The Chennai Pen Show 2026 – Rahul Gupta & Pen Galaxy
Rahul Gupta has been quietly carving out a niche for himself as a dealer of antique and vintage writing instruments for close to a decade now. He had started what he calls “this learning process” and has, with resolute hard work, built up an enviable position in the trade with many satisfied customers spread across the farthest ends of the fountain pen and ink community.
Rahul is a constant fixture in the Fountain Pen Shows, and it was no surprise that he was there, greeting customers, his smile firmly fixed on his face. He had the usual spread – gems from the past that included all major names from Parker, Sheaffer and Pelikan to Montblanc, Sailor, and Pilot. Vintage Pens that are less easily available, be that a Swan or a Wahl-Eversharp, or an Esterbrook, or rare finds like Writ and Conway Stewart were also there in his repertoire. Naturally, the crowd around his stall was always thick, with connoisseurs pouring over in search of their grail pens.
Rahul Gupta and Pen Galaxy also have some exquisite Collector’s Edition fountain pens, which, though they come with mind-boggling price tags, are a real treat. If you ever happen to be at his stall or shop, make sure to ask him to show you. And yes, for the disbelieving, there are more takers for such works of art than one is willing to believe!
There were two new things this year at the Pen Show, though. For one, Rahul was showcasing many Parker pens, and though I wanted to, I could not ascertain whether he had taken up an agency / dealership of the brand, in which case, I need to revisit him, for who can resist the temptation to add another Sonnet or a Parker 51 to the collection? The second thing was a bit of a dampener – he had whole cases full of Chinese pens on display, hiding the antique and vintage pens as it were. Some old timers say that this was deliberate – an attempt to restrict the philistine from reaching out and touching the rare beauties, which he was saving for the discretion of the right eyes. Nonetheless, the cheap Chinese monstrosities, despite them moving briskly, were a tad bit of an eyesore.
Rahul has started his new outlet at the crossing of Camac Street and Park Street in Kolkata, and I am due to shoot an episode there. Please write in if you would like me to show some pieces from his collection as I visit him. Is there any particular pen you would like me to feature? Tell me, I am all ears.
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