What Makes a Pen Show "Great"? Takeaways from the 2019 Baltimore Pen Show

March 6, 2019

You often hear people saying: “It was good, but it could have been great” when discussing a recent pen show (or any other large public event, for that matter). What’s less common is attending a pen show that should have been “good,” or maybe even “meh,” but turned out to be fabulous. This year’s Baltimore Pen Show was one such event.

On paper, everything pointed to Baltimore being just an ”ok” show. The weekend started with snow and the Sunday forecasts were even nastier, which ordinarily translates into low turnout. The show was also set in a single ballroom, which typically signals a smaller show with fewer vendors. Finally, the Baltimore Pen Show is the second (and smaller) of two shows in the greater Baltimore-Washington area, with the other show being the “Supershow” held in August, which is a hard act to follow.

The Baltimore Pen Show ballroom from the back looking forward, early on Sunday morning. Note to other pen show organizers: wide aisles + good light + air conditioning = happy everybody.

None of this mattered. Organizer Bert Oser and his team, led by Corinne, did an exceptional job coordinating the weekend, and the entire show went off without a hitch. (And if there were any “hitches,” they weren’t visible to attendees or vendors.) So what made Baltimore such a good pen show?

Hotel and Location. Sure, it’s hard to get excited about an airport Marriott, but it’s also nice to have a shuttle running to/from the Airport, reducing transit time and expense for people coming in from out of town, which is especially important if you have dicey weather. Better yet, this hotel was well-ventilated with good air conditioning, so the ballroom wasn’t 1000 degrees, and the bar setup was pretty good with tables and a secondary sports bar attached to the hotel that stayed open later after the lobby bar closed. I’d definitely attend a show at this hotel again.
Ballroom Setup. Despite my initial hesitation, the single ballroom turned out to be one of the best things about this show. Baltimore isn’t the largest show in terms of number of vendors or attendees, but the mix and quality of the vendors was exceptional. More on that below. The ballroom was bright and easy to navigate, with wide aisles and plenty of room behind and between tables.
Events. Show organizer/promoter/hype-master Corinne described this show as “Pen Camp,” and it definitely had that vibe. All three days featured classes and workshops, with events at night. On Friday night, Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addict featured a “Meet the Makers” panel; Saturday night featured the obligatory “Pen Shows after Dark” meet and greet/show and tell in a commandeered conference room that we almost - but not quite - got tossed out of; and Sunday was your typical laid-back final day where vendors got a chance to breath and walk the show for themselves.
Friendly Attitude Among Vendors and Attendees. Baltimore had none of the near-hostility that can develop at larger, more crowded, and less well-managed shows like the D.C. Supershow and the L.A. Pen Show, which I wrote separately about last week. From what I could tell, everyone had a great time, and I had better conversations at this show than I’ve had in a long time, not to mention getting to try a ton of pens. Just check out the video from the “Pen Shows After Dark” meetup and spy all those pens on the table, just waiting to be shared!

Jonathon Brooks was next to Hugh Scher of the Kanilea Pen Company all weekend. You could lose a lot of money in that corner!

So What Did I See?

As I noted above, the Baltimore Show usually features a good mix of different vendors, both vintage and modern, as well as both custom and production-line writing instruments. This year’s list of exhibitors was OUTSTANDING, and included:

For custom and “small-batch” makers, Kanilea Pen Company, Carolina Pen Company (Jonathon Brooks), Desiderata Pens, Woodshed Pen Company, Herbert Pen Company, Additive Pens, Franklin-Christoph, and Ryan Krusac Studios.
For Nib Workers and Pen Restorers, Richard Binder, Ron Zorn, Martin Ferguson, Nibs on Point (JC Ament), and JJ Lax Pen Co. (who also had Yoshi Nakama pens in stock, and no, I still haven’t picked one up).
For general retailers, you had Vanness Pens (where I was working), Federalist Pens, Total Office Products, and Nock Co.
For vintage retailers, in addition to the typical traders, you had Paul Erano, Jessica Coles of The Vintage Pen Shop, and Nik Pang (who also set up for calligraphy).
For distributors and manufacturers, you had Coles of London (Visconti), Kenro Industries (Montegrappa, Esterbrook, and Aurora), and Private Reserve Ink.

