A Black Plastic Waterman Fountain Pen from France
October 23rd, 2006
I used to have this really wonderful and stylish black plastic Waterman fountain pen I bought in Paris. It had an orange clip and cost about US $5 (30 francs, I think.). It was cool because it looked good–the plastic was a kind of nylon-like softish plastic with a matte finish. And it wrote pretty well. I liked to use it as my main writing utensil.
But I lost it. I’d picked up another one at some point and given it to my father, and one day over at his house on Lakeview, I quietly lifted it out of his lazy-susan pen tray. (I still need to tell him about that.)
I was happy again. But one day, after telling my students how much I liked the pen and how they weren’t made any longer, it disappeared from my classroom.
Now I’ve been looking for one of them again, but I don’t know what they’re called. I’ve got a standing search on eBay for ‘plastic Waterman’, but I’m not too hopeful.
Anybody know where to buy another one? Or at least what they’re called?
Hi,
As for identifying your Waterman, I suggest that you head over to fountain pens network (located at www.fountainpennetwork.com) and ask in their forum. It is a huge community of pen collectors, there are knowledgeable people on every fountain pen ever made out there under the sun 
Another option is jetpens.com - also friendly forum.
sorry to have come here a year late
Have you tried Waterman’s website? It would take some time searching through all the pens, but might be worth it.
But I believe they might take older models off their website…
Anywayz, wish you good luck in your searches
I think I know the fountain pen you are talking about. I you are interested I can send you a photo of mine. I think the name of the pen was something like jiffy (?).
Maybe I can try to investigate on that.
I would like to buy a new one and I am afraid that the only way will be to buy a used one. I haven’t seen those pens for a long time
lizzy, thanks for the info! I googled ‘jiffy’, but didn’t find anything. I tried ‘jif’ and found some older pens that didn’t look anything like what I had.
But yes, if you have a photo, I’d sure love to see. Thanks!
Hey, I think I have a few of the pens you are talking about… I work for a French company, so I go to France usually once or twice a year. I would usually buy a few inexpensive plastic fountain pens from the local Auchan store (sorta like a big supermarket). Anyhow, I have three plastic watermans: blue with yellow clip, red with blue clip, and black with red clip. I’ll try and take some digital photos of them and email to you… I love the black/red combo also. I’ll look for some more when I’m in France this April…
Thanks, Brian
Brian, wow, that would be really cool.
The one I had was a matte black one with a light orange clip. The plastic had a kind of soft feel to it, as if it had been made of nylon or something.
I was told that they were pretty common in France, so I didn’t think I’d have trouble finding them again. However, I suspect that they’re no longer being made.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to post!
i also had a black waterman pen with an orange clip and steel nib. i also had a white one nad a periwinkle blue that had a white clip. a friend in collegfe brought them back from me when she went home for christmas to paris. she said they were “like bic pens” over there. several years ago, i called waterman as i had lost them all and they sent me a couple for free. i guess they really were cheap pens. they are all lost now, and i am wondering if you ever found the name of the pen. i am trying to find them again.
right after i posted last time, i emailed waterman here in the US who emailed her counterpart in france who, 3 days later, fed-exed me 2 Jiffie fountain pens at no charge. exactly as i remember them. but i can’t find them to buy online.