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Which Chinese Pens Made Today Destined To Be Classics 50 Years Later?


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Because Mao is an at best cringy topic, I'll assume you meant Murex and forgot that they were made in Japan, not China. 😅

 

That being said though, I could see several of the recent Wing Sung models like the 618 and the 698 being revered in the future. Also, the Hero H718, though blatantly ripping off overpriced European pens, is astoundingly good, and likely made in smaller quantities than the usual models.

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I doubt any, they are cheap and all but disposable pieces. Thinking these will be in the echelons of Parkers, waterman, sheaffer etc is simple folly. They don't come close to the manufacturing quality of the big houses. I can easily see them taking the Wearever slot as king of low end at some point.

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Lol @ ElimGarak.

 

Edit: I responded so glibly because you made a silly blanket statement. In the spirit of open discussion, here is what I should have said:

 

This is as absurd as saying every pen made in Europe is superior and worth the often high prices. Sure, China puts out some trash, but so does Europe. Most of the Chinese pens I've tried have written extremely well and held up better than I expected. Many of them are put together better than pens I paid a much higher price for from other countries.

 

So how about, instead of poopooing the question out of hand, look past Chinese pen quality in the 1980s and 90s?

Edited by bass1193
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The Kaigelu 316 is my bet for future interest.

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We Are Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

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I have never once owned or tried a chinese pen that was worth a (bleep) in my opinion. Seriously, duke, hero etc none were of any sort of quality other than low end mass produced. Not one piece had any sort of character, each was the same boring f/m/b line as the last. Didnt matter who made it either, all felt the same.

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Some of the PENBBS pens are difficult to get right now. I can imagine them becoming more desirable in the future. They have a solid reputation and high quality.

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I suppose that depends on how one termed Classic .. Classic need not mean the dearest or of the utmost quality ... it ca mean iconic, period, or many others - in that I think it should be said that any particular model of fountain pen today whether its Chinese or else where, dear or cheap, are not likely to achieve Classic status ... The Parker 51 achieve a Classic status but if it were not introduced back then but was now it would just be a novelty.

 

Just like may things one can buy / collect hobby vise, the might become collectable but that do not made them a classic ; they might go up in price ( even astronomically ) because of their rarity, that still do not made them anyway a classic. The Bic Cristal do not become a classic simply by its own, its about how it impact and revolutionize.

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Parker 51 style fountain pen have been manufactured in China for more than 70 years according to the ad in the year 1947.

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I doubt any, they are cheap and all but disposable pieces. Thinking these will be in the echelons of Parkers, waterman, sheaffer etc is simple folly. They don't come close to the manufacturing quality of the big houses. I can easily see them taking the Wearever slot as king of low end at some point.

 

Disagree.

 

I would argue penBBS pens will be classics akin to esterbrooks.

 

Moonman pens like the m2 and wancai mini, the m100

 

The wing sung 601, despite being a parker 51 clone, is impressive

 

the 698

 

The kaco edge

 

They'll be more "inexpensive classics", again like vintage esties, but I think quite a few of the modern chinese pens are going to be remembered.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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It's going to be next to impossible to get classic status if they are clones of other pens, even if those are iconic. They need to discover original design (as in their own, not necessarily a break from design canons) and reliability. I almost took a chance on a penbss 308 or 309, in the end a used pen from a well known brand won, but my impression is they are almost there, at least the colours were unique even if getting a blatant Sailor clone is a negative. The terrible converter and wobbly piston mechanism killed it for me.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

 

B. Russell

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hero 100 is already a "Classic" for anyone who knows anything about Chinese pens and will probably remain so 50 years from now.

 

In the future I'd say Wing Sung 601 and some Penbbs models will be much sought after (especially some of the rarer Penbbs acrylics like Galaxy or Niangao).

 

I must admit though, that by far the most popular pen in China is the Lamy Safari haha.

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The Hero 100?

 

I think penBBS, Moonman, etc. are too niche to be the equivalents of Esterbrook J's or Parker 51s.

fpn_1375035941__postcard_swap.png * * * "Don't neglect to write me several times from different places when you may."
-- John Purdue (1863)

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The Hero 100?

 

I think penBBS, Moonman, etc. are too niche to be the equivalents of Esterbrook J's or Parker 51s.

 

Definitely the 100 and probably the 616 just because so many have been made and they seem to be everywhere.

The recently released 616Plus with cartridge/converter filling will definitely give the 616 a new extension on life.

 

As for the new smaller companies like Penbbs and Moonman, only time will tell. I can't imagine Penbbs being around in 50 years, just like I can't imagine FPN sticking around that long, but their pens are so good that I believe some models will become collectible.

Edited by TruthPil

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I would think there are too many options for any particular models to stick out as classics. Some of the ones mentioned in this thread are very good pens but not classic status.

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I think that Chinese pens have made a great leap forward (excuse the Maoist wording) with PenBBS and Moonman. Until those brands, I would never have considered owning Chinese pens. Now I have pens from both of these brands. Beautiful acrylics, some have innovative designs and they are dependable.

 

Erick

Using right now:

Visconti Voyager 30 "M" nib running Birmingham Streetcar

Jinhao 9019 "EF" nib running Birmingham Railroad Spike

Stipula Adagio "F" nib running Birmingham Violet Sea Snail

Sailor Profit "B" nib running Van Dieman's Night - Shooting Star

 

 

 

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Wing Sung 698 I believe have achieved the status "classic" or at least cult status.

As for others, I think Moonman M2 is unique and elegant enough to become a classic and also a some of the PenBBS pens might become a classic in the future

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totally agree, while the term classic might be a bit hard to define and certainly everyone would had different take on the matter. I had to say plenty of Chinese fountain pen whether new , in production or vintage had already garner a Cult status. The Hero 580/590 for perhaps the best unofficial official Parker 45 variant, the Hero 100 for give us that classic P51 when the P51 were already long out of production. Wing Sung 698 and also TWSBI's various piston model ( as well as Caliarts, and then the 3008/3009 ) collectively for finally bringing piston filler back down in price to allow more to enjoy it.

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