Possibly Indentical Kiwi And Jackdaw. What Gives?

[Greenie]

Funny how companies used different brands, presumable in different international markets.

 

A ways back I posted about a Jackdaw pen I have. (I have better lighting now - the pen looks more pinkish and less orange than in the linked thread). The hive mind of the internet and FPN traced it to South Africa.

 

http://www.foupennetwork.com/forum/topic/296786-jackdaw-with-partial-second-imprint/ntain

 

 

Today on ebay, a Kiwi with Kiwi nib that otherwise looks to be the same pen as my Jackdaw. I assume it is just the same pen, but for Australia and surrounding area.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintage-Swan-Kiwi-Fountain-Pen-Mottled-Lever-Filler-14K-Nib-England-1930s-/142389735665?hash=item212716f0f1:g:ZyMAAOSwYlRZIVYi

 

 

[MarcShiman]

Kiwi was actually French. Go figure.

[MarcShiman]

It wasn't that unusual to brand the same pen differently for different markets. Here's another example of the same pen branded Jackdaw, Kiwi, and Cygnet (I had to look it up - baby Swan). Cygnets were stilo pens, not fountain pens

 

 

 

 

[Cob]

There was also I recall, a Merle Blanc model produced for the French market. A Merle Balnc is an albino Blackbird. (merle is French for Blackbird)

 

I once had a Kiwi in MHR; it had a Warranted nib that I suppose might not have been original.

 

A quick search yielded this - a bit of a bargain perhaps?

 

Cob

Edited May 22, 2017 by Cob

[Greenie]

Kiwi was actually French. Go figure.

 

I just assumed... Great to know the correct info.

 

And I love the photo of the "triplets".

[MarcShiman]

So, I'm entering territory that I'm not totally familiar with - but from what I understand Merle Blanc was actually intended for the Benelux market.

 

In Spain, they were "Gaviota" (seagulls). There are rumors that there was a "Kingfisher", and someone showed an empty box I think on FPN - possibly that was for Australia.

 

The two ads I have for Kiwi are 1920's ads in L'Illustration side by side with Merle Blanc pens. The Merle Blanc was a slightly higher end pen. It could be that by the time they went to plastics, Kiwi became an Aussie brand. I have no European ads for Kiwi pens in plastic. (If I can figure out how to convert a PDF into something I can post here, I'll post one of the ads)

 

All of this was owned by Mabie Todd UK. I think as part of the breakup deal (Cob, you may know better than me), the UK operation got control of worldwide sales outside of North America.

Edited May 22, 2017 by MarcShiman

[Cob]

So, I'm entering territory that I'm not totally familiar with - but from what I understand Merle Blanc was actually intended for the Benelux market.

 

The two ads I have for Kiwi are 1920's ads in L'Illustration side by side with Merle Blanc pens. The Merle Blanc was a slightly higher end pen. It could be that by the time they went to plastics, Kiwi became an Aussie brand. I have no European ads for Kiwi pens in plastic. (If I can figure out how to convert a PDF into something I can post here, I'll post one of the ads)

 

All of this was owned by Mabie Todd UK. I think as part of the breakup deal (Cob, you may know better than me), the UK operation got control of worldwide sales outside of North America.

Yes that's right: Mabie Todd & Co Ltd of England acquired the world-wide rights excluding the USA. I cannot be sure about Canada, but I should think that went as well to the English company. As an aside I would love to know the story of the Toronto operation - I have seen pictures of nibs stamped Mabie Todd Toronto.

 

Cob