April 28-May 1: Chicago Pen Show!

Just a reminder that this coming weekend I’ll be attending the 2022 Chicago Pen Show, so if you’ve been considering a shop order and would like something to ship before Thursday, please get your orders in before Wednesday (tomorrow) at noon. I may be able to do show pickup, depending on logistics and size of the order, so e-mail me and we can arrange to drop shipping charges.

While I will have a table in Chicago, I will NOT be set up as a vendor. The table will be a meet-and-greet, informational resource only due to things like inventory management and travel burden. I will have things like stickers and buttons, however, along with pens and paper to test out and see in person. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible at the show, so please stop by!

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, as well as the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

When You Find a Specific Pen You Like: Atlanta Pen Show 2022

I’ve been more selective about acquiring pens for my personal collection over the past two years. After nearly a decade as a dedicated fountain pen user, it’s definitely become harder to find pens that, at least for me, are truly “new” and interesting enough to justify a spot in a collection that frankly already has more than I could ever reasonably rotate through. While I don’t envision myself ever having fewer than a couple dozen fountain pens, I have started the process of gradually refining the current hoard into a (much) smaller number of pens that see regular writing, and in limited instances, replacing them with pens that I know I’ll enjoy.

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Stacy Robinson (who sells through Penzbydesign), had these lipless “Navigator” fountain pens available at the Atlanta Pen Show last weekend. Let’s just say they sold quickly.

I’ve really taken to the design of the Schon DSGN “Engineered Plastics” collection, as well as their full-size anodized fountain pens. In addition to the craftsmanship and overall build quality, this particular pen hits a sweet spot in terms of size and ergonomics, including postability. Which is one reason why I picked up three similarly-sized fountain pens from Stacy Robinson’s table at the Atlanta Pen Show, all in some unique materials that I’ve been coveting for the past several years (including two Conway Stewart acrylics, Pistachio and Coral Razorshell).

I also stopped by the Hinze Pen Company table and picked up this pen, which features a Starry Night Acrylic that reminds me of an impressionist painting. (Wait for the full review - this pen now features a custom nib grind by Matthew Chen.)

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I acquired this custom Jonathan Brooks pen from the Carolina Pen Company table in D.C. last year, but haven’t gotten around to inking it up. Consider that problem fixed as of this morning.

My “pen show hunts” have been more targeted in recent years - I’ve developed a strong sense of what I will enjoy and use, and what I’ll use once and set aside - and my acquisitions over the course of the last year reflect this. As you can see from the photos, they’re pretty much all Schon DSGN and/or pens from custom and small-batch manufacturers that feature uncommon materials or custom nibs. I’m also gradually dipping my toes back into the vintage world, but focusing on one or two models like the Parker 51 and the Parker Vacumatic.

I had nibs ground by Matthew Chen for the first time in Atlanta, taking home a Naginata Togi and a cursive italic. Both are excellent.

Another area where I’ve been focusing is nib customization. I’m working on a couple of longer-term projects for the site, one of which is a comparison of different nib grinds as done by different nib workers. Each nib grinder has their own “signature”, so no two grinds are alike, though they might nominally be “the same” (i.e., two cursive italics, architects, etc.). It’s been fascinating to see the variation, and somewhat astonishing to realize the level of talent across the community. Over the past two years, despite having around 15 pens ground, I’ve not had a “bad” grind - something I couldn’t say even five years ago.

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Kirk Speer grinding a nib at the Pen Realm table in Atlanta.

The 2022 Atlanta Pen Show was a great experience, and consistent with Baltimore, reasonably well attended given that many people are still in the process of getting comfortable traveling again. I fully expect the shows later this spring and over the summer to continue moving in a positive direction (provided of course, the pandemic continues to ease). It was great meeting so many readers, even though I could only really be there for a day! If I missed you, I hope to catch up later this year.

A Brief Note and Update on the Weeks Ahead

As you may have seen from following me on social media, I’m in the middle of construction here at T.G.S. HQ (i.e., my home office, i.e., the room above the garage), so review content may look somewhat different over the next two or three weeks as I’ll have to find new locations to shoot photographs. In the meantime, I plan to do my annual “Best Pens” update, and possibly attend the Chicago Pen Show at the end of the month. T.G.S. Shop Orders will continue to ship within the regular 2-3 business day time frame.

This post does not contain paid advertisements or third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Atlanta Pen Show Day! And a Lochby Update

Happy Pen Show Day everyone! I’m in Atlanta and will be taking in the Atlanta Pen Show today and tomorrow. Atlanta is one of the first shows I attended regularly, and while it’s not the biggest show, it’s well-run and attracts a diverse group of vendors, vintage and modern. If you live in the Atlanta area, or even if you’re within a few hours’ drive - like me - it’s always worth a trip to a pen show. Keep an eye on my Instagram (both feed and stories) for pictures from this year’s event.

If you’re on the fence about Atlanta, check out some of my recaps of prior Atlanta Pen Shows. The last show I attended was in 2019 (pre-Pandemic), and I’ve been a regular attendee since 2015. (That show, by the way, was absolutely epic, and I wrote a two part review that you should read if you want to hear about how good a pen show can be. Part I and Part II are available here.)

