2017 DC Pen Show: Saturday Recap

August 6, 2017

Well, I stuck to my guns and didn't buy anything on Saturday after what turned into a blowout Friday. That isn't to say that Saturday at the D.C. Pen Show wasn't enjoyable. The crowds were significantly larger than Friday, and from what I heard most vendors did really well because people were buying a lot of pens and ink! I spent most of the day visiting with people whom I hadn't seen in a very long time, and walking around the show just enjoying the experience. I'll try to keep this recap limited to pictures as much as possible, because I know that's what you all want to see!

As always, Brian and Andrea Gray of the Edison Pen Company stayed busy at their table. They brought a large selection of custom pens to the show.

Kenro Industries was at the show, and they brought a selection of Montegrappa Fortuna pens, including these Heartwood pens shown here.

Dan Smith ("The Nibsmith") was located in the back hallway, and kept up a brisk business throughout the weekend.

And, as always, Mike Masuyama had a steady stream of customers. If you want to book a slot with Mike, you need to get to the show EARLY.

Despite being assigned a table in the back hallway, Vanness Pens seems to have had a good show.

After Hours

After the show ended, everyone headed downstairs to a memorial service for Susan Wirth, who passed away unexpectedly in May after the Chicago Pen Show. Her associates set up her booth at the D.C. Show this year, just as she would have, and it was good to see them doing a brisk business all weekend.

Afterwards, Kenro Industries hosted an after-hours event for bloggers and some other show attendees at Top Golf in Alexandria, and they were kind enough to invite me. Check out my Instagram stream (@gentlemanstationer) for some of the antics. Let's just say it wasn't an early night.

Some after-hours folded nib work by Dan Hoisner.

2017 DC Pen Show: Thursday and Friday Quick Recap!

August 5, 2017

It's been a wild Thursday and Friday here at the 2017 D.C. Pen Show, and your correspondent is nearly tapped out already, in terms of both money and energy. The D.C. Pen Show runs for four days, with the first two days being "trader days", and Saturday and Sunday open to the public. Thursday is generally very quiet, with a handful of vendors set up in the ballroom selling to each other before the madness starts. Friday is much busier, but still not as crazy as Saturday. Friday at the D.C. Pen Show might be my favorite day of any pen show that I regularly attend, because admission is limited to the "weekend pass" holders and you can wander this absolutely massive show, scouring the tables for gems that might get lost in the shuffle during the MUCH more crowded public days.

This Friday, However, Had a Hitch...

The seething masses waiting to crash the gates on Friday morning. Torches and pitchforks have been Photoshopped out.

After a quiet Thursday night, which many of us spent at the hotel bar catching up with people we hadn't seen in months (or in some cases, years), we were eager for the show doors to open at 9 a.m. Sadly, due to a LOT of disorganization on the the show promoter's part, some vendors didn't even receive table assignments until nearly noon, and it was after lunch before the show was fully set up and ready to go. Needless to say, there were a lot of unhappy/visibly angry vendors, and understandably so. Even though it's not a public day, a lot of business gets done on Friday (especially on the higher end), and the pen repairmen and nib grinders lose a full half-day of business if they can't get their table assignments and start work as soon as possible in the morning. Hopefully they will make it up on a busy Saturday and Sunday, and that changes are made to ensure that the same thing doesn't happen next year. Otherwise, I'm not sure that the D.C. show will retain its position as the premier pen show on "the circuit," because vendors and attendees can't - and shouldn't - justify the time and expense of attending this show if the promoters can't take basic steps to ensure that the doors open on schedule.

My Friday Takeaways

I kicked off the 2017 D.C. Pen Show by picking up two pocket pens from Ian Schon of Schon Design, who showed up with both his standard line as well as a bunch of prototypes. I've not used Ian's pens before, but have heard great things, so predictably I picked up two: a PVD DLC-coated stainless steel classic version, and a royal blue and gold anodized prototype. Both of these use the Fisher Space Pen refill, which you know I'm a fan of.

Things moved pretty quickly after that. I snapped up three pens, two of which I've wanted to purchase for the past couple of years: an Edison Menlo (with the new draw filler filling system), an Edison Glenmont in Tibaldi Impero Celluloid, and a Kanilea Pen Co Nui Nalu.

From left: Kanilea Pen Co Nui Nalu, Edison Menlo with Draw Filler in blue flecked acrylic, and Edison Glenmont in Tibaldi Impero Celluloid.

