Are Fountain Pens Now Considered "contraband" In India?

[mehandiratta]

  On 6/15/2015 at 6:43 AM, Dhruv_Sood said:

The pen was for $550. It has ruthenium clip and ruthenium plated nib.

Initially when I placed the order with the dealer, it was for Neo Standard in kuro-tamenuri finish with fine nib. He didn't have that so he offered me a piccolo long in kuro-tamenuri finish with EF hold nib. When I had paid for it and he checked his stock, the pen was damaged and offered me another pen with 2-tone fine nib without any extra charge or EF ruthenium plated nib. I took the ruthenium one and he absorbed the extra cost.

Dhruv amazing pen... nib looks dashing.. m sure it writes extremely well...

Have you taken it for a test run.... show us your hand sample tooo....

[Dhruv_Sood]

Umm okay. I haven't really written a lot of text using the pen, just solved a few questions, i'll post a snapshot of that which should be enough to see how the pen writes.

 

http://i1.minus.com/j3DXC88UK62pV_e.jpg

http://i1.minus.com/jm2bhE3YHst5h_e.jpg

 

I write small hence the EF nib.

Pen: Nakaya Long Piccolo Kuro-Tamenuri

Nib: EF

Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Ink Tsuki-Yo (Moonlight)

[mehandiratta]

  On 6/15/2015 at 11:45 AM, Dhruv_Sood said:

Umm okay. I haven't really written a lot of text using the pen, just solved a few questions, i'll post a snapshot of that which should be enough to see how the pen writes.

 

http://i1.minus.com/j3DXC88UK62pV_e.jpg

http://i1.minus.com/jm2bhE3YHst5h_e.jpg

 

I write small hence the EF nib.

Pen: Nakaya Long Piccolo Kuro-Tamenuri

Nib: EF

Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Ink Tsuki-Yo (Moonlight)

Thanks....You write really fine...

[InkDabber]

Okay...i am officailly flattered....The Nakaya looks awesome. I am sure the pictures dont do justice to the lovely tamenuri finish.

I did get a chance to see one in person but didnt really know the "value" back then. How i regret my old careless self... :unsure:

[Dhruv_Sood]

To be honest, photos and pictures cannot do any sort of justice to the pen. You need to pick it up and write with it to appreciate it properly.

 

I will be buying a Platinum Izumo Yagumonuri in August which had a limited release of 300 pens in 2013, that should be really good.

[deepak23]

Lovely pen, (drooling). 550USD is a bit too steep for me :-(

 

On topic. Has someone got the pens from Japan, or is it still in limbo?

[Frank C]

  On 6/14/2015 at 6:58 PM, Dhruv_Sood said:

 

I'll be buying Platinum Izumo Yagumonuri sometime in the next 2-3 months. That'll be it for now, won't be buying any new pens for the next 2 years minimum.

 

 

I really like my Nakayas. I have been thinking about getting a Platinum Izumo for some time. The Yagumonuri is a very special pen and not much more than the regular Izumos. Which nib will you get? As for pen moratoria, they never seem to work for me.

[Dhruv_Sood]

Nakaya's are good, i believe it's the best pen i ever owned, the EF nib works flawlessly and the ink flow is just right. I wanted a Maki-e pen so i was divided between Izumo Yagumonuri and Namiki Nippon Art Chinese Phoenix, i choose this one since it's maki-e design appeal to me more and unlike most of the other maki-e out there, it's not too flashy and very subtle. Another factor that made me choose this over the Namiki is the length of the pen, it's significantly longer than the Namiki and i like longer pens. I am getting a fine nib since EF is was not released by Platinum. I don't know how CFP is selling EF nib.

 

You should get it too, it's a really good pen and only 300 were ever made. Why do you plan to buy your Izumo from? CFP considering your location?

 

On-Topic: Try importing pens by asking the seller to declare the pen as "Stationary-Pen" and not as "Fountain Pen". Not talking about under-declaring the price for customs.

[Frank C]

  On 6/19/2015 at 3:54 PM, Dhruv_Sood said:

Nakaya's are good, i believe it's the best pen i ever owned, the EF nib works flawlessly and the ink flow is just right. I wanted a Maki-e pen so i was divided between Izumo Yagumonuri and Namiki Nippon Art Chinese Phoenix, i choose this one since it's maki-e design appeal to me more and unlike most of the other maki-e out there, it's not too flashy and very subtle. Another factor that made me choose this over the Namiki is the length of the pen, it's significantly longer than the Namiki and i like longer pens. I am getting a fine nib since EF is was not released by Platinum. I don't know how CFP is selling EF nib.

 

You should get it too, it's a really good pen and only 300 were ever made. Why do you plan to buy your Izumo from? CFP considering your location?

 

On-Topic: Try importing pens by asking the seller to declare the pen as "Stationary-Pen" and not as "Fountain Pen". Not talking about under-declaring the price for customs.

 

Sorry about the off-topic post. I feel sorry for you; we have so few restrictions in the USA. I would purchase it from CFP, nibs.com. I buy most of my pens from them. They check each pen to make sure it writes prior to mailing it out. As such, I have only had one problem pen from them and they very quickly repaired it. I have seen them at the Los Angeles Pen Show on several occasions. They are nice people and really interested in Fountain pens. John Mottishaw, the owner, was a metal sculptor before getting into the fountain pen business. He is a very well-known nib tuner. I took most of my Pelikans to the LA Show in February. He examined every one and tuned those that needed it. His fee was very reasonable. I have told him that if he sells a given pen, I will buy it from him. I might save a few dollars ordering by somewhere else, but if the pen does not work well, I'll end up spending any savings to get it repaired, anyway.

