Golden Star 705 Or Not? That Is The Question

[bokchoy]

Genuine, fake, early model or frankenpen?

 

http://i.imgur.com/jBYCExT.jpg

 

This pen was purchased by a family member, I'm guessing between the early 1960s and the late 1980s. The cap engraving says GOLDEN STAR '705' which is apparently a higher-end export model with a hooded 12K gold nib. Well, I took a closer look at the nib and it's not yellow. In fact it's probably steel. This made me very curious.

 

Any pictures of the Golden Star 705 (金星705) would be helpful. The ones I can see are from listings on Chinese and Romanian websites. None show a golden cap/trim. There are also images on a Chinese fountain pen forum but they require registration. My Chinese reading level is like a five-year-old's (or worse) so I didn't bother.

 

Here is a Chinese listing on Taobao. If you look closely, there are some differences between their images and mine.

 

The top of the cap (mine has a step before the raised conical part, theirs doesn't):

 

http://i.imgur.com/BFCEUvH.jpg

 

The squeeze filler. I hesitate to call it a converter because I'm not sure it's removable. I'd rather not break it by pulling too hard. A picture in this listing shows an engraving that says 金星 as well as metallic or maybe transparent threads. Mine says 北京金星 BEIJING CHINA (Beijing Golden Star). The threads are opaque plastic and the metal ring is silver, which doesn't match the golden accents on the rest of the pen.

 

http://i.imgur.com/QA4XR6X.jpg

 

There is no inlay on my grip section. It may have fallen off or maybe there was never one:

 

http://i.imgur.com/uRc5RXs.jpg

 

This pen has single quotation marks around the '705' while others don't. The cap lip isn't flush with the barrel either:

 

http://i.imgur.com/2uM5a85.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/HQ3sTzj.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/CiyZwya.jpg

 

This pen is put together very well. Everything fits, the threads are smooth, the engravings are clear, the section and barrel colour match, etc. It writes a beautifully smooth and consistent fine or fine-medium line. Whatever the nib is, it's excellent.

 

Thoughts?

Edited February 16, 2015 by bokchoy

[hari317]

No idea, but the pen has a lovely colour. enjoy!

[basterma]

The cap looks an awful lot like those used on pens with the brand Youth. The way it isn#t flush with the barrel is also the same. I don't know anything about Golden Star.

[bokchoy]

The cap looks an awful lot like those used on pens with the brand Youth. The way it isn#t flush with the barrel is also the same. I don't know anything about Golden Star.

 

To be honest, it probably looks an awful lot like an awful lot of other pens.

 

Here's a summary of the company's history: http://forums.watchuseek.com/f221/golden-star-703-707-a-765671.html

Edited February 16, 2015 by bokchoy

[TimTheZaj]

To be honest it does look like a fake to me, or it might be one of the lower priced steel nib ones but with the cap of the more expensive 705.