A Spate Of Hundred-Year Pens On Ebay

[sidthecat]

Somebody put up four Waterman Hundred-Year pens on eBay: they all have perfect transparent blind caps, which suggests either a restoration or a fake. The markings look right and they're all different, and they're being auctioned with very low minimums.

Is it actually worth it to build fake Watermans when you could get more money for a fake Mont Blanc?

[bardharlock]

They make fake Lamy Safaris. Does that answer your question? That being said, some people just put up low starting bids on items. I know I always start auctions at 99c no matter what I am selling, trusting the market to adjust to what is fair.

Edited May 25, 2015 by bardharlock

[Scrawler]

There is a studio in Korea that makes reproductions of fine antique pens. They were making unusual and rare early 1940s Parker 51s a few years back and selling them in the $800-$900 range, until they received negative publicity on forums like this. There is every reason to believe that studios like this are still making reproductions and selling them as if they were real items. I will see if I can find my records about the seller name they were using on ebay.

 

 

Edit: Read this old thread from 2012 about these reproductions. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/217961-parker-51-fraud/?p=2294246

Edited May 25, 2015 by Scrawler

[Mr. Pink]

A fake? A fake on eBay? I'm shocked!

[Scrawler]

A fake? A fake on eBay? I'm shocked!

Definitely a place where "Caveat Emptor" applies

[Vintagepens]

The pens aren't fakes, but the ends of the barrels have all been replaced -- without the restoration work being disclosed in the descriptions. In one case the profile is all off, too. Note that these pens do not have blind caps.

[sidthecat]

Nomenclature trouble...but the first thing anyone says about this model is how the ends decay.

[ian1964]

With the explosion of high end 3D printing, you can expect many more fakes in every category.