Despite the short day, I also managed to have nibs tuned by Mike Masuyama and Dan Smith, and picked up a couple bottles of Robert Oster ink from Vanness Pens (Fire and Ice and Maroon 1789). After the chaos that was Friday morning, everyone pretty much stayed on-site at the hotel for dinner and retired to the bar later for drinks and sharing the day's finds. Hopefully I'll have much more to share tomorrow, after a full day of pens and people! In the meantime, here's a gallery of some pen show shots.

If you're in the Washington, D.C.-Northern Virginia-Maryland area, be sure to visit the D.C. Pen Show this weekend, August 5 and 6! It's being held at the Marriott Fairview Park Hotel in Falls Church, VA, and runs from 9:30 to 5!

2017 Atlanta Pen Show Recap: ELEVEN Pen Shows, Really?!?

April 26, 2017

At some point over the past few days, while I was collecting my thoughts and recollections of this past weekend's Atlanta Pen Show, I realized that I have now attended eleven pen shows. That's insane for me to think about, especially given how nervous I was attending for the first time, when I jumped in the car and drove up to Columbus on a whim in November 2012 for the Ohio Show. Since then, I've made dozens of very close friends, developed a deep appreciation for the companies we all know and love, and spent an ungodly amount of money. Wouldn't have it any other way!

This year's Atlanta Pen Show was a quick trip for me, due to a work commitment, but after doing the math on travel and traffic logistics I figured that I could make it down well in advance of the live Pen Addict podcast recording and the after-party. Traffic was light and I actually ended up making it down by 3:45, which gave me a little over an hour at the show to pick up some inks that I was worried might sell out. I also picked up a Col-O-Ring Ink Testing Book from Vanness Pens and Ana Reinert!

It wouldn't be the Atlanta Pen Show without Nock Co. show specials. Check out the show special Sinclair, featuring black waxed canvas exterior with red interior. I grabbed that right away!

This year's show definitely had more of a modern theme than any other pen show I've attended, with vendors of modern pens and inks attracting the majority of the attention. Nock Co., Franklin-Christoph, Vanness, and Anderson Pens were busy all weekend. Other vendors included show sponsor Total Office Products/The Pen Show, Kanilea Pen Company, Ryan Krusac, The Carolina Pen Company (Jonathon Brooks), Fisher of Pens (Carl Fisher), Story Supply Co., Karas Kustoms, Susan Wirth, and Federalist Pens, among others. I apologize in advance for leaving anybody out, but this was a quick trip for me, and I didn't spend as much time as I usually do circling through the rooms and taking roll. Show attendees had multiple opportunities for nib work and pen repair, with Mike Masuyama, Mark Bacas, Indy-Pen-Dance, and Martin's Pens all there grinding away.

The Franklin-Christoph prototype acrylics that were left on Sunday. A couple of these tempted me, but I ultimately went with one of their Fantasy Sheaffer Legacies (more below).

I did note a smaller vintage presence at this show. Many of the "vintage" pens that were on sale are what I refer to as "new vintage" or "near modern" pens - discontinued models of Pelikan, Waterman, Omas, Montblanc, etc. from the 1990s and early 2000s, which are starting to attract attention from collectors. Actually, if you're interested in dabbling in the world of older pens, this isn't a bad place to start. The price point can be high, but these pens are often very easy to maintain since the components are often similar, if not identical, to what these companies still use. If the pen requires repair, most of these companies will still have parts and expertise necessary to fix it, provided the company is still in business.

Saturday Night Festivities

As I mentioned, I arrived shortly before the live recording of Episode 253 of the Pen Addict Podcast, which featured 2 guests: Vito Grippi from Story Supply Co. and Jonathon Brooks from the Carolina Pen Company. If you haven't listened yet, don't miss this one! The podcast was well-attended, with standing room only along the back wall.

Following the show, Kenro Industries (the distributor for brands such as Montegrappa and Aurora) hosted a launch party for Montegrappa's new "Game of Thrones" line of pens, complete with pizza and prizes. Nearly everyone there went home with something! Afterwards, I crashed. It had been a long day, and after dinner with friends and a couple beers in the bar I was spent. Besides, I knew I had a limited window in the morning to shop.

Sunday Show and Overall Observations

I purchased a discounted trader pass that allowed me to get into the show early, before it opened to the public. Shockingly, Mike Masuyama only had four people on his list Sunday morning, and I was number two. I had two pens adjusted to increase ink flow (my Parker Sonnet Great Expectations and Sailor Pro Gear Realo Soleil), which took Mike less than 10 minutes.

