Author

Sripal Jain

Born in a family that has deep roots in the world of stationery. I clearly remember my early days probably when I was just about 11 years old when we used to loiter around our stationery shop in Bangalore. Also, the memory of visiting one of my uncle's workshops where he used to manufacture ball pen refills always keeps me excited. One summer in the late 1990's we had just got our stocks of Staedtler fine liner pens and my granddad gave me one to try it. In a normal scenario my handwriting has always been ok types, but that day it was just awesome. More awesome was getting appreciated for it. I guess that's been the reason behind my career journey now. The trigger to have good handwriting is what got me into the business of fine writing instruments. Started Makoba Pens and Gifts store in 2009 and now after 11 years started this blog in 2020.

Gifting

Writing is a precious gift – Pass it on

by Sripal Jain August 14, 2021

Writing helps us to explore what our mind thinks. Our minds are super powerful, but the very fact that what we actually remember is actually just the tip of the iceberg. One can easily relate this to the saying ” Top of the mind recall”, well that’s what we all can really do. So, in that case, how are some business executives more successful/organized than others? I would attribute this to the skill of writing out your mind. Writing not only helps to make memory stronger, but it also acts as a backup plan to refer and recollect the mind space. In short words, Writing opens up the world. No wonder, Writing is a precious gift – pass it on.

Writing is a precious gift! — MONTBLANC 149 IN ACTION

Gifting a Montblanc pen to your business associates or loved ones creates a powerful impact.

The perfectly balanced weight, the smooth flow of the ink onto the paper – a Montblanc writing instrument delivers writing that is uniquely yours, leaving you to concentrate on what matters – what you want to write. Each is an icon of excellence and much more. Every Montblanc writing instrument is also the product of many great minds and skilled hands. One of the most luxury pen brands, Montblanc is right at the top among all the other pen brands.

That’s the inspiration to the current Logo of Montblanc – Epitome of the highest quality and utmost luxury. Unshaken for over a century now.

It is public knowledge that the current Montblanc emblem is the recreation of the aerial view of the Peak of snow-covered Mont Blanc. What’s fascinating is the rock-solid rich history it has created and the many more stories it will weave for generations to come. No wonder Montblanc products are a legacy, an heirloom that’s passed on for generations to rejoice.

Montblanc is the highest peak of the ALPS – 4810 meters. The current “Montblanc” was previously known as Simplo Filler pen company when it was founded in 1906.

Mont Blanc – Pens

Montblanc launched a lot of unique pens over the years and in 1924 the legendary model Montblanc Meisterstuck was released followed by the launch of the 149 fountain pen which became a style icon of its time.

Years passed and the Meisterstuck series along with the 149 fountain pen continued going strong which was personally used by President John F. Kennedy.

Coming back to the Montblanc Meisterstuck collection, let’s explore all the different families.

Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Red Gold

The luxury Montblanc meisterstück Classique red gold pen is a perfect gift option.

The pen is crafted from precious resin and red gold-coated fittings inlaid with a white Montblanc emblem. Each pen has an individual serial number.

The Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique red gold pen can be customized with individual names adding a personalized touch to your gift.

Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Gold

Similar in looks to the Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique red gold pen, the only difference is that this has yellow gold trims and fittings.

The Fountain pen is fitted with a 14KT solid gold nib which comes in various nib sizes and writes extremely smooth as other luxury pen brands. It’s one of the best fountain pens in India and across the globe.

When one thinks about the best luxury pens this brand is the first one that pops up.

The luxury Montblanc meisterstück Classique gold pen is the best option in branded pens for gifts that can be customized with a name over it.

Made of precious resin and gold plated fittings, placed in a luxurious box this is truly a piece of art.

Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Platinum

Three platinum-coated rings with embossed Montblanc name and a platinum-coated clip with individual serial numbers over a body made of precious resin and a lot of passion is what it takes to make a Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Platinum-Plated pen.

