Waterman Blue Streak c. 1938-1940

by Jim Mamoulides, May 7, 2019

Waterman Blue Streak Silver Gray c. 1938-1940

Write a Blue Streak!

The Waterman Blue Streak was a new model first advertised in 1938 and can be seen in advertisements through 1940. This 5 inch long fountain pen is a Type 2 Ink-Vue which is a fancy type of bulb filler operated by a lever near the end of the barrel. The lever squeezes a short ink sac and ink fills the barrel itself. The ink level can be checked through the clear window in the top of the barrel.

Waterman Blue Streak Nile Green c. 1938-1940

The Blue Streak name may come from the blue strips in the celluloid that accent a contrasting stripe dividing panels of colorful marbled celluloid that are made into the cap and barrel. The pen features three narrow gold filled cap bands and a gold filled clip stamped with the Waterman Ideal logo at the top. The barrel is stamped Waterman’s over REG U.S. over MADE IN next to IDEAL globe mark next to PAT. OFF. over U.S.A. over FOUNTAIN PEN. The cap top and barrel ends have stepped inserts and the bottom piece unscrews to allow servicing the rubber sac bulb.

Advertisement from The Des Moines Register, December 10, 1938

The pen sold for $5.00 and came in Russet Brown, Silver Gray, and Nile Green striped celluloid and Jet Black solid celluloid. The matching pencil was $3.50. The gold nib is stamped WATERMAN’S over IDEAL over 14K over REG U.S. over PAT. OFF. over MADE IN over U.S.A. The feed is two colors with a red stripe down the middle stamped WATERMANS.

Advertisement from The Los Angeles Times, December 11, 1938

Identification guide and features:

• Celluloid cap and barrel in Russett Brown, Silver Gray, and Nile Green striped celluloid and Jet Black solid celluloid
• Gold filled clip stamped with the Waterman Ideal logo at the top
• Three gold filled narrow cap bands
• Gold filled lever unit
• Screw on cap
• 14 karat gold nib, stamped WATERMAN’S over IDEAL over 14KT. over REG U.S. over PAT. OFF. over MADE IN over U.S.A.
• Nib grades unknown
• Type 2 Ink-Vue, a lever operated bulb filler
• About 5 inches long capped
• Retail price for the pen was $5.00 and matching was $$3.50
• Pen and pencil set was $8.50

The Vancouver Sun, December 16, 1938

The Waterman Blue Streak is an overlooked pen from a major manufacturer that features very attractive celluloid. Many manufacturers were producing pens with similar striped celluloids in the late 1930s, including Moore, Eversharp, and Arnold. That the Type 2 Ink-Vue filling system is a difficult repair may be why these pens aren't more popular.

---

Acknowledgment

Thanks to Ross McKinney for loaning the examples photographed in this article.

References

The Des Moines Register - December 10, 1938, page 5

The Los Angeles Times - December 11, 1938, page 10

The Vancouver Sun - December 16, 1938, page 6