Vintage Onoto With 18Ct Nib?

[praxim]

Admitting I have not read Steve Hull's excellent book cover to cover, I am a little mystified by an Onoto pen I have just acquired. It has an 18ct nib. No other vintage Onoto of which I am aware has other than a 14ct nib.

 

The pen itself is one in the Streamline style. I will identify it properly later. The mottled red hard rubber barrel is labelled "Onoto The Pen" under which is, less clearly but present, "De La Rue & Co London", so that part is all correct.

 

The nib has a heart breather hole characteristic of the brand and era, but whereas my nearest comparable pen has on the nib "DeLaRue // Onoto // London // 3" (most others insert "14c" between Onoto and London) this one has "DeLaRue // London // Onoto // 18ct"

 

Has anyone encountered an 18ct nib on a vintage Onoto before?

 

 

I can not say how it writes because the plunger washer is fossilised, jamming the plunger. In other respects it seems intact, although the slip cap is either a ring-in or again very unusual, having slight knurling around the top edge but otherwise apparently normal in appearance and matching the pen for colour and pattern.

[Cob]

I've had quite a few Onotos and have never seen an 18ct nib.

 

I presume that this nib was made for the French market. In France, the law states that only gold of 18ct or above may be described as gold.

 

Cob

[praxim]

You probably have it, Cob. I bought this from a seller in France. I have seen about 25 Onotos so far. This is the first 18Ct. A further perusal of Steve's book this evening turned up no alternative explanation.

 

In other respects this pen looks like a 2500, or possibly something in the 5000 series. I am going with the former, featuring a nib for France.

[praxim]

Here is the entire pen in question. I identify it as a 2500 apart from the nib as discussed. You may be able to see also a slight crown effect created by two ridges in the cap top. Is the the "coronet cap" or is that a gold top to the cap?

 

 

I have finished replacing washer and seals. The pen was very dirty, quite difficult to take apart, and having to knock out the nib and feed to scrape out all the detritus directly. A quick dip test shows a fairly fine initial line, exceptionally smooth, fairly flexible; just another great Onoto.

 

The photo shows the colours to better effect than in life where it is somewhat more matte. Apropos a nearby thread on the Pelikan 805 Ocean Swirl, you can see from the picture that it will be possible to line up plunger knob, barrel and cap patterns quite well.

[praxim]

Reviving this only to comment that I inked the 2500 today, for the first time, using GvFC's Garnet Red. Its behaviour is impeccable, probably owing to the fact it how has good vacuum, no air leaks. Pick it up, open the cap, write. I always close the shut-off on an Onoto a little before the last line or two, to keep excess ink out of the feed. There was no dry-out after it was left for 15 hours. We will see what happens with one or two days of non-use.

 

The rare nib is quite flexible, a fine line, a little more Italian-feedback in style than the usual Onoto nib. It reminds me of the Omas 556 EF which I finished before inking this pen, although not as fine

 

edit:adding.

Edited July 7, 2018 by praxim

[Methersgate]

Fwiw I also think this is a pen made for export to France. Very nice.