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

[AoKiu]

Sorry, but this will never happen. I bought one of those WING SUNG Sheaffer Balance II clones. Aside from the jumping cap threads now one of the cap rings came lose as the resin was not cured properly and is shrinking. It's what it is: a crappy copy pen!

[bass1193]

Sorry, but this will never happen. I bought one of those WING SUNG Sheaffer Balance II clones. Aside from the jumping cap threads now one of the cap rings came lose as the resin was not cured properly and is shrinking. It's what it is: a crappy copy pen!

Wow, crazy! I'm sorry to hear that you got a dud! I just be really lucky, cuz I've never had a problem of any sort except the occasional bunk converter and I have at least 50 Chinese pens

[woleizihan]

The Mao status? I think Hero 100 has already taken that position. Once a masterpiece representing the entire Chinese industry but suffer from serious QC issues in more recent years. People no longer think that's the best pen they can buy but still agree on all the great things it has achieved in history.

[Kuo24]

We can't really look at Chinese pens and expect them to be long-term investments. They're passable, inexpensive gateway pens that can be fun to play around with, but I don't expect any of them to climb to iconic collectibles decades from now.

[Mech-for-i]

Actually , since the perfection of the Ballpoint mechanism and then come Roller Ball, Fine-liner, Gel pen and all that, no fountain pen can really claim as being iconic anymore, but then as far as collectable goes, that really is something else. And saying Chinese fountain pen are all passable is a bit of being tunnel visioned. The fact is more like only the economic range of pens ever get exported and thus embed that vision. In part because the export market never really made any significant business ( other than the OEM part, but even that is minimal compared to OEM business on Ballpoint, Roller Ball, Gel pen etc ).

 

I do agree before the 90's the closed economy coupled with the outdated technology and tooling, as well as limited supply of quality material means at least 95%+ of the fountain pen produced are of so so quality, but since the mid 90's that no longer hold true.

 

Iconic the term is somewhat misleading. I call the Pelikan Souverän ( the original and the series ) a true iconic as its the one that give us the Piston Filler and still give us a Piston Filler today. I call the Montblanc 149 a Classic not because its actually anything innovative, but after the fact how Montblanc had been successfully market it. I call the Sheaffer Balance ( original ) an iconic pen as it introduce true self filling mechanism and streamline styling to fountain pen, and likewise I can call many other fountain pen Iconic for one reason or another. Iconic does not need to be meaning the highest quality, or the dearest and most collectable. To me it must represent a certain character(s) which it would display with the utmost and that it alone stand on that as the prime of prime among all. So yes I consider the Bic Cristal , and the Parker Jotter ( original and series ) iconic also. And by that definition there is some Chinese fountain pen that is likely and some had already attain that status and some of them can be termed a Classic already

Edited January 1, 2019 by Mech-for-i

[bokchoy]

We can't really look at Chinese pens and expect them to be long-term investments. They're passable, inexpensive gateway pens that can be fun to play around with, but I don't expect any of them to climb to iconic collectibles decades from now.

I'd say some vintage, out-of-production Hero 100 models have definitely hit iconic status. More about that here.

 

I knew my grandfather's baseline model was a few decades old. Someone identified the "NM" date code for me: 1973. Needs a little TLC but still writes.

Edited January 6, 2019 by bokchoy

[woleizihan]

I'd say some vintage, out-of-production Hero 100 models have definitely hit iconic status. More about that here.

 

I knew my grandfather's baseline model was a few decades old. Someone identified the "NM" date code for me: 1973. Needs a little TLC but still writes.

If you viewed it as a long term investment back then, bought a whole bunch of them and kept them as NOS, you will be soooooooooo rich today. A NOS 1973 Hero 100 will probably go as expensive as a Namiki Emperor on the market today......

[Alexandar]

On the cheap side, Jinhao X450/750 and 992 are quite a match for Parker Frontier flighters and plastic Vectors. I don't own Jinhao X450, but three X750's I own (one went away as a gift) and two 992's (also one went away as a gift) are writing as good as any Parker that I own. Plus, they are using standard international cartridges/converters and are much cheaper. P. S, I hate that Parker is moving all of its pens in the luxurious market territory.

[Helen350]

The Kaigelu 316 is my bet for future interest.

