Chelpark Fountain Pens

[shrujaya]

Hello...

 

Regular visitors to and readers of this forum would have seen 3 earlier posts on Chelpark FP models (Moti, Antic, and Maverick) by Hari. This post is a kind of sequel to these posts.

 

That Chelpark manufactured FP inks is a commonly known fact among FP users in India, but until Hari put up the review on Chelpark Moti and went on to post reviews of Chelpark Maverick and Chelpark Antic FPs, I didn’t know that the Chelpark Company manufactured FPs too.

 

I had visited Malappuram Town in Kerala a couple of weeks back… I was there to conduct a workshop for high school teacher trainees (I have said this already elsewhere on FPN...sorry for repeating)…Malappuram is a small, but growing town…unhurried pace…greenery all around and quite peaceful… I was pleasantly surprised, when I found Chelpark FPs there…in fact, four FPs…because Malappuram didn’t look like a place where I’d find fountain pens…but you can’t say with surprises…

 

The ones that I found were inexpensive plastic FPs and are like the poor cousins of the ‘Hari Chelparks’ (!!!) both in terms of looks and cost…each pen costing less than half a dollar…but what amused me was the heavy duty double barrelled names that 3 of these pens carried… Top Gun, Brigadier, Terminator … and Maestro…

 

As you can see in photo 1, from top to bottom, we have Maestro, Top Gun, Brigadier, and Terminator…here is a brief review of each pen…

 

Maestro: ED filler; Screw cap; 5 inches capped; 4 ¾ inches uncapped; 5 ¼ inches posted; a steel nib and feeder with side fins; it has a flat top and bottom; a steel clip tapering down to form a rhomboid shape with ‘Chelpark’ engraved on it and the clip ring is kind of embedded in the cap top; it has a steel cap band at the cap lip with MESTRO engraved on it, whereas in the other pens, the model name is printed in white paint on the barrel.

 

Top Gun: ED filler; Screw cap; 5 ¼ inches capped; 4 ¾ inches uncapped; 5 ¾ inches posted; it has a two tone nib and feeder with side fins; a flat top and a rounded end; it also has a transparent ink window; a gold coloured clip with ‘Chelpark’ engraved on it and cap band at cap lip; the model name TOP GUN is printed in white paint on the barrel.

 

Brigadier: ED filler; Snap cap; 5 ½ inches capped; 4 ¾ inches uncapped; slightly more than 5 ¾ inches posted; it has a rounded top and end; it has a steel coloured plastic clip again with ‘Chelpark’ on it; in fact the entire cap module is in plastic; no cap bands, but a steel band just above the threads on the section, a wee bit of which is visible when pen is capped; a gold coloured nib with a vertical ridge in section also with side fins. ‘BRIGADIER’ is printed in white paint on the barrel.

 

Terminator: the thinnest of the four and also the most basic and looks like a ball pen at first sight; except the nib, the pen has no other metal parts; ED filler; Snap cap; 5 ¼ inches capped; slightly more than 4 ¾ inches uncapped; 6 inches posted; flat top and end; clip is integrated with the cap; here, ‘Chelpark’ is engraved on the plastic cap, and not on the clip like the preceding three FPs; gold coloured nib with a vertical ridge in section along with side fins; TERMINATOR is printed in white paint on the barrel.

 

I dip tested all the pens and you can also see a collective writing sample photograph below. The nib of the ‘Brigadier’ is slightly rough, but the other nibs are smoother and since this was only a dip test, I couldn’t feel a wet line while writing. Here are the photos…

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/1Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-ca.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/2Chelpark-maestro-cap-name.jpg

MAESTRO engraved on the cap band

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/3Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-ca.jpg

Close up of caps with ‘chelpark’ on them

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/4Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-po.jpg

All 4 posted

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/5Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-se.jpg

Close up of sections

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/6Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-ni.jpg

Close up of nibs. All nibs have ‘Chelpark’ and ‘C’ engraved on them.

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/7Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-fe.jpg

Close up of feeders

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/8Chelpark-maestro-tgun-brig-term-wr.jpg

Writing sample along side the nibs

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/9AllChelparks.jpg

A photo of all the 7 Chelparks so far identified. From left to right – Antic, Maverick, Moti, Top Gun, Maestro, Brigadier, and Terminator. Thanks Hari, for remembering me while buying ‘your’ Chelparks. I have remembered you as well while buying ‘my’ Chelparks!!

 

(Those of you who are interested in knowing more about Chelpark’s history can go back to the Chelpark Moti post and proceed to the link given by Hari)

 

As I have said before, I have never seen Chelpark FPs in Hyderabad and I discovered that the Chelpark Terminator is a common enough FP in and around the Malappuram Town. I found the Terminator in at least 3 shops there. There is nothing spectacular about these pens, and I don’t know how often I’d be using them, but it looks nice to see all Chelparks in one place. Cataloguing these pens in FPN is itself a small pleasure.

