The Cochin "pen Doctor"

[hari317]

I was in Cochin yesterday. Cochin is a port town in the picturesque state called Kerala in South India. I had heard some mention of a pen repair shop in Cochin, the owner was called the local "pen doctor". Actually, I had read about this shop on this blog. After he day's sigfhtseeing was done, I asked my driver if he knew about this shop, he did not, so I returned to the hotel and hunted down the above article. Then we drove back into the town and I hunted the shop down on foot. The shop is quite famous in the Broadway area. I could ask some shops for directions and reached this shop finally.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kochi%20pen%20doctor/IMG_4574.jpg

 

The present owner's name is Thomas. His late father was a famous repairer of pens in Cochin, presently he only had the usual Parker pens and some Camlin fountain pens for sale. I chatted with him for some time. Displayed proudly in his shop are these two pictures that an artist customer of his father did after his father repaired the artist's vintage Parker pen successfully.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kochi%20pen%20doctor/IMG_4571.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Kochi%20pen%20doctor/IMG_4572.jpg

 

I also found another good stationery shop called the "St. Francis De Sales Press" located just a few shops away from Pen doctor's. This shop has a good collection of Chelpark and Camel inks, they also had ample stocks of Camel "Fount" ink (Simlar to Pelikan fount), a drawing ink designed for fountain pens. I picked up a bottle.

 

I hope you all enjoyed this brief report.

 

Cheers!

Hari

[geoduc]

Thanks, Hari. I really enjoy reports like this - it puts a personal face on the pen world. Those drawings are great as well!

[Anne-Sophie]

Thank you Hari for taking us on such a beautiful journey through time, space and the history of fountain pen in Cochin

[Abhik]

Dear Hari, thanks for sharing this amazing story & nice cartoons! But come on! You are not in pen hunt now! Relax & enjoy your this special holiday! Best wishes,

Abhik.

[shrujaya]

Hei Maan...I thought you'd returned so soon...so, you are pen hunting in Cochin...addiction...addiction...always at work ...I loved the cartoons...lovely, no?

 

Now...enough of pens ...enjoy your trip... you should be on

 

Regards,

 

Jai

[hari317]

Thanks for the comments, Enjoying my holiday and trip.

 

Best,

Hari

[pmsalty]

Hari, enjoyed this post, thanks. As usual the ordinary is anything but!

PMS

[hari317]

I found an article in The Hindu about the Pen hospital: link

[subbu68]

Pen House used to be a place i frequented some 28 years ago (left for higher studies and then job). It was much smaller then. They were the only ones that had Hero in the town. There used to be small queues to get pens repaired. Wanted to go and check the shop in August when I went home for our annual vacation but could not due to rains and bad roads.

 

St. Francis De Sales Press and there used to be a Vijaya Book Depot who used to sell a lot of pens. Then a Bismi showroom a couple of hundred meteres away from Pen House. Bismi used to be the starter pens for almost all kids of Kerala. They used to have also some 'advanced' pens but were not in our reach except if your dad had a handsome salary.

[Lexaf]

Hi Hari, I'd love to see the pictures, but they seem to have been vanished in cyberspace. Could you please repost them? Thanks.

[hari317]

Hi Hari, I'd love to see the pictures, but they seem to have been vanished in cyberspace. Could you please repost them? Thanks.

The pics are back. Sometimes FPN image views overshoots the free bandwidth that my imaging service provides. Thanks!

Edited October 18, 2014 by hari317

[Lexaf]

Thanks Hari!

Nice and funny pictures.

And please go on informing us about your adventures in seaching vintage Indian pens. Fascinating and informative!

[mthayeb]

Just wanted to give you all latest update about the 'Pen house'. Since i stay 12 kms away from the shop, decided to pay a visit last week.

 

nothing special, the gentleman posed in the main picture, still works there. he owns the shop. No fountain pens there. few, indian make ballpoint and gel pens are there. i saw couple of Hero china pens.

 

When i asked are rare models, he could pull out a parker 51, that was the only special FP i could find. After few minutes of chat, gentleman shared some sweet memories of his father's collection of Vintage and rare FPs, but all disappeared as time pass by. now he dont have any.

 

Now the pen house is yet another shop sells mainly ball points.