SANFORD 69

This is a great pick-up. Complete set of in-package vintage Sanford 69 markers.

Does 69 mean something else in marker code ? I have this other Magic Marker that has 69 on the label, and that one is small scale as well.

Cardboard slipcover, styrofoam tray slides out to store markers.

SANFORDS MARKER DELUXE 69

Really like these mini metal Sanfords. Have the modern version, which has an updated Sanford logo, but still retains the striping motif up-barrel. This vintage one is in great condition. Sturdy metal fabrication, chisel tip. Nice worked in fibre on the chisel tip. Makes nice flowing deep black lines. Has a great, familiar, elementary school lets-get-dizzy odor. A really nice well preserved specimen. 

BLACK POWER MARK

Still more markers from SF. DIET - HTK coming up on all kinds of marker finds.

QUARTET DRY ERASE

Quartet is a dollar store brand that produces good quality product. Solid plastic construction. Chisel Tip. Makes nice dark ink lines. Really good ink quality for a dry erase, which usually contains lighter black or brownish tint inks. Made in China. Has bilingual french-english body text so I surmise that it was made for the Canadian market.

SANFORD EXPO 2 DRY ERASE

I have several versions of this marker, all with different body markings and designs. This one has dark grey color blocking, interspersed with the familiar EXPO wordmarks and labeling. Bullet tip. This thing is close to drying out. Makes fading inconsistent lines right now. Still has a medium-strength ink odor. 

EGAN MARKERS

This takes the familiar silhouette of the Sanford Dry Erase Expo, and slaps it’s own branding, copy and wordmarks on it. This Egan company is located north of here in Woodbridge. What was this marker doing all the way in San Francisco ? Nice thick chisel tip. Nib is a bit soft. Has that classic dry erase marker smell. Makes smooth black ink lines. 

SANFORD POWER MARK

I had the Wedge Tip version, now I have the Bullet Tip. Came from Pearl Paints, so I guess DIET had it in his own stash for a while. Solid plastic construction. Bullet tip. Makes REALLY dark black ink lines, runs smooth. No bleed. An excellent quality marker. Made in USA. Surprisingly, no odor on this one.

MESSAGESTOR MARKER

This is a mystery of a marker. I peeped the website info attached www.cri2000.com and it goes to a page called Combined Resources International. Seems like an import/export place that sells a bunch of brands, including MessageStor. Which I guess is a marker and writing instrument brand. Anyways, this marker is made out of solid plastic. Medium grey labeling on white background. Not the greatest branding/wordmark for MessageStor. Not a really good name for a company either. Bullet tip. Makes smooth, dark black ink lines. Faint alcohol odor. Pretty good, although awkwardly branded, product.

BLACKY PACKAGES

Took the long way back home for Christmas along Lakeshore Road. Hit up a bunch of dollar stores along the way to look for new markers. The cluster of discount shops and convenience stores around Long Branch turned up the most finds. One spot used to be a Biway. Biway and Bargain Harolds were dope back in the day.

GOODWILL SUPER SUPERSTAR

Another example of a Super Sharpie bootleg. I have so many of these things, and just when I think i’ve seen every play on words, another one turns up.  Goodwill double superlative Super Superstar Marcador…Listening to Ghostface Nutmeg while I write this description…This marker was made for the spanish dollar store market. Features spanish label descriptions and a bootleg wordmark SUPER SUPERSTAR. Hard nib, ink bleeds like crazy, surprisingly faint odor.  Good dark markings. A great bootleg to add to the roster.

PERMANENT MARKER 

I picked up this little no-frills number at this convenience store in a strip mall at the corner of Dundas and Winston Churchill. This is the same strip mall where I tried Kentucky Fried Chicken for the first time back in the 80’s, when their fries tasted like cardboard, had plastic Colonel Sanders coin banks for sale, and their original recipe was actually still banging ! The convenience store had the OG Street Fighter which I used to play with greasy fingers. I think this marker is a hold-over from those days. Sun faded exterior, still in cellophane wrapping. Bilingual label. Not gonna pop it open to test it out. Nice marker.

