Onoto Mammoth 1800, Mottled Ebonite GPT, #8 18ct Soft Manifold Nib

📒 History/Provenance

The Onoto Mammoth 1800 (c. 1924) is a strong example of the innovation and craftsmanship that defined Onoto, one of Britain’s great fountain pen makers. Founded in 1905 by Thomas De La Rue & Company (D.L.R., was a completely made up name meant to boost sales), Onoto became famous for George Sweetser’s plunger-filling mechanism, which used a vacuum on the downstroke to draw ink into the barrel. This was a major improvement over the eyedropper pens of the period and remained a hallmark of the brand for decades. Onoto pens have secured a lasting place in fountain pen history, even after production ended in 1958.

🧪 QA & Recommendation

Buttery smooth #8 nib with softness, immensely enjoyable writing experience gliding across the page. Very juicy feed that can be adjusted given the ink shut-off valve, can close for drier writing experience.
Tested on Clairefontaine 90gsm A5 Pad, inked with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black.

🔧 Restoration Commentary

Imprints are worn but legible, with slight wear to gold plated trim.
Mottled ebonite rejuvenated and hand polished, "softness" of ebonite restored. Very beautiful mottled ebonite rejuvenated to an incredible condition on color and shine.
Pen fully disassembled and cleaned throughly, with gaskets replaced.
Nib heat set and tuned for smoothness.