9 replies to this topic

[johnmc2]

Just watching this auction at the moment. Can anyone identify the pen? My guess is Wirt but I'm no expert on this brand.

http://www.trademe.c...px?id=629079047

Thanks for any ideas

[Deb]

Looks like an Onoto to me.

[johnmc2]

Hi Deb, that was my first thought also, but the nib has a rubber(?) overfeed which seems to be characteristic of Wirt pens.
My eyedropper Onoto/De La Rue Pelican has a gold overfeed:




Never mind, I will bid if it stays within my budget. Interesting though!
Thanks for your interest
John

[Shadow Wave]

It seems unlikely any Wirt pen was marked "9ct" as the seller states. The American abbreviation is "kt."

[johnmc2]

It seems unlikely any Wirt pen was marked "9ct" as the seller states. The American abbreviation is "kt."

That's good to know, thanks. I am woefully ignorant about such details. I haven't been collecting pens for long, and I'm always grateful for experts' advice.
Regards
John

[tenney]

I have an early 1900's Onoto plunger pen with what's called an over-under feed that looks just like that (but with no gold or silver furniture).
One of the pictures seems to show the plunger pulled out. I'm told that with the correct set of O rings, if you're experienced you can restore
the plunger... but that's not something I'd try (mine was restored already).

[Deb]

Hi Deb, that was my first thought also, but the nib has a rubber(?) overfeed which seems to be characteristic of Wirt pens.
My eyedropper Onoto/De La Rue Pelican has a gold overfeed:

Your Onoto is later than the one you're enquiring about. The "over-and-under" feed was pretty well standard at one time. The gold bar over the nib came later and isn't technically a feed as it doesn't protrude into the ink reservoir. Its function appears to be to delay the drying out of ink on the nib. It, too, was used by a number of other manufacturers.

[David Nishimura]

Other way around, Deb. The Pelican was early, not late. Quite a scarce pen.

best

David

[Deb]

Other way around, Deb. The Pelican was early, not late. Quite a scarce pen.

best

David

Yes, you're right David. I was misled by the fact that for other manufacturers, the sequence is mostly reversed, e.g. Swan which went from over-and-under to the gold bar over the feed. I expect that De La Rue were ahead of the wave, as they often were in their early days.

[johnmc2]

Other way around, Deb. The Pelican was early, not late. Quite a scarce pen.

best

David

Thanks David. The Pelican was handed down to me from my grandfather.

Regards
John