HAIJIAV TOKENS PEN

Another pseudo-Super Sharpie bootleg. I have another one like this, but the label says HAIJIAN. Plastic labelling, Made in China, from a company that may or may not be called Fluency. Bullet tip nib, minimal bleed upon application, nice medium tone of black ink. Medium alcohol odor. A better than average performance dollar store marker.

INC 2 IN 1 DRY ERASE MARKER

This is a new school marker from INC, flashy twin tip with BLACK marker on one end and RED on the other. Shiny metallic labelling with a BLACK into RED halftone pattern . Solid plastic construction. Conical tip, similar to Crayola. Faint greyish ink quality. Medium alcohol smell. Made in China. Style over substance on this marker. Not the best product.

MARVY UCHIDA DECOFABRIC 

This is an older model Deco marker from Marvy Uchida, who put out the Decocolor metal jacket series. Still in cellophane packaging. Paint marker to apply on fabrics. Fine 3mm tip. Not gonna bust the nib on this by testing it out. Prolly should have grabbed a backup so I could test one and archive the other. 

Flip-Chart-Kam-Set !

Another bunch of black markers from Toronto dollar store spots, art shops, and a brought back souvenir from Thailand.

SANFORD FLIP CHART 

Old stock from variety store shelves are often the best finds.  You get older markers usually for the price that it was ticketed at way back when. In this case it was $1.72 for a 4-pack of markers that came out in 2000. It seems funny to call something made in 2000 “old”, but 11 years was kind of a long time ago. As per usual bought the box of assorted colors, took the black out, ditched the other colors. 

The packaging is a nice bright yellow, 3-D “FLIP CHART” letters, and copy that promises “NO SQUEAK TIP” and “DRAMATIC COLORS”.

The marker itself is a typical good quality Sanford product. Bullet tip, no bleed ink, which is a lighter shade of black. Same silhouette as their Expo/Dry Erase line of products. One-color screened on label, bold and basic.

HORSE TWIN-TIP 

Friend came back from Thailand with this one. I received another Horse Brand marker from a friend coming back from Thailand a couple years back as well, but the labelling is different.

This silhouette is derived from the classic Zebra McKee Twin-Tip shape; a popular model to bootleg.

The label states “Toxious components not used. Writes on any surface very well.”

It is marketed as GREEN LABEL, which supposedly means it is environmentally friendly in some way. It really smells like alcohol.

I was born Year of the Horse so I like this marker a bit more than I should.

Wonder what other marker finds can be had in Thailand. Should get over there sooner than later.

SHARPIE POSTER PAINT WATER BASED

I don’t particularly like this range of water-based products. Zig and Posca make far superior versions, but it Sharpie has the lock in Canada for this sort of product, which is a shame.

I don’t like the design. Slapped on sticker label on cheap quality plastic barrel reminiscent of a bingo marker. The label itself is an unattractive layout of sparse text against a gradient field of diminishing black.

The cap oddly-shaped to suggest an angled-chisel tip, but the actual marker nib is straight across. The cap does have a nice matte black finish with raised Sharpie logo, which should be the actual material used throughout the body structure. Matte black barrel + matte black lid from a Sharpie Magnum, with raised logos and text would make this a sleek looking marker.

The ink itself works okay at this scale and this color, but my experience with the other color range and scales has been poor with a lot of ink pooling and faint coverage.

I remember when this product started overtaking the shelves a bunch of years ago. It seems they haven’t done anything to correct any of the design and function issues since.

STUDIO TRIANGLE BARREL

Nice marker from Dollarama. Matte black finish with minimal silver-accented body text and logo. Bullet tip, minimal bleed, heavy ink. I appreciate this simple different design coming from a company that specializes in making items for dollar stores. They could have kept things no-frills and basic but they switched it up slightly.

STAEDTLER LUMOCOLOR WHITEBOARD

All function, no flair. Simple text and labeling throughout the design, simple shape. Bullet tip. Really nice no bleed ink on the browner side of black. Solid straightforward marker.

