The fountain pen is not ready to be written off, yet

In a world split over Miyazaki’s hand-painted masterpieces and AI’s cold replicas, the quiet but elegant resurgence of fountain pens is a moment to savour. From novices to collectors, loyal and discerning users to those who pursue bespoke and luxury brands as emblems of status — there is a fountain pen for everyone. And if the buzz at a pen festival in Kolkata was anything to go by, this romance with pen and ink is well and thriving.




A tactile resurgence
Post-COVID, as people turned to journalling, fountain pens became the writing instrument of choice. “Great artisanal pens are conversation starters,” says retired geologist Yusuf Mansoor of Patna in a BBC feature on India’s artisanal pens. With more than 7,000 fountain pens in his collection, he speaks for their pull beyond utility. “The nib learns your grip, your pressure. Over time, it mirrors you,” says Mumbai-based Riyhad Kundanmal, an architect who has been using ink pens for over 25 years. “It’s the drag of the nib, the way ink pools — it’s alive,” says collector Akash Banerjee.
Festivals like the Pen Show India in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru brim with this energy — tables hold Sheaffers, Sailors, and Vazirs, while workshops tune nibs to personal quirks. Dedicated blogs and communities note a rise in chatter, with users swapping ink tips online — a sign the market for fountain pens is holding steady.

Fountain pens as status symbols
If enthusiasts are drawn to the fountain pen’s tactile, personal experience, for collectors they are the new status symbol. The rarer the piece, the better. Dibyendu Das, a Bengaluru banker, holds a Montblanc John Lennon edition – its vinyl grooves and guitar clip a nod to history. “The resin mimics vinyl records. The clip is a guitar neck. That pen is art,” he says.
High-end pieces like the Montblanc Writers Edition or Montegrappa’s Dragon start at ₹75,000 and soar well past ₹5 lakh. Some ultra-limited editions – crafted from precious metals or inlaid with jewels — are priced from ₹10 lakh. Some are pure jewellery – like the Cartier Crocodile Décor, with diamond-encrusted gold reptiles, priced at ₹97 lakh. “The market for limited edition pens is like that for luxury watches. Over time, they appreciate in value because only a few are made and they sell out worldwide,” says Ansh Chordiya, seller of premium fountain pens.

Inks and nibs: The fountain pen in India
The late economist Bibek Debroy makes a passionate case for this old-school tool in his book Inked In India. “A fountain pen is sustainable, refillable, and has a soul. It becomes an extension of the person using it…. There is no reason why the world should not shift to using fountain pens, especially Indian ones.” This aligns with the rise of Indian brands like Lotus, Click and ASA offering Japanese urushi-style lacquered finishes and gold nibs. Inks only deepen this ritual. Krishna Inks from Tamil Nadu blends ‘Pichola Blue’ in small runs, while Sulekha offers themed collections inspired by Jamini Roy and Satyajit Ray. Fountain pens speak to those who value time, refinement, and craftsmanship – the irreplaceable experience of putting pen to paper. Miyazaki would have approved.

The A-list fountain pen club
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The creator of Sherlock Holmes was an admirer of the Parker Duofold fountain pen, which he used later in his life
Albert Einstein: The renowned physicist used a Waterman Taper-cap fountain pen for his calculations and designs related to the Theory of Relativity
Sylvester Stallone: The action film star collaborated with Italian pen manufacturer Montegrappa to design a fountain pen featuring intricate designs of snakes, reptiles, skulls, and swords
Kristen Stewart: The actress is a pen collector and was gifted a $46,000 limited edition Tibaldi Bentley Crewe fountain pen by fellow actor Robert Pattinson
Emma Watson: Emma has been seen using a Parker fountain pen, which she relied on during her studies at Brown University






Indian craftsmanship for the world
Indian brands have been instrumental in shaping this narrative. One of the pioneers was Radhika Nath Saha from Calcutta, who set up the first pen factory in India in 1907 and was awarded an American fountain pen patent in 1910. Calcutta is also home to the 77-year-old Pen Hospital, a nondescript workshop where every broken pen is nursed back to life.
In recent years, handcrafted Indian pens have captured the imagination of the discerning. Vazir, from Mumbai, creates resin-and-brass fountain pens that start from `1,500 and go up to `8,000 for bespoke models. “Our philosophy was to offer hand-crafted luxury fountain pens that wouldn’t break the bank,” says proprietor Nisha Singhi. Made from resins, acrylics, cellulose acetate and solid metals like aluminium and brass, Vazir is known for thick yet lightweight pens. Ranga Pens, founded by MS Pandurangan in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, crafts ebonite and rosewood pens fitted with Kanwrite nibs. Prices range from `2,000 to `12,000 and more for fully custom builds.