FInally, the Baltimore show featured a number of local specialty shops, including Write Notepads, The Queen’s Ink, Drama Mama Bookshop, and Jinji Chocolate. It added a great local flair to what was already a top-notch show. I’m sure I’ve missed a ton of people, but I didn’t have much time to walk the entire show (plus I’m forgetful), so apologies in advance!

And I did forget someone! Story Supply Co. was there with all of their standard and special edition notebooks!

As always, Franklin-Christoph brought trays of prototypes, which went quickly each morning.

Jerry from Additive Pens brought a bunch of new models to test, including these “ribbon” and “inverted ribbon” models.

So What Did I Bring Home?

Baltimore wasn’t a huge show shopping-wise, but I did bring back a couple of interesting pens that you all will see up on the blog in the near future. In terms of pens, I purchased one of the “Double Helix” eyedroppers from Additive Pens, which I’m excited about reviewing. I also picked up a Parker 51 “Fantasy” by Nik Pang, which incorporates a classic Parker 51 nib and aerometric filling mechanism into a new body and cap. Finally, I took home a Spoke Pen Prototype and few bottles of ink from Vanness that I’ve been meaning to try.

From left: Additive Pens “Double-Helix” eyedropper, Spoke Pen Prototype, and my Parker 51 “Fantasy” from Nik Pang.

From Left: 3 Oysters Black Moss, Taccia Ebi, Taccia Uguisu, and Private Reserve Burgundy Mist, a former favorite of mine that’s recently been reformulated.

I can’t tell you how much time I killed at work playing with this Additive Pens eyedropper yesterday.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts on the Baltimore Pen Show

I definitely plan to come back to the Baltimore Pen Show next year. It might actually have become my favorite overall show on the circuit, though I’ve heard that the Philadelphia Pen Show has a similar vibe and I’m going to make a point of attending. Next stop for me is the Arkansas Pen Show in Little Rock next weekend, followed by Atlanta at the beginning of April. Then I’ll need a break…. until D.C.!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. Many thanks to Mike and Lisa Vanness for letting me tag along and work the Vanness table this weekend!

2019 Baltimore Pen Show: Friday Pictures!

March 2, 2019

The Baltimore Washington International Pen Show has grown into one of my favorite shows on “the circuit.” It’s a well-run, medium-sized pen show that may not be the largest out there but attracts a great group of vendors and attendees. I’m back behind the Vanness Pens table this weekend, winding towards the end of my insane February-March travel schedule, so come visit and get your hands on all the pens, ink, and paper we brought with us before it’s gone! The Vanness-Shawn Newton collaboration, the Pinnacle, is nearly sold out with only one or two pens remaining, and we very quickly sold out of certain colors of Akkerman ink. As is usual on pen show weekends, I’ll have a full recap with my thoughts on this show up on the blog next week.

The Vanness Table. We’re to the left against the wall as you enter the ballroom.

Vanness brought all sorts of Aurora pens to the show, including the last of the Minerali demonstrators, Optima Flex Pens, and some new limited editions!

What are you lookin’ at? Cary mans the Kenro table across the aisle from us.

The Joey Feldman/Rickshaw bags collaboration intended for the L.A. Pen Show is finally available for Baltimore! Come see these, they’re great!

And finally, we have the full range of Pilot Custom 74 demonstrators. These are excellent pens that don’t get the love they deserve, for some reason. The nibs are outstanding and the price point is excellent. Stop by and try one out!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

2019 Pen Show Prep! Where I'll Be This Year and Tips for Surviving Pen Shows

February 27, 2019

You may have noticed that posts have been somewhat irregular around here over the past few weeks. As it turns out, I’ve been traveling, including my first pen show of the year, the Los Angeles International Pen Show. The travel is not going to end soon. Quite a few people have asked me which other shows I’ll be attending. So far, they are:

Baltimore Washington International Pen Show (March 1-3, 2019). I will once again be behind the Vanness Pens Table this coming weekend! If you’re at the Baltimore Show, stop by and see me.
Arkansas Pen Show (March 15-17). I’ve never attended this show before, have been meaning to go for the past few years, and I’m not going to miss it again! Especially not the open house at Vanness Pens and the $10 weekend pass.
Atlanta Pen Show (April 5-7). After a little bit of a break, I’ll drive to Atlanta for what’s basically my “home show” since it’s only about four hours away. It’s also the site of the annual Pen Addict Live show. The Kickstarter is running now, with some great rewards and extras if you back.
Washington, D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow (August 1-4, 2019). In all likelihood there will be no planned pen show trips between Atlanta and D.C. That’s a busy time for me in terms of family vacation and work, but I’ve attended D.C. every year for the past several years and for all its “challenges,” it’s still the Big Show.
San Francisco Pen Show (August 23-25, 2019). This one is a stretch, and will depend on how busy my August is at the Day Job, but I’ve heard so many good things about the SF Pen Show (aka “The Fun Pen Show”) that I’m going to make every effort to be there.

