Onoto

[NerdThing]

Having just got hold of a K series, I'm interested if there is anyway of dating them at all? I know they were only produced between February 1955 and February 1958, but is there anyway of narrowing that down at all?

I would welcome any input from anyone who has any knowledge. Thanks in advance.

[welch]

I haven't heard of a system. I know that there were four K-pens: K1 - 4. Three had hooded nibs and one, the K3 had an "exposed" nib. The two hooded nibs look almost alike, but one has a snap-on cap and the other has a screw-on cap. Judging from an advertisement in "Onoto Pen Repair", by Peter Crook, Steve Hull, Jim Marshall, and Laurence Oldfield (about 2010?), page 28, all four seem to have been available at the same time. The descriptions are too small to rad, at least too small for me.

It appears that the K1 has a gold-plated cap, and is the most expensive: about 57 shillings and 6 pence. The K4 was the least expensive, at 25 shillings.

For more serious information, look for a history of the DeLaRue company and Onoto pens, but Steve Hull. I haven't seen it, but the repair book -- a small booklet of only 32 pages -- suggests that we look for the book to appear in 2011.

[update] See the second comment in this thread on Fountain Pen Board: http://fountainpenboard.com/forum/index.php?/topic/6051-onoto-the-pen/

Book is being written and assembled as of last June; missed 2011 release date because author's day job has interfered.

[NerdThing]

Thank you kindly. Very useful information and has given me some useful leads.