Montblanc pen refills and Montblanc ink bottles are available in various colors like Mystery Black, Pacific Blue, Amethyst purple, Fortune green, and many more.

The next collections in Montblanc are Starwalkers, Project M, Egyptomania, Boheme, Writers Editions, and Various Limited edition pens. These are for some other day. For now

For now, Writing is a precious gift – Pass it on

Visit Makoba Stores in Chennai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad to pick your best Diwali Gifts and New Year Gifts!!

Be part of the tradition of gifting a pen to the new generation. Check out the below links for some best gifting options in branded pens in India.

Best Executive fountain pens in India
Best beginners fountain pens in India
Best Gifts under Rs 10000 in India
Best Premium ball pens in India
Best Premium Pen brands in India

To know only about Montblanc pens in India, get in touch with us at the below WhatsApp link.

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August 14, 2021 0 comment

New Pen Launches

Montegrappa Mr. Monopoly Fountain Pen

by Sripal Jain April 20, 2021

MontegrappaMonopoly fountain pen set with its paraphernalia

We are excited to launch the Montegrappa Mr Monopoly fountain pen in India. Monopoly, a board game played by millions of families the world over for over 8 decades has been rightly dedicated with the launch of this limited edition pen.

The collaboration between Montegrappa and Monopoly has led to the creation of a masterpiece. A unique pen collection by Montegrappa and an actual board game that’s limited and unique as well.

The board game is made of solid wood that consists of a chest drawer that holds the currencies and the cards. A cavity in the center of the board holds the dice and other paraphernalia.

Montegrappa Monopoly open box with drawer

Monopoly board game was launched in 1935 and since then for over 85 years, it has united families for some fun time together at their homes. One of the most popular board games, Monopoly is played in every household worldwide and has evolved with the changing trends.

About the pen: The Montegrappa Mr. Monopoly is Limited to just 85 sets worldwide. The pen is made of pale green resin and is covered with a Silver sheet with the Mr.Monopoly theme. Specifications of the pen are as below.

MATERIAL: STERLING SILVER 925 & RESIN
TRIMS: STERLING SILVER 925
NIB: 18KT GOLD
FILLING SYSTEM: PISTON
PACKAGING: MONOPOLY BOARD GAME IN WOOD
LENGTH: 143MM
DIAMETER: 17MM
WEIGHT: 71 GMS
LIMITED TO 85 PIECES

Watch the below Unboxing of Montegrappa Mr.Monopoly fountain pen, right here in India. We are proud and excited at the exclusive launch.

Watch the unboxing of Montegrappa Mr. Monopoly Fountain pen.

Makoba, is the exclusive Importer of Montegrappa pens in India. Our previous successful launches were;

Buy or enquire about Montegrappa Monopoly fountain pen – Click here

At Makoba, we are confident of getting the best and most exclusive pens from international brands. Do let us know, of your dream pen or your wishlist by writing to us at sripal @ makoba.com. we will work on your wish list and try to fulfill them for you.

For latest updates tag along

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/makobaindia/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/makobaindia/

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April 20, 2021 0 comment

New Pen Launches

LEONARDO PURA FOUNTAIN PEN

by Sripal Jain March 26, 2021

Leonardo Pura collection fountain pen- Coming soon

The fountain pen connoisseurs are pretty excited with the various pre-launch info of Leonardo fountain pens since Jan 2021. One of the most exciting had been the rerun of the Leonardo Primary manipulation and the Leonardo Golden rule launch that happened in early March. Now the excitement is building up for Leonardo Pura Fountain pen.

LEONARDO PURA Collection – Momento zero Grande demonstrator

Leonardo Pura fountain pen is to be launched in 3 captivating transparent resins with a satin finish that enhances the internal soul of the “Pura” fountain pen. Composed with more than 20 manually worked details, “Pura” is carved out of a solid bar of resin, that make this writing instrument pleasant to the touch and exciting to the eye.