KAMSET

I keep finding these Kamset joints in dollar stores. They make these non-traditional silhouettes and shapes of black marker, and always have minimal markings; KAMSET logo and PERMANENT MARKER written in English, French and Spanish. 

This thing is a mutant based on the Sanford Expo Dry Erase Marker silhouette. The overall length is about the same size. But then they pinched it towards the tip and threw a rubberized grip towards the cap. The cap itself has a weird divot AND a clip AND that piece of molded plastic cylinder tip that is supposed to fit into the bottom of the marker so you don’t lose it. In this case, sort of did the opposite and put a divot on the bottom, which attaches to the cap bottom. 

Gotta love Kamset. They do what they wanna do.

Garden Party

Another bunch of markers found in a random pile in one of my day bags.

SHARPIE LIQUID TIP - I picked this up at Staples I think. They don’t have a huge selection so I always think I have every marker in there. I saw this one, and did a double take. It’s a new design of a classic Sanford product, and a nice addition to the collection. At some point, Sanford started labelling the Liquid Tip as a Sharpie product. The other Sharpie branded Liquid tip I have is a lighter shade, with silver bands at the top and bottom. This is a darker gray with no rings.  Classic ribbed cap and metal holder clip, as well as metal barrel construction. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think they increased the width of the chisel tip slightly in this new model, and use a different density material. Or not. Great product.

GARDEN CRAFT - I think this is a Home Hardware find. Maybe Dollarama. Anyways, it’s a rebrand of a Marvy Uchida product, who make excellent writing instruments.I don’t even need to open the cello to know how this thing works.  They make versions for crafting, and I guess switch up labels to appeal to gardeners. According to the label, this marker is great for decorating on terra cotta pots, plaster statues, amongst other things. 

LE GRIP - This may be a repost. But the thing about Le Grip…it always comes back. Sleek Twin-Tip, minimal branding, average all around marker.

MAGIC MARKER PEN - This is a stubby and it just barely makes the criteria for my marker collection due to it’s size. This seems to be a common marker shape and construction for marker sets included with childrens marker-and-poster sets. This particular marker came in a box set and are supposed to be used to decorate perma-coat ceramic. I just tried to draw on a plate, and it was really faint. I just read the box and it says it can only be used on ceramic products coated with “Webster Group Perma-Coat”. That doesn’t help me out.

Steady Diet of Nothing

Buncho markers I found while clearing out my jacket pockets.

YILEBRAND BI-NIB – Chinatown Dollar Store find. I’m pretty sure. Artline bootleg. Printed plastic label cover wrap. Inferior grade plastic body construction. You haven’t sampled inferior grade plastic till you been to China. I know disposable plastic drinking cups are supposed to be flimsy and cheap, but the ones they have out there are thin and move around in your hand like it was made out of condom. And in true bootleg marker fashion, this one was DOA when I tried to test it. Dried out and died out.

ELMERS PAINTERS COLOR CUTTER – Wow. This is the second marker-and-knife combination that I have in my collection. Who knew there was that niche market. I think it’s the emo and self-harming movement. Painters is a familiar brand from Michaels Craft Supply raiding days. Chisel tip. This is a bad product. The blade on this one has already slipped down the nib crack so it doesn’t even cut. I’m not going to pull it up with tweezers. So now it’s just a normal marker. Stick to making glue Elmer…yeah you just got punned Elmer. Deal.

FUGAZ 2 – From the corner Hasty Market. This marker is dope for a bunch of reasons. Firstly, it’s called Fugaz 2. I must have slept on the first one. Second, it’s made by a company called Wearever. That’s so underacheiver and proud of it man. Third, it’s the first marker in my collection that is HECHO EN MEXICO. I knew I should have gone to Mexico earlier this summer when I had the chance.

MAINSTAYS – Dollar store or Walmart whiteboard yawner. Good construction, nice chisel tip, works well.

