The Double-Headed Fountain Pen And The Double-Barrel Fountain Pen

[shrujaya]

These pens have been showcased before on FPN. The first type has already been reviewed by FPNers (labelled as the Twin Pen) and I have posted sort of reviews of two variants of the latter model (labelled as 2-in-1 Pen) earlier (i.e., long back). The reason for this post is that I didn’t have the former model earlier and I acquired it recently and now that I have both models, these conceptually similar, but modularly distinctive fountain pens could be seen in one place.

 

Both models are Indian ebonite ED filler models, except at one ball-point end.

 

I bought the Double-Headed model recently, the same day I bought the Deccan Majaz. Both Hari and I had finished our purchases at Deccan, and Hari suggested that we pay a quick visit to another pen store in the vicinity, before heading for dinner. Though I was not very hopeful of finding anything new, we both went there and after some initial browsing found these double-headed fountain pens and a couple of slim mini fountain pens. These were not there the last time we visited the place, or maybe we didn’t observe properly. To cut the long story short, we bought one Double-Headed pen each and Hari bought both the slim minis, and I am glad now that I went to the pen shop …

 

As members would know already, the Double-Headed FP has a common barrel part with two nib-sections at each end. Each end has a separate cap. Though the barrel is common, each nib-section has its own separate ink reservoir. The ebonite rod is sort of bored from either end till a particular predetermined length so that there are ink chambers at both ends. Threading, sections, and caps are made for both ends.

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/1-JK-DH_zpsf3540ea1.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/2-JK-DH_zps2bf16334.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/3-JK-DH_zps95f614b5.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/4-JK-DH_zps5a264e47.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/5-JK-DH_zpscf182f9b.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/6-JK-DH_zps934964f0.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/8-JK-DH_zps3851b45a.jpg

 

The Double-Barrel FP, on the other hand, has a common cap part, with cap threading at either end of the hollow/almost hollow ebonite rod. Two separate FP units (or ball pens or one ball pen and the other an FP), one on either end can be threaded onto these caps. I have two versions of the Double-Barrel FP; one with two FP units and another with an FP unit and a ball-pen unit.

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/9-JK-DH_zpsad549b9b.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/11-JK-DH_zpsc7669006.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/13-JK-DH_zps3db765f3.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/12-JK-DH_zpsd1dbafb2.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/16-JK-DH_zps6b37c51a.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/18-JK-DH_zpsd7ae64f7.jpg

 

Technically speaking, both are Twin Pens…

 

If one notices, all three pens have no clips. These pens are designed as desk pens. The length is forbidding; one just cannot carry them in one’s pocket; or even otherwise carry them along. So, these are not daily carry pens. The other reason for clips being ‘clipped’ in these pens is that these pens also doubled as rulers or more precisely, “roller rulers.”

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/10-JK-DH_zpsc2025a15.jpg

 

Curiously, in the FP-BP Double-Barrel model that I have, made by Guider Pens, the common cap part has been bored through and one can see the light at the other end … and, the FP-FP Double-Barrel model, made by Deccan Pens, is shuttered in the middle … no light at the end of the tunnel …

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/15-JK-DH_zps2ebdf357.jpg

 

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/bambli_mass/20-JK-DH_zpse5483d0e.jpg

 

These pens were made specifically for use in government offices in India (and also study rooms in houses). One end would have either hold blue or black ink and the other end would invariably have red ink. One for writing, and one for correction. And these perfectly cylindrical pens could be used for drawing horizontal lines in books; one could just “roll” the pen down the sheet and “rule” the page, so to speak. The pen need not be lifted from the page, just rolled along.

 

This kind of double purpose pen would have been envisaged during the colonial period, maybe even earlier, and would have continued for another 20-30 years after independence. Sheets would have been line-less and needed to be ‘ruled,’ and instead of a thin flat slat, a long cylindrical ruler might have seemed a better option. Those days, I am sure, both pens would have been fountain pens, and the ball-point pen option is a comparatively recent innovation.

 

I had reviewed my two Double-Barrel FPs on FPN long back, as I mentioned earlier in this post … the first one is the both-sides-FP model from Deccan Pens, Hyderabad, Telangana; and the second one is ‘one-side-FP’ and ‘other-side-BP’ model from Guider Pens, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh… and you can find them here…

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/71991-the-longest-pen/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/78177-slightly-longer-than-the-longest/

 

Thanks for looking and reading … your responses are welcome …

 

Regards,

 

shrujaya

[deepak23]

Have posted here about a vintage Seaman stick pen...

