Is This Platinum ?

[mns68]

While I am looking for a platinum FP ....I found this one on ebay

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japan-Platinum-Special-Edition-Raden-with-Gold-Trim-Fountain-Pen-PBA-1600/132844031325?var=432146709412

 

I haven't heard about it before and I haven't found any information about it in the internet

is it fake ?

[Mech-for-i]

Its not fake, but its also not quite Platinum as you would vision it, it was a Taiwan made Platinum ( when Platinum had a subsidiary there ) and was a mid low end range model tailored to then local market and was only made available there. AFAIK , the pen was made OEM by others as the brand never ever establish real manufacturing facilities there post war ( unlike Pilot and Sailor which did ) but none the less it is a Platinum ..

[mns68]

Its not fake, but its also not quite Platinum as you would vision it, it was a Taiwan made Platinum ( when Platinum had a subsidiary there ) and was a mid low end range model tailored to then local market and was only made available there. AFAIK , the pen was made OEM by others as the brand never ever establish real manufacturing facilities there post war ( unlike Pilot and Sailor which did ) but none the less it is a Platinum ..

Thank you for the beautiful information ... were their nibs made by platinum ?

Edited August 24, 2019 by mns68

[cattar]

The nib in the photo has the Platinum P imprint and the word Germany,
so that nib was made for Platinum, not by Platinum.

[Mech-for-i]

Thank you for the beautiful information ... were their nibs made by platinum ?

 

I am not sure , some of their other cheaper model had their nib OEM local, some are sourced both from other source and Platinum's own

Edited August 24, 2019 by Mech-for-i

[stan]

I don't think Platinum has ever had nibs made in Germany.

No Platinum pen of which I am aware looks like this model. As Platinum sold basically the same domestic models overseas it is doubtful this is a product of any Platinum factory.

 

Might be Chinese as it has the 'feel' or 'look' about it.

[Mech-for-i]

well Parker, Pilot, Sailor, Platinum, and even Bic and Cross do the same , in many Asian countries since the 50's, establish local sub ; brand and market local specific products, many are either OEM or manufactured locally by their own concern , those none the less still a genuine product from the brand , just not what people tend to think of it these days, in fact this kind of business arrangement is nothing new, Parker used to be US based, and then there is Canadian, UK, France, similar with Wateman, and plenty others ... there is genuine Sailor fountain pens clearly marked Sailor Taiwan on the nib, and even today there is specific local only models say the Platinum PQ-200 , or Pilot 17G which is both China ( and India ) local only models ; as for that nib, I believe its likely OEM from local manufacturing ,the only thing Platinum specified is adding that P emblem .. which can easily explain why it is how it is

[awa54]

Just to nudge this back toward the implied direction of the original post, from the interesting and informative historical side notes...

 

There are plenty of nice budget priced vintage Platinum pens coming out of Japan via Ebay these days, if you can spend over $50US, it's not hard to find a ready to write or sometimes even NOS short/long (or other 70s-80s pen) with a 14k or even 18k nib. If you want project pens (often just need a good clean-up, or minor nib tuning), those can be had for under $20US with a little patience.

 

P.S. I have an unbranded Chinese pen that is almost identical to this one, it's a decent enough basic pen, but the shell inlay is nothing like a high-end Japanese abalone and laquer finish, it's also very heavy and lacks the subtle writing and haptic qualities of a well made Japanese pen from any of the major makers. It was also $25, not $50!

Edited August 25, 2019 by awa54

[mns68]

I found a discussion on same topic on FPN years ago :

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/114146-platinum-taiwan-is-the-quality-the-same-as-japanese-pens/

[A Smug Dill]

There are plenty of nice budget priced vintage Platinum pens coming out of Japan via Ebay these days, if you can spend over $50US, it's not hard to find a ready to write or sometimes even NOS short/long (or other 70s-80s pen) with a 14k or even 18k nib.

I bought a perfectly functional "vintage" Platinum pocket pen with an 18K gold nib on eBay recently, for the princely sum of US$17 (item's final price with no other bidders) and US$5 for shipping to Australia. It writes without any problem after I inserted a "modern" Platinum ink cartridge into it. I must therefore conclude that, "if you can spend over $50US" is a gross overestimate of the minimum spend requirement.

[mke]

It is an "easy" decision: if you like the pen, buy it, there is only one remaining.

If the pen has good quality, you underpaid it.

If the pen has bad quality, you overpaid it.

 

Nobody who doesn't have this pen, can answer the question regarding quality.

 

I have a Sailor made in Taiwan which is not different from a similar Sailor made in Japan. However, a cheaper price target has to come along with a cost reduction during the production process. Where they did it, I don't think you will ever know.

 

No risk, no fun!

[awa54]

I bought a perfectly functional "vintage" Platinum pocket pen with an 18K gold nib on eBay recently, for the princely sum of US$17 (item's final price with no other bidders) and US$5 for shipping to Australia. It writes without any problem after I inserted a "modern" Platinum ink cartridge into it. I must therefore conclude that, "if you can spend over $50US" is a gross overestimate of the minimum spend requirement.

 

 

My intent was to be realistic about the potential for finding a pen which is verifiably "ready to write", not to tease somone with the hope of a great deal... I too have gotten great deals, some for less than $10US, but in that price range the potential to buy into a "project pen" is much greater and without knowing the OP's confidence level with minor to moderate restoration I didn't want to suggest a scenario where disappointment was likely.