I checked the Korean site again.... nothing... even all the parts are sold out! It looks to me like he's ready to close up shop! Has anyone made contact with the owner directly? It seems to me with the right marketing skills he's setting on a gold mine! I don't think all this can be blames on the Covid19 hysteria either. This appeared to start before that. I know the lanterns were pricey but so are the originals! It's all so strange...
It's a shame, because they looked to be producing some very nice lamps. I guess the issue is that they are new lamps and possibly a different market..who knows if they will keep their value, be collectable in the same way as older lamps.
To their credit, they seemed to be doing everything right from a collector's perspective. Working in brass and using older more aesthetically pleasing designs (all brass E41) really beautiful.
What's the old saying, "don't bite off more then you can chew"! He just might have gotten in over his head and decided to simply sell what he had and once supplies were depleted, call it quits. It is strange he didn't just pull the website once all supplies were used up...
I was looking on the site again this afternoon, everything marked as 'SOLD OUT' but what a shame, some really nice lamps, stainless steel & brass, dare I say, better quality than the original, even the control cock knobs made of brass rather than plastic. Martin
At least the people who got such a new lantern have a rare, very limited one. Besides the fact we don't know what is happening: using copper, brass, stainless or whatever is all for nothing if you can't keep the shop open. All in all it is a nice market. How many people have the money to buy a new re-made lantern ? The "guy in street" certainly not. You must have a darn good business plan to pull it of.