 

Your response prompted me to pull out my Kaigelu 316, as well as my Picasso 915. There are some who already consider the 316 a "classic" pen of sorts. The nib on the 915 is very unique. It has a dove with a branch in its mouth stamped on the nib. These two Chinese pens are some of the better made pens, and if not manhandled, will be around for a time. Because of poor lighting, my snap does not do either pen justice.

 

[Buford]

Here’s some food for thought.

 

I’m going to offer up the idea that “classic” may best be measured by the current market value of a collectable. I think most people would agree that this correlation exists in the world of vintage and exotic cars. And, they don’t even have to be very vintage or particularly exotic. You watch any Scottsdale auction and you’ll see some cars being sold for big money that, when new, were mostly just mass-produced transportation. In 1957 a Chevrolet was certainly no match (in terms of “classic” potential) to a Ferrari 250 or a Jaguar XK 140. And granted, the current market value of those two European cars is exponentially greater than that of a ’57 Chevy. Still, all three examples are off the charts when it comes to appreciated value. And who among us would dare say a ’57 Chevy is not a “classic”?

 

Here’s another example that may be a more relevant scale. In 1965 you could buy your child a G.I. Joe Soldiers of the World action figure for $8. In today’s dollars that would be $64. Around the same price as an average quality skateboard. Without a doubt, nobody in 1965 would have predicted that the action figure would be of any future value or have “classic” status among collectors. The toys were mass-produced and often saw some ham-fisted usage from their young owners (I’m guilty). They were introduced as a military toy during Vietnam when many parents were hesitant about encouraging their kids to play with these type toys. The concept of a “doll for boys” was completely untested and sketchy. Hasbro was rightly concerned about the future of the product. However, as we all know it was a huge success and the surrounding franchise is still worth a hundred million dollars. That $8 G.I. Joe Soldiers of the World action figure now trades hands for up to $5,000; and all 40 to 50+ year old G.I. Joe toys are classics to collectors. And don’t even get me started about Mr Potato Head (can you imagine being in the boardroom when that idea was pitched in 1952!).

 

In summation, your Honor, I didn’t actually mean to get into a history lesson (it just sort of happened). The point I’m trying to press is that even mediocre/goofy/controversial/imperfect products have the potential to become classics.

 

There are plenty of us who have had predominantly good experiences with Chinese pens. The fact that this thread even exists bodes well for the future classic status of them. If the products were universally considered to be the Dixie Cups of the pen world, nobody would bother even discussing the idea. I’d also suggest that since they are often a gateway drug into the hobby that they will have nostalgic value. A lot of people often wish they still had their first bicycle, car, stuffed animal, pet rock, Dr Seuss book, pocket knife, etc. I think the only thing that must happen for any specific Chinese pen to have a chance to become classic is that it must eventually be discontinued. People probably wouldn’t think of a ’57 Chevy as a classic if they could buy a 2019 Chevy that looked exactly the same.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Buford

[Helen350]

"A gateway drug into the hobby" - That is hysterical!!!! My gosh, on second thought, it means I need "drug" rehab.

[old4570]

Hmmmm ,

 

A long time ago , The Parker 45 was a budget pen ...

Sure , they can be reasonably good .. ( Writers ) , and they can be downright ordinary ...

 

I think the Moonman M2 , even though the NIB is ordinary .. Put in a decent NIB , and you have a decent pen ..

My first M2 with a replacement SUPER Budget NIB , is very decent . ( Writer )

But where it excels ? - Well , It has not dried out or stopped working , even when left alone for up to two months ...

The other is the Moonman 80mini , same deal .. Decent writer and has not dried out .. Every time I pick it up it works .

 

I have a second Moonman M2 , I havent inked it yet ..

Must take pictures of it ...

 

If I only wanted a few Fountain Pens for use . Moonman M2 / 80 / 80mini

And maybe something else ?

Both my X450 dried out when summer started , as did my Indian made Eye Dropper and my Parker 45 ( Forget what the other one was )

 

Pens that don't dry out - Legendary !

