I've dragged my feet about writing this review for a couple of reasons. First, I've published quite a few Onoto reviews this year: the Pinstripes, British Museum, Sequoyah, Spitfire... with this, I'll have covered Onoto more than any other brand. Second, this Blue Stripe Magna #8 is not a standard production pen. I bought it … Continue reading Onoto’s Mammoth Magna #8: masterpiece or mistake?
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Flying high with the Onoto Spitfire
A 'tribute' pen is a dangerous thing. Look at something like Montegrappa's Apollo 11 moon landing pens: I confess that I quite want one, but nevertheless they come across like cheap toys, even when the top-tier edition costs an eye-watering £6,000. Image credit: Iguanasell It's not just Montegrappa's usual over-the-top style, either. Platinum and Cross … Continue reading Flying high with the Onoto Spitfire
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 … Continue reading The mighty Sequoyah from Onoto
Benu, cartridges, interviews, queues and more
A few days ago I started writing a September 'State of the Collection' post. But the scale of the task has overwhelmed me. With more than 20 posts since the August SotC, and at least as many pens in and out... well, I figured nobody would want to read a post that long. But I … Continue reading Benu, cartridges, interviews, queues and more
Another look at the Onoto Magna: Victory and Shakespeare pinstripes
A reader recently told me by email that, of all their pens, the Onoto Magna would be the one to accompany them to the proverbial desert island. I cannot possibly disagree with their choice. If you were to be stuck with just one pen to write page after page, day after day, year after year, … Continue reading Another look at the Onoto Magna: Victory and Shakespeare pinstripes
Art and alchemy: The Onoto Great Court Vitreous Enamel
Rather than words comes the thought of high windows: The sun-comprehending glass,And beyond it, the deep blue air, that showsNothing, and is nowhere, and is endless.Philip Larkin, High Windows Few pens make me want to quote poetry (especially by my favourite poet). The Onoto Great Court Vitreous Enamel Sterling Silver is one. But let's get something … Continue reading Art and alchemy: The Onoto Great Court Vitreous Enamel
Onoto’s new plunger filler is a blast from the past — for a price
I'll start with my conclusion: the new Onoto plunger filler is not the best or most practical Onoto for most people. But if you love the brand and its history, that may not matter to you at all. Bear with me for a history lesson I've never really done history lessons on this blog — … Continue reading Onoto’s new plunger filler is a blast from the past — for a price
Close, but no cigar? Getting to grips with the Conway Stewart Winston
Spurred on by my discovery of Onoto and my joyful first experiences with a friend's Conway Stewart Churchill, I set off on a mission to get my own Conway Stewart. I didn't want one of the current versions from Bespoke British Pens, with their conventional 'flag' nibs... no, I wanted one from a few years … Continue reading Close, but no cigar? Getting to grips with the Conway Stewart Winston
An undeniable classic: the Onoto Magna
First impressions count Onoto sure know how to create a sense of occasion. I purchased this Onoto Magna Classic prototype from the London Pen Show, but I wanted it with a gold nib and the optional brass weight added to the barrel — so it went away to the workshop instead of home with me. … Continue reading An undeniable classic: the Onoto Magna
Bored of the mainstream? Four ways to reboot your love of pens
It's easy to get fatigued by all the new pen models that hit the market every month. Most new releases by Lamy, Sailor, Aurora, Conklin and co, let's face it, are just the same pens in different colours, and they often run to the same basic designs, the same foundational principles, the same stock nibs. … Continue reading Bored of the mainstream? Four ways to reboot your love of pens
