Lewis Waterman

Lewis Edson Waterman ( born November 20, 1837 in Decatur ( New York); † May 1, 1901 ) reported in 1883 on the fountain pen patent and founded the Waterman pen company. On 12 February 1884, he received the U.S. patent number 293545 on his invention.

He was insurance broker in New York. According to the story he created while signing a huge ink stain on a contract, which he lost the business. According to another version kleckste the spring and when he went a second get, a thief stole the contract, which he missed the business. Thereupon he built in the workshop of his brother, a writing instrument with fine channels between pen and ink chamber, sold the first handmade copies in a cigar shop in New York and gave a 5 year warranty. After initially narrow successes he intensified his business through extensive magazine advertising, led a successful patent process to hard rubber pens and founded in 1888 in Montreal a factory, have been developed and produced in various designs. His brand won at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 a gold medal. After the death of the founder, his nephew Frank D. Waterman took over the company.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed with a golden Waterman.