WATERMAN No. 420 Oversized Eyedropper Red Hard Rubber (RHR) Fountain Pen

Museum Piece

WATERMAN No. 420 Oversized Eyedropper Red Hard Rubber (RHR) Fountain Pen with Sterling Silver Filigree, c.1912.

Rare Waterman No. 420 red hard rubber fountain pen with sterling silver Art Nouveau filigree. A very large and impressive instrument. The number 20 is the biggest pen ever made by Waterman. The nib is also the biggest Waterman nib. Number 10. A really stunning pen. The No. 420 is differentiated from the far more commonly seen black hard rubber No. 20 by the lovely red hard rubber body and elegant sterling silver filigree (the “4” is Waterman’s code for silver overlay pens). It is said that due to the pen’s massive size and attendant expense it was only available as a special order. The No. 420 is a legendary Grail for collectors of early American eyedroppers; research suggests that as many as three and as few as two examples survive.

The pen is fitted with a slip-on type cap and has a shoulder-less section. Filigree engraved “WATERMAN’S IDEAL FOUNTAIN PEN / STERLING / BERT HART,” endpiece marked “4 20”. Sterling Silver Clip marked Clip – Cap Ideal Pat. Sep. 26.04. Large gold heart-vent nib engraved “Waterman’s / IDEAL / New York / No. 10”. Matching red hard rubber feed. 168mm long, 20mm wide at base of cap. Excellent condition (normal signs of time, some minor scratches), crisp imprints.

Should you need any further information, condition report or extra photos please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bibliography:

Fountain Pens of the World, Andreas Lambrou, pp. 34 – 35. (“Only [one] example known”).
Waterman Past and Present (The First Six Decades), Max Davis & Gary Lehrer, p. 30 (smallest and largest pens). The book shows a Waterman 420 in Black hard rubber next to a 20 in BHR and a 20S Prohibition Pen.
Waterman, 125 ans d’expérience, André Mora, p. 31 (Waterman #20 BHR) and p.42 (Waterman 20 S Prohibition Pen).
Fountain pens and pencils. The golden age of writing instruments. II edition. George Fischler – Stuart Schneider, p. 26 shows three Waterman 20 and namely: red ripple hard rubber, cardinal red hard rubber, red & black mottled hard rubber. P. 45 shows #415 & #418 in black and red hard rubber.