The Montblanc, to the ordinary pen lover, is near synonymous with the 149 Meisterstück – black, larger-than-life, with a filling system that reflects the unending quest for perfection, nibs that define penmanship, with the snow-capped peak of the Montblanc mnemonic capping it all. It will not be an exaggeration to
Indian Fountain Pen design challenge – Prof Y Pitkar sounds the bugle. But are we ready to pick up the gauntlet? Here is a question. When was the last time you saw an Indian fountain pen manufacturer come to the market with a new fountain pen, designed and created
Bourbon. The House of Bourbons were a European dynasty of French origin. How they lent their name across the continent to America’s most potent brew is however, another story. Suffice to say, distilled from a mash made primarily of corn, Bourbon, to the world at large, is the American for
Death. Depression. Devastation. These are indeed difficult times. And I must commend the Inked Happiness for having not only broached the topic of depression, but for having, so eloquently at that, focussed on the light at the end of the tunnel. Let us accept that the first step towards victory
At its peak the Quartz Crisis reduced the number of Swiss watchmakers from 1600 to 600, and enabled Japan take over the lead in watchmaking – Clayton Christenson’s “The Innovator’s Dilemma” was playing out a full 20 years before its publication. Both in the crisis and their subsequent recovery, there
S Mordan & Co – the story of a sterling dip pen in Calcutta. The Dip Pen, also called the nib pen, was the predecessor of our fountainpens. Dip pens, in their turn, had started becoming popular in the early 19th century when they had replaced the quills and in
East India LE 2020 chalks a first for Indian pen lovers The Indian fountain pen manufacturers are a risk averse lot, say the apologists. Ask the critics and one is greeted with a fusillade of sterner stuff – that they have zero research and development; are content only with
Sanjeev Narula, R P Traders and the elusive “Kalkatta” Fountain Pens! The local trains, that ferry daily passengers to and from their workplaces in Kolkata have always fascinated me, among many things for the vendors – who carry trinkets of every conceivable variety, ware, that they peddle with some of
The international handwriting day, sponsored by WIMA (the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association), is celebrated every 23 January and represents an opportunity to honour a passion that unites more and more people who consider the act of writing as a way to express their innermost thoughts and feelings. Aurora, an industry-leading
Karishma Siddique Roy. Loreto. Jadavpur University. RJ in All India Radio. Curator of Rock Notes. Manager of Musical Bands. Marriage to a Mandolin player. Ownership of a Sustainable Clothing and Accessories Brand. Designer of own line (or should it be destiny?). I guess, life doesn’t get any more exciting than
Nib Manufacturing in India – the past Knowing of my interest in fountain pens, several acquaintances have drawn my attention to a recent story done by BBC, on how India’s artisanal fountain pens are making a mark. It is a natural Indian proclivity to recognize something only when the West
Anupam Bharatiya – the fountain pen with the Nawabi Tehzeeb, refinement that was Anupam, yet Bharatiya! My search for fountain pens that were made in India, the desire to document their history and add some to my collection wherever possible, takes me to myriad places. Sometimes the cache of