[truthpil]

 

I’m going to offer up the idea that “classic” may best be measured by the current market value of a collectable. I think most people would agree that this correlation exists in the world of vintage and exotic cars. And, they don’t even have to be very vintage or particularly exotic. You watch any Scottsdale auction and you’ll see some cars being sold for big money that, when new, were mostly just mass-produced transportation. In 1957 a Chevrolet was certainly no match (in terms of “classic” potential) to a Ferrari 250 or a Jaguar XK 140. And granted, the current market value of those two European cars is exponentially greater than that of a ’57 Chevy. Still, all three examples are off the charts when it comes to appreciated value. And who among us would dare say a ’57 Chevy is not a “classic”?

 

 

I like your definition of classic and the examples fit really well. Given the examples, I guess there's no real way to be sure something is going to become a classic decades later, otherwise companies would have figured it out a long time ago to make more money haha.

 

Another qualifier for this thread is the need to differentiate between Chinese pens deemed "classic" by people living in China versus FP users abroad. In China, I think the Hero 616 and 100 would win hands down as classic pens simply because they have been around so long and are so ubiquitous. Gold Star 26 and 28 might also be considered classics in China. There are probably some old Wing Sung pens with gold nibs that could be included as well.

[Mech-for-i]

....

 

In summation, your Honor, I didn’t actually mean to get into a history lesson (it just sort of happened). The point I’m trying to press is that even mediocre/goofy/controversial/imperfect products have the potential to become classics.

 

....

 

Very well put, and we had many of such, the Bic Crystal, the Volkswagon Beetle, the Citroën 2CV, or well, the Ford Edsel ... & the Citroën DS

[Arrivistepen]

Short answer: MoonMan M2

 

Longer answer: I appreciate the many definitions of "Classic", which seem to be determined & bent by bias & life experience. My very first FP was a Moonman M2, bought on Amazon along with a bottle of Iroshizuku, maybe 8 months ago. I was smitten with it, for all the notable reasons that this FP forum exists. The day after I received it I bought 6 more, justifying that I would need to load each up with a different shade of FP blood. I thought this was a temporary impulse, which was the wrong diagnosis.

 

The impulse metastasized over the next few months, becoming a curious urge to see and feel what others do when using various FP's. Before I had filled up my 3rd M2, I had FP examples to use by Wing Sung, Pelikan, Delta, Conway Stewart, Omas, MB, Pilot, Sheaffer AND so forth. All in the past 8 months.

 

So... since MM2 was my first FP love, and the aspects of: unadorned shape, the chameleon nature (changes color based on FP blood), reliability (never had a hard start, even after many days of sitting on my desk), nice minimalist design. The design IMO will have lasting appeal, and dare I say iconic in relation to the Chinese Pen tsunami. MM2 is not without its faults, and of course there are "better writers". MM2 is my vote for a Classic Chinese Pen in 50 or so years.

 

I'm sure someone will be compelled to chant "the MM2 is a copy of XXX pen" or "it has nothing innovative" or "the nib is scratchy". It was Pablo PIcasso, an icon of modern art who said: Good artists copy; great artists steal.

 

Thanks for reading. George

[Antenociticus]

never had a hard start, even after many days of sitting on my desk

 

I read this and grabbed mine from the pen pot in which it has been sitting nib up since I last used it in late November or early December. Started with the first stroke.

[penzel_washinkton]

I'm sure someone will be compelled to chant "the MM2 is a copy of XXX pen" or "it has nothing innovative" or "the nib is scratchy". It was Pablo PIcasso, an icon of modern art who said: Good artists copy; great artists steal.

 

Thanks for reading. George

 

Yep, many actually says that Moonman M2 is a copy of another Chinese pen , Lecai.

However, Moonman does the tweaking of M2 so well that you have to give credit to the M2 for being a better designed pen.

[truthpil]

 

Yep, many actually says that Moonman M2 is a copy of another Chinese pen , Lecai.

However, Moonman does the tweaking of M2 so well that you have to give credit to the M2 for being a better designed pen.

I believe the Lecai was actually made by Moonman and was the predecessor to the M2. I actually prefer the simple looks of the Lecai.

[penzel_washinkton]

I believe the Lecai was actually made by Moonman and was the predecessor to the M2. I actually prefer the simple looks of the Lecai.

 

Didn't know that was the case between Lecai and Moonman. I personally prefer the cigar shaped of the Moonman though.

[truthpil]

 

Didn't know that was the case between Lecai and Moonman. I personally prefer the cigar shaped of the Moonman though.

I like the M2 shape too, but that red band totally kills the design for me haha.