Knock Off's

[r1v3th3ad]

[quote name='jordan' timestamp='1302548051' post='505003']
Copying an "Original" design or a patent idea (invention) specially by other countries' manufacturers is illegal and unethical. Having said that I really doubt MYA's hookahs are original ideas or a patent design. IMO, and somebody here can correct me if I'm wrong, they are OEM products and from the looks of it a very popular design in machine-made Chinese mass produced hookahs. Yeah, I know the quality is better than the average chinese but selling them for $150+ in the US is BS given the fact that the same products sells for around $20-25 in the MiddleEast.. So my point is if another company decides to take the same product from the same Chinese factory , slap their name on it and sell it for half price then I would have no problem buying it..
[/quote]

MYA is the first to do it the way they do, but I'm sure copyrights have passed...they are the first machined hookah with interchangeable parts, something they take pride in...if I remember my history right they came up with the machined hookah early 20th century

[Chreees]

[quote name='r1v3th3ad' timestamp='1302562839' post='505036']
[quote name='jordan' timestamp='1302548051' post='505003']
Copying an "Original" design or a patent idea (invention) specially by other countries' manufacturers is illegal and unethical. Having said that I really doubt MYA's hookahs are original ideas or a patent design. IMO, and somebody here can correct me if I'm wrong, they are OEM products and from the looks of it a very popular design in machine-made Chinese mass produced hookahs. Yeah, I know the quality is better than the average chinese but selling them for $150+ in the US is BS given the fact that the same products sells for around $20-25 in the MiddleEast.. So my point is if another company decides to take the same product from the same Chinese factory , slap their name on it and sell it for half price then I would have no problem buying it..
[/quote]

MYA is the first to do it the way they do, but I'm sure copyrights have passed...they are the first machined hookah with interchangeable parts, something they take pride in...if I remember my history right they came up with the machined hookah early 20th century
[/quote]

Wait, are you saying Mya Saray came up with it in the early 1900s? I believe you are mistaken or made a typo, haha.

[jordan]

[quote name='r1v3th3ad' timestamp='1302562839' post='505036']
MYA is the first to do it the way they do, but I'm sure copyrights have passed...they are the first machined hookah with interchangeable parts, something they take pride in...if I remember my history right they came up with the machined hookah early 20th century
[/quote]

I'm guessing you meant 21st.. Patents filed in the US last for 20 years assuming they filed for one but that never stopped China from srealing other people's designs.

[r1v3th3ad]

[quote name='jordan' timestamp='1302633403' post='505139']
[quote name='r1v3th3ad' timestamp='1302562839' post='505036']
MYA is the first to do it the way they do, but I'm sure copyrights have passed...they are the first machined hookah with interchangeable parts, something they take pride in...if I remember my history right they came up with the machined hookah early 20th century
[/quote]

I'm guessing you meant 21st.. Patents filed in the US last for 20 years assuming they filed for one but that never stopped China from srealing other people's designs.
[/quote]

found it, direct from Mya:

[quote]
[b]THE MYA STORY[/b] [b] [/b] [b]
A family business since 1863.[/b]
In 1863 Anis Mehio began the Mehio tradition by building his first factory in Lebanon that produced the tobacco burner (Head) which was made from Clay back then. His son Tawfiq opened the first retail store in Lebanon to sell hookahs. He instilled in his children the desire to continue building on this tradition which Anis Mehio the second took a step further in 1931 and was the first Lebanese to travel to the (as known now) Czech Republic to manufacture the hookah Base with mouth blown bohemian glass and bohemian crystal. Unfortunately, Anis the second passed way in a car crash on one of his trips to the Czech Republic in 1957 and since his son Youssef was the only one interested in the family business he took over the tradition and followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather. He took the business to a different level and started inventing new techniques in how the hookah is made. He was the first to introduce the hookah pressure releaser, where the old-fashioned way was to lift the stem from the glass so as to release the pressure, now you simply turn a knob to control the pressure inside the hookah. Additionally, he was the first to build a stem that can be taken apart which made cleaning the stem easy; this invention was a big move in the way hookahs are manufactured. He also was the pioneer in building the carrying case to protect the hookahs and to facilitate transporting them around. Today, all hookahs come with a pressure releaser and stems can be taken apart. Mr. Mehio is very interested in manufacturing hookahs for two main purposes, either for having the best clean smooth smoke or as an ornament in people's homes. He manufactures very elegant, and quality hookahs and has custom designed hookahs for celebrities and high ranking government officials in many countries.[/quote]