Fountain pen clones - Terminology - A first try
Clones of Dolly - Sheeps from the U. of Nottingham, c. 2000 |
The clones have come along way. They are now easily traded even on Amazon. But what exactly consitutes a clone? Or is this the exact term that we should use? People use more gentle terms like inspired, or tribute, or even the even more refined "hommage". I always thought that the last one is just a low trick to use a not so common word to avoid calling it a clone. So I propose to standardize and use the following terminology:
- When a pen has some visual similarities but there is no doubt that the "original", genuine pen is different enough, we should say that this "clone", which is really not a clone, is pen INSPIRED by the original one. Example:
Jinhao 15 Guangzhou Tower (or Wasteline) model (still been sold in Amazon!) Waterman Serenitè (ORIGINAL) - When it is hard to distinguish a pen with a quite look from the original genuine pen, then we will call the pen a WANNA BE. I would reserve the term TRIBUTE or HOMMAGE if the original pen dates decades before that the date of the issue of the "Wanna Be". An important condition for this category is that the "Wanna Be" pen does not carry the name of the original pen.
Seagull (Japan) from https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/321688-mystery-parker-vacumatic-copy Parker Vacumatic - Finally, in a class of their own, we have the "TRUE FAKES" or "GENUINE CLONES" - pun absolutely intended - which they carry the name of the original pen make, even if there are visual minor difference between them and the original pen.
Typical Chinese Sonnet Clone sold in Ebay (2023 Fall) |
Original Parker Sonnet Ciselé |
What do you think? Of course we can always add internediate grades as TRUE FAKE- or WANNA BE+ to cover gradations and introduce the obligatory ambiguity :) :) :)
Let me know what you think.