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The mighty Sequoyah from Onoto

This pen grabbed me from the first photo I saw of it, and I’m happy to say it’s even better in person.

After a series of Scottish-themed releases, and after many releases celebrating British luminaries like Nightingale and Churchill, Shakespeare and Dickens, Onoto’s release of the American-themed Sequoyah came as a bit of a surprise to me.

Its name comes from a Cherokee who invented a written script for his people’s language some 200 years ago; its appearance, plainly enough, is inspired by the great redwood trees of North America that, in different spelling, share his name.

And what an appearance. The resin used on the cap and barrel is simply gorgeous, a rich swirl of caramel and chocolate, with flecks of gold shimmer and black. I have compared it to the Visconti Medici Acrosilk, and although the two materials are not the same, they’re close. Onoto sources this material from Italy, so potentially it’s from the same manufacturer. In the flesh it’s very unlike the burlwood celluloid that also leapt to mind, as I had on a previous Oldwin. But this resin has much more depth and luminosity.

What really sets this gorgeous autumnal resin off, though, is Onoto’s sterling silver trim. The frosted finial on the cap is perhaps my favourite in my whole collection.

The three silver cap bands and silver clip shine bright and cold in contrast to the cap.

Looking in detail, this edition is even better finished than other Onotos I’ve reviewed recently. The company has changed its engraving process so the markings on the barrel are crisp and clean, even under a loupe.

The edition number (of 200 made) is engraved along the barrel near the rear; you’d only see it if you look for it.

The cap threads are still Onoto long, and mine perhaps aren’t quite as perfect as on some other Onotos, but by no means bad.

With the cap off, you see the section in black. It’s noticeably longer and more graceful than on older Magnas; this makes the whole pen longer and actually the hand feel is noticeably different, not as compact as I expected from a Magna. It’s actually even longer than my new Magna with #8 nib!

I really like the change now I’ve got used to it. The section is incredibly spacious and the threads, which were already comfortable and far back, are now truly out of the way.

I opted for an 18k fine nib, the first I’ve tried from Onoto. It runs wider and wetter than the steel fine I tried on the Shakespeare, and yet is still noticeably narrower than the gold medium. It writes smoothly and fairly wet, and it might just be my favourite Onoto nib choice going forward.

At £399 with steel nib, the Sequoyah is cheaper than many other Onoto limited editions. As always, a gold nib adds £150 to the price; I think it’s a worthwhile upgrade.

This has rapidly become one of my favourite pens. It’s truly pretty, the new section makes it even more comfortable than the already outstanding Magna of old, and the fine nib is a joy.

At the time of writing, the Sequoyah is available direct from Onoto. I bought mine at a discount; you can get yours here.

6 Comments

  1. gary

    Lovely pen which remedied several quibbles about the modern Onotos except…
    the 7 nib looks disproportionately small for the size of the rest of the pen. The material itself is gorgeous.
    How do the modern Onoto 7 and 8 nibs compare to vintage Onoto nibs? Or to the Bock or Jowo 6 nibs?

    • Anthony

      Well they are made by one of the German factories, although obviously to Onoto spec. I am afraid I have no vintage Onoto to compare….

  2. rupertarzeian

    Wow, this is a real stunner. Thanks for posting this review and the enticing photographs.

  3. jmccarty3

    What is the name of the pen with the No. 8 nib? Is it still available?

    • Anthony

      Blue stripe Magna #8, I think! It was a special, but Onoto can make one on request for sure 😊

  4. Griffin

    After drooling over this pen since you first posted the review, I took advantage of Cult Pens’ current birthday sale to order one. After a delay of several weeks while it was being made, I just received it today here in the States. Wow — the photographs simply do not do it justice! Not only is it well made, but the resin is stunning, especially in the light where the sparkle and chatoyance really stand out. The nib is also flawless — writing smoothly right out of the box. I’m so glad I decided to go for this one! Thanks for such a thoughtful review 😉

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