Parker Sonnet (China Buy) - Legit Or "knock Off"

[GEJ]

I've recently begun purchasing fountain pens and have bought a few through ebay from china. They state that they are Parker Sonnet, and appear to be just that, but the prices are dramatically less than if I were to purchase from Amazon. For an example I bought a Blue Parker Sonnet pen, gold trim with a medium nib on ebay for $12.05 Cdn, but on Amazon the same pen is listed for around $45.20 Cdn. Are these pens truly a Parker Sonnet, or a 'knock off' and how would I be able to tell. The pen writes well and I have no complaints about it, but the pricing variance is a little unsettling.

[senzen]

Sonnets are widely known to be falsified, if it comes from China it's highly likely to be a knock off. The usual prices for real used Sonnets start at about $30.

[doggonecarl]

http://penhero.com/PenGallery/Parker/ParkerSonnetClones.htm

[fabri00]

Those fake sonnet are sold also from European seller in ebay.

[flipper_gv]

I would never buy a Parker Sonnet or a Montblanc 144/145 on eBay unless I have someone I trust personally vouch for the seller. Too many fakes.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Rip off counterfeit ....knock off sounds almost legal.....one with morals don't buy stolen or counterfeit goods..........and counterfeit is stolen goods. Fake fashion, fake pen for a fake cheap life.

 

Got no patience for those who rip off brick and mortar pen shops ..... chorteling all the way to the cheaper online garage warehouse cheaper buy, after trying the pen in real life.

 

That is why there are so few pen shops left....and why so, so many complain about poor quality control out of the not rugged enough for mailing box.

 

Do check our sales section here, they will have used Sonnets with working nibs....a problem a decade ago, and at a price fair to both of you.

[Wolverine1]

Why buy a pen from eBay in China, and then ask if it is a fake or a knock-off?

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi all,

 

TANSTAFL.

 

- Anthony

[chromantic]

In addition to the obvious Sonnet knock-off from Baoer(?), it was my understanding that there is a official licensee making Parker pens (similar to Luxor in India), mostly Vectors and Frontiers but Sonnets, too, I believe.

[fabri00]

Hi all,

 

TANSTAFL.

 

- Anthony

???

[Tweel]

Actually TANSTAAFL.

(Off-topic: there ain't no such thing as "free shipping", either.)

[jchch1950]

In addition to the obvious Sonnet knock-off from Baoer(?), it was my understanding that there is a official licensee making Parker pens (similar to Luxor in India), mostly Vectors and Frontiers but Sonnets, too, I believe.

Anybody has more information?

[ParkerDuofold]

???

Hi Fabri00,

 

There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch.

 

 

- Anthony

[ParkerDuofold]

Actually TANSTAAFL.

(Off-topic: there ain't no such thing as "free shipping", either.)

Hi Tweel,

 

When this acronym was taught to me in the 6th. Grade, it was the common practice back then to drop the small "a"... being that it was naturally assumed... and including it ruins the flow.

 

In recent years,... when everything needs to be spelled out verbatim... it was added,... but I've stuck with the way it used to be commonly quoted.

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

Typo

Edited May 25, 2019 by ParkerDuofold

[Mech-for-i]

Yes there are actual genuine Parker manufactured in China under license as OEM supply but those goes to the Chinese dealer who sell those in home market ; the motto is that many of the less expensive model had enough volume of sale to justify that over import. Fact though Parker price them not lower than import so go figure

[chromantic]

Here's a link to an old thread here on FPN about this:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/225156-parkerwatermanpens-where-are-they-now-made/

 

And another:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/158616-parker-made-in-china-taboo-subject/

 

And an article about Parkr sales in China (but it doesn't cover manufacturing):

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2016-05/18/content_25336153.htm

[fabri00]

Hi Fabri00,

 

There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch.

 

 

- Anthony

thanks.... Not that easy for a not native English spoken guy like me....

[chromantic]

Fact though Parker price them not lower than import so go figure

 

Yes, back when I was into Parkers, especially Frontiers, I kept eyeing a made-in-China translucent blue w/ silver cap/gold clip but it was $50, $15-20 more than NOS ones from England and US that I'd been buying so I passed on it. Sure looked pretty, though.

[Bibliophage]

For me, the only Parker I'm buying that comes from China is the Vectors. I don't think even the Chinese are going to make a knock off of a pen that basic.

[ParkerDuofold]

 

Yes, back when I was into Parkers, especially Frontiers, I kept eyeing a made-in-China translucent blue w/ silver cap/gold clip but it was $50, $15-20 more than NOS ones from England and US that I'd been buying so I passed on it. Sure looked pretty, though.

Hi Chromantic,

 

I have a UK Frontier... it's a great little pen... and I think I only paid around $25 for it... it's a gold-trimmed Flighter.

 

 

- Anthony