HENGLI SUPER SHIRE – And just when I think I have amassed all the Chinatown Dollar Store Sharpie bootleg variations, I come across this one. Although vastly inferior than an actual Super Sharpie. These markers do play significant use in alot of my illustration work. The ink is of a lighter tone, and the nibs are already softer as soon as you use them, which results in spongy wash lines as soon as I use it. The ink fades out faster, and when I get this marker working right, it works like a soft powder brush to give good shading effects without smudging.

SFAKES ALIVE !

Back in SF and as per usual, hitting up spots looking for new markers for the collection. And as per usual, the dollar shop spots had bootleg super sharpies in effect. Here’s a little rundown of what the Mission had on offer.

KONA FIORE - This one came in a pink package and is advertised as being from the Fiore fashion collection. I can see that. Kona Fiore does sound like a designer name/italian porn star. Which is a great combination of professions. Super sharpie silhouette, but plastic hull has this off putty grey coloring and softness prevalent amongst low quality bootleg Sharpies. As a marker though, it works pretty good. Little bleed, nice thick lines. Which is surprising because most of these fakes run light ink that bleeds a ton.

KONA FIORE - This one my friend DIET ONE gave me. I thought I had this one already from earlier in the day, but I looked again and it is a variation. The hull is a lighter shade of grey, the lettering is set differently and different font size and applied in a darker gloss. Is this a bootleg of a bootleg or just poor quality control. Drama at the House of Kona Fiore.

PROFFICE - Basic boring bootleg. But this thing reeks up a storm. Cap off and i’m already getting spins. That’s how I would deal with working at the office 9-5. 7 days a week.

NO NAME BOLD POINT - This is actually quite good. That off putty grey hull color, gloss finish text, but there is no label or brand name on the side. Only the descriptions and qualities like “BOLD POINT” “QUICK DRYING” “RECAP WHEN NOT IN USE” “PERMANENT MARKER”. These guys are like, we are tired of getting tracked down and sued by Sharpie for infringement. Let’s just put out these markers without our name on it.

Yeah props to Sanford Sharpie for developing the Super Sharpie silhouette. Somewhat the most popular bootleg shape that I have come across in collecting. It’s great when you can be known for a silhouette or shape, without addition of label branding etc.

BLADDERBLOCKSPENNA

More markers from a Toronto stroll.

PRISMACOLOR PREMIER - Standard twin tip design marker made by a reputable company. They have retained the same silhouette for many years, and the labelling has always been understated. I kind of like the triangle shape on the label. A good quality marker.

PRANG WINDOW MARKER - Came in a 2-pack with another marker that had Peach ink. Black and Peach is a good color combination. Think about it. Rather solid plastic construction. Nice compact shape. Good .7 mm nib. Nice ink. This is actually better than the water based Sharpie Paint markers on the market. Just did some research. Prang is a registered trademark of Dixon Ticonderoga.

SHARPIE FLIP CHART - Again. I think I have this one in my collection, but I couldn’t find it documented. It should be lumped together with the Expo Dry Erase markers, due to their similar shape and purpose. Nice all black plastic construction and white label on the side. Simple, understated, effective. Another Sharpie win !

BLADDERBLOCKSPENNA - A simple black marker that has no other text on it other than BLADDERBLOCKSPENNA. Ah, it IS a Quill marker product. I thought so. Same body shape and gold gilding type letters. Nice chisel tip, good ink.

INTEGRA DRY ERASE - Another case of marker deja vu. Do I have this one already ? It doesn’t show up in my records, but I think I have this one. Have to double check and make sure. Chisel tip dry erase. Just your average marker.

DURA MARK - It has some symbol on the side that I remember drawing just the other day. The symbol appears on this marker called “Corporate Express”. Hmm. Some Black Marker Secret Society ? Will try to infiltrate and report back. Simple black plastic construction with sparse white labelling. Just says DuraMARK and English and French versions of the text “Permanent Marker Chisel “. Nice heavy ink output.

