The Platinum origin of those pens --just a couple of models-- was clear almost from the very begining by comparing some details: the obvious similarity with some Platinum models, the logo on the clip,...
Today I am showing another proof of the link between Platinum and Joker: the box of a Joker where both names coexist peacefully.
A Joker pen with a Joker box. Or is it a Platinum box? On the barrel, simply "JOKER".
The Platinum counterpart. On the barrel, "PLATINUM / TRADE (platinum logo) MARK / 10 YEARS PEN".
On top of that, boxes like this one were obiqutous in the Japanese industry in the 1950s. Many a brand used them, although displaying different designs.
A collection of boxes of Japanese pens from the 1940s and 1950s.
This box by Joker and Platinum contained a Joker pen fashioned after the Parker 51. This same model exists branded as Platinum, although with some significant differences. Tha main one lies on the nib--the Platinum nib is tipped whereas the Joker is merely folded. There are some other cosmetic variations: different engravings and a non-plated cap on the Joker pen.
The Joker nib is gold-plated and untipped. The engraving is not branded: "OSMIRIDIUM / 30".
The Platinum pen implements a "10 years" nib with the inscription "PLATINUM / 10 YEARS P-B / (JIS Logo)". It is tipped, and was likely to be gold-plated.
If only, the box of this Joker pen shows a clear connection between that brand and Platinum. But this is a connection Platinum said to know nothing about.
Sailor Ballerie - Sailor Red-brown
Bruno Taut
Nakano, November 11 2017
etiquetas: Joker, Platinum
Bruno Taut
Nakano, November 11 2017
etiquetas: Joker, Platinum
2 comments:
What a great find, a box with Platinum and Joker on it! Do you know if the World Domination of Platinum was limited to Greece, South Africa (Hifra) and Spain (Presidente), or there were also other places were Platinums were sold under other names? Are there any factory archives about the exports and sales of these pens in the 60s?
By the way, I have 4 examples (2 black, 1 D.green and 1 red) of this pen named just "JOKER", no number, and all 4 of them are tipped, I did not know that there was an untipped version.
Thank you for this, for your blog also and for your eagerness to share and exchange info on Japanese pens.
Cheers and keep up the good work
Thanks, Kostas K, for your comments and your words of encouragemnt.
To answer your questions, Platinum claims to know nothing about all these moves in the fifties. Now I will go back to them with pictures of this box, which certainly shows a deep involvement on those moves.
I know of no other overseas company selling Pltinum products in disguise. Platinum did sell some pens under somre other brand name --555 and PPP were some of them-- in other markets. I am particularly interested on products Platinum apparently sold in South America in the 40s, according to Masa Sunami. And there is also some Platinum pens in the 1970 made in Mexico. But all those are, as I said, different operations.
I look forward for more information on those Joker pens of yours.
Cheers, Kostas K. Thansk for your continuous moral support.
BT
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