QUOTE(Abhik @ Mar 7 2008, 04:14 PM) [snapback]537337[/snapback]
Hari, first your photos are nice and you seems to be hooked to Indian pen which is marvellaous!
Frankly speaking I had no idea of so many varieties of Indian pens available! Your photos have made me purchase my first two Ratnam pens. I am scheduled to get here in Africa on monday! So, my sincere thanks to you!
Secondly I learnt about Brahmam Pens, now Advocate pens!! Wality I came to know through this forum!
Is the black one ebonite too? How do they relate to Ratnam pens in terms of quality, finish etc?
Thank you for the comments. I too am in the journey of discovery about various Indian pen craftsmen. It really is a small scale cottage industry here and the craft seems to be dying out due to lack of demand. At my end I am trying to acquire representative examples and daily users which I might not be able to get after some time. A good example of this is the Hyderabadi company called Misak whose pens by chance I discovered in a shop and I now hear that the shop itself is closed.
Yes, the black one is Ebonite. As a user pen it is 100% value for money. In comparison to Ratnamson, Advocates come only in IP steel nibs (a size 10 gold nib would be quite costly to make too), the nibs are good but they may not have the charm of the handmade gold nibs which Mr. Ramanamurthy or Lakshmana Rao of Guider makes.
The Advocate is generally made with a SS cap trim ring, but I had them make it w/o the ring. I have also seen the Advocates in mottled brown and green, but the plain black is the winner in my eyes.
Do let us all know when you receive your Ratnamsons and possibly do a review?
Regards,
Hari