Waterman’s 452 “Hand-Engraved Vine” Fountain Pen New York, USA, c. 1920–1925 Sterling silver overlay on hard rubber; lever-filling mechanism; 14k “Ideal” No. 2 nib
A luxury variant of Waterman’s workhorse “52,” the 452 adds a solid sterling silver overlay meticulously hand-engraved with scrolling vine and leaf motifs. Beneath the overlay lies a black hard-rubber body; a side lever filler compresses the internal sac for clean, tool-free filling—a hallmark of Waterman’s interwar production. The flattened ends, globe-logo lever tab, and heart-shaped breather hole on the No. 2 nib reflect period detailing and the brand’s emphasis on refined engineering.
Vine-engraved overlays were executed by skilled chasers rather than engine-turned machines, giving each pen subtle variations in line depth and leafwork. Positioned as an elegant daily writer rather than a fragile showpiece, the 452 embodies Waterman’s promise of reliability wrapped in jewelry-grade craft—an object that merged the practicality of mass production with the individuality of hand engraving.