Salvadore chooses, vivid and vibrant colors Anthracite Gray, Aqua Blue, and Flame Orange to create this marvelous looking Leorano pura collection. To make the collection even more exciting, all three colors are created with trims that complement and add beauty and character to the fountain pen. Trims used are

• Palladium
• Yellow gold
• Ruthenium

Leonardo Pura fountain pen in translucent orange resin

Leonardo Pura fountain pen in translucent Gray resin with Gold trims — Leonardo Pura fountain pen in translucent orange resin

LEONARDO PURA NIB AND FILLING SYSTEM

The Leonardo Pura fountain pens are fixed with #6 size nibs with extra-resistant lamination for a greater smoother writing experience. These are friction assembled (not screwed) and easily removable. The fountain pen will be available in F, M, and B, grades of steel nib. The feed used in the pen is made of ebonite. In trend now, the ebonite feeder in the fountain pen is supposed to ensure a smooth flow of ink and a consistent writing experience. The inbuilt piston filling mechanism has a capacity of 1.5ml ink. Both the black ebonite feed and piston are produced inhouse.

THE PACKAGING

Each Leonardo Pura fountain pen is packed in an exclusive box with a complimentary bottle of Ink. It also includes the international warranty card.

NOTES:

The Pura collection is a Numbered edition but not a limited collection.
The fountain pen is handcrafted, it is possible to find micro turning marks inside the pen body and cap.

WHERE TO BUY LEONARDO PURA PEN

Expected price of the pura collection is about 27995.00

The Leonardo collection is expected to hit the Indian shores by mid of April 2021. To pre-book your Pura with your choice of nib drop an email at sripal @makoba.com or WhatsApp us here.

To check out all models of Leonardo pens click here

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March 26, 2021 1 comment

Fountain Pen reviews Fountain Pens

PILOT CUSTOM URUSHI VS MB149

by Sripal Jain March 20, 2021

The most exciting day in the life of every pen enthusiast. A day when he gets to experience and compares a PILOT CUSTOM URUSHI VS MB149. Today is my lucky day because I will also be comparing the already large nib pens with a new pen brand Leonardo from Italy.

Today on the comparison table is the Pilot Custom Urushi, Montblanc 149, and the L eonardo Dark Hawaii with #8 Nib.

Pen Comparison

At first glance, they are just majestic. The big daddy of fountain pens.

The feel of holding the Montblanc 149 is too mesmerizing. It kind of gives you the power and an adrenaline rush that pushes one to put this pen to work immediately. Made for people who want to make a statement. It is usually perceived, Montblanc 149 is made for people with larger palm sizes or who have a large build. This is not true completely. I personally feel it is the attitude with which you carry this pen that matters. I have a client who would be about 5.8 Ft tall and as slim as a model walking a ramp walk, but the way he carries the Montblanc 149 is magnificent. I reiterate, that attitude matters when using an MB 149.

Next is the all-encompassing Pilot Custom Urush i. When viewed individually it may feel to be similar in size to an MB 149. In reality, it’s bigger and a bit heavier too. To hold the Pilot custom Urushi is like holding a fine piece of Japanese workmanship. The fine contours at the ends smoothly merge with the flat top and the bottom. The Pilot Custom Urushi has a minimalistic aura around it, truly exhibiting the Japanese philosophy of simple and elegant designing.

New kid in the block!! Not any more. Leonardo has proved way beyond any speculation, it is the brand of the future. Within such a short span of time, Leonardo mas made a mark for itself in the world of fountain pens and has done exceptionally well. One of the most dynamic brands at present, launching new editions at the snap of a finger. On the comparison table with Pilot Custom Urshi, Montblanc 149 is the Momento Zero Grande. The first look impresses as it’s a bit slimmer in grith than the MB 149 and the Pilot Custom Urushi. In length, Leonardo Momento Zero Grande is a tad longer than the MB 149 and definitely smaller than the Pilot Custom Urushi in all aspects. Leonardo Momento Zero Grande is available in over a dozen shades of acrylic and ebonite. This model is also the preferred model for most of the Leonardo Special edition pens i.e Leonardo Musis, Leonardo Speranza, and Leonardo Pura. The grande series comes with an inbuild piston mechanism like the MB 149.

