De La Rue used the name 'The Pen' for many of their Onoto models, it was a marketing ploy that appears to have worked well. The '4601' was introduced in the 1920s in 'short' and 'long' versions. The long version, this pen, is a huge 17.7cm, or 7 inches, in length when posted.
The 4601 is often described as a hard rubber pen but it is, in fact, made from celluloid. The confusion is understandable as the materials have the same look and feel, and the engraving on this pen is very similar to that used on the hard rubber pens.
At the time this pen was made, manufacturers went to a great deal of trouble to keep the weight of the pen down while maintaining robustness. Pens were often used for extended periods of time and the lighter the pen, the more comfortable and less tiring it was over these long periods of use. The 4601 weighs in at around 16g.
The Onoto 4601 is a 'plunger filler', a system jointly invented, in 1905, by Evelyn De La Rue and an inventor by the name of George Sweetster, who was better known as a roller skating champion and female impersonator. Well over a hundred years later a well serviced Onoto plunger filler still ranks among the best fountain pen filling systems.
This pen has been fully serviced and tested. It has been fitted with new seals, front and back, and is in excellent working order, it fills with one stroke of the plunger and holds a good volume of ink, much more than a modern cartridge filler. The 14 Ct. Gold Onoto No. 2 nib is an exceptional writer. It has full flex giving good line variation, someone with a decent hand could produce extremely impressive results with this pen.
The celluloid has an excellent surface with crisp engraving and a very clear and crisp barrel imprint. The nickel plated trim is also in very good condition.
The Onoto 4601 is a very well made and engineered pen that is sought after not only for its scarcity but also because of its extremely high quality. The long version is highly collectable, particularly in such remarkable condition, but would also make a great 'signature pen'.