Long And Nerdy Post On Guanleming's Pre-History In Nyc

[Seele]

First, an apology for digging up this old thread; I am still on the case tracking the earlier history of the firm of Guanleming/W K Rockman.

 

One question which has been vexing me for quite some time is this: when did the Rockman brand and trademark disappear? We certainly know that it was used before the war started, and most likely during the war, but after the establishment of the PRC regime, it could have vanished: after all the factory in Shanghai was dismantled and moved north, while the corporate entity remained in Shanghai.

 

When surfing around I found that a vendor in China was offering Hongbao (Ruby) pens, a lesser-known brand from Shanghai. Imagine my surprise when he included a picture of the ten-unit retailer's box:

 

http://img06.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/i6/234105614/T2FhhbXo4XXXXXXXXX_!!234105614.jpg_620x10000.jpg

 

The vendor's description said that it's from some time in the 1990s but somehow I feel that it might be earlier. On the box it says:

 

Shanghai Watch Component Factory

(formerly Shanghai Guanleming Pen Factory)

Address: 21, 237 Lane, Jiangsu Road

Telephone: 2525519 x 42

Postcode: 200050

 

This shows that the Rockman brand was still in use way after 1949. The firm changed its name to the Shanghai Watch Component Factory in 1962, so this box was issued during the period where the change was still quite recent, the mention of its old name was still deemed necessary. However the pens contained within all seem to be much newer in style. Nevertheless I would certainly like to have Rockman-branded examples from this period.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Seele