Nib Comparison

The most essential part of this article. Comparison of the large nib fountain pens.

PILOT CUSTOM URUSHI VS MB 149 VS Leonardo fountain pen nib closeup — Large-fountain-pen-Nib-Comparison-Open-photo_close-up

In Sheer size, all the three nibs look almost the same. The king-size nibs. But technically each brand calls its Nib differently. For example, the Pilot Urushi is a #30 Nib, The Montblanc 149 is a #9 Nib and the Leonardo Momento zero grande is a #8 Nib size. All three have their own respective writing characteristics.

The Nib in pilot custom urushi is made of solid 18KT gold and is a bit springy in nature and the tines split with slight pressure. for a seasoned fountain pen user, one can use the medium nib pen to get a broad writing style with variation in pressure.

Nib in Montblanc 149 is also made of 18KT solid gold. It’s a great pen to write for longer durations. The nib has a nice wet flow which is consistent. This iconic model from Montblanc is around since 1952 without any major design changes and still, even after 69 years it has the highest perceived value and is on the wishlist of most fountain pen users. Owning a 149 is an aspiration that can cost you around Rs 74000.00 in India. If you are looking to own one, get in touch with us and we would do the needful.

Now coming to the Leonardo MZ Grande with a #8 Nib. The nib is as large as its predecessors i.e Pilot and Montblanc. Leonardo #8 Nib is made of 14KT Solid gold. This nib is also comparable to Sailor King of Pens ( KOP) and the Pelikan M1000. It’s an extremely smooth nib that glides on paper.

FIRST IMPRESSION

This article was all about the first impressions and comparison of Pilot Custom Urushi VS MB149 and other large nibbed fountain pens. A detailed review of their nature of writing and impressions would be done at a future date.

To conclude, I would like to sum it up as it’s one hell of a buy. It is imperative that a fountain pen connoisseur has owned a large nib fountain pen or also called as King of Pens. You can choose any that fits your budget but do get your hands on one.

Happy Writing!!

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March 20, 2021 0 comment

Paper Trends

NAKABAYASHI NOTEBOOKS

by Sripal Jain March 15, 2021

Around the start of 2020, we came across this brand from Japan “Nakabayashi” which was marketing fountain pen-friendly notebooks. All fountain pen users are aware of the perils of using just any notebook with fountain pens and are always on the hunt for fountain pen-friendly paper or bookmakers. When we tried out Nakabayashi notebooks in Jan 2020 we were convinced it would be the next best thing that happened for fountain pen users.

As a trial and to understand the markets, we introduced the Notebooks at the Mumbai pen show in March 2020.

NAKABAYASHI NOTEBOOKS:

These books are also known as Logical prime and are available in 4-page styles and 2 formats i.e stitch bound and spiral bound.

6mm Ruled
7mm Ruled
Unruled or Plain
12mm Dot Grid

The outer of the book is bound with cardboard, harder than most of the other products thereby adding strength and stability to the product. Hardcover also enhances the performance of the product and makes it easier to use. The pages are made from a specially sourced pulp and are 75 GSM thick.

At the event, we got a good response from the FP community. Every fountain pen connoisseur who had tested the book ended up buying it. In fact, Nakabayashi books became a highlight of the show and every visitor did check it out.

Below are some writing samples from the book. The ink used is Leonardo from Italy and the Pen used was a Pelikan M815 in a medium nib.

Leonardo Fountain pen Inks writing sample on Nakabayashi notebook — Writing on a Nakabayashi notebook

We tested the book with most kinds of ink. Pelikan, Diamaine, KWZ, Lamy, Leonardo, Montegrappa etc etc. It did have varying properties but scored most positively in common parameters. For eg there was least ghosting/feathering in almost all inks. Sheen is quite visible on this paper and the colors are vibrant.

