SCARCE 1925 WATERMAN #56 CARDINAL RED HARD RUBBER FOUNTAIN PEN RESTORED

For your consideration, we are honored to offer for sale this scarce and highly desirable Restored Circa 1925 Waterman’s Ideal #56 Fountain Pen in Cardinal Red Hard Rubber, fitted with a magnificent original Waterman #6 Flexible 14K nib. Among vintage Waterman fountain pens, few combinations generate the level of excitement and collector demand as a large-sized #56 in Cardinal Red Hard Rubber This fountain pen has been completely disassembled, thoroughly cleaned, fitted with a new properly sized latex sac, carefully reassembled, and is now in excellent working and writing condition. The nib, feed, and section were ultrasonically cleaned, while the cap and barrel interior were hand-cleaned and conditioned with mineral oil. The exterior hard rubber has been professionally cleaned, buffed, and polished to preserve and highlight the richness of the original Cardinal Red coloration. Additionally, the Gold Filled trim—including the Waterman Clip-Cap, cap band, lever box assembly, and the 14K nib—has been carefully hand polished. What immediately separates this example from the majority of surviving Waterman hard rubber pens is the extraordinary preservation of the Cardinal Red hard rubber itself. Red hard rubber is notoriously unstable and highly susceptible to oxidation, darkening, fading, and discoloration over time. Most surviving examples today have toned heavily toward brown or black, making true Cardinal Red Waterman pens among the most difficult color variants to locate in strong collector condition. On this particular example, the color remains remarkably vibrant and consistent throughout the cap and barrel, displaying the rich deep crimson tone that collectors hope to find but rarely encounter. The oversized #56 model itself occupies an important place within Waterman’s hierarchy. Larger than the standard production models and fitted with the massive #6 nib, the #56 was marketed as one of Waterman’s premium writing instruments during the 1920s. When paired with Cardinal Red hard rubber, the pen becomes exponentially rarer and significantly more sought after by advanced Waterman collectors. The condition of this example is especially noteworthy. The hard rubber cap and barrel are free from cracks, repairs, chips, or personal engravings. The barrel imprints remain exceptionally sharp and deeply legible, reading: “WATERMAN’S REG. U.S. IDEAL GLOBE PAT. OFF. FOUNTAIN PEN”, along with the lower barrel imprint: “WATERMAN’S REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. MADE IN U.S.A.” The model designation “56” at the butt end of the barrel remains crisp and easily visible. The cap threads and barrel threads are excellent, allowing the cap to secure tightly and correctly to the barrel. The Gold Filled trim remains highly attractive overall. The Clip-Cap displays only minor wear at the ball end and slight wear within portions of the “CLIP-CAP” lettering. The cap banding remains bright with light wear primarily confined to portions of the upper edging. The lever arm is particularly attractive, retaining a crisp “IDEAL” imprint with only minimal wear beneath the lettering. The pen measures approximately 5 1/2" inches capped, 7" inches posted, and weighs 0.89 ounces, giving it the substantial oversized proportions collectors expect from the coveted #56 model. The lever filling system has been cleaned, serviced, and tested with water, operating smoothly as originally intended. Equally important is the outstanding original Waterman #6 IDEAL New York 14K flexible nib. The nib remains in excellent condition and delivers precisely the type of expressive performance collectors seek in high-grade vintage Waterman fountain pens. The iridium tipping measures approximately 0.46mm with digital calipers, placing it firmly within the Fine range. In actual writing use, the nib produces a wonderfully controlled Heavy Double Extra Fine to Light Fine line measuring approximately 0.45mm, while flexing under moderate/firm pressure to an impressive 1.74mm Heavy Double Broad, nearly reaching Triple Broad territory. The writing sample shown in the listing photographs was produced using the actual pen offered here and was created by dipping the nib in Faber-Castell Cobalt Blue ink. Vintage Waterman collectors understand just how elusive a true collector-grade Cardinal Red #56 has become. Between the inherent fragility of red hard rubber, the desirability of the oversized #56 platform, and the exceptional quality of the original flexible #6 nib, examples such as this seldom become available—particularly with this level of color preservation and imprint clarity. This is not simply another vintage Waterman fountain pen; it is a highly important and increasingly elusive survivor from Waterman’s golden age of hard rubber production. A serious collector-grade example worthy of the finest vintage Waterman collections. I personally would grade this fountain pen in Very Fine+ to Excellent condition.