ASA PORUS

*Sikander ne porus se ki thi ladai..to main kya karoon*

Aaj ka din ek aitihasik din hai

A known surprise..

After coxing Anna non stop, for months all together

Main aim was to get an ambition size 40 nib.. for I have had heard about it being a *LARGE* Nib

In white acrylic.. so thick that I can easily put it under diet program (along with self to lose at least 15% of body fat 😉). I may still get a good slim trim stunner

 This *PORUS* though feels hefty, mighty and strong in hand, yet that white colour makes it delicate at same time.

Clipless, torpedo shaped, Big and balanced.

Will not be inking it 

Will just dip test.. 

*Kahin daag na lag jaaye*

Thanks Anna and please forgive if my jives have hurt you,, but they were all playful😁

This porus has won my heart

Amar Jyoti Sarma : Memoirs of a Fountain Pen Lover

You may connect with what he says, may have different views but will definitely agree undeniably on many facts that he states, emotions he expresses. You cannot help yourself but smiling at times when he narrates  his experience, his attachments and bonding.

Amar Jyoti Sarma, An FP_Enthusiast from Assam (The Land of Tea Gardens)        ...here you go

1. What does the word Pen meant to you?

A pen is a writing instrument to pen down your thoughts. It can be roller pen, ball pen,Jotter or a fountain pen. For me, the fountain pens are the classiest writing instruments. They are not perfect and need the occasional tuning  as per your writing style and grip. This makes them more personal than any other writing instruments. You work on its wetness, fineness, smoothness till it represents you. Its unique, personal and therefore an extension of yourself.

 Its very personal and reflects your personality.

2. Where did you get your inspiration from?

I inherited my father's Wingsung pens. In 2010, when I inked those pens, I instantly liked the flow of ink and the sound of the nib on paper. It was an instant connection. However, the nib was not at it's best. So, I looked for spare nibs on internet. Meanwhile, I became very curious about Indian handmade pens, especially in Ebonite. I ordered the cheapest (economically, of course) two I could find from ASA website ( I didn't want to lose money as online transactions were still very new). The pens were made by Gama. And I got hooked. I became fascinated with ebonite pens from ASA, Gama and so started my journey. 

 I like to believe that I am a user rather than a collector as I buy pens that I believe will give me a better experience than its aesthetic value.

Wingsungs

3. What drives you towards a pen?

I have become very particular about my pens over the last decade. I am a user and therefore, writing  is my utmost priority. The feel of the nib scratching on the paper and the ink trail giving shape to my thoughts, feels magical. The wetness of the ink, the color, the fineness everything is personalized for me. This can happen only with a fountain pen. However, there is no perfect fountain pen. You have to work on it and make it perfect for yourself. You have to get your hands dirty sometimes and when you are done, you have a pen that is an extension of yourself. Many people don't like my settings of a pen but that is me. I like my pen that way.


4. Which is your go to pen? What features you look for when selecting a pen? Actually "How do you like your pen to be"?

A few pens that I can never do without would be Kanwrite Desire with a semi flex M nib, Pilot 78 G with an F nib and Deccan Advocate with an F nib. I like my nibs as fine as possible, slightly dry so that the ink dries out quickly on the paper, it should have a mid sized section and neither too heavy, nor too light. I am very particular when it comes to my writing experience. Besides those, ASA Maya is also my favourite. 

Kanwrite

Pilot

5.How big is your collection of pens? Can you share their pics and details, how you feel about  them? 

I have about 300 pens, mostly Indian FPs from Gama, ASA, Guider, Ratnam and Ranga. I have a few Kanwrites. I have about 100 Chinese pens and some vintage Parkers, Sheaffers and Indian vintage too. But I am primarily in Indian handmade ebonites and an occasional acrylic. However, I collect Indian vintage pens as I feel that they need to be preserved for posterity. Nothing beats the feel of ebonite in hand though I like acrylic for its vibrant colors.

 

6. What measures you feel are essential on part of manufacturers and FP dealer/retailers in India to make the FP popular?

 Japan and Germany had the advantage of starting earlier in a perfect multinational conglomerate way. They have over the period of time build their brand in such a way that people do not mind buying their products at a premium because they are assured of the quality and after sales service. Indian manufacturers are more or less operating like cottage industries. Further, India still doesn't produce enough raw material and parts required to make  fountain pens. So, certain compromises has to be made. You may get quality but the price goes high or you may make it affordable but the effect of cost cutting is apparent. For example, we do not have steady supply of clips and rings of good quality or the rods or sheets (of ebonite and acrylic) to make the FP body.  However, even with this limitations our pens can do much better by investing more time on quality check and by creating an effective after sales services. Most people want a good experience out of the box. No body really has time to work on the pen or send it back again for servicing. Consumers will think twice before sending a pen back for servicing and wait for its arrival. Therefore some kind of network of after sales service is the need of the hour. But quality check before the user uses the pen is the utmost priority.

7. How active are you on Social media?  

 

I am mostly in FB and I am working actively in a new FB group called Pen's and Calligraphers forum. The idea of this group is not just to display the collection of FP but also enjoy creating something with it, even if it's just a scribble. After all, an FP is a writing instrument.  An FP should help you express yourself. Just enjoy your pen.

9. Tell me about your profession and hobbies, apart from FP and inks

I am a weird person. Do you know I collect or rather cant throw away the card board boxes and cartons of my fountain pens, mobiles, cameras. 😂😂 

Besides pen, I love electronic gadgets like mobiles, cameras and such small gadgets. I love tinkering with electrical or electronic goods. I have spoiled 3 of my phones trying to repair them myself by watching youtube guides. I love riding motorcycles. I have a Pulsar when I feel sporty and a Enfield Classic 500 when I want a long ride. I do amateur gardening. I love reading about astrophysics. Everything about Origin of the universe, relativity quantum mechanics. I don't understand it like a scientist but I like reading it in its simplified form. Do you know that  time will stand still if you can travel at the speed of light. Unfortunately, that would require infinite energy. The unsolved mysteries of the world really fascinates me. I go to sleep trying to visualize falling into a black hole and its consequences.

Professionally, I am a senior lecturer of law in BRM Govt. Law College.

8. Well giving messages to all is easy and most common question, but I would like to ask, whats your opinion about impulse purchases? 

I feel that an FP must be enjoyed first. It must be, like one of my friend said, exploited. Get the maximum out of it. Yes, collecting them  as investments is also a viable option but beyond that don't ever fall in the rat race of buying pens just because somebody else bought it. Ask yourself, do you really need another fountain pen and why? If you are satisfied with your answer then definitely go for it. 

 

 

Dislaimer : 

• All views expressed in this post are of the Amar Jyoti Sarma and published after his expressed consent.
• The copyright of all pictures and images are of respective brand owners/ Amar Jyoti Sarma.
• The author cannot be responsible legally or otherwise, for Any loss or damage or injury by use of any product.
• Respective Brand owners and manufacturers have their copyright of their brands and warranty on products.
• Respective Brands and owners are responsible for promotion of their products and maintaining information and catalogues. 
• This post is all about passion of an individual and expressed as such. No inferences to be drawn out of it. Readers to make informed decisions for any action of sale/purchase or use of any article mentioned above.
  

#2020,#Acrylic,#Asapens,#BeVocalForLocal,#COVIDWARRIORS, #TeachForBetterHuman
#RE, #Bullet500, #Pulsar, #FPClubIndia, #FPCommunity, #FPManiac, #Happyhunting, #IndianFP,#Kanwrite, #MadeInIndia, #COVID-19 #WearMask,#THE #DECCAN #PEN, #Gama, #ASA, #Guider, #Ratnam, #Ranga

Fountain Pen Made In India : Constellations88

Part-IV 

Fellow FPManiacs, I am back with fourth writeup/interview/insight into the FP industry in India as part of promoting and creating awareness about Made In India initiatives by entrepreneurs. In this case its a Woman-preneur, Narishakti, thats leading the charge. An interesting journey indeed.

 

 

Nisha aur sitarey, How a Passion transformed into a Brand : Constellations88

 

Story of Nisha ..is the story of a young Entrepreneur who dreamt big, planned well, approached logically and took risk. Balanced her role as Mother, housewife, daughter and a family person. Had unflinching support of her husband, understanding of her family. And Constellations88 emerged as Quasar on the horizon of Fountain Pen India.

  "Nisha"  (or Night ) is considered to be both calming and full of mystery.  Dark yet serene; full of hope and despair. A classical example of  oxymoron.
Constellations ..well.. we all know what it is!!! Ha Ha

Today we are going to read about the journey of a Woman-preneur into the cosmic world of fountain pens with her Faithful Vazir and companion , source of inspiration, none other than Vishal Singhi.

For you all here I present... Nisha Singhi.

How and when did you really think about a brand or even this setup?

Nisha Singhi (NS): My husband Vishal Singhi is crazy about fountain pens and his passion over the years made me realize what an FP means to a crazy person like him. Way back in 2013, we saw very beautiful hand painted fountain pen, which was way above our budget. But seeing his interest in it, I decided to gift him a hand painted fountain pen with Goddess Saraswati on it. Now main issue was how and where to get the pen painted, that too not a normal mural but Goddess Saraswati?  So, I picked up fistful of plain black fountain pens from his collection which he wasn't  using much anyways and  started to look for the  artists who could paint on FP. Honestly, I didn't know at that time that how difficult it is? There were so many factors to consider to hand paint an FP. It had been a great learning.  The correct base coat, the paint medium, time it takes to dry each coat of paint, with multiple layers, protective lacquer coating etc etc.. and foremost The Artist, who can do it. It took 7 pens ( guinea-pigs basically 😋) and  14 months later, I had  first hand painted pen ready which I gifted to Vishal. This journey was pretty educating as well as it gave me courage to develop an idea of our own brand of fountain pens, duly hand painted, at a pricing which will not burn a hole in pocket. There was a gap in this segment at that point of time.

When did you launch Constellations88?

NS. Our website www.constellations88.com was launched on 19 December 2015.

That was really a Blind Leap of faith, to get into pen making without having any prior knowledge or experience in pen making?

NS. We didn't have any previous experience or idea about how to go into manufacturing Pens. Only thing we had was, Vishal’s Passion for fountain pens (He is crazy about his pens😊), a decade plus as FP collector combined with our research for couple of years about understanding the market, various price segments, the existing gaps and requirements of FP Lovers. Passion was our biggest strength and motivation too.

You have to dive deep to explore the ocean.

 What is so special about your hand-painted pens?

NS. We offer a variety of hand-painted fountain pens, some of our pens are painted using acrylic paints, some arepeinted with oil paints, some colour lacquered and some were painted using gold foils and gold dust too. All these pens undergo a proprietary base coating that makes the pen come up in a really nice getup. Once the pen is completely hand painted, each pen is coated with a protective glossy crystal lacquer to ensure the longevity of painted figures besides ensuring  the lustrous shine.

 That sounds interesting. How much time does it take to make a pen?

NS. End to end, the entire process takes about 10 to 15 weeks depending upon the design, we have had some custom painting take about 20 weeks too.

 So you make custom paintings on the pens ?

NS. Yes. We have painted pens on bespoke designs that include Hindu dieties like Shree Ganesha, Devi Saraswati, Hanumanji, Bhagwan Shiva. We have made portraits of Balasaheb Thackrey, Mohammed Ali, Twin babies, Hema Malini ji. We  also undertook theme based painted FPs like science themes,  nature as theme, animals etc.

 

Hand Painted Pens

 

 So is Constellations88 just about only hand-painted FPs or there's more to offer?

NS : We started our journey in December 2015 with hand painted fountain pens (we were the first company in India to offer quality hand-painted pens). Our pens have been painted by multiple artists. Besides these, we have expanded our pen base to include material like resin, acrylic, celluloid, and even in-house blanks to make FP  We offer pocket sized pens as well as large sized FPs. Currently, we are offering pens as CC and piston mechanisms to fill the inks, but we do have plans to include other filling mechanism also.

What about your regular line models ?

NS. We started regular line products with limited edition Bromine and Sulfur fountain pens (all sold out). These were made using high quality resin fitted with bock nibs and threaded convertors. They were limited to 88 pieces each and had a silver medallion on the finial. These FPs were priced at around USD 100. The pens were not regular shapes but designed inhouse in not so commonly found shapes, you may refer elements series, plasma, lyra, crux or magnum.  All of our models don’t reflect imitation to any popular models

I am sure you have ventured into accessorizing the FPs too.

NS: We do have some pen cases and accessories  like pen sleeves and cases for 1,2,3 pens, some soft cloth pouches for 5 and 7 pens, pen boxes for 10 pens and folders for 24 and 48 pens. We strictly follow the policy of  NOT using real leather and hence all our products use materials that don't come from animals.

Pouches and Boxes

Pouches

Quatrras

Maharaj Box

12/24/48 Pen Folder

What is your USP ?

NS:  High quality and prompt after sales service is our USP for our regular line products. All Constellations88 products come with 2 year warranty against any manufacturing defects and all issues other than that which may arise over time comes under service warranty.

The gold plating on our products  comes with 3 year warranty as we use top quality PVD to ensure the plating doesn’t wear off even after daily use for three years. 

The techniques and sharpness in our paintings are world class and can give competitions to major players in this segment.

 Constellations88 is rather an unusual and interesting name for a brand that makes writing instruments ?

NS: This venture started with a gift for my husband. I had to think of something that I could dedicate to my husband. His life moves around two things, besides his family of-course, fountain pens and astronomy . Thus came the idea of the name Constellations; and since we have 88 known constellations till date, we named our brand as Constellations88. The names of our collections are derived for various cosmic terms, related to astronomy like Elements, Plasma, Lyra, Crux, Orion, Quarks and our latest offering Galaxy and  Star-ship. Constellations88 Galaxy model are made of Edelharz resin and come in 2 colours blue, and green with clear and coloured demonstrator barrels in blue and green. These can be used as eye dropper too but comes with convertor.

Galaxy Green

Galaxy Blue

Plasma

Plasma

Lyra

Lyra

Elements

Elements

Crux

Crux

Quarks

 What is your customer base ?

NS: Our customer base is spread across the globe, US, UK, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and EU to name few. For hand painted pens, our customers are primarily Indians, staying abroad, however they are equally sought after by others too. The bespoke hand painted fountain pens are our USP as now we have array of artist who cater for variety of art work requirements. For regular line up of pens, we are glad to have evenly spread customer base with high positive feedback.

What are your future Plans?

NS: Will like to keep quiet on this for now, but yes we have something interesting lined up for 2021.

Any interesting incident or stories you want to share?

NS:  Well it happened at the most appropriate moment. pretty interesting and also gave us a lesson for life. We were going to a family function and worst nightmare of a FPlover came true, the FP cap came off, leaving a big spot on Vishal's shirt. It was too late to go, change and comeback. He messaged a few of his friends asking for a quick fix idea to cover ink stain; upon which pet came a reply “Wear it with pride, you are a fountain pen user”. That is the true passion of a fountain pen lover and FPL community, they are crazy.

Your message to FP community?

NS: We understand your love for fountain pens, we respect your passion and we strive to assist you all in the journey. We believe ours is a community where writing is passion and inked fingers AND POCKETS are  a matter of pride. We are so glad to be  well received by this community and will strive to work towards creating  quality fine writing instruments. We would be glad to hear from you with suggestions and recommendations if you may have, please feel free to write to us at support@constellations88.com

 

 #2020, #aatmnirbhar, #BeVocalForLocal, #FPCommunity, #FPManiac , #HANDPAINTED,  #MadeInIndia, #FPClubIndia,swadeshi, #IndianFP, #Constellations88, #Constellations, #Galaxy, #Quarks, #Crux, #Elements, #Plasma, #Lyra,

Dislaimer : 

• All views expressed in this post are of the owner of brand.
• The copyright of all pictures and images is of brand owner
• The details on website of product owner are subject to change as per per requirements of owners of brands
• This is just  suggestive post and I donot endorse any product.
• The author cannot be responsible legally or otherwise, for Any loss or damage or injury by use of any product.
• Respective Brand owners and manufacturers have their copyright of their brands and warranty on products.
• Respective Brands and owners are responsible for promotion of their products and maintaining information and catalogues. 
• Kindly keep yourself updated with latest offers and models