The books are slim in nature and consist of 4o pages making them very functional to carry around. The spiral books by nature ben complete backwords making every side useable completely and also easy to use when on the move. The spirals are uniquely placed. They are not completely spiral-bound like most brands. A small spiral is placed on the top and a small spiral is placed at the bottom as is evident from the image below. The concept has added great convenience in using the notebook.

Nakabayashi Spiral Notebook — Nakabayashi Stitch bound Notebook

Nakabayashi Spiral Notebook_Open Face — Nakabayashi Stitch bound Notebook_Open

Nakabayashi notebooks are also popular as the Logical Prime series. One can buy these Japanese notebooks at Makoba Stores in India or online shop www.makoba.com

To buy Nakabayashi books in India click here.

You can also read through a detailed review of the notebook by Vaibhav Mehandiratta

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March 15, 2021 1 comment

Ink Reviews writers colony

LEONARDO FOUNTAIN PEN INKS

by Sripal Jain March 6, 2021

With so many brands of fountain pens around, the fleet of ink is growing too. Today let’s dive into a set of inks from a growing brand. Today we will be introducing Leonardo fountain pen inks. Off late, Leonardo has been doing a fabulous job by introducing unique pens on a frequency quicker than a bullet train. I mean, since Jan 2020 they have launched, Leonardo Musis, Leonardo Pura, Tredici, Momento Zero Grande #8Nib, Primary Manipulation 4, Golden Rule, and some new colors in Momento zero. That’s like a new collection every week. In the world of fountain pens, that’s super quick.

Leonardo fountain pen inks display different properties for different colors. Some took a few seconds more to dry compared to others and some have sheen. But most of the inks dried up pretty quickly. Just under 10 seconds. The most common feature among all the inks was the least ghosting and feathering.

Let’s understand the colors currently available in India. Below is the Ink Swab chart. The medium used was a 68 GSM Nakabayashi spiral notebook from Japan.

The standard colors available in Leonardo ink s are

Mediterraneo Blue – Blue
Nero Intenso – Black
Rosso Passione – Red
Sepia Classico – Brown
Turchese Hawaii – Turquoise Blue
Verde Foresta – Green

New Ink colors to be added soon by end of 2021 are

Noce Moscatta – red Brown
Taurasi Wine – Deep Red
Smeraldo Stone – Emerald Green
Deep Purple – Purple
Arancio Torraco – Orange

Leonardo Nero Intenso Black ink test sheet — Leonardo Black Ink

Leonardo Rosso passione deep red ink test sheet — Leonardo Black Ink

Herein are the writing samples of the Leonardo inks. The fountain Pen used is Pelikan M815 with an 18KT medium nib. The writing medium is the same as the Swab test i.e Nakabayashi spiral notebook. Nakabayashi from Japan is a fountain pen-friendly notebook.

Leonardo Fountain pen Inks writing samples — Writing on a Nakabayashi notebook

Leonardo Fountain pen Inks writing samples_Page Back side — Backside of the nakabayashi writing sample

As it appears. Leonardo Ink has a minimal ghosting effect on the Nakabayashi paper. When closely observed, there was no feathering either. Sheen in ink is a matter of expert usage I believe. Probably to get the sheen effect the use of the right tools and techniques is required.

Personally, I have liked their blue ink. It is bright and looks fabulous on paper. It is also comparable to Diamine Asa blue, and Pilot Iroshizuku Kon Peki. For a detailed ink review of blue ink check out “Mountain of Ink”.

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March 6, 2021 0 comment

Fountain Pens New Pen Launches

PLATINUM CURIDAS FOUNTAIN PEN

by Sripal Jain February 20, 2021

The most awaited pen of 2020, The Platinum Curidas fountain pen is finally here. After a hiatus and delays due to the pandemic, the Pen is now open for Pre-bookings starting Feb 24, 2020.

