Mumbai Pen Shops

[vibs]

It was a holiday for my office this Friday and I went off to hunt pens and took my camera along. I decided to take snaps of the pen shops I frequent regularly and make a kind of Photo Documentary about the pen shops in Mumbai. Some of them are not so well known but sometimes you can find some good pens.

 

Most of the pen shops are concentrated in the southern part of Mumbai particularly in the Fort area. Generally I travel on my trusty Enfield Bullet and park it near VT (Victoria Terminus) station. From there walking towards a place called the Flora Fountain both the sides of the road are lined with a sprinkling of pen shops. The first good shop on the left is the Mitha Pen mart owned by Mr. Taher. He generally has good vintage as well as modern pens on display. He repairs pens himself and is a master pen engraver. Yesterday he had on display for sale a vintage Omas, a snorkel filling PFM, some Parker 75s, some GF MBs and a Duofold.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Mitha/IMG_0639.jpg

 

They are also the service collection centre for Parker pens.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Mitha/IMG_0633.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Mitha/IMG_0635.jpg

 

Mr. Taher showing me a PFM:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Mitha/IMG_0637.jpg

 

 

 

The next shop you can't miss to notice is the Apsara Pen Mart bang opposite Flora Fountain. This shop has been around in the same place from the 1940's. They usually have a nice collection of moderns and a separate vintage pen chest. Yesterday they had about 50 NOS Sheaffer No-Nonsense pens in original blister packing at a throwaway price of approx 4USD. Of course, I picked up three.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Apsara/IMG_0642.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Apsara/IMG_0646.jpg

 

The Vintage pens' chest, They had some nice Duofolds, but were pricey.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Apsara/IMG_0643.jpg

 

The No-Nonsense pens, notice the blister cards at the back.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Apsara/IMG_0644.jpg

 

 

In the lane adjacent to Apsara pen mart called the Nagindas Master Lane is another reliable shop called the Shukla pen mart. I had bought my NOS old style Pelikan M800 from him at a very reasonable price. Yesterday he had only moderns. He keeps the entire waterman range.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/shukla/IMG_0649.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/shukla/IMG_0650.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/shukla/IMG_0652.jpg

 

 

There is a large wholesale Stationery market in Mumbai which caters to the needs of the whole of India. This is located in on the Abdul Rahman street, bang opposite Crawford Market. Needless to say there are lots of shops here who have been doing business for more than 60 yrs and they do sometimes entertain pen lovers and even sell them a couple of pens at wholesale rates.

 

The first shop on the left is Enayat Ali and Sons

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0682.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0679.jpg

 

Adjacent to it is the Bombay Fountain Pen depot from who I have bought my Rotring 600 with 18K nib and various Watermans at fantastic rates.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0677.jpg

 

Yesterday he showed me this Chinese pen that had a lever in the feed to floss out the nib slit!

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0680.jpg

 

 

Two shops away is the sole national distributor of Airmail pens, Vrajlal. Whatever Airmail pen has been made, you can find it here.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0676.jpg

 

 

A little further away to the left on the Sutar Chawl lane is a shop called Pen Point owned by Mr. Pradeep Gala. He has a good collection of Pelikans, and sometimes vintages also turn up with him as consignment sales.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0675.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pen%20Stores/Pen%20point%20etc/IMG_0672.jpg

 

 

There are a lot of other good pen shops also in Mumbai. I hope you enjoyed this little Pen Tour of Mumbai as much as I enjoy on every weekend.

 

Cheers,

Hari

Can anyone help me with shops like this in New Delhi ?

[goldfinger]

Wow, great pictures!

[vp31]

For all the FP & accessories lovers in Mumbai.

Manoj Pen Mart is having a display inks, inkpots, inkwells & accessories from a collector, Yashwant Pitkar from 3rd to 8th March 2014.

 

 

 

Couple of pics from the display (sorry abt the quality of the pic)-

 

Pen holder with natural semi precious stones at the base.

 

 

 

Ink wells-

 

 

 

From Manoj Pen Mart's shop-

Faber Castell's 2011 pen of the Year

 

 

 

 

[Revolution]

Can anyone help me with shops like this in New Delhi ?

 

I need help here in Kolkata too.

I have a very old WingSung pen and I'm looking for inexpensive colorful permanent ink.

Tried to find Chelpark,Brill but failed even Kolkata's own Suekha not available.

Only found Camlin and expendive ugly Parker(made in India).

I think cheap FP from Indian brands like Wality,Airmail,Camlin,Chelpark,Artex are way better that Parker.

[sannidh]

It was a holiday for my office this Friday

 

I remember this post as the first one I read in FPN. I have visited most of them - Apsara, Mitha, Shukla, Enayat Ali, Bombay FP Depot and the many in Crawford market after reading this post.

