I came across 2 vintage models of a brand I’d never seen before, W ABC or maybe just ABC.
After posting a picture of them in the ‘What’s on your desk right now’ thread, @amjacobs7 quickly pointed out the striking resemblance of the 'W-305A-0.5’ model with the 1st generation Pilot H-1005.
The H-1005 was first released in 1983 and discontinued in 2006. It came in 2 known versions. The first was a matte finish black plastic with a hint of grain to it (some call it the “woodgrain” version). The nose cone step was positioned at like the last 1/4th of the cone length. The second had a smooth satin/semi-gloss finish and the nose cone step was further down, by a little more than 1/3rd of the cone length.
Source: Did I find the Doppelgänger of the Pilot H-1005? - #2 by cytherian
Since I don’t have a Pilot H-1005 to do a side-by-side comparison, I can’t say for sure whether these models are in fact identical (other than the sticker and clip stamp that reads ABC).
So here’s some pictures to decide for yourself:
Also, the ‘W-105A-0.5’ model has a more than strong likeness, at least on the outside, to a few other models, sharing “those distinctive groove lines on the ‘neck’ just above the cone”:
- Platinum 0.5mm ‘unknown model’ with an early lead retainer clutch design
- Pelikan Blei Machine (with conventional clutch)
- Berol Turquoise TM-5 and Uchida S-5 - standard clutch
(credits to @drifand for pointing that out)
I noticed two things that make me lean more towards it being a Pelikan Blei Machine clone, namely:
- Shape of the cone, which seems identical.
- ‘Flow’ of the groove lines.
Again, I don’t have any of these models to compare it with. Maybe someday.
For now - if there is anyone who knows more about this brand, and could tell something about the origins of these pencils - please share it!