 

I also found a long sought after pen in Malappuram, the Camlin Trinity, which I think deserves a separate post.

 

So much for the present…hope you liked the pictures of the Chelpark FPs…comments are welcome…

 

Jayasrinivasa Rao (shrujaya)

 

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Fascinating -- thank you for tracking these down for us.

 

[jd50ae]

This is the kind of research that actually appeals to me. Very interesting and you are having fun along the way.

[ralphawilson]

Very nice photography and descriptions--thanks!

 

I've been told by Indian friends that fountain pens were required when they were in school, and am curious if this is still the case. If so, I wonder if there is any particular "fountain pen culture" among students these days (pens that are "in" or "out", for example). Or perhaps pens are just taken for granted.

[shrujaya]

Dear Peter, jd50ae, and Ralph...

 

Thanks a lot for reading and appreciating this post of mine...

 

jd50ae...research has become a part of my life now...I am happy that you like it...

 

Ralph...at one point of time, FPs were compulsory in schools, ball pens were not allowed...even banks refused to accept cheques signed with ball pens...but there is no such stipulation now...it is a rare thing to see a schoolboy with an FP and using it...so there is such thing as an 'in' fountain pen...but I have managed to infect my colleagues in my department in my college with the FP virus...most of them carry an FP with them and use it too...being the Head of the department sometimes helps...ha ha ha

 

Regards,

 

Jai

[Abhik]

Hi Jai,

This is a lovely post. Nice touch with writing samples in different colors.

May be a separate post you can post with different Chelpark inks written with Diplomat/Guider/Ratnam pens!

 

Abhik.

[ParkerBeta]

Great research, photography, and post! You're doing all collectors a great service by tracking down, photographing, cataloging, and classifying all the current Chelpark FPs, and the comparative writing samples are a great bonus! By the way, the Chelpark inks look very good too! I know that Chelpark inks were, and probably still are, manufactured in Bangalore, my home town, but on my last visit there, I couldn't find any in the little neighborhood stores where I looked. I must try harder next time!

[hari317]

I know that Chelpark inks were, and probably still are, manufactured in Bangalore, my home town, but on my last visit there, I couldn't find any in the little neighborhood stores where I looked. I must try harder next time!

 

Yes, but the production is sporadic. Very difficult nowadays to find Chelpark ink even in good stores in Mumbai. When in Bangalore, search in shops on "Avenue Road".

 

Best,

Hari

 

 

[Ondina]

Very good review of what look workhorse pens of good quality. Thanks so much also for including the inks!. So interesting to know they exist, and they look nice indeed!. Is nice to have a refreshing view.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Ondina

[agraguy]

@ shrujaya: on "The nib of the ‘Brigadier’ is slightly rough"......

 

actually this must be a faulty peace. otherwise brigadier peace i got this week is fantastic. another pen chelpark commander which is pricier than Brigadier and has 'double barrel' (i dont now what it is called.. i m a newbie , it is to seal inner barrel anyway) is rough nib. i know it is also by accident. otherwise all chelpark pens are fantastic.

[ajha1970]

Hi,

Great post

Any idea how to get these ink , in delhi i am getting only Blue and Black Chelpark ink

[pienaar]

I have always wondered about the Terminator. It looks like a handy design.

[basterma]

Thanks for sharing! It's nice to see the nibs side-by-side.

[sanyalsoumitra]

Dear all,

 

fine Chelpark pen photos. I have recently acquired a vintage Chelpark pen, this is named SUMO. This name is faintly etched on the cap below the cap band, took some time to locate. A piston filler pen, and a very

smooth writer, a very well designed pen from some 45 years back. I have made a brief initial report in the below link, kindly have a look. Do any one have more information on this pen . thanks everybody.

 

http://soumitrapencollections.blogspot.in/2013/12/vintage-chelpark-pen-moti.html >>

[subbucal]

The Chelpark Moti pen & ball pen set from my collection..

 

[sanyalsoumitra]

Dear all, fine Chelpark pen photos. I have recently acquired a vintage Chelpark pen, this is named SUMO. This name is faintly etched on the cap below the cap band, took some time to locate. A piston filler pen, and a very smooth writer, a very well designed pen from some 45 years back. I have made a brief initial report in the below link, kindly have a look. Do any one have more information on this pen . thanks everybody. << http://soumitrapencollections.blogspot.in/2013/12/vintage-chelpark-pen-moti.html >>

 

Here are the pictures of the Sumo.