Waterman C/F Trade In Set

This is my second post about the Waterman C/F (Cartridge/Fill). The first was on April 7, 2011 – Waterman C/F .   This time, I restored a C/F Set.  This particular set includes a matching pencil, and I was fortunate to find an unused post card advertisement, showing a similar set.  It appears below, and was mailed out by The Typewriter Shop in Meriden, Connecticut, to promote their store, and this set.  Interestingly, they were offering a $5.00 credit toward the $20.00 set price, for any old fountain pens with a 14K gold point!

The reverse of the postcard has this 2 cent stamp. Using this stamp as a guide, the postcard dates from 1952 to 1958.

Below are the two instruments after taken apart.  The blue cartridge with red tip was taken from the section, which was filled with blue ink.

Not much internal work needs to be done (other than rinsing in an ultrasonic cleaner) as this is a standard cartridge pen.  Below is the finished product ~ a pen measuring 5 3/16 inches closed and 6 1/16 inches posted.  The pencil measures 5 1/4 inches and takes 0.9 mm lead.

The nibs and sections on these are notorious for chipping and losing their plating, but this one has survived unscathed.  I would estimated it to be a medium width.

The link in the first paragraph directs you to previously stated C/F information, and here is a small extract:

“The CF (Cartridge Fill) is intriguing purely from an historical perspective. It is thought of as the first modern widely produced and distributed cartridge pen. I also happen to think that it is pretty sharp looking and reflects the 1950s modern deco styles.

It comes as no surprise that the designer was Harley Earl, a famous automotive designer. Pen companies often contracted with designers to come up with innovative and current designs to attract buyers.”

C/F pens were produced by Waterman, starting in about 1953 and until Waterman shut down its US operations.  After that time, many of the C/F pens found today were made in France.  This set has a “Made in USA” imprint.  That, and the 2 cent stamp above place the set in the 1953 to 1958 period.

As you can see, the set came in an attractive box.

The cloth pen holder lifts up to reveal space for eight cartridges.  Six were found in these slots.  Unfortunately, they have dried up.  As cartridges are no longer produced for these pens, the cartridges are valuable as they can be used again after being cleaned and filled with syringe.

While on the subject of C/F cartridges, here is an advertisement, from my collection, showing the cartridge above being inserted in a pen.  It also shows the various levels and prices of C/F pens produced in 1955, the date of this advertisement.

These pens are not highly sought after by collectors, though some French models command high prices due to their materials.  I find the design interesting and am glad to have added a US set to my collection.

1946 Silver Pearl Vacumatic Major

A short one this week ~ yet another Vacumatic repair. This time it is a 1946 Silver Pearl Major.

As you can see below, the eleven (11) parts came apart successfully and only two need replacement.

~ Diaphragm

~ Breather Tube

You can see from the first two photos that the breather tube is bent.  In fact, after testing it, it revealed a small crack and it needs to be replaced.  Even with the bend in the tube, I would recommend replacing it, as a leak is not far ahead.  I purchase a long cord of tubing from Woodbin, and it can be cut to the exact size necessary for Vacumatics, 51s, Skylines, and any other pens requiring breather tubes.

Here is a photo of the nib / section / feed and breather tube after all have been cleaned and reassembled.

This pen takes a debutante size diaphragm and I successfully attached it to the plastic speedline filler and inserted the filler back into the barrel after cleaning the barrel thoroughly.  Remember to insert the filler first so that you can scope into the barrel to make sure the diaphragm sits correctly and there are no problems sticking or twisting.  After this is completed the nib unit can be screwed back in.  The pen measures 5″ capped and 5 5/16″ posted.

Here is the finished product, a clean example of a 1946 Vac Major in Silver Pear, with nice transparency ~ a pen produced near the end of the Vacumatic run.

Artcraft Financial Certificate

My friend Rodrigo, from Argentina, who sent me the Artcraft Advertisement that is the subject of my post of  September 26, 2011, once again generously surprised me with another piece of Artcraft ephemera – a 1940s-1950s Artcraft Bearer Bond.

You can see from the dates that Artcraft was a going concern during these dates.  I am uncertain if this drawing is of an actual Artcraft building, but think there is a chance that this was a 1950s version of the Company that started in the late 1920s in Birmingham, Alabama, only to up and move to Argentina in the mid 1930s.

I would also think that this certificate (translation = Bearer Bond) was issued during the period that these pens (restored in my post of June 23, 2011 – Artcraft in Argentina) were produced.  Actually, I think the top pen would be more likely to have been produced in this period.

Another small piece of the Artcraft international story. Thank you, Rodrigo!