• Ali Al Mandalawi uses the torchlight of his mobile phone to search for a pencil in his shop at the Al Saray market in central Baghdad. All photos: EPA
    Ali Al Mandalawi uses the torchlight of his mobile phone to search for a pencil in his shop at the Al Saray market in central Baghdad. All photos: EPA
  • What began as a hobby - collecting ballpoint pens and pencils - has grown to a collection of more than a million pencils and ballpoint pens of various sizes and colours.
    What began as a hobby - collecting ballpoint pens and pencils - has grown to a collection of more than a million pencils and ballpoint pens of various sizes and colours.
  • His store, where he began collecting pens and pencils in 1985, has meanwhile become a destination for calligraphers and painters, and a tourist attraction, in the historic Saray market in Baghdad.
    His store, where he began collecting pens and pencils in 1985, has meanwhile become a destination for calligraphers and painters, and a tourist attraction, in the historic Saray market in Baghdad.
  • Ali Al Mandalawi speaks to a customer.
    Ali Al Mandalawi speaks to a customer.
  • Ali Al Mandalawi in his artist supply shop.
    Ali Al Mandalawi in his artist supply shop.
  • Ali al-Mandalawi arranges colored pencils in his artist supply shop at the al-Saray market in central Baghdad, Iraq, 08 October 2022. Al-Mandalawi owns more than a million pencils and ballpoint pens of various sizes and uses in his store, where he began amassing products in 1985 as both hobby and passion. The store became a destination for calligraphers, painters and tourists in the historic Saray market in Baghdad. EPA / AHMED JALIL
    Ali al-Mandalawi arranges colored pencils in his artist supply shop at the al-Saray market in central Baghdad, Iraq, 08 October 2022. Al-Mandalawi owns more than a million pencils and ballpoint pens of various sizes and uses in his store, where he began amassing products in 1985 as both hobby and passion. The store became a destination for calligraphers, painters and tourists in the historic Saray market in Baghdad. EPA / AHMED JALIL

MENA

Iraq

Pencil and ballpoint pen collector Ali Al Mandalawi in Baghdad - in pictures

Ali has a collection of more than a million pencils and ballpoint pens of various sizes and colours

The National

October 09, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic
Updated: October 09, 2022, 1:35 PM
Photography

Most popular today

1

Palestine and ICE protest messages on Golden Globes red carpet

2

Al Hilal v Al Nassr: Cristiano Ronaldo and Kingsley Coman rally troops ahead of Riyadh derby

3

Cartoon for January 13, 2026

4

My Dubai Salary: ‘From earning Dh3,000 in Dubai Duty Free, I now draw Dh200,000 a month in real estate’

5

Sharjah power cut strikes large sections of emirate

6

Xabi Alonso sacked by Real Madrid and replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa

7

George RR Martin has outlined 12 unpublished Dunk & Egg stories for HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

8

How crops are being grown and fish reared in an eco-friendly way in the Sharjah desert

9

Death toll from Iran protests far higher than initial estimates, doctor says

10

Etihad Airways named world’s safest airline thanks to turbulence management and crash-free history