My two 2017 Atlanta Pen Show Takeaways: A Sheaffer Legacy Heritage (left) and a Waterman Patrician in Lapis Blue (Right).

Given how much pen shopping I've done over the past two months - and especially at last month's Baltimore Pen Show - I took it easy. I purchased two pens, both newer vintage, that I'd been looking to add to my collection for a while. The first was the Lapis Blue Waterman Man 100 Patrician, which completes my set. The second was a Sheaffer Legacy Heritage purchased from Jim Rouse of Franklin-Christoph, which sports a custom barrel made from "Tiger Red" acrylic. Both have nice medium nibs, that write more on the finer side.

The Nock Co. Lanier briefcase in black. Check out the new "blackout" Nock logo!

AND, I got to pick up my Nock Co. Lanier briefcase before heading out the door! I'm still putting it through its paces, and haven't had too much of a chance to use it yet, but look for a review up on the blog in the future.

The Atlanta Pen Show is a great smaller pen show, and since it's not overwhelming compared to a massive show like D.C., I'd consider it the perfect "first show" for those looking to break into the pen show scene. Of course, there's also plenty for veteran pen addicts to do as well, though if you're looking for a heavy vintage presence you might be better served focusing on Chicago or Columbus. So what's next for me? Probably the D.C. Pen Show in August, unless something changes at the day job and I'm able to break free for Chicago the first weekend in May. No dates for the D.C. Pen Show have been announced yet, creating a lot of consternation among vendors who typically have made travel arrangements by now. Apparently there's been a location change, and the organizers are trying to lock down the new venue. Stay tuned! I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate/sponsor links.

The Kanilea Pen Company was in Baltimore with their full range of pens. I may have picked one up...

2017 Baltimore Washington International Pen Show Special Report

March 6, 2017

I spent my Friday and Saturday afternoons at the Baltimore Washington International Pen Show. The last Baltimore Pen Show I attended was in 2013, back when the show was still held in downtown Baltimore. It's since moved to the Westin near BWI Airport, giving the show more room to grow and also making it more convenient for people in the area to attend. I was told that this year's BWI Pen Show featured over 100 tables - around the same size as the Philadelphia show. It easily justifies a weekend trip.

Vendors in Attendance

All "the usual suspects" were there in force: Brian and Lisa Anderson of Anderson Pens, Lisa and Mike Vanness of Vanness Pens, Susan Wirth, the Franklin-Christoph team with their nib testing stations and trays of color prototypes, and many more. I had the opportunity to test out the new Aurora Flex Pen and their new blue-black ink, though sadly I missed the after-hours event sponsored by Kenro Industries, Aurora's distributor.

Diplomat Pens - Check out the Orange Aero!

A Few New Things...

If you've been following me on Instagram, you may have seen photos that I posted of several newly acquired pens, inks, and notebooks. Most of my shopping was done on Friday, since I didn't know how crowded the show would get and didn't want to miss out on some of the more limited offerings like I did in D.C. There were a few things that tempted me on Saturday (see orange Diplomat Aero below), but my "budget" hit a brick wall.

Pens and Ink I purchased on Friday in Baltimore: Ryan Krusac Legend in Cocobolo with Turquoise Inlay, Kanilea Pen Company Mauna Kea, Pilot Metropolitan/MR in Gray with Stub Nib, Clear TWSBI Eco with Stub Nib, some Robert Oster Ink Samples from Vanne… — Pens and Ink I purchased on Friday in Baltimore: Ryan Krusac Legend in Cocobolo with Turquoise Inlay, Kanilea Pen Company Mauna Kea, Pilot Metropolitan/MR in Gray with Stub Nib, Clear TWSBI Eco with Stub Nib, some Robert Oster Ink Samples from Vanness Pens, and some Sailor Inks (Chu Shu, Rikyu Cha, and Waka Uguisu) from Anderson Pens.

My Ryan Krusac Legend Pen in Cocobolo with a Turquoise Inlay and Ebonite Section. I've been eyeing one of these pens for a long time - look for a review up on the blog in the future.

My new Mauna Kea from the Kanilea Pen Company, in front of the photo on which the material is based.

I enjoyed meeting the team from Story Supply Co., and I picked up a pack of their Edition 407 and "Pencil Pusher" notebooks, which they did in partnership with CW Pencil Enterprise.

And this beauty was making the rounds. I got a chance to play with this Diplomat Aero prototype at the Vanness Pens table - hopefully we see this pen at retailers in the near future!

See you in Baltimore Next Year?

