Early history of Chinese fountain pen makers, Venus, Kin Sin, Golden Star, Jinxing (2) with King Ching/ King Chen, Golden Horse and Swan

201112 updated.

Yao Keng is from Ningbo. The son of his nephew said he changed its name into Yao Keng because he wanted to  study in Whampoa Military Academy, but failed. Later he became a sailor and the manager of a book and stationery store named King Ching/ King Chen(金城, the romanizations  which were used by different directories, were from the fountain pen maker founded by Yao, He, Zhou, Fang, the second director, general manager, manager and the fourth director of Venus/Kin Sin). Yao's Oil & Sauce (姚家油酱店) was his family's store in Ningbo, now it is inherited by his nephew, the son of his sister.

He read the ad of Venus designed by Zhou Zibai in 1933 before he came to Shanghai to seek the cooperation with Venus. Finally, he brought stocks form the Kim's brothers and joined Venus.

Yao was bombed by the Japanese invader in 1937. He was bombed from the Tea room in the first floor (English style: the ground, the first, the second) to the road and rescued by his nephew.

Another document said Yao was hurt in a strike.

Later, he left Kin Sin and stayed at home till he became the manager of King Ching/ King Chen.

Yao Keng's elder brother Yao Zhenxin worked as an agent in his King Ching/ King Chen Stationery Company (the bookstore belonged to the famous Shanghai Life Bookstore's Hankou branch) since Yao Keng worked as the director of Venus/ Kin Sin.

In about 1937 or 1938, the strike in Kin Sin hurt Yao Keng, He Judao, the general manager raised the salary a little and ask police for help, three of workers got caught.

Zhang became director after Yao.

During the Sino-Japan War, Kin Sin tried to move to Chongqing where was the Capital in the War three times but failed.  Zhang Baochen succeeded in moving to Yunnan in 1939 then he came back to Shanghai. The most dangerous situation was in 1942, when Japanese army follow the tracks of Kin Sin's group for moving. Two of the staffs succeeded in moving to Guilin, while Zhou and others not.

 

The newest Kin Sin...... 

Zhang's period

Xinwen Bao 1939. 9. 14-2

Yao Zhenxin founded a factory named Golden Horse for assembling fountain pen in 1939. The factory's brands were King Mar and Golden Horse, the translation by pronunciation and the translation by literature of 金馬 (Simplified: 金马). Gu Shouguang and Luo Zongguang joined Golden Horse in 1951. Golden Horse moved to Hefei in 1955.3 as Hefei Fountain Pen Factory. 正谊笔尖厂 (lit. Zhenyi Nib Factory), 建成塑料工业社 (Jiancheng Plastic Industry Company), 有信笔厂 (Youxin Pen Factory) were mergered by Hefei in 1956.

Yao Zhenxin in 1937

 Trademark Bulletin 1946 (244)

Shen Bao 1940. 5. 16-5

(Jianghuai江淮, Foziling佛子岭, Xinnongcun新农村, Lily铃兰(lily of valley), Golden Horse金马, Huashi华士, Hefei合肥 were made by Hefei (General) Fountain Pen Factory.

Sihua四花, Jingang津港 were ordered the stationery station in Tianjin. 

Wing Sung 239 and Tatung 313(=Hefei 313) were made for Xinhua/Wing Sung. 

Hefei Pen Factory was a part of Hefei (General) Fountain Pen Factory. Brand is Jinlu金鹿.)

金城筆廠King Ching Fountain Pen Wks/ King Chen Fountain Pen Mfg. Co. founded in 1941. 9. Its brand is 金城 (King Ching/ King Chen) as its name. It named models under alphabets, for example, the 51-style pen is the "D" King Ching/ King Chen. The director is 徐瑞祥Xu Ruixaing.

 

Heping Ribao 1947. 6. 24-1

 

 Heping Ribao 1947. 3. 25-1

King Ching/ King Chen cut down the welfare, paid fountain pen as salary and dismiss workers in 1947-1948, which and the fire in late 1947 caused strike in 1948.7. All the workers were dismissed in 1948.7 and some of them went back to King Ching/ King Chen after the liberation. King Ching/ King Chen was merged by 大陸/大陆Dah-Loh in 1956.

 

King Ching or King Chen

Collecions of 霞飞路 on Penbbs

http://penbbs.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=300342&highlight=%BD%F0%B3%C7

http://penbbs.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=332252&page=1

Zhang left Kin Sin in about 1941 as the manager of 晨光書局 (lit. Dawn Bookstore). 

