Waterman's #5 Manifold, 14k Gold, F (JOWO 6)

🥇 Grade: A2
🏠 Housing: Nikko Red Ebonite, JOWO #6
🔱 Nib: Waterman's Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. #5 Manifold, 14k Gold, Made in U.S.A.
🖋️ Line Spec: F | 0.25mm
🌡️ Flexibility Pressure: Manifold, no flex
📐 Dimensions: 22.17mm overhang past housing
⚖️ Weight: 2.428g

L.E. Waterman & Co., founded in New York in 1884, dropped the explicit "New York" imprint from its U.S. nib production in the early-to-mid 1920s, transitioning to the "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. / Made in U.S.A." stamp style that defined the rest of the decade. The "Manifold" stamp distinguished Waterman's stiffer, pressure-tolerant nib line — built for clerical work and carbon copies — and ran in parallel with the softer flex line that defined the brand's expressive reputation. The #5 sat as a mid-size in the catalog, larger than the workhorse #4 and smaller than the oversize #6 and #8. Seated in a Nikko red ebonite housing with a JOWO #6 ebonite feed, ready to write.

Manifold by design — built to take pressure on every stroke without spreading. The 0.25mm tipping lays an F line that runs incredibly smooth and consistent, with thick supple tipping that produces a buttery glide across the page and a subtle cushion through both upstrokes and downstrokes. The kind of nib that disappears under the hand once you start writing. A2 condition reflects mint character — possibly dipped, with no signs of writing wear.

Best suited to writers who want a smooth, predictable vintage gold nib for daily writing and sketching, journal and longhand writers who appreciate a buttery consistent line at speed, and collectors seeking a clean 1920s American Waterman Manifold example.

Tine alignment confirmed, tipping smoothed, light burnish at the base. Heat-set into the JOWO #6 housing with matched ebonite feed for clean flow from the first stroke. Imprints are sharp and legible; structural integrity is full.

Tested on Rhodia 90gsm ivory with Diamine Imperial Purple.