Platinum Curidas fountain pen at Makoba — Platinum Curidas fountain pen

In the rapidly changing world around us today, speed is becoming more important in business. With the new CURIDAS retract- able fountain pen, one no longer need to worry about having trouble opening a cap when you have the other hand full and miss a chance to take a note on important occasions, which is one of the common problems seen with capped fountain pens. CURIDAS is a coined term created by combining the Japanese word referring to extending the pen tip CURIDASU and Curiosity.

The new fountain pen was brought to life to fulfill people’s curiosity. To keep the nib from drying out and to provide smooth writing, a high sealed pocket is created with soft material to enhance airtightness. At the same time, the pocket size is minimized to retain the moisture. Available nib sizes are fine and medium in stainless steel. The pens come along with a cartridge for instant use once out of the box. Available in 5 translucent body colors, i.e Prism Crystal, Graphite Smoke, Urban Green, Abyss Blue, Gran red. Shop for Platinum Curidas at Makoba, Indias fountain pen destination.

The Nib

Nib in the Platinum Curidas is of steel and available in 2 variants i.e Fine and Medium. It’s a different profile of nib, unseen in any other series of platinum pens. It’s slimmer in size compared to platinum preppy or the platinum plaisir. Fine in Platinum Curidas is almost like the Extra fine of European brands i.e Lamy, Schneider, etc.

BUY NOW

Click here to get your Curidas fountain pen at a discounted price before it’s sold out. Just 100 pcs in the first batch are arriving.

Was ~~Rs 7000.00~~ Now Rs 6300.00

SOME USEFULL RESOURCES

HOW TO FILL INK INTO THE PLATINUM CURIDAS

HOW TO REMOVE THE CLIP

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February 20, 2021 0 comment

New Pen Launches Fountain Pens

ON A NOSTALGIC TRIP WITH LAMY

by Sripal Jain February 20, 2021

Lamy Safari Savannah green and Terra red fountain pens

Let’s take a trip down memory lane on a nostalgic trip with Lamy. Around this time about 40 years ago, Lamy introduced the Safari collection of fountain pens in two colors. A red and a Green. Both of these were in matt finishes.

Lamy Safari nostalgic Savannah green and Terra red fountain pens from 4 decades ago — Lamy Safari Savannah green and Terra red fountain pens

I have personally not seen the originals, as they were introduced when I was just born, and not sure if they had reached Indian shores either. But what captivates my attention to these two beauties is the warmth in the colors when you hold them. They are very earthy colors and hence also named aptly. The green is called the Savannah and red is called the Terra red or the Terracota red.

Lamy Safari Savannah Green Fountain pen with black laquered nib and Z 28 Convertor — Lamay Safari Savannah Green Fountain pen

Lamy Safari Terra Red Fountain pen with black laquered nib and Z 28 Convertor — Lamy Safari Terra red fountain pen

Being on a nostalgic trip with Lamy, I wonder if there is any difference in the looks and finish of the pen compared to the ones available 4 decades ago. I presume the nib would have remained the same but the product finish would have improved considerably.

Do share your comments of comparison if anybody still holds or has used the Lamy safari from the 1970s.

About Lamy Safari

Lamy Safari fountain is regarded as one of the best fountain pens ever made. These are the world favourite for beginners and students and would easily rank in the top 5 fountain pens under 50$ price range.

The Nib – Lamy Safari comes with a sturdy steel nib that’s made to last for decades if maintained well. They get seasoned over a period of time due to the user’s style of holding and using the pen.
The Grip – A grip section designed to ensure the way you hold the pen cannot go wrong. The user’s fingers get into a writing position that cannot change and that’s why parents prefer to gift their school-going children a Lamy safari to start their journey with the world of fountain pens. Once the grip on the pen is mastered, your handwriting will tend to remain the same or unchanged even while changing pens. Lamy Safari pens are the stepping stone to building a great handwriting
The Clip – Perfect spring-loaded clip ensures ease of use and also prevents an accidental drop of the fountain pen from the pocket. The clip holds onto the pocket firmly.
The ink supply – Lamy provides its proprietary ink cartridge and convertor system with each of its pens. The Lamy cartridges are available only in a long size and the Lamy Z 28 convertor holds about 1.1 ml of ink. It is advisable to use Lamy inks, no matter which pen you use. They are one of the best and are great on paper.

SHOP for your latest Lamy fountain pens in India

LAMY SAFARI FOUNTAIN PENS

LAMY INKS

BUY NOW

CLICK HERE TO SHOP FOR LAMY SAFARI SAVANNAH GREEN and LAMY SAFARI TERRA RED FOUNTAIN PENS ONLINE AT MAKOBA INDIA.

*Currently the new collections are available in Fine and Medium points only

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February 20, 2021 0 comment

New Pen Launches Fountain Pens

Leonardo Primary Manipulation 4 and Golden Rule

by Sripal Jain February 14, 2021

Leonardo Primary Manipuation 4 and Golden Rule fountain pens

These two new fountain pen colors will blow your imagination away!! Launching Leonardo Primary Manipulation 4 and Golden rule fountain pens, to start 2021 with a bang.

With the success of previous Primary manipulation fountain pens, Salvadore has come up with bold colors in the form of Leonardo Primary manipulation 4 and the golden rule.

PRIMARY MANIPULATION 4

The PM 4, consist of a very colorful and unique resin with warm and cold tones mixed with a pearlescence/metallic effect. Limited to just 70 Pieces worldwide, the PM 4 has been launched with rose gold plated trims and the cap band. Launched in the Momento zero grande size with a piston filler mechanism. This Leonardo pen will be available with nib size #6 in the variants F, M, and B.

GOLDEN RULE

The Golden Rule consists of classic color tones. Limited to just 70 Pieces worldwide, this Leonardo fountain pen is a heady mix of Bronze and Red hues. The result is a predominantly earthy-toned fountain pen highlighted with the gold-plated trims. Launched in the Momento zero grande size with a piston filler mechanism. This Leonardo pen will be available with nib size #6 in the variants F, M, and B.

For both collections, the central band represents the decoration belonging to the period known in the history of art as “Geometric art” and therefore means the production of decorations of the Greek civilization between 900 and 700 BC, which takes its name from the term traditionally used for the ceramic production of the same period. Each MZ Grande fountain pen includes a 40ml ink bottle and is guaranteed for life against any manufacturing defects.

What else is Unique!!

Yeh dil mange more ( We want more). We are all designed in a way that we are not satisfied with what we get. We still want more. Ebonite feeders in fountain pens have been available for quite some time. This time it is unique though as the color of the feeder is in red to match with the color scheme of the pen.

Leonardo primary manipulation 4 fountain pen with the red ebonite feeder — Leonardo primary manipulation 4 with the red ebonite feeder

Leonardo golden rule fountain pen with the red ebonite feeder — Leonardo primary manipulation 4 with the red ebonite feeder

One may wonder or ask, What is the advantage of an ebonite feeder? Ebonite feeders are porous and absorb ink, unlike plastic feeders. It is widely experienced and circulated that, this feature of ebonite helps to improve the ink flow in the fountain pen. Since the feeder is always wet, the fountain pen does not tend to dry up and prevents the starting trouble usually faced.

INSTAGRAM

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February 14, 2021 0 comment

Indian Fountain Pens Fountain Pens New Pen Launches

INDIAN HANDMADE FOUNTAIN PEN

by Sripal Jain January 17, 2021

It’s the season of Indian fountain pens and what better time to have an exciting launch in this sphere. Witness the unveiling of India’s first Raden fountain pen by Lotus in partnership with Makoba India. We are proud to say we have been able to bring out the best in an Indian handmade fountain pen with this launch.

It wasn’t easy!! Definately not easy.

