rare WATERMAN early CARDINAL RED No 12 EYEDROPPER PEN - SLIP CAP - FLEXIBLE NIB   -   I SEE A LOT OF PENS AT MANY VENUES BUT I ALMOST NEVER SEE A CARDINAL RED OR RED HARD RUBBER EXAMPLE. THIS FINE EARLY PEN IS 5" IN LENGTH CAPPED, NO CHIPS OR CRACKS, NO PERSONALIZATIONS AND A FULL AND COMPLETE BARREL IMPRINT WITH PATENT DATES OF 1899 AND 1903, THE PEN IS AN EYEDROPPER WITH SMOOTH TURNING SLIP CAP, THE CLIP IS A NICKEL IDEAL CLIP-CAP  WITH PATENT DATE OF 1905 AND THE BARREL END HAS A CLEARLY IMPRESSED 12. THERE ARE NO DIGS OR BITES, THE CAP AND BARREL ARE SMOOTH. THERE IS A BIT OF INK STAINING NEAR THE NIB WHICH WILL EASILY REMOVE BUT I AM NOT GOING TO TOUCH IT. THE NIB, LIKELY ORIGINAL, IS A 14K GOLD NO 2 WATERMAN IDEAL MEDIUM WITH PLENTY OF IRIDIUM AND NICE FLEX  -  NOT A WET NOODLE BUT AT LEAST MEDIUM FLEX WITH NICE TINE SEPARATION. A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A RARE AND EARLY CARDINAL RED WATERMAN   -   ALL OUR PENS ARE SOLD AS ACQUIRED FROM LOCAL ESTATES, UNTESTED  -  BUYER PAYS 9.95 SAFE BUBBLE SHIPPING AND TRACKING IN USA