I’ll be behind the table at Vanness Pens for at least part of this year’s Baltimore Pen Show.

Other shows that I consider attending every year include the Chicago Pen Show from May 2-May 5, the Triangle Pen Show from May 30-June 2 (Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina), the Dallas Pen Show from September 27-28, and the Ohio Pen Show (Columbus, Ohio). Most of these are last minute trips, and I currently don’t have concrete plans to go, but hey, you never know….

I’ll definitely be hanging out a lot at the Kanilea Pen Co table in Baltimore! (Pic here is from 2017, since the “Bomb Cyclone” - remember that? - caused me to miss last year’s show.)

Whenever I publish pen show recaps, I end up getting a lot of questions about how to prepare for and best enjoy a pen show. Here’s a quick summary of the advice I always give people:

Pick the right show. My first pen show was the Ohio Pen Show in Columbus, which was just the right size. It’s a mid-sized show, but definitely bigger than anything I imagined could exist at that time. I attended a couple of other smaller shows before I tried a larger show like D.C., which can be overwhelming and take you three days to fully explore. Bigger shows also attract large crowds, especially on the weekends, and I actually enjoy the smaller and mid-size shows because it’s MUCH easier to talk to people.
Don’t try too hard and take your time. It’s supposed to be fun. You don’t need to see everything at a show, and even that’s probably an impossible goal for your first excursion. Pick out 3-4 pens you want to see/look for and make those your focus.
Don’t spend too much money. Set a budget. In addition to getting overwhelmed, it’s easy to get carried away and purchase stuff that you don’t really want or need “just because it’s there.” Know yourself. If you’re prone to overspending, leave the credit cards at home.
Eat. Somewhat self-explanatory, but it’s also easy to get caught up in everything, miss lunch, and the next thing you know you’re crashing mid-afternoon.
Socialize. I waited far too long to take advantage of the opportunity pen shows present to hang out and meet people who you may only know via the internet. Don’t miss the chance to put faces with names, it’s one of the best parts - if not THE best part - of the pen show experience. If you’re staying at the show hotel (something I recommend), after-hours at the bar is a great opportunity to try out different pens and ink that people bring with them.
Take Advantage of the Opportunity to Get Work Done on Pens. Maybe you have a nib that doesn’t write well, or you’d like to try a custom grind? Pen shows are a great way to get pens worked on by a “nib doctor” in person, which is much more efficient than sending pens back and forth through the mail. Plus they can see how you write with the pen and adjust the nib accordingly, which makes a huge difference.
Bring a Pen Case with Room and Plastic Bags for Ink. For shows, I travel with one of my Aston Leather 10 Pen cases, as well as a bunch of Ziploc sandwich bags (heavy duty or double seal) to wrap ink in for the trip home. Most ink bottles are less than three fluid ounces, which can go in your carry-on bag, but some TSA checkpoints enforce the “all-liquid-in-a-plastic-bag” rule so be prepared!

Don’t forget to plan: How am I going to bring all of this home?

This post just scratches the surface. Over the years, I’ve written several detailed pieces about attending shows, and don’t really have too much to add to them. Check out Pen Show Primer, Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show.

Give me a shout if you want to meet up in Baltimore or at another future show!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

L.A. Pen Show Friday and Saturday Recap

February 17, 2019

The Los Angeles Pen Show is definitely one of the more interesting shows I’ve visited. Most notable is that three out of the four show days are trader days, meaning that the show is open to the public only on Sunday (and therefore crazy). This is the exact opposite of how most pen shows run, with nearly all others being open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, and Sunday typically being the “dead” day where things really slow down in the afternoon. As I write this, I’m mentally preparing myself for the Sunday rush in L.A., since I’ll be behind the Vanness Pens table helping out. If you’re at the show, come see me! In the meantime, here is a photo-heavy recap of some of the things I saw on Friday and Saturday. I should have some additional pictures later this week and some additional reporting on the show once I see how Sunday goes.