[hari317]

Nice post Jai and also for distinguishing the fundamental two approaches and coining the logical terms: Double barrel pen Vs Double headed pen. The concept of double pens is a very old one indeed and was quite popular in the olden days and is now all but forgotten and can be seen by some newbies as an innovation. Such recycling of ideas keep happening from time to time and the pen industry is no exception.

 

I also documented the Ratnamson version of the Ruler pen, I had called it the "Stick" pen:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/82804-ratnamson-stick-pen/

 

I also have some Deccan varieties with Ball pens at both ends and one particularly nice one with an exposed ballpoint at one end and a capped Fountainpen on the other end, it is a double headed pen.

 

Let me dig up the pens and will take some photos and post them.

 

Best

Hari

[hari317]

Have posted here about a vintage Seaman stick pen...

That is a wonderful pen that you have there Deepak.

 

I had missed seeing your thread about it, I digged it up.

 

Here is the link for those who may be curious about it:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/263347-is-it-a-stick-is-it-a-pen-no-its-a-seaman/

[vig2432]

I think ASAPens have made a better aesthetic version of a double pen

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asapens/16304393068

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asapens/16465400136

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asapens/16303677728

 

They have dubbed it the ASA Baton

[deepak23]

That is a wonderful pen that you have there Deepak.

 

I had missed seeing your thread about it, I digged it up.

 

Here is the link for those who may be curious about it:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/263347-is-it-a-stick-is-it-a-pen-no-its-a-seaman/

Thanks Hari for posting the link. Am currently browsing from a phone and its a pain adding links.

 

That pen is a 1940s vintage and was inked with red and black a befitting an accountants pen. The blacks of that era being gall based has corroded one nib. The red side is in good condition. Did not attempt any repair...

[hari317]

Sharing some pictures of my example of the double headed pen that I had purchased along with Shrujaya.

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0593.jpg

 

I love the way the pen maker has managed to lineup the ripple pattern between the barrel, and both the caps. All this for a princely sum of 300rs(5USD)

 

I have retrofitted my pen with a Schmidt nib unit on one end and a Pelikan nib unit on the other.

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0594.jpg

 

The most important usability figure of merit of any double headed pen is its length. With double barrel pens, the writer simply unscrews the desired pen off the centre piece and uses it in the normal fashion. Whereas with the double headed pen, the user has to carry the active pen and also the passive pen during writing, thus it is important that the total length of the pen be comfortable and not too long and unwieldy. The pen maker in this case, has displayed good common sense and has made the pen very compact.

 

The other pen is an Airmail 71JT:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0595.jpg

 

Uncapped:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0596.jpg

 

Schmidt end:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0597.jpg

 

Pelikan end:

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0598.jpg

 

Cheers!

Hari

[hari317]

On the topic of double sided pens, here are some examples of the Deccan pens in my collection. The first one is a FP+BP combo, very cleverly designed, it is compact, elegant and functional. It can be directly held in generic desk tulips.

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0599.jpg

 

In length comparison with my daily user Pilot Desk pen:

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0600.jpg

 

The FP end:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0601.jpg

 

The BP end:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0602.jpg

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0603.jpg

 

The next one is a double barrel type ruler ball pen made by Deccan, designed to take the larger ISO G2 standard refills.

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0606.jpg

 

Cheers!

Hari

[hari317]

Finally here are some examples of the double sided Ebonite ball pens. These used to be quite popular and can still be seen used in some post offices with blue and red refills at either ends.

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0604.jpg

 

The top one is a vintage ball pen found in the famous Pandora's bag, the contents of which are slowly being documented by subbucal, needless to say, this pen was a gift from him to me.

 

The bottom pen with the brand BELIEVE was given to me by Mr. Krishnamurthy of Meenakshi pens in Bangalore.

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/DoublePen/IMG_0605.jpg

 

People outside of India might find the brown pen in the picture above very interesting, it has a metallic loop at the end, so that a thread can be tied to it and the pen hung from a nail on the wall/counter, typically found in the olden days in banks and such where pens tended to walk off.

 

Cheers!

Hari

[pelman]

Lovely pens Jai and Hari. Thanks for the history. Next time I make it to India will have to do some hunting.

