• 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

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


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THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199

Green ambitions
  • Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
  • Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
  • Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
  • Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water 
Company%20profile
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The biog

Name: Marie Byrne

Nationality: Irish

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption

Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston

Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

Director: Kushan Nandy

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

Updated: October 09, 2022, 1:35 PM