Counterfeiters: Why Be So Blatant?

[Cordovian]

Something I've wondered about each time I've seen an obvious counterfeit Montblanc is why did the maker stray so far from the original pen's design?

 

For example, below is a fake Jules Verne that I ran across. Although it has numerous other indicators that it's a fake, it would be much more convincing if it was at least the right color.

 

If the objective is to fool people then you would think they would try to make their fakes as close to the original as possible. Why do something to make it blatantly obvious that your product is a counterfeit? What might their motive be for this?

 

Thoughts?

 

Fake Jules Verne:

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ioEAAOSwvg9XUUXu/s-l1600.jpg

Real Jules Verne:

Edited June 6, 2016 by Cordovian

[Cyber6]

Something I've wondered about each time I've seen an obvious counterfeit Montblanc is why did the maker stray so far from the original pen's design?

 

For example, below is a fake Jules Verne that I ran across. Although it has numerous other indicators that it's a fake, it would be much more convincing if it was at least the right color.

 

If the objective is to fool people then you would think they would try to make their fakes as close to the original as possible. Why do something to make it blatantly obvious that your product is a counterfeit? What might their motive be for this?

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

I am not sure the objective is to fool people. The reason I say that is becasue I have bought fake MB pens and never paid more than $10-$20 for them. Even if you are not an MB connoisseur (sp?) ... is very hard to be fooled by paying 1% of its price (if it was real, I mean)

 

 

The way I see it, anyone who knows MB will immediately know that is a fake. That is a good thing. I had a chance to buy a fake Thomas Man .. and I specifically chose the pink gold since Thomas Man was never released in Pink Gold. My interest in buying it was not to fool people, just to see the quality and have fun with it. A Jowo 1.1 stub nib was slapped on that Thomas Man and it writes like a dream.

 

 

 

In summary, I have no issues with "close" replicas .. like the red Jules Verne.. looks like fun (if that damn pen was not that heavy), I do have issues with fake MBs that want to go for hundreds of dollars. I have seen so many, that I will never buy a cartridge converter MB sight unseen, I never heard of a fake MB149.. my guess, the piston mechanism is not easy to fake.

 

 

 

C.

[Shannon]

I would say that the counterfeiters aren't trying to fool those "in the know." They're more likely trying to get purchase by people whose knowledge is limited to MBs being a status-symbol type of pen.

[vikrmbedi]

these replicas sell all over the world...many countries have very few or no boutiques, or low internet penetration.

As we have interest in pens we know about montblanc pen prices, models etc...but in most cases people just know that there is a brand with a white star which is very expensive.

montblanc prices are not known to the casual buyer and it is not easy to do so either. so people end up buying these thinking they are getting a good bargain.

 

they are meant to fool people as they are using the brand logo as well as the brand name.

if they copy a design and not the logo/ brand name then that is a different matter.(it is not correct either, just a different matter)

e,g. jinhao's an hero brand copies of lamy safari, gc watches copying the hublot watch design.

or baoer making copies of parker sonnet and montblanc starwalker...

[zaddick]

I would say that the counterfeiters aren't trying to fool those "in the know." They're more likely trying to get purchase by people whose knowledge is limited to MBs being a status-symbol type of pen.

I this this is a big part of the reason. It is liek a fake rolex or LV purse. People familiar with luxury goods are familiar wite the brand and this is an easy way to get most of the status with almost none of the cost.

[FrankB]

What is it ol' Abe Lincoln said? "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time. But you can't fool all the people all the time." That comment might in a way speak to the intent of the MB knock-offs. The perpetrators might aim to fool casual buyers, but have no intention of passing their wares off as genuine all the time. Especially those FP's with IPG nibs. I have a Virginia Woolfe LE knock-off with an IPG nib. There are other cues that the pen is not genuine. I have it just to own it. But I must say that IPG nib writes extremely well. I consider it a fun diversion from serious pen collecting.

 

But I strongly agree that knock-offs being sold for prices near those of genuine MB products are a criminal enterprise, and those perps deserve to be hunted and treated as criminals.

[Sasha Royale]

I would say that the counterfeiters aren't trying to fool those "in the know." They're more likely trying to get purchase by people whose knowledge is limited to MBs being a status-symbol type of pen.

 

My late father told me of "Arrow clips" showing on the outside breast pocket of men's suits. There was no accompanying fountain pen. When Dad inquired at the local pen store, the proprietor said that people bought the pen caps to wear as status symbols.

[Opooh]

And there are of course the people who buy these fakes, a part of them buy these fakes on purpose, just to impress others with their " status symbols".

[Annikendong]

I just saw this fake MB Boheme Sterling Silver edition auction for more than 400. I really wish eBay would allow comments on certain goods like antique and collectibles. Some are so obvious, yet people still pays hundreds for them. I did a lot of research and can't find that particular model. The seller has 100% positive feed back but all the pictures were blurry. I've seen ballpoint and rollerball pen in that style but not the fountain pen. Did a little digging and you can buy a fake for less than 100. FPN really has educated me to spot those fakes but some of them are so good, you can't tell by the picture.

 

Ken

[Sasha Royale]

I can't detect from the photos. Is the pen represented as a Montblanc fountain pen ? Or am I seeing merely a copyright infringement ?

[Parker51]

Personally I wish the fakes would all disappear. It strikes me as a very sad comment on the state of those making and selling the fakes and the world. People should take pride in themselves, on what they originate and produce. Status, faking it, trying to commit theft by deception; it all speaks to an underlying set of problems. To go further would be to venture into the forbidden areas of religion and politics. At least the fake pens don't kill people the way some of the other fake products have and do. I for one believe one answer would be to place all those involved in the same place and for decent folk to ignore them. The fakers could then be left to make and use their fake products using fake tools, eating fake food, receiving fake medical treatment for fake des eases, etc. If we then simply waited a little while the problem would solve itself.

[alexandero]

Personally I wish the fakes would all disappear. It strikes me as a very sad comment on the state of those making and selling the fakes and the world. People should take pride in themselves, on what they originate and produce. Status, faking it, trying to commit theft by deception; it all speaks to an underlying set of problems. To go further would be to venture into the forbidden areas of religion and politics. At least the fake pens don't kill people the way some of the other fake products have and do. I for one believe one answer would be to place all those involved in the same place and for decent folk to ignore them. The fakers could then be left to make and use their fake products using fake tools, eating fake food, receiving fake medical treatment for fake des eases, etc. If we then simply waited a little while the problem would solve itself.

 

I think the replica and fake industry could be a necessary evil in the case of "luxury goods". As replicas improve in quality, it forces the real manufacturers to step up their game whereas they could become complacent and charge the customers more for less quality as long as it meets their "threshold of quality control". This can be seen in some other brands too such as parker where their modern products have seemingly become worse and worse, and the replicas can keep them on their toes and boost their quality up. Personally, i would not buy fakes, but that does not mean i buy bad quality originals either.

 

Whereas on the other hand as you say in the cases where medicine or other very vital things become faked and can cause harm to people, that is a practice that needs to be ended.