WRITE OUT LOUD

I really like Sharpie. They have done an amazing job of branding themselves and diversifying their product range. They used to have a nice line of clothing available on their website. I got a Sharpie Racing tee shirt for Christmas once, but sadly it was red. And not black. They have been producing promo markers for artists and brands, but so far only in the smaller sizes. I think they may still sponsor Nascar races and a car. At one point they sponsored Kurt Busch. I looked in a lot of Nascar shops in the states for a Sharpie racing jacket, but never found one. Hopefully Sharpie continues to be adventurous in their marketing and sponsorship efforts. Although they depend on volume sales, they are a couple of steps away from becoming a collectible and highly sought after product range.

KING SIZE VINTAGE – This is one of my favorite markers in my collection. Nice medium thickness metal jacket barrel construction. Nice thick and chunky KING SIZE font. Big chisel tip, marks smoothly with a nice consistent black ink and little bleed. Smells hazy. A true classic.

SHARPIE KING SIZE – This is the modern version. I like how they kept it simple with a bold logo and minimal other markings. I would have liked to see a different color up though. All Black with white lettering and exposed metal where the yellow striped lines are.

SHARPIE PAINT – This product range is hit and miss. This particular marker is a hit though and works quite well. Nice consistent fluid paint. Solid metal construction. In my opinion the cap would look better as similar to the Magnum or King Size, with the feature that the cap stores into the base. All the oil based black Sharpie Paint range is good, but all the water based product could use some improvement. I transitioned from POSCA / ZIG to the Sharpie paint, and I find the Sharpie Paint to be a lesser product. Some of the color range doesn’t perform well. The consistency and coverage of the ink is not as fluid and the nibs are especially prone to blotting and falling out. I was working on one illustration, and the nib fell out and paint spilled all over my drawing. But for Oil-Based blacks, Sharpie Paint is a good product.

SHARPIE PROFESSIONAL – I got this one from my friend Shoji. It’s basically a Sharpie chisel tip with a rubber grip around the sides and base. The cap has raised squares on the sides, presumably for gripping to make it easier to remove the cap. There is also a raised circle on the clip, which is also thicker than that of the chisel tip. This is the most consistent performing chisel tip marker in the industry. One of my everyday use markers.

SHARPIE CHISEL TIP – Another Sharpie classic. When I first saw these, I bought up loads of them. They last for a long time and wear out well, producing nice even lines and fades. This marker got bootlegged quite a bit, although not as much as the super sharpie.

SHARPIE SUPER TWIN TIP – Another Sharpie classic that hasn’t really seem to have caught on. In my opinion this is the best product that the company makes. Twin tip features the same nibs as the Super Sharpie, and the Chisel Tip. Unbeatable combination. This is my absolute favorite everyday use marker.

SHARPIE LIQUID TIP - This is a good marker, with a classic design, that has been given a terrible update.Everything about the marker is pretty much the same as LIQUID TIP models of the past, but they should have kept the white instead of grey background and the gold band. The font for LIQUID TIP has been updated but looks “slightly off”.

SUPER SHARPIE – This is the gold standard for all markers in my collection. Marks well, produces nice fades, doesn’t bleed. Perfectly weighted medium lines. The most bootlegged of all markers on the market today.

AND IF THAT AIN’T BAD YOU GOT BOOTLEGGERS.

…going out like suckers…More Sharpie bootlegs.

STAUNION CHISEL TIP – At least they’re bootlegging a different shape.

HENGBAO SUPER SHARPIE –Copied the name but changed the brand. Interesting angle.

VIVID MARK –The construction and plastic quality isn’t as poor as the Chinese bootlegs. The parent company BUFFALO should know better than to copy the shape. I think they made my protractor set back in the day.

LAN KE SUPER SHANKIE – Maybe this thing would make a super shank. This bootleg is so poor that the labeling isn’t even screened directly on the plastic jacket; its printed on a plastic cello cover and wrapped around.

BEILONG SUPER XINYIDA –

HONGBAO SUPER SHERPLE –

HONGBAO SUPER STAUNION – What’s going on here ? The same company is just making up different name bootlegs ?

CHAO NENG CHAO NENG – I like how they copied the AP sign, and made it say CN.