Bert Oser of Bertram's Inkwell runs a great show, and a trip to the BWI Pen Show is well worth your time if you live in the area or get the chance to travel. I'm not sure it will turn into an "every year" trip for me, since my travel budget is limited, but I always have a good time in Baltimore.

Next up on the pen show circuit: Atlanta in April!

What came home with me from this year's 2016 DC Pen Show? Clockwise from left: Inky Fingers "Currently Inked" Notebook, Akkerman #28 Ink, Kobe Inks #6 and #9, Montblanc Ultra Black Ink, Diplomat Aero fountain pen, Visconti Homo Sapiens Dark Ages fou… — What came home with me from this year's 2016 DC Pen Show? Clockwise from left: Inky Fingers "Currently Inked" Notebook, Akkerman #28 Ink, Kobe Inks #6 and #9, Montblanc Ultra Black Ink, Diplomat Aero fountain pen, Visconti Homo Sapiens Dark Ages fountain pen, Franklin-Christoph Pocket 20, Franklin-Christoph Model 45, and a vintage Pelikan M400 (which I bought for the OM nib).

My 2016 D.C. Pen Show Haul

September 3, 2016

I'm just now unpacking and cleaning pens from the 2016 D.C. Pen Show (yes, nearly a month later), so I figured it's finally time to show off this year's pen show swag and share my initial impressions of what I picked up. Look for extended reviews of most of these products in the coming months. I don't know about you all, but this August has been absolutely crazy and I'm looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend to sit down and play with this stuff.

Pens

Visconti Homo Sapiens Dark Ages. My "big purchase" of the show, which I picked up from Bryant Greer at Chatterly Luxuries. I'm still getting the hang of Visconti's Power Filler, but the EF nib on this pen is excellent (especially after it was tuned by Mike Masuyama).
Diplomat Aero. Probably the "steal" of the show. Diplomat is a pen brand that flies under the radar, but the quality control on their nibs is outstanding. I've not written with a smoother stainless steel nib.
Franklin-Christoph Model 45. The Model 45 has become my pocket fountain pen of choice. I eyedroppered this pen with Akkerman #28 and have been using it regularly to take notes at work. I chose a stainless steel Masuyama needlepoint nib. Both of the Franklin-Christoph pens I purchased this year are show-only prototypes in acrylics that may or may not make their way into the regular product line.
Franklin-Christoph Pocket 20. Another Franklin-Christoph Pocket Pen that's seen a lot of use since the show. The nib on this pen is a 14k Masuyama needlepoint. I also eyedroppered it with a sample of Franklin-Christoph's Urushi Red Ink, a new color released just before the show.

Inks

You can tell this Akkerman 28 has gotten a bit of use already!

Akkerman Hofkwartier Groen (#28). From Vanness Pens. A color that I've been wanting to add to my collection for a very long time, and I now have it inked in two different pens. I love this bright green ink for note-taking and annotation, and I've been using it more than anything else I bought at the show.
Montblanc Ultra Black. From Anderson Pens. A very interesting black ink that contains undertones of blue and green, though I found the ink itself to be very wet. I have this ink in two pens right now, and I'm still trying to figure out whether it will become a staple.
Sailor Kobe No. 6 (Bordeaux). A true burgundy Sailor ink, which I've currently got loaded into my Sailor 1911 Black Luster. I really like what I've seen so far.
Sailor Kobe No. 9 (Suma Purple). A nice dark-purple ink. I've not had a chance to use it much yet, but it's a Sailor ink so I'm sure I'm going to like it. Initial impressions is that it's a touch better behaved than Bung Box Ink of Witch, and isn't as dark.

Miscellaneous Nibs and Notebooks

Inky Fingers "Currently Inked" Notebook. I love to make lists, especially lists about pens and ink. I went with the pocket-sized notebook.
Franklin-Christoph #6 14k nib, Masuyama Cursive Italic. I've been wanting to upgrade my Scriptorium Pens Balladeer to a 14k gold nib for a while now. As a bonus, I can also swap this nib into my Franklin-Christoph Pocket 20.
Vintage Pelikan 14k Oblique Medium Nib. Many people don't know that vintage Pelikan M400 nibs are interchangeable with modern Pelikan Pens. I've never had an oblique medium nib, so I'm looking forward to testing this one out.

As usual, I also ended up with a giant bag full of ink samples that I won't even try to list or categorize here, but you may be seeing some more ink reviews. I also had some nibs tuned and ground (you can read about one of those here). I can't wait for next year!

DISCLAIMER: I purchased all of the products featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. This post contains affiliate links.