The Home Of India's Fountain Pens

[soum]

I spent the last two days at Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh, IN) which is arguably the home to the earliest fountain pens made in India.

 

There are quite a few threads around this forum dedicated to the famous Ratnam and Guider pens from this city in South India. Therefore, I wouldn't delve much into the history of Ratnam and Guider. Just as a quick background, Ratnam Pens started as a response to Mahatma Gandhi's call for Swadeshi (indigenization) and began manufacturing homegrown fountain pens in 1932. The current proprietor, Mr K. V. Ramana Murthy told me that they began in 1930, but the records are maintained since 1932 and therefore that is the official date.

 

I had lovely long chats with Dr. Ramana Murthy of Ratnam Pens, and with Mr. G.L. Rao of Guider Pens. Mr. Rao was especially kind and extremely hospitable. He even gave me boxes of sweets and some mango pickle to take back home. He was fantastic. Dr. Ramana Murthy showed me his collection of pens, including his record-holding, smallest pens in India. He also showed me a bunch of old photos from his albums, including photos of all dignitaries who used his pens or visited his home and workshop.

 

I've ordered a bunch of Ratnam pens, including the Supreme, the 302, and the SS. Those should arrive in the mail in three weeks time.

 

I also bought a bunch of Guider pens, some for myself, and many for giving out as gifts. I bought the "Marala" (which is not the name Mr. Rao gave it), the beautiful blue in acrylic, the yellow celluloid pen, and the lovely clipless "capsule" pens.

 

I shall post photos and reviews soon. Cheers!

Edited December 26, 2012 by soum

[pienaar]

I spent the last two days at Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh, IN) which is arguably the home to the earliest fountain pens made in India.

 

There are quite a few threads around this forum dedicated to the famous Ratnam and Guider pens from this city in South India. Therefore, I wouldn't delve much into the history of Ratnam and Guider. Just as a quick background, Ratnam Pens started as a response to Mahatma Gandhi's call for Swadeshi (indigenization) and began manufacturing homegrown fountain pens in 1932. The current proprietor, Mr K. V. Ramana Murthy told me that they began in 1930, but the records are maintained since 1932 and therefore that is the official date.

 

I had lovely long chats with Dr. Ramana Murthy of Ratnam Pens, and with Mr. G.L. Rao of Guider Pens. Mr. Rao was especially kind and extremely hospitable. He even gave me boxes of sweets and some mango pickle to take back home. He was fantastic. Dr. Ramana Murthy showed me his collection of pens, including his record-holding, smallest pens in India. He also showed me a bunch of old photos from his albums, including photos of all dignitaries who used his pens or visited his home and workshop.

 

I've ordered a bunch of Ratnam pens, including the Supreme, the 302, and the SS. Those should arrive in the mail in three weeks time.

 

I also bought a bunch of Guider pens, some for myself, and many for giving out as gifts. I bought the "Marala" (which is not the name Mr. Rao gave it), the beautiful blue in acrylic, the yellow celluloid pen, and the lovely clipless "capsule" pens.

 

I shall post photos and reviews soon. Cheers!

 

 

I look forward to seeing them.

[soum]

Here's Guider's Mr. G. Lakshmana Rao working on a pen:

 

Here's an ebonite pen being turned and getting the inner threads etched in the barrel:

 

 

I loved this "Ganesh with a Guider" outside the Guider Pens Shop:

 

 

Here are some of the Guider pens I bought:

[pienaar]

Wow those are really nice! I love to see work shops. Can you tell us what you ended up paying for any of those? That 2nd from the right and that blue one is really something !

Edited January 1, 2013 by pienaar

[soum]

Wow those are really nice! I love to see work shops. Can you tell us what you ended up paying for any of those? That 2nd from the right and that blue one is really something !

 

Thank you!

 

I loved being in the workshops too. Looking at an ebonite rod come to life as a pen right in front of your eyes is an experience.

 

From left, the first one cost Rs. 650 (About $12), the second one, cost Rs 200 (About $4), third cost Rs 400 (about $8), the fourth Rs 200 ( $4) again. The second and the 4th are very similar, the color of ebonite differs and the shape of the ends - rounded and flat.

BTW, must tell you about the yellow celluloid - Mr. Rao has fashioned those pens out of celluloid blanks his father had imported decades ago from Germany.

[hari317]

excellent post, thanks! Soum.

[soum]

excellent post, thanks! Soum.

 

Thanks, Hari.

[krz]

Thanks soum. Great photos, really nice pens. I like to see craftsmen at their art. "Ganesh with a Guider" is the best thing I've seen all day.

[soum]

Thanks soum. Great photos, really nice pens. I like to see craftsmen at their art. "Ganesh with a Guider" is the best thing I've seen all day.

 

Glad you liked them!

 

I agree, watching craftsmen doing their thing is amazing. I saw an entire pen being created, and, at the end of it, I wanted that half-finished pen for myself as a souvenir. It needs a nib and a feed, and polishing to make it fully functional. I'm going to take it back to him for finishing the next time I go. For now, it's an interesting addition to my collection.

[Renfield]

Can these pens be bought online anywhere?

[goldenkrishna]

Wow those are really nice! I love to see work shops. Can you tell us what you ended up paying for any of those? That 2nd from the right and that blue one is really something !

 

Thank you!

 

I loved being in the workshops too. Looking at an ebonite rod come to life as a pen right in front of your eyes is an experience.

 

From left, the first one cost Rs. 650 (About $12), the second one, cost Rs 200 (About $4), third cost Rs 400 (about $8), the fourth Rs 200 ( $4) again. The second and the 4th are very similar, the color of ebonite differs and the shape of the ends - rounded and flat.