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Lochby is Back in Stock

While I hoped to have a Lochby case/notebook cover restock arrive in time for me to take it with me to the show, I couldn’t get my act together in time to actually place the order for a timely arrival. That said, the package is arriving at my warehouse today, so I’ve updated stock numbers and will have orders ready to start shipping Sunday/Monday upon my return from Atlanta.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lochby and all other brands we stock. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

State of the Collection: My Franklin-Christoph Fountain Pens after Baltimore

I’ve not written about my Franklin-Christoph fountain pens in a while, even though the brand has been a mainstay of my “daily workhorse” rotation for years now. Previously my collecting has focused on the Model 20 “Marietta” fountain pen, the slip-cap pen that’s one of my all-time favorites, especially for showing off acrylics and other materials. In recent years, however, I’ve expanded my repertoire and added several new pens in different models, including the Model 31 “Omnis”, the Model 02 “Intrinsic”, and the Model 45.

From left: two Model 31 fountain pens, four Model 20s (still my favorite), a Model 02, and a Model 45.

Even if I don’t end up purchasing anything, browsing the prototype trays at the Franklin-Christoph tables is one of my favorite pen show experiences. (It’s rare that you don’t end up walking away from the table with something.) This past weekend, I purchased the Model 02 and Model 45 shown here, both in this dark flecked acrylic with scattered gold, burgundy, blue, and green. (I believe this material is called “Cathedral,” and it’s made appearances at pen shows in the past but I was never able to snag it in a pen model that appealed to me. I’m still looking for a Model 20.)

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The Model 02 features this material on the section and finial, with the slightly blue-tinted “Antique Glass” body.

Another reason I never feel guilty about picking up more Franklin-Christoph pens is because the purchase includes a tuned JoWo nib, with numerous specialty grinds available for a small uncharge. In addition to Franklin-Christoph’s own excellent in-house nib grinds, you can opt for work done by Japanese nib crafter Yukio Nagahara. I chose Nagahara needlepoint nibs for both of the pens shown here. I haven’t inked these pens up yet, but you can expect these pens (and these nibs) will get a full write-up sooner rather than later.

Catch Up on the Rest of My Baltimore Pen Show Adventures

You can read my full recap of the 2022 Baltimore Pen Show here, and you can also view additional show photos on my Instagram, including in the Stories where the pics and running commentary are saved to the highlights. I got home late last night, so I’m still getting settled, but you can expect the blog to resume a normal schedule this week.

Finally, T.G.S. Curated Shop orders are no longer delayed and will ship within the typical 2-3 business days. All orders placed during my absence started shipping out LATE last night and will continue through the weekend. Many thanks for all your support!

Baltimore Pen Show 2022 Recap: This Time, It Felt Like Pen Shows Might Be Back

Even if things aren’t necessarily “back to normal” (whatever the “new normal” is), this past weekend’s trip to the Baltimore Washington International Pen Show finally had the energy and level of engagement that I remember from 2020. Sure, this past year’s DC Pen Show and San Francisco Pen Shows were good, but they were the first large shows in more than a year, and you could sense the nerves and a degree of (warranted) anxiety not just due to COVID, but how the show circuit would spring back and whether all the various pen shows around the country would even survive. I attended the Chicago Pen Show in October, and saw a lot that gave me concern. After Baltimore, things feel back on track.

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Festivities kicked off early with a Friday morning “prototype rush” at the Franklin-Christoph table. Every morning at opening, Franklin-Christoph sets out trays of pens in one-off or experimental prototype materials. These are quite popular!

The Baltimore Pen Show Is a Great Show for Both New and Experienced Attendees

Baltimore is one of my favorite pen shows - in fact, it’s in the running for my overall favorite, up there with San Francisco. It’s not the biggest show, but for its size, Baltimore has an excellent balance of new and vintage vendors, large retailers, custom pen makers, and hobbyists showing off their handmade accessories and other crafts. Best of all, Baltimore attracts a large number of talented nib grinders and pen restorers, so if you fancy a custom nib grind or otherwise need a pen worked on, there’s no shortage of options. There are plenty of seminars on a diverse range of topics from calligraphy classes to nib tuning, as well as organized after-hours events featuring socializing and giveaways.

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Dromgoole’s brought the ink this year!

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Les at Stylosuite brought his full array of pens fitted with his custom-ground flex and italic nibs. I had the chance to write with all of his various grinds and customizations.

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Evan and Julian of Penquisition were in attendance, with their signature Retro 51 “The Susan” decked out in Maryland colors.

Key Vendors in Attendance

The vendors at this year’s Baltimore Pen Show skewed towards the smaller/mid-sized end of the spectrum, meaning that there weren’t many large retailers present but the overall mix was more than adequate. For example, Dromgoole’s, Crazy Alan’s Emporium, and Federalist Pens were the primary “general purpose” retailers stocking pens, inks, and paper, since Vanness Pens and Lemur Ink did not attend this year. Custom makers included Schon DSGN, Kanilea Pen Company, Ryan Krusac Studios, Carolina Pen Company (Jonathon Brooks), Hinze Pens, River City Pens, Ironfeather Creative, and Hardy Penwrights. There were dozens of other eclectic vendors, both vintage and modