This pen is now reserved.
The Waterman 555 is a big, handsome pen, only made in Canada in 1947. It's quite rare.
At first sight the pen looks like a 515, albeit in a very unusual colour. Closer inspection, however, reveals a number of additional features that elevate the model, including a triple cap band, stepped barrel and cap ends, an 'Ideal' nib, and fine blue pinstripes, in pairs, that divide the pen into 'panels' giving the mottled finish a striped appearance.
The pen has been fully serviced and tested, it is in excellent working condition throughout. A new size 19 ink sac was fitted and the box lever filling system works well, taking up a good volume of ink. The box lever arrangement incorporates a metal frame set into the barrel to provide a secure anchor for the lever pivot and prevent swelling around the lever slot in the barrel.
The 14 Ct. Gold Ideal nib is an upgrade to that found on the 515 or later W5. It writes with a medium to fine line and has a nice flex giving good line variation. A person with a decent 'hand' could produce impressive results.
The celluloid has an excellent, pearlised finish and a strong barrel imprint. The end stud on the cap has lost the gold plating but the lever, clip, and cap bands are in very good order.
The box is brand new, it will serve well for transportation, protection, and display.
The Waterman 555 was only made in three colours: plain black, striped grey and striped brown, this pen. The blue pin stripes, a particularly attractive feature, were also found on the 1930s Waterman 'Blue Streak' pen, to which the 555 bears more than a passing resemblance.
At 16.7 cm. in length when posted, the Waterman 555 is a very large, impressive pen that has a great deal of 'presence'. It is not at all easy to find and is very collectable.