 

BTW, must tell you about the yellow celluloid - Mr. Rao has fashioned those pens out of celluloid blanks his father had imported decades ago from Germany.

Hello soum,

 

Thank you for this lovely report and photos of handcrafted fountain pens. Keep them, esp. the yellow one, in your collection.

 

 

 

I have a question/request to you of a completely different nature. Many years ago as well as two years ago I tried to find information, via the internet, on Mr. K.G. Deshpande. Mr. K.G. Deshpande was chief editor of the Hindu Prakash in the early 20th century. He was a friend of Sri Aurobindo and I like to know how Mr. K.G. Deshpande's life continued and when he passed away. I could not find any information.

 

By chance, do you have any idea where I could find info on him? I tried to obtain some info from Sri Aurobindo Ashram and sriaurobindosociety on a likewise subject, but they were absolutely not very helpful!!

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

Edited January 2, 2013 by goldenkrishna

[soum]

Can these pens be bought online anywhere?

 

In India, I can call him up and place an order, he'd ship these pens. You could try and send him an email with a request, I'm not sure if he ships them internationally.

[soum]

 

 

Hello soum,

 

Thank you for this lovely report and photos of handcrafted fountain pens. Keep them, esp. the yellow one, in your collection.

 

 

 

I have a question/request to you of a completely different nature. Many years ago as well as two years ago I tried to find information, via the internet, on Mr. K.G. Deshpande. Mr. K.G. Deshpande was chief editor of the Hindu Prakash in the early 20th century. He was a friend of Sri Aurobindo and I like to know how Mr. K.G. Deshpande's life continued and when he passed away. I could not find any information.

 

By chance, do you have any idea where I could find info on him? I tried Sri Aurobindo Ashram and sriaurobindosociety, but they were absolutely not helpful!!

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

 

Thank you, goldenkrishna. I plan to keep all of them in my collection, and yes, the yellow one is going to be special.

 

About your other question, yes I've heard of Sri K. G. Deshpande - I believe he met Aurobindo while in England. I've read Aurobindo's letters and I think I recall his name being mentioned there. I'll check and I'll let you know. I'll try and help you with whatever information I can dig out about Sri Deshpande. I think the paper was named Induprakash and not Hindu Prakash, though.

 

I'll try my best to get you more information.

 

Soum

[goldenkrishna]

Hello soum,

 

Thank you for this lovely report and photos of handcrafted fountain pens. Keep them, esp. the yellow one, in your collection.

 

 

 

I have a question/request to you of a completely different nature. Many years ago as well as two years ago I tried to find information, via the internet, on Mr. K.G. Deshpande. Mr. K.G. Deshpande was chief editor of the Hindu Prakash in the early 20th century. He was a friend of Sri Aurobindo and I like to know how Mr. K.G. Deshpande's life continued and when he passed away. I could not find any information.

 

By chance, do you have any idea where I could find info on him? I tried Sri Aurobindo Ashram and sriaurobindosociety, but they were absolutely not helpful!!

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

 

Thank you, goldenkrishna. I plan to keep all of them in my collection, and yes, the yellow one is going to be special.

 

About your other question, yes I've heard of Sri K. G. Deshpande - I believe he met Aurobindo while in England. I've read Aurobindo's letters and I think I recall his name being mentioned there. I'll check and I'll let you know. I'll try and help you with whatever information I can dig out about Sri Deshpande. I think the paper was named Induprakash and not Hindu Prakash, though.

 

I'll try my best to get you more information.

 

Soum

Hello Soum,

 

I'm indebted to you, I do really appreciate your efforts. You are right about the name of the newspaper, it was Indu Prakash.

 

I'm looking forward to learn more from Sri K.G. Deshpande. I wonder why there never was written a biography on him.

 

With love,

goldenkrishna

[mhguda]

I also bought a bunch of Guider pens, some for myself, and many for giving out as gifts. I bought the "Marala" (which is not the name Mr. Rao gave it), the beautiful blue in acrylic, the yellow celluloid pen, and the lovely clipless "capsule" pens.

 

 

Thanks for the interesting story. I'm curious about the name of the Guider Marala that its creator gave it - I bought one via Fountainpenrevolution and just received it. A beautiful pen, very understated (I got it in black). Yours, in green, is beautiful in a different way...

[superfreeka]

Thank you, soum! Those workshop photos are very interesting.

[soum]

I also bought a bunch of Guider pens, some for myself, and many for giving out as gifts. I bought the "Marala" (which is not the name Mr. Rao gave it), the beautiful blue in acrylic, the yellow celluloid pen, and the lovely clipless "capsule" pens.

 

 

Thanks for the interesting story. I'm curious about the name of the Guider Marala that its creator gave it - I bought one via Fountainpenrevolution and just received it. A beautiful pen, very understated (I got it in black). Yours, in green, is beautiful in a different way...

 

Yes, he told me he hadn't initially named it Marala. He called it "three band" instead (if I remember right). But because FPR called it Marala and he got a lot of queries by that name, he know tends to use it too.

 

The Marala is gorgeous! I got a Guider Ebonite Big in black, and so picked up the Marala in green.

[soum]

Thank you, soum! Those workshop photos are very interesting.

 

Glad you liked them. I enjoyed watching them practise their craft.

[nickapos]

Hello sum, are these pens eyedropers?

 

I think that Indian pens come a close second behind Chinese when it comes to value for money.

I have two serwex piston fillers in my collection.

[soum]

Hello sum, are these pens eyedropers?

 

I think that Indian pens come a close second behind Chinese when it comes to value for money.

I have two serwex piston fillers in my collection.

 

Yes, these are eyedroppers, they hold a ton of ink. These are excellent value for money as writing instruments. Also, these are significant because of the history and heritage behind the makers.