Onoto No 50 For Outrageous Price.

[Cris56]

An Australian eBay seller: micksells (185) has an Onoto No 50 rose/ black marble fountain pen Item No 323771930554 advertised for AUD$ 730.00 + 14.50 or near offer on eBay Australia. The photos shown are of poor quality and not much information is given about the condition of the pen. After I managed to pick myself off the floor, I sent him an offer of AUD$ 20.00 as a joke. Considering I picked up a No 50 fountain pen and pencil in mint condition( all the fountain pen needed was a new sac, which it now has.) for AUD$ 50 a month ago I thought he was slightly out of touch with reality. The offer expired and I received no reply at all. What do you think people ? Cris.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Cris56

[northlodge]

He can charge what he wants, and there are a good few sellers on ebay who are well known for their high price business model.

 

You have a choice as to whether to give time of day to his offer. Personally, I always skip over the sellers referred to above, as I do those who list with an undeclared reserve price.

 

Sounds like this pen is above the threshold of what is reasonably achieveable - £360 in real money ;-).

 

To me the real irritation is that the next guy with a beat up Onoto 50 will google the item, see this asking price, and think it is a reasonably achieveable target... the cycle continues.

[praxim]

It also claims a 9ct nib, not something I have seen on an Onoto but possible. One can not verify this from the appalling photographs.

 

100% feedback.

 

Hmm.

 

edit: I made an offer also. Mine was $19.99 so not to start a bidding war with Cris56 . Well, actually it was $17.24 but that is because he has over-stated the postage cost so I had to compensate.

Edited September 13, 2019 by praxim

[Cris56]

Funny about that mate, I thought about getting brown arms and offering $ 19.00 for a second offer for a lark. Glad you had a go too. Cheers Cris.

[praxim]

A thread which combined Onoto with crazy Australian sellers seemed good enough for this next.

 

Someone is selling an Onoto K4 or two at reasonable prices, except that one wonders what size sac a piston filler takes or, indeed, how one is to open the pen? I have enquired and will relay any answer.

 

It may be that a bit of silicone grease will solve problems for both of the K4 pens on offer. I have K4s and those colours, so am not minded to find out.

[Kenlowe]

I would buy that K4 without a moments hesitation.

[eachan]

The K4 warrants close examination. They love to develop hood cracks.

[Kenlowe]

The K4 warrants close examination. They love to develop hood cracks.

 

 

Yes they do, although this one looks mint and unused.

[northlodge]

Perhaps a tenuous link, but if we are getting on to head turning ebay prices:

 

There was (and remains) a CS28 cracked ice on ebay that took my fancy. Listed at £160 or best offer, I thought the price a bit on the high side so opted to "watch rather than act".

 

10 days later the pen has not sold, but I receive an email from ebay "as you looked at this CS28 the buyer is giving you a special 6% off deal" - I take another look and the pen is now listed at £235, with me being offered the bargain price of £220!!!

 

Just imagine if Tesco were to do that with their "special offers" ;-)

[praxim]

No response from the seller of the K4, on how to fit a sac to a piston pen. We are all the poorer for this missed knowledge.

 

@OilMugs, it can be that sellers who do not understand the items can offer great bargains. However, I have those same colours and I guess postage prices them out for you. The ad says "posts to Australia" but that can be fixed.

[praxim]

OK, Kookaburra10 replied. I told him what sort of pen it was and to check the piston operation and for body cracks, then modify his text accordingly. I also suggested he make sure it was open to overseas postage. He may or may not do those things.

[Inkyways]

A Good Onoto is always prizy and it is always worth that money. The Onoto de la Rue "The pen" is the oldest BCR pen. The Onoto da la Rue is the next medium size pen. Most of them are Piston filler pens a unique design for Onoto. There are also self fillers /liver pens but not a lot I guess. It is very hard to restore a piston filler pens as it needs some specific tools.. I have five of "Onoto the pen" and two are fixed and restored and repaired with cork washers and pistons. Three are to be fixed with new parts and clean and repairs.

I have some standard Onoto pens with self fillers and piston mechanism.

All the pens have 14k nibs. All the Onoto nibs are marked as Onoto and a size. If a pen has a different nib then it is a franked-pen nib on a Onoto pen. They are fantastic pens but somewhat rare so they are expensive. If you get a pen for $20 it it definitely for repairs and parts or definitely a bad damaged nib. Anyone familiar will pay for a single Onoto Gold nib more than $40 .

Edited September 26, 2020 by Cjayant

[Paul-in-SF]

Cjayant, I have to wonder why you are reviving so many old Onoto threads just to tout the brand.

[kazoolaw]

Paul,

Perhaps he is fond of the brand, as some of us are.

I have never never gotten tired of the variety of vintages Onotos since I stumbled upon the brand years ago.

gary

[mallymal1]

Cjayant, I have to wonder why you are reviving so many old Onoto threads just to tout the brand.

 

Was the thread revived by praxim?

[praxim]

Was the thread revived by praxim?

Originally, then three and a half months later by Cjayant. Paul-in-SF seems more interested in how many threads than which thread.

[mallymal1]

Originally, then three and a half months later by Cjayant. Paul-in-SF seems more interested in how many threads than which thread.

 

 

It's good to see some older threads being picked up and added to.

[como]

I am also a fan of vintage Onoto pens. The only pricy model on the market is usually the vintage Magna launched around 1937.

 

Edited for typo.

Edited October 5, 2020 by como

[praxim]

I think you have a typo

It's Magna

Despite the made-up Onoto name, I do not think they were into Japanese comics.

[como]

Thanks for pointing it out. I have corrected it above.

 

I think you have a typo

It's Magna

Despite the made-up Onoto name, I do not think they were into Japanese comics.