This year the entire L.A. Pen Show was held in a single downstairs ballroom. It remains to be seen how the new venue will handle the Sunday crowds, and there were already a few issues with the aisles being very narrow. I will say, however, that the … — This year the entire L.A. Pen Show was held in a single downstairs ballroom. It remains to be seen how the new venue will handle the Sunday crowds, and there were already a few issues with the aisles being very narrow. I will say, however, that the lighting in this recently refurbished space was excellent - some of the best I’ve experienced.

One of the most exciting things I got to see this weekend was the launch of the Vanness/Shawn Newton production-line collaboration, The Pinnacle, which comes in two sparkly colors: Sassafras (on the left) and Wild Blackberry (right). Like Shawn’s fa… — One of the most exciting things I got to see this weekend was the launch of the Vanness/Shawn Newton production-line collaboration, The Pinnacle, which comes in two sparkly colors: Sassafras (on the left) and Wild Blackberry (right). Like Shawn’s famed Shinobi model, the cap has a single facet that acts as a roll-stopper.

I got to handle a Sylvester Stallone Chaos Pen at the Montegrappa table! I have to say that despite all my past skepticism this pen was impressive to hold in person.

Pierre from Desiderata Pens was set up, with a full stock of pens that included his latest Soubriquet model that features a vacumatic-style filler. I acquired the red and beige ebonite pen pictured in the gallery below. Pierre made his name selling … — Pierre from Desiderata Pens was set up, with a full stock of pens that included his latest Soubriquet model that features a vacumatic-style filler. I acquired the red and beige ebonite pen pictured in the gallery below. Pierre made his name selling pens that accept Zebra G Calligraphy nibs, but you can also purchase them with JoWo nibs.

The Montegrappa “Grappa” set, complete with - wait for it - a bottle of Grappa!

Mike Masuyama was present, and he changed things up at his workstation! I had two pens tuned today, nothing fancy!

And, of course, Brian Anderson showed me some rare Esterbrook “V-Clip” and Relief pens that he had “under glass” at the table. The kind of stuff you can only see at a Pen Show!

My 2018 D.C. Pen Show Journal

August 8, 2018

So this year's D.C. Pen Show was a completely new experience for me: I got to see the show from behind the vendor's table, working for my friends at Vanness Pens. How was it? Awesome. Don't get me wrong, it was the hardest "real work" I've done in a while, coming from someone who usually finds himself plopped down at a desk for 8-12 hours per day, but I enjoyed meeting customers and getting some real world experience in the pen business. My time behind the table meant that I didn't have much of an opportunity to browse the show itself, but on the flip side, lots of readers were kind enough to come by to visit. I enjoyed meeting all of you, and I apologize if I couldn't talk long. We had a crush of people at the table at times, especially on Saturday. So on to the daily recaps and photos, along with my impressions of the show.

Thursday-Friday

I arrived Thursday afternoon, and helped the Vanness team unload the "Ink Van" and set up the tables. Thursday is the true "trader day," when the vintage collectors take over the smaller ballroom and trade among themselves. This can be a great opportunity to pick up rare vintage pens, sometimes at great prices, before the show officially opens. I didn't partake, but did spend Thursday evening going to dinner and visiting with friends before the insanity started.

Ana came ready to sell some pens. The crowd did some damage on all these trays.

Friday at the D.C. Pen Show is the first "full day" of the show, where it's open to weekend pass holders only and when most of the vendors are set up. I always recommend that the true "pen addicts" attend the show on Friday, because its less crowded and because you get first dibs on the best stuff before everything starts to sell out. For example, I made my biggest show purchase on Friday: a Kanilea Hanauma Bay in the "Classic V" shape with a clip! Kanilea is one brand that I like to buy in person - all of their pens are unique due to variations in the acrylic, so if you can, try to visit Hugh and Karol in person and pick out the pen that speaks to you.

My Kanilea Pen Company Hanauma Bay, in the "Classic V" Shape with sterling silver clip.

Saturday

One word to describe Saturday at the D.C. Pen Show, pretty much every year: insane.

The Colorverse Ink started the show stacked three boxes deep on most colors, but was mostly sold out by Sunday morning.

