Put it in context!

Put it in context!

The inside of a Chettiar house.

Mani Chettiar Fountain Pen

$35.00
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One of a Kind!

Only 1 available

Destination: Malacca, Malaysia

Believe it or not, there was a time before Excel spreadsheets, when people used actual writing utensils to keep their accounts in order. This beaded fountain pen is an example of the kind used by a group of merchants and moneylenders from Southern India called the Chettiars. Chettiars traditionally lived and worked in kitangas—offices with houses in the back, many of which you can still see along the covered walkway of Malacca’s First Cross Street.

More

Chettiar merchants have been trading with Southeast Asia since before the Malacca Sultanate was founded in 1401. Originally from the Tamil Nadu state in Southern India, many Chettiar traders eventually set up ... Read More

Details and Dimensions

Vintage
7" L

$35.00
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