Fang Shanxing, the vice-manager since foundation became director.

Later Zhang became the manager of VANYIH in about 1943-1945? and the manager of Chunghwa in about 1947-1948, when he designed 515 CHUNG HWA and it was said the he had worked in fountain pen manufacturing for more than 20 years, which means he may work in Rockman, Doctor, some other earlier Chinese fountain pen makers without extant documents and products or foreign fountain pen makers.

 

Yearbook of Chinese Celebrities in the 32nd Year of the Republic of China (Shanghai Division)Yearbook of Chinese Celebrities in the 32nd Year of the Republic of China (Shanghai Division) 

 

"515" CHUNG HWA designed by Zhang

Zhongyang Ribao 1947. 6. 28-4

 

The most famous ad of CHUNG HWA in Zhang's period

The Shanghai Manufacturers' Directory, 1947

Zhang owned his own factory in 1948. The factory was named 天鵝金筆廠 Swan Fountain Pen Factory. Swan founded Beijing branch in 1951. 7. 1. Swan was merged by Greenspot in 1953. 10. 1. Greenspot in Shanghai was merged by Wolff in 1955 and the Greenspot Beijing was merged by Golden Star in 1955.

 

 Collections of 破冰, a friend on WeChat. The cap belongs to a "81" Swan, the nib may not belongs to the "81" Swan

 燕京金筆廠Yanjing Fountain Pen Factory maybe the original name of the Beijing Branch of Swan. The director, Wang Lingzhi registered 長城Greatwall brand under the name of Yanjing.

Trademark No. 12 of PRC applied by Wang Lingzhi

Trademark Bulletin 1950 (1)

A broken nib of Greatwall

I am not sure whether it was made by Swan Beijing or not.

http://www.gucn.com/Service_CurioStall_Show.asp?Id=6040890

Golden Star, the Beijing branch of Kin Sin was founded in 1952. 9. Yao Keng became director. Other local fountain pen factories in Beijing were merged by Golden Star in 1955, too.

Rockman handed its fountain pen line to Kin Sin in 1960s, Kin Sin handed its fountain pen line to Hero in 1978.

Golden Star changed its name and romanization during the Great Proletarian Culture Revolution, what I am sure is that Jinxing was used by Golden Star. I do not know whether Kin Sin used Jinxing or not. Golden Star and Kin Sin shared the same ad.

 

 

Zhou Jun, Zhou Zibai and Venus/Kin Sin/Golden Star Pen Mfg. Co.
Xu Wancheng许晚成, Investigation Record of main factories in Shanghai and all over the Country after the War broke戰後上海暨全國各大工廠調查錄. 1940

Xinwen Bao, 1936. 5. 21-5

Xu Wancheng许晚成, Investigation Record of book and stationery stores  in Shanghai and all over the Country after the War broke戰後上海暨全國書局文具店調查錄. 1939

The Directory of  Industry and Commerce in Shanghai上海工商名錄, 1945

The Shanghai Manufacturers' Directory, 1947

Li Bao (with background of Mafia), 1947. 7. 3

Li Bao, 1947. 10. 18
Tie Bao, 1947, 12, 27

Li Bao, 1948, 7, 1
Li Bao, 1948, 7, 23
Zhu Xuedong, The foundation and development of Hefei General Fountain Pen Factory, the main enterprise of Chinese pen manufacturers.
Industry Department of CPC's Committee in Yimiao District, Shanghai ,A report on the public-private partnership and relocation of the private Shanghai Golden Horse Fountain Pen Factory

Ta Kung Pao (Guilin) 1942. 7. 13-4
Xinwen Bao 1939. 8. 25-22
Lu Qiuping, a Visiting to Kin Sin Pen Company. Ta Kung Pao (Shanghai) 1937. 6. 25-13
Who's who in Shanghai上海人名錄,1941
Xu Wancheng, A Brief History of Talents of Various Industries in Shanghai上海百業人才小史, 1945
Yiwen儀文, 1948(2)
Shanghai Industry and Commerce Overview 上海市工商业概览, 1948
Beijing Greenspot Fountain Pen Mfg. Co. before and after the public-private partnership公私合营前后的北京绿宝金笔厂, Beijing Dangshi北京党史,2003 

Tang Diyin, The pen and I: the autobiography of a Shanghai businesswoman.

A graph about the History of Hero Pen

Chronicle of Shanghai Light Industry