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Esterbrook Knock-Off

northlodge

By northlodge
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northlodge Vintage

northlodge

Posted
Posted

I recently picked up a "Esterbrook J" of the bay only to find on arrival it was a Japanese Whymper pen that appears to be a pretty accurate knock off of the J design.

 

My google search for Whymper threw up very little, so I thought I would ask if anyone else has come across this pen?

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gweimer1 Antique

gweimer1

Posted
Posted

We must see it....we are now curious. B)

 

We've had some posts in the past about Estie clones, right down to nibs.

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Hobiwan Vintage

Hobiwan

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Yes, picture(s) showing imprint if possible.

Best Regards
Paul

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
– Albert Einstein

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

Posted
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A few weeks ago I was in an antiques mall north of Indiana, PA and I saw some third or fourth tier pen (sorry, don't remember the imprint on the clip) but until I pulled it out of the case and saw that the cap jewels were really different I was convinced that it was a mackerel green J series pen; the coloration of the celluloid was that close.... Very weird experience.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Jobesmirage Rare

Jobesmirage

Posted
Posted

I recently picked up a "Esterbrook J" of the bay only to find on arrival it was a Japanese Whymper pen that appears to be a pretty accurate knock off of the J design.

 

My google search for Whymper threw up very little, so I thought I would ask if anyone else has come across this pen?

Wait... no way pics!

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northlodge Vintage

northlodge

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Some photos

 

The lower photo shows the pen next to a genuine J. The top photo hopefully shows that despite the similarities the build quality was not on a par with the original.

 

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx4/northlodge/Whymper%202_zpsaigbvwfo.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx4/northlodge/Whymper%201_zpsuv7ecl3q.jpg

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mmg122 Collectors Item

mmg122

Posted
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northlodge, what indicates for you that it is a Japanese pen. Does your research indicate it is a modern Japanese design or vintage? I was under the impression that modern manufacturing didn't come to Japan until Demming's work after WWII.

 

My bad...I just noticed that Japan is on the imprint.

 

A real conundrum.

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mmg122 Collectors Item

mmg122

Posted
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Looking back now, I remember almost everything in the 50's was stamped "Made in Japan". Kudos to Mr. Demming.

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Hobiwan Vintage

Hobiwan

Posted
Posted

What's Warranted (brand) doing making a steel nib with an Esterbrook number on it? Unless Wymper just stamped that on their points to suggest some kind of "warranty"(?)

OR

Could Esterbrook have made those to "help out" Japans recovering postwar industry ...

So many questions ....

Best Regards
Paul

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
– Albert Einstein

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gweimer1 Antique

gweimer1

Posted
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The only thing I found about Whymper was a reference to '60s pens made in Japan. Maybe they started making them after the Venus/Esterbrook merge dissolved the brand.

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Jobesmirage Rare

Jobesmirage

Posted
Posted

Some photos

 

The lower photo shows the pen next to a genuine J. The top photo hopefully shows that despite the similarities the build quality was not on a par with the original.

 

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx4/northlodge/Whymper%202_zpsaigbvwfo.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx4/northlodge/Whymper%201_zpsuv7ecl3q.jpg

well... Ill be damned... so many questions, I wonder Brian anderson knows

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FarmBoy Museum Piece

FarmBoy

Posted
Posted

The EESTERBROOKs look very similar.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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JonSzanto Antique

JonSzanto

Posted
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My google search for Whymper threw up very little...

 

While I find the entire episode somewhat fascinating, I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that the above phrase really made my evening!

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Gloucesterman Antique

Gloucesterman

Posted
Posted

Deming

 

Merely trying to keep the quality up.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Correct and thank you!!!

Mrs. T. Edwards...

“Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today, because if you do it today and like it, you can do again tomorrow!”

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jdllizard Vintage

jdllizard

Posted
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What the what?

 

Could Japan really have started ripping off US designers and manufacturers that long ago?

 

Or, as stated above, could it be Esterbrook helping with the rebuilding of Japan, post-war?

 

This is a true "oddball".

John L

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Jerome Tarshis Collectors Item

Jerome Tarshis

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I am not sure what the reference to Deming means. It certainly can't mean that manufacturing at a high level of quality wasn't carried on before the influence of W. Edwards Deming made itself known. Japan was a great industrial nation for a long time before 1945. About pens, of course, the largest Japanese manufacturers date back to the first half or indeed the first quarter of the twentieth century. Good optics go back to the nineteenth. Warships of the highest class didn't wait for Deming to explain how. Mass manufacture of some products did indeed benefit from 20th-c. statistical methods. But the idea of quality was there earlier, and where national pride was concerned the reality was there, too.

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gregamckinney Antique

gregamckinney

Posted
Posted

Years ago, in my search for Esterbrooks, I found this "Back" knock-off/ replica. Even has a 2556 nib.

 

http://www.gergyor.com/images/back.jpg

 

http://www.gergyor.com/images/back_nib.jpg

 

Best Regards, greg

Don't feel bad. I'm old; I'm meh about most things.

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