[Dhruv_Sood]

Yes, i know their procedure. I was about to order from them but they refused to under-declare the selling price for me so i could avoid customs. Hence, i ordered from another dealer who agreed do the same. I don't about a few dollar but i am saving $150 by not ordering this particular pen from nibs.com. If you do end up buying it, do tell him how they got a EF nib for this, platinum never released it. Unless ofcourse he made it out of F nib.

 

Edit: yes, we have too many restrictions and most of them are stupid.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Dhruv_Sood

[Frank C]

  On 6/19/2015 at 4:24 PM, Dhruv_Sood said:

Yes, i know their procedure. I was about to order from them but they refused to under-declare the selling price for me so i could avoid customs. Hence, i ordered from another dealer who agreed do the same. I don't about a few dollar but i am saving $150 by not ordering this particular pen from nibs.com. If you do end up buying it, do tell him how they got a EF nib for this, platinum never released it. Unless ofcourse he made it out of F nib.

 

Edit: yes, we have too many restrictions and most of them are stupid.

 

The Izumo pens in their photo shows a Platinum President nib. In the President section, they say:

 

"The President Black with gold trim comes standard with any of Platinum's full range of smooth President series 18k two-tone nibs: Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad and Extra Broad. The nib is firm without being stiff. This makes it a delight to write with."

 

He has been authorized to do things with Platinum and Nakaya nibs that the company won't allow anyone else outside Japan to do. I guess that he can just substitute any President nib. I will clarify this with them if you want. I'm in the middle of an order for about six pens, now. I recently saw the page on stub nibs and ordered a few from him.

 

As for claiming the value for Customs, it is a Federal Offense to make a false statement to an official of the Federal Government. It is punishable by up to five years in Federal Prison. Martha Stewart and Khalid Sheikh Muhammad both went to prison for this. Dennis Hastert, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives is currently accused of this.

 

We also have lots of restrictions; many of them are over broad.

[Dhruv_Sood]

The Platinum site shows the same President Nib: http://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/fountain/e_fountain_izumo.html

 

I guess he regrounds it or something. But wouldn't that destroy the iridium tip?

 

I know under declaring the value is an offence, the same is here too. But the problem is, the duty increases the price of the pen by as much as 33%. i am not sure whether you'll understand this but there structure of customs in India is somewhat like this:

10% custom duty

20% CVD (countervailing duty)

Plus additional cess which brings it to 33% in most cases

 

It's the CVD which peeves me off. The purpose of this CVD is to protect the interest of the local makers who make the same products.

My argument is that the local makers are not qualified enough and will not be able to maintain the same quality standards as the products i am importing have, so when they can't make the same thing, what is this CVD still applicable? I don't see any Urushi work done by local makers.

And it's really not a big amount for the Government in most cases.

[maverink]

its sad that we cannot buy pens from japan

indian customs have their rules framed 100 yrs back

[Dhruv_Sood]

I will receive my Pilot Custom 823 Tomorrow which was shipped on July 1. It's at my local post office right now and passed customs in less than 5 minutes as per tracking. No custom duty.

No problems in Japan either and I am using EMS.

[Sudhir]

My sincere hanks to all the helpful comments/suggestions in response to this post. I am happy that I was not the only one and as I wrote in response to another post, this is the reality we have to face till some sense is knocked in the heads of those who decide such things.

 

FP collectors are a niche group and this is a niche hobby, so I guess we need to put up with such nonsense from people who do not understand our passion for this hobby.

 

I have made my peace with it and just value my FPs more if I go through some ordeal in getting them...

 

Cheers

Sudhir

 

P.S. Thanks also for the spirited discussion and eye-candy in the off-topic posts. I understand it is easy to get carried away and I enjoyed it too.

[maverink]

  On 6/15/2015 at 11:45 AM, Dhruv_Sood said:

Umm okay. I haven't really written a lot of text using the pen, just solved a few questions, i'll post a snapshot of that which should be enough to see how the pen writes.

 

http://i1.minus.com/j3DXC88UK62pV_e.jpg

http://i1.minus.com/jm2bhE3YHst5h_e.jpg

 

I write small hence the EF nib.

Pen: Nakaya Long Piccolo Kuro-Tamenuri

Nib: EF

Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Ink Tsuki-Yo (Moonlight)

dhruv how does it compare to a 3776???

[maverink]

  On 6/6/2015 at 4:08 PM, mehandiratta said:

and on top of that if you try to place order on global rakuten for fountain pens.

they dont accept it because of the above said reasons....

 

i bought a 845 from rakuten last week n got it delivered this week @ a jcool price

[Dhruv_Sood]

  On 7/15/2015 at 4:32 PM, maverink said:

dhruv how does it compare to a 3776???

Hi,

 

Sorry, but i have never used a 3776. I don't own any Platinum pens either. I passed up on an opportunity to acquire a Platinum Izumo a couple of weeks ago to get a Hakase.

Just in case any one is interested.

 

http://i.minus.com/jR50QBYYNByPd.PNG

[ayush12345]

Just checking up on old topics which still apply today. I was planning to order from pensachi.com and got to know they had stopped shipping products to India. Upon requesting clarification, they said that a few post offices dont accept fountain pen shipments addressed to India. This is not something new and is probably in the making for more than 7 decades. I found a rather recently crafted article explaining the reason.

 

Livemint

 

I hope this changes soon.

Edited July 10, 2021 by ayush12345