad stroke - it does have great flexibility and responsiveness. When measuring the actual tip of the 14K #2 Ideal NIB, it measures at .81mm with digital calipers - a medium point. When writing the sample in the listing images, the NIB writes with an extra fine line measuring roughly .35mm with very light pressure and flexes up to a triple broad stroke 1.88mm with firm to medium pressure. The writing sample provided was done with the actual pen in the images that is listed for sale. The writing sample was used by dipping the NIB in Parker Quink Blue-Black Ink.

These early Waterman Sleeve Filler Fountain Pens quite uncommon and is a rare treat to find them in good condition. I would consider this fountain to grade in Very FIne condition. This #12 Sleeve Filler writes very smooth and I consider it a collector grade fountain pen and certainly would be a fine writing instrument to add to your writing arsenal collection.