 

Recently I had bought a pelikan-4001 ink bottle from Abbas's store (beside Apsara) for Rs 125 (~ USD 2). Gradually they are shifting from vintage pens. I was inquiring a vintage parker 51 when he replied 'Ab ye sab mein logon ka interest nahin hai' (Translation - "People are not interested in vintage stuff any more")

 

To my utter surprise, yesterday I came across the article in WSJ India on the falling demand of vintage pens in India:

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/10/05/writing-is-on-the-wall-for-indias-fountain-pen-stallholders/

Edited October 6, 2014 by soniknitr

[gwyneddd]

Thanks for the photo tour. You make me want to visit Mumbai again. I had two trips for work (no time to shop except they manage to take you to a rug shop, somehow...) Those pen stores are amazing. I love Indian shops--it's like nothing on the outside, then Aladdin's cave of treasures on the inside, in glass cases. And they give you glasses of that addictive chai. What a country. Amazing place.

[cjpandya]

Thanks a lot! Because of you i discovered this treasure trove! Will surely visit the stores ASAP!

[Dickkooty2]

I just found this great post and forwarded it to a friend returning to India after 10 years ebsence (education, work). He will be living in Mumbai and I think he may find the shops interesting.

 

Thank you for this excellent report!

[Dhananjay]

Hi,

Very nice article. I hope to see A.R.street soon. Please help me in following queries.

1) I just recently purchsed Jinhao Fountain Pens X-750,X-450 and 159. Out of these X-450 writes really well (others are also doing good, I am happy with all these three pens) .X-450 has broad smooth and inky nib. I want to purchase same kind of nib? may i get jinhao or other company of same quality nib in mumbai ??? If any one knows place please tell me.

 

2) Please mention where i will get dark blue and red colour ink ??? Now I have Parker quink,Chelpark and Camlin.

 

thanks.

[sannidh]

Hi,

Very nice article. I hope to see A.R.street soon. Please help me in following queries.

1) I just recently purchsed Jinhao Fountain Pens X-750,X-450 and 159. Out of these X-450 writes really well (others are also doing good, I am happy with all these three pens) .X-450 has broad smooth and inky nib. I want to purchase same kind of nib? may i get jinhao or other company of same quality nib in mumbai ??? If any one knows place please tell me.

 

2) Please mention where i will get dark blue and red colour ink ??? Now I have Parker quink,Chelpark and Camlin.

 

thanks.

 

Try Apsara or Shukla Pen mart for Waterman - blue black or Pelikan - Red. (225 - 400 Rs)

Else you can find some in flipkart too, for Pelikan Edelstein Range (it will be priced at around 1000-1200).

Edited January 3, 2015 by soniknitr

[Dhananjay]

Hi soniknitr,

Thanks. I will try to visit these shops.

Dhananjay

[defaux]

I enjoyed your little tour of the pen market in India. A beautiful country with a great visual guide you have created. This is definitely getting pinned and if I ever visit India I will dig this thread back up

[Dhananjay]

Hi,

Few months a back I went to mumbai at fort and crawford market area to purchase broad nib FP. my main purpose was to purchase chinese pen like Hero , Jinhao. Except Manoj pen shop I had visited almost every shop. Totally in one day I visited nearly 25 to 35 shops at various locations from fort to abdul rahman street but i dont get single Jinhao pen. I saw some Jinhaos at some shops but its original nib, feed and cap was exchanged with duplicate one. when I ask for broad nib most of shopkeeper show either Lamy or pierre cardin president FP or very expensive FPs.

Finally I purchased some very impressive and inexpensive chinese Gel pen 'Baoke'.

Right now i want to purchase Pilot Metropolitan FP medium nib ,black barrel with twisting converter. I do not want to purchase it online. If any body know a shop in Mumbai, who sell this pen, please let me know.

[Dhananjay]

hi,

Please suggest me a shop in Mumbai for following,

i) Pelikan 4001 inks Brilliant Series

2) Platinum Preepy medium

3) Premium fountain pen from Pelikan

4) JoWo broad nibs or any broad Fp (no Lamy, parker, sheffer etc.)

5) Pilot Metropoltan and 78 G.

6) Pilot disposable varsity FPs.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Dhananjay

[sannidh]

hi,

Please suggest me a shop in Mumbai for following,

i) Pelikan 4001 inks Brilliant Series

2) Platinum Preepy medium

3) Premium fountain pen from Pelikan

4) JoWo broad nibs or any broad Fp (no Lamy, parker, sheffer etc.)

5) Pilot Metropoltan and 78 G.

6) Pilot disposable varsity FPs.

 

Why don't you pay a visit to Apsara Pen Mart and Shukla pen mart on a working day (Sunday Closed) ?..They are located in Fort, near Kitab Khana. I am sure at least 1,2,3 & 6 will be met

[Maurizio]

Bookmarked. Permanently.

Just discovered this old and excellent post.

 

Ditto bookmarked in my fountain pen list.

Edited May 17, 2015 by Maurizio

[Julia161]

Wonderful report! Thank you! Now I urgently need to visit India

[hari317]

Just discovered this old and excellent post.

 

Ditto bookmarked in my fountain pen list.

 

 

Wonderful report! Thank you! Now I urgently need to visit India

 

Thank you.

[Ahmad Kareem]

A great post. Will definitely visit these stores when I am in Mumbai next time

[mehandiratta]

Can anyone help me with shops like this in New Delhi ?

I will.. Let me compile this