Waterman
Founded 1884 · New York, United States · Lewis Edson Waterman
Waterman is where the story of the practical fountain pen begins. Before its 1884 patent, pens with reservoirs existed, but they leaked and failed so often that almost nobody wanted one. Waterman solved the flow problem, and with it turned a contraption into a tool for daily use.
History
Lewis Edson Waterman applied for his patent in 1883 and was granted it on 12 February 1884: a slotted feed using capillary action so the ink comes down at the same rate the air goes up into the reservoir. That is the principle every fountain pen still uses today. The business started in the corner of a tobacconist's on Fulton Street, New York, with a sign advertising Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen. From there it grew into one of the great houses of the twentieth century. In time the operation moved to France, where it still manufactures, and the brand ended up inside the American group Newell Brands.
Iconic models
Ideal
The name under which Waterman sold the first capillary-feed pens; the origin of everything.
Carène
A fountain pen shaped like a ship's hull, with the nib set flush into the body rather than standing proud.
Hémisphère
The house's modern entry: a smooth lacquered body in a slim format.
Expert
The brand's broad, balanced format, the best seller in its current catalogue.
Worth knowing
Waterman did not invent the pen with a reservoir: it invented the feed that makes one work. Its 1884 patent solved the leaking with a piece of elementary physics — letting air in by the same route the ink comes out — and that principle has not changed in 142 years.
Waterman at Reserva de Marcha
See all 61 in the catalogue →
S0636830 Fountain Pen Exception Night and Day black S.C, line width F
Fountain Pen Ink, Intense Black, 50ml Bottle
Fountain Pen Ink Bottle, Mysterious Blue, 50ml, 1 Count
Expert Fountain Pen, Stainless Steel with Chrome Trim
Large Standard Ink Cartridges Permanent Black
Duofold Centennial Fountain Pen, Classic Black with Gold Trim
Fountain pen multicolor
Large Size Ink Cartridges 8 Pack, Serenity Blue