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Waterman's #4 New York Nib, 14k Gold, 280g Semi-Noodle Flex
Waterman's #4 New York Nib, 14k Gold, 280g Semi-Noodle Flex
HM2603012
💰 Price: $650
🖼️ Gallery:
🥇 Grade: B+
🏠 Housing: Nikko Red Ebonite, JOWO #6
🔱 Nib: Waterman's #4 New York, 14k
🖋️ Line Spec: EF–3B | 0.20mm – 1.30mm (6.5x)
🌡️ Flexibility Pressure: 280g Semi-Noodle Flex
📐 Dimensions: 22.68mm Nib Length
⚖️ Weight: 1.994g
📜 History & Provenance
L.E. Waterman & Co. was founded in New York in 1884, and the company's "Ideal" nib imprint — paired with the patented three-fissure feed — defined the early American fountain pen from the 1890s onward. Through the 1890s and into the 1920s, Waterman's New York nib factory produced the most softly tuned and most collected flex nibs in the American industry, with the #4 size serving as the workhorse medium sized nib of the catalog. It was the factory-fitted size on the 14, 24, 44, 54 — the backbone of Waterman's upgraded lineup compared to the #2 sized nib line up.
Early New York 4s are sought after for a specific set of traits: the tines run noticeably longer than on later 1920s–1930s production, the nib body is marginally larger than the #2 size nib, and are often softer than the slightly larger #5 nibs. This sits closer in character to the legendary #7 Pink flex nib of 1927 with tight hairlines and well defined snapback.
Fitted into a Nikko red ebonite housing with a JOWO #6 ebonite feed for a ready-to-write nib unit.
🧪 QA & Recommendation
One of the softest #4 nibs I have restored. At 280g it sits in semi-noodle territory, with a 6.5x multiplier stretching a 0.20mm hairline out to 1.30mm under full flex. The hairlines are what make it — at 0.20mm they land among the finest on any flex nib of this size, and they are the trait that makes this nib especially suited to Spencerian work with delicate flourishes.
Snapback is tightly controlled. Tines return without bounce or overshoot, which is exactly what tight Spencerian form demands. Flex engages under light pressure only; push harder and the tipping risks cutting the paper.
Pre-assembly work: tine alignment corrected, tipping smoothed, and a light burnish at the base to sharpen snapback. The B+ grade reflects honest writing wear without prior repairs.
A light-touch nib for experienced flex writers, Spencerian and Engrosser's Script practitioners, and collectors after a grail-tier vintage flex in a modern serviceable housing. Works with any standard fountain pen ink, but tip to use some drier ink like Pelikan 4001 to get even crispier hairlines.
Tested on Rhodia 80 gsm, inked with Waterman Serenity Blue.
Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications
Brand:
Model:
Production Year:
Material:
Trim Color:
Nib Size:
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Nib Grind:
Nib Flexibility: g
Line Variation: - (x)
Pen Length:
Pen Grip Section:
Restorer: Heron's Mooncake
Restoration Grade:
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Waterman's #4 New York Nib, 14k Gold, 280g Semi-Noodle Flex
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Appendix for Listing Details
Sweating the details is fundamental to understanding, appreciating, and knowing the peice of history you have in your hands.
All pens are filled and tested, not just dipped in ink, which does not reflect writing characteristics whatsoever.
Line Variation Standard
Different restorers have different standards for line sizing and especially for vintage pens, the printed tipping size will not always be accurate due to repairs/grinds/etc. Please use this as a frame of reference for consistency.
Flexibility Standard
Nib flexibility is such a controversial topic, but there needs to be some level of consistency so please take this table as a frame of reference for my restorations and as someone who is writing in a calligraphic/spencerian style of cursive script. Without objective measurements, flexibility terms such as wet noodle are useless as someone with stronger forearms and grip strength will make even manifold nibs into a wet noodle.
Restoration Ratings
These are guidelines incorporated from various online sources not limited to Reddit, David Nishimura, etc.
