Hunting for old FPs in Kolkata, India - ramblings

[rahulg]

Hi Ron,

 

Thanks for the kind words. Very glad to know you liked the post. It's a good thing one can find dilapidated shops and establishments such as these still manage to stay afloat, thanks to the interest and patronage of a few pen nuts. Though the numbers are dwindling with each passing day, vintage pen shops, and the good folk running such places and corners somehow manage to restore one's faith in a city perpetually at odds with its own "modernity".

 

Best,

Rahul

[akrishna59]

what an interesting and touching post(s).

 

i really appreciate the work that must have gone into all this. very well written and the photo adds to it.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

[da vinci]

Great post and thanks for sharing - it is always interesting to hear about members "ramblings"!

[Subhradeep]

Very nice post RahulDa......Really helpful...I will surely go for that shop !!

[pb2au]

Hi Ron,

 

Thanks for the kind words. Very glad to know you liked the post. It's a good thing one can find dilapidated shops and establishments such as these still manage to stay afloat, thanks to the interest and patronage of a few pen nuts. Though the numbers are dwindling with each passing day, vintage pen shops, and the good folk running such places and corners somehow manage to restore one's faith in a city perpetually at odds with its own "modernity".

 

Best,

Rahul

 

Rahul, just read this thread. It really brought back memories. I have spent most of my life in Canada but have most of my family in Kolkata. I have visited there a number of times. I love that city. Unfortunately, it has been some six years since I was last there. Your thread has left me with yet another reason to return.

 

Best to you and your family for 2012.

 

Cheers

 

Sanj

[smodak]

bhaba jai na - oshadharon!!! Ebar ami kolkatai gele ei shob jaiga gulote oboshoi jaabo.

[suparba]

I want to gift my boyfriend a nice fountain pen on this coming 14th feb.I am from kolkata,and i really din't have any idea where i could get to buy that.Your post was really helpful,Thank you :-)

But as much I know,he have some preferences and was saying about some "Sheffield's" fountain pen.Now my question is,did he really meant "Sheffield's" or he mistaken it with "scheffers" pen?? plz give a reply.And thank you,again. :-)

[suparba]

I want to gift my boyfriend a nice fountain pen on this coming 14th feb.I am from kolkata,and i really din't have any idea where i could get to buy that.Your post was really helpful,Thank you :-)

But as much I know,he have some preferences and was saying about some "Sheffield's" fountain pen.Now my question is,did he really meant "Sheffield's" or he mistaken it with "scheffers" pen?? plz give a reply.And thank you,again. :-)

i can't directly ask him,as it should be a surprise.

[Albertine]

I was only in Kolkata for a day. I had a good time but your post really brings home how different it must be to wander the city as a lone male vs. as a lone female. I visited the Hogg Market and I was hounded by so many touts that I had to leave. They wouldn't stop following me, no matter if I ignored them or told them off, and I couldn't stop at a shop without having a small crowd of men gather round, pestering me with questions and very aggressive offers to escort me along to a different store.

 

I've regretted not seeing more people selling/using FPs in India. I only ran into one FP user, at a mountaineering institute where I was trying to find out about going on a trek.

[fatbrownguy]

Thanks for the post. I am going to Kolkata in winter and was planning on checking some pen stores. I remember getting a Sheaffer (now sadly lost to the vagaries of time) from a store at the intersection of Harrison Road and College Street.

[grenadilla]

Thanks for the tour . Are there any Indian-made pens being sold in the U.S. ? There must be some like the numerous Chinese Parker Sonnet copies.

[Emu]

Thanks, Rahul. I already want to spend a week or two in Kolkata, but now I need to think about having enough time for pen hunting along with eating and finding concerts to attend.

[kb.fpn]

Hi Rahul,

 

Thanks for the nice write-up. Just been to College Pen Forum at College Street. The contact number of CPF has however changed. The new numbers are: +919804786752, +918017714279.

 

Kaushik.

[rahulg]

Thanks for the update, Kaushik. Duly noted.

[Anirban4u]

I swear to visit the 3 places and get back with a few snaps. It's gonna be a treasure hunt

But I have a simple question, does Kolkata have only 3 stores now ? (not counting malls and outlets)

[subbucal]

Cant say that...Kolkata is a very old city...full of surprises...you will enjoy your pen hunt. Also, burrabazaar has a wholesale pen market...you may find some pens there too...

[Anirban4u]

Cant say that...Kolkata is a very old city...full of surprises...you will enjoy your pen hunt. Also, burrabazaar has a wholesale pen market...you may find some pens there too...

 

hmm, burrabazar is a huge labyrinth.. Any specific area?

[subbucal]

i do not remember the name of the market....its the place where the plastic wholesale mkt is there....in bygone days the crackers used to be sold from here...also the wholesale baloon mkt is there...think bangri mkt or some thing...am out of calcutta for a decade now...

[Anirban4u]

i do not remember the name of the market....its the place where the plastic wholesale mkt is there....in bygone days the crackers used to be sold from here...also the wholesale baloon mkt is there...think bangri mkt or some thing...am out of calcutta for a decade now...

Will post my findings when I visit Kolkata Next month, I shall be looking for the Holy Grail (Duofolds and 51s (restored)) and Solomon's Treasure (old sheaffers). [ And dump perhaps all my salary into it .]

 

Can sum fellow seeker give this rookie any tips on his first voyage?

[sanyalsoumitra]

learning from this page, I went and paid a visit to Riyaz & Imtiaz Ali today at their shop- fine gentlemen with good knowledge of pens. They showed me many pens including six vintage Sheafer and Waterman pens, priced at Rs. 5000/- to Rs. 7000/-, well preserved conditions. One was in mint condition. I did not carry so much cash. But I picked up two vintage pilots, one Reynold pen and one Senator [ probably model 267] pens all for Rs 2600. As we became carried away in conversation I paid them Rs. 2000/ extra and forgot about it. Later came home and was trying to positively ID the senator for model number, when I called Riyaz on phone. That is the time he told me about the excess payment, perfect gentlemen as they are! But for ID they told me they do not keep track of low priced pen model numbers. I know now where to find some good vintage pens. Other than they 20 or so vintages, they have some contemporary Chinese pens just to serve the regular customers. I wanted some Her 332 caps and barrels, he could give me those for a token price. Here are the links to those pens photos- please could someone ID these pen models for me ?

 

 

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/98071903/IMG_0007.JPG

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/98071903/IMG_0008.JPG

 

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/98071903/IMG_0009.JPG

 

Best regards

Soumitra