Being behind the table compounded the insanity. I didn't even get a chance to walk into the main ballroom and see how crowded the show floor actually was, but based on the number of people we saw out front at the Vanness table, and how well most vendors claimed to be doing, I suspect attendance was excellent. Saturday night I was so tired that I crashed right away after dinner and missed most of the fun at the bar. I had intended to come back downstairs and visit after calling home to check in, but it just didn't happen. Good thing, too, because I still had another full day of pen-showing to do.

Some scary-looking dude set up next to us. We made sure to stay away from him for most of the weekend. Then they gave me a pen case and a pencil pouch to take home to review, so it turned out ok.

So what did I do all day Saturday? Sold pens and talked to people! Here's what was selling at the show:

Opus 88 Fountain Pens. The Koloro and Fantasia models sold like crazy. Once people had the chance to handle these pens in person, more often than not they bought one. These Japanese-style eyedroppers make great daily writers, especially at the price point. Vanness loaned me a Picnic and Fantasia for review, so look for these in the future, perhaps as a new installment to the "Workhorse Pens" series.
Colorverse Inks. Everyone is still going crazy for Colorverse, especially the Season Three and Four Inks (Schrodinger/Cat and Felicette), as well as the new limited edition Hayabusa purple. Several of you bought four-plus boxes!
Benu Pens. Another unique brand out of Russia that people fall for after seeing the pens in person, especially if you're looking for something sparkly with an uncommon shape. And we sold the glow-in-the-dark pen!
Kaweco. Kaweco pens continue to be extremely popular with both new and experienced fountain pen users. Everyone loves their Kawecos, and we even sold a few of the newly released Art Sport series.
Aurora Optima Flex Pens. Buy your Optima Flex pens in the limited edition colors now, because once these pens are gone, they're gone. The bright orange one went quickly, though that yellow is calling my name...
Ink in General. Vanness brings a huge selection of ink to shows, and in addition to the Colorverse, I can't tell you how much Akkerman, Robert Oster, PenBBS, Bungubox, and KWZ ink we sold throughout the weekend. Let's just say the Ink Van's going to be much lighter going home.

The 2018 Kaweco Art Sport Models, available in Dark Blue, Metallic Green (which is more of a marbled green than what I'd consider true "metallic"), Pearl Orange, and Real Blue.

Kenro "soft launched" the new series of Esterbrook pens at the 2018 D.C. Pen Show. They sport a much more classic design than the first round of modern Esterbrooks.

The "new" Esterbrook logo. Look familiar?

What's that?!? A vintage Esterbrook nib in the section of one of the new pens?

And, for all of you who asked, those Wing Sung "tester" pens that we had on the table are the Model 3008, which can be bought in packs of four online.

Sunday

As always, Sunday around the table was quieter than Saturday, and Lisa was kind enough to cut me loose for an hour so I could make the rounds and see some of what other vendors and manufacturers had to offer. Here were the highlights:

Syahi Pens. Before I left for the show, I was contacted by Syahi, a new brand out of India that has introduced a range of wooden pens with flex and semi-flex nibs, both of which I got to try out. I took a semi-flex Syahi Monarch home with me, so look for a review.
New Esterbrooks. Ever since Kenro purchased Esterbrook this past Spring, I've been waiting to see their new models (photos above). They didn't disappoint, and the new pens that will be coming soon are much more in line with vintage Esterbrook design than the pens that caused so much controversy a couple years ago.
Penlux. I picked up a nice ebonite pen from Penlux, a Taiwanese company that I hadn't seen before at previous D.C. Shows. Look for shops to start carrying them soon - I suspect they were there to meet with retailers and showcase their wares. Overall, the pens looked nice and well made, with a price point similar to Opus 88.

Gabe and Vito from Story Supply Co. brought the beach with them, which was nice since most of us didn't get outside all weekend. — Gabe and Vito from **Story Supply Co.** brought the beach with them, which was nice since most of us didn't get outside all weekend.

Penlux had their piston fillers for sale, along with a demonstration of how the mechanism was built.

Final Thoughts and Takeaways from 2018

This was a great D.C. Pen Show - one of the best I've attended - and a marked improvement over last year's logistical nightmare. I still prefer the old venue, but the new location might be permanent due to rate increases. So it goes. Look for plenty of new review material starting this weekend as I get back on track. In the meantime, enjoy everyone's show recaps, which should be hitting the blogs and instagram this week!

And, of course, the aftermath of this year's D.C. Pen Show, when you get home and unload your bag of things you bought and things you brought for show-and-tell.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.