Planning for the Lotus exclusive Makoba model started in March 2020. We met for the second time in as many months and we knew we could do some magic together. In our very first interaction with Mr. Arun Singhi of Lotus Pens, we had this gut feeling. It was at one of the Pen expos we had taken part in. Our stall was decorated with all the best Internationa pens from Leonardo, Montegrappa, and Pilots and at the end of the row was Mr. Arunji with his wares. Our love for Indian pens started with Ranga in 2018 and in 2020 it turned into a passion when we met Mr. Arun Singhi. Over the two days of the expo, we found a lot of synergies between us. We were like kids in a toy store getting excited every time we visited their table. We were intrigued with the models and the bandwidth of the craftmanship Arunji could work on.

Getting back to our workstations, me and Donesh started wondering if Arunji would be interested in partnering with us and creating an exclusive model for us to promote. I guess the precursor to this though was the launch of Ranga Varnin, an exclusive Makoba model. We did receive an overwhelming response to the Ranga Varnin and thought we could do the same with Lotus and probably with a much deeper impact.

Above is what was the end result of a thought that started in March 2020 and saw the day of light, today 15/01/2021. The Covid pandemic did hinder our project timelines and a project which could have been 5-6 months ended up taking almost 9months to finish. Large shells were imported and painstakingly cut to smaller pieces and then inlaid onto the Japanese ebonite material. Before getting to the final approved piece, We had used up almost material worth five pens to get this perfection in finish and symmetry. The end result is the Raden collection, truly an Indian handmade fountain pen.

As the journey began to create this exclusive piece, two models evolved from the original discussion.

One took shape in the form of Rays and the other was a Sparkle.

THE RADEN COLLECTION

This collection has been limited to 20 pieces in each design. In other words, it is also India’s first Limited edition fountain Pen. Currently, the pens have been fixed with a Jowo nib with nib options of Fine, Medium and Broad. We can also provide, an additional Bock nib section and nib options of Fine, Medium and Broad in steel and 18KT solid gold nib at an additional cost. To know more about the nib change and cost do call us at 98840 01991 or email at sripal@makoba.com.

From the close-up image, one can notice the perfect liner pattern created with tiny shell pieces. We thought an apt name for this fountain pen would be Rays.

Closeup of the Raden Sparkle fountain pen

Unlike the linear pattern set in the Rays, the other collection to do was much tougher and time-consuming. The tiny pieces of shell were inlaid onto the pen by creating matching grooves. Why Sparkle? because it was a burst of colors and uneven pattern

The Raden Rays Indian Handmade Fountain Pen

The Lotus Raden Rays Indian Handmade fountain pen

The Impact!!

Slowly as the product was taking shape, so were many other ideas around it. We knew we have come very close to creating an art piece mastered by the Japanese right here in India.

But is this it? Is the product just enough. What about the packaging and the branding. What about the literature that goes along with the pen. How can we make it better? HOW CAN WE CREATE A DEEPER IMPACT!!

We did not stop just with the product. We wanted to push ourselves up the wall and come up with a packaging design, unseen in the Indian pen industry. We experimented with Paper boxes, Acrylic boxes and Metal boxes as well. Nothing inspired as a simple wooden box did. We took inspiration from the wooden boxes as provided by Namiki, Nakaya, and Sailors. Finally, it was decided to create our packaging for the exclusive Raden pen in a wooden box. Next, we sure did not want to blindly replicate these designs. We wanted to create something new of our own, that’s when the with a sliding lid came up. Up next were the contents that could go into the box other than the pen. We created the Warranty card and also a literature on how this product came up.

Wooden box for the Raden Rays fountain pen

Wooden box for the Raden Sparkle fountain pen — Wooden box for the Raden Rays fountain pen

Our anxiety, our apprehensions, came to an end when all the elements of this project finally came together in the perfect shape and quality as visioned by us.

All the credits for this marvelous collection go to Mr. Arun Singhi and his team of craftsmen who understood the intricacy and have been able to deliver to match international standards.

Shop for your First Indian Raden fountain pen. Click here

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January 17, 2021 0 comment

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