[strictlyobiter]

I have the sudden urgent need for a double barrel Indian pen they are so intriguing!

[flummoxed]

Jai and Hari, thanks for this lovely post and helping the rest of us with the differences between the kind of pens. I'm in Hyderabad over the next weekend for a wedding, could you kindly share the location of this shop close to the Deccan store?

[shrujaya]

Hari...you keep excelling yourself ... your documentation and analysis of these double pens are of great historical value to all of us ...

 

The lining up of the ripple pattern on the double-header is really enchanting and gives the pen a seamless look, makes the pen look like just a beautiful ebonite rod, with no inkling of the treasures hidden inside ... and its true worth ... I am very happy that you mentioned this ... and yes, for Rs.300, it delivers more than its worth ...

 

Your analysis of the relative merits of length of the double-header and double-barrel pens is enlightening and it shows the innate common sensical approach of the pen-maker ...

 

The other Deccan double pens in your collection that you have showcased here and also the fact that you dug out Deepak's post of his grandfather's Seaman sick pen and given us the link have added tremendous value to this thread and you have made this post into a one-stop shop for Indian double pens ... I remember seeing an elderly gentleman working in the neighbourhood post office who had this brown ebonite double-side ball pens with red at one and blue at the other and he used it so efficiently flipping ends with ease ... and who in India can forget the pen with the loop at the end, found especially in post offices and banks ...

 

Thanks so much, Hari ...

[shrujaya]

Dear flummoxed...thanks for the response...I am sorry I wasn't watching my post for some time and I missed your query ... all right, when you come out of Deccan Pen Stores at Abids, you take a right turn and go down the road and and this shop is also on your right ... for some inexplicable reason, I didn't notice the name of the shop ... we just saw the display case and entered the shop ... I hope you find what you are looking for ... good luck ...

[shrujaya]

Thanks Deepak for pitching in and mentioning your grandfather's Seaman Stick pen here ... I somehow missed your post, and now thanks to Hari, I could get the link ...

 

Thanks Jayant ... next time you are in Hyderabad, give me a shout, we shall hunt as a pair ...

 

Thanks strictlyobiter ... ha ha ha ... I can understand that urgent need ... same happens here most of the times I see pics of Indian pens ... and these double barrel pens are intriguing ...

 

shrujaya

[flummoxed]

Dear flummoxed...thanks for the response...I am sorry I wasn't watching my post for some time and I missed your query ... all right, when you come out of Deccan Pen Stores at Abids, you take a right turn and go down the road and and this shop is also on your right ... for some inexplicable reason, I didn't notice the name of the shop ... we just saw the display case and entered the shop ... I hope you find what you are looking for ... good luck ...

Thank you! Bought a lovely Deccan Author and a few other accessories, had a lovely time with the patient folk at the store (he had one left). It was a very hard choice between the the big white acrylic Advocate, the metal capped Advocate and this one. He mentioned the custom pen Hari ordered for the Pelican nib a while ago.

 

My plans went awry as I spent more time at the Abid's store itself and had about 30 minutes before I had to catch the bus at Secunderabad. Next time around I'll try and explore the area around, I really want a the double ended one. It looks beautiful.

[hari317]

My plans went awry as I spent more time at the Abid's store itself and had about 30 minutes before I had to catch the bus at Secunderabad.

 

This is a usual thing at Deccan.

[pelman]

Thanks Deepak for pitching in and mentioning your grandfather's Seaman Stick pen here ... I somehow missed your post, and now thanks to Hari, I could get the link ...

 

Thanks Jayant ... next time you are in Hyderabad, give me a shout, we shall hunt as a pair ...

 

Thanks strictlyobiter ... ha ha ha ... I can understand that urgent need ... same happens here most of the times I see pics of Indian pens ... and these double barrel pens are intriguing ...

 

shrujaya

Hello Jai,

 

I will take you up on the offer. It would be great to explore the city and visit these treasures that you and Hari keep talking about.

 

Of course my wife has been to Deccan a couple of times .

[flummoxed]

 

This is a usual thing at Deccan.

:-), after seeing the ball pen versions of the Bullet Jr., I'm really tempted to buy the FP version.

[mr dodo]

Hi there - I know I'm very late to this thread, but I was wondering if anyone knows if it's possible to order such pens online? I'm particularly interested in a double headed pen, but I certainly couldn't afford a trip to Hyderabad... They are beautiful.