4 replies to this topic

[Hugh]

Hands up those that thought only Sheaffer made these....

 

Well the inventive people at the Dah Loh Pen.co didn't listen !! These, I believe, are a rather rare pen even in China. While I didn't buy it I thought well worth posting a few pictures from the ebay listing.

 

 

 

 

If your wondering it made A$188.

 

Regards

Hugh

[Parker51]

My research suggests a rather surprising situation. This pen was made by a Shanghei based Company. It's assetts after the Chinese Revolution may have become part of Hero, at least the Lucky Brand. The pen appears to have been made in 1950, the last year before the Communists took over. The Snorkel didn't come out until 1952. Some later production Hero and sub brands of Hero Pens have many but not all of the features of this pen, including conical nib and simialer cap. However, just because one reference indicates a production date of 1950, and just because the only Company with a name simialer to this one was from pre-revolutionary Shanghei China does not necessarily mean anything. Perhaps Hero decided to produce a Snorkel Clone in the 1980s for export with a guarantee, and Gold nibs. I do recall those years and China putting out a lot of consumer products that looked like the came from the 1950s, and maybe they brought back a pre-revolution Companies name, or maybe it's actually a place name and just a coincidence. So, if anyone has the pen with paperwork that's listed on Worthpoint, please share. The date of manufacture is important.

Edited by Parker51, 30 December 2014 - 05:14 AM.

[Hugh]

My research suggests a rather surprising situation. This pen was made by a Shanghei based Company. It's assetts after the Chinese Revolution may have become part of Hero, at least the Lucky Brand. The pen appears to have been made in 1950, the last year before the Communists took over. The Snorkel didn't come out until 1952. Some later production Hero and sub brands of Hero Pens have many but not all of the features of this pen, including conical nib and simialer cap. However, just because one reference indicates a production date of 1950, and just because the only Company with a name simialer to this one was from pre-revolutionary Shanghei China does not necessarily mean anything. Perhaps Hero decided to produce a Snorkel Clone in the 1980s for export with a guarantee, and Gold nibs. I do recall those years and China putting out a lot of consumer products that looked like the came from the 1950s, and maybe they brought back a pre-revolution Companies name, or maybe it's actually a place name and just a coincidence. So, if anyone has the pen with paperwork that's listed on Worthpoint, please share. The date of manufacture is important.

 

I believe Dah Loh a Wing Sung sub brand, the company that "aquired" Sheaffer's Chinese plant. The providence dates to the '50's ...not all that exact!!.

 

Regards

Hugh

[Greg Minuskin]

Wow, this is very interesting! It is information like this that will assist me when I am on one of my pen hunts. I know eventually I will run across one of these pens, and I will know what it is!

 

Thank you!
 

Greg Minuskin

www.gregminuskin.com

greg@gregminuskin.com

[Parker51]

I have done some more research, and it appears that the Communists did not end the private ownership of smaller domestic manufacturers until the Great Leap Forward, or latter and actually after an important treaty with the UK in 54 actually tried to improve its exports, but not to the U.S. due to an embargo the U.S. in place, and so it is quite likely that the pen in question is a Snorkel Clone exported in 54, 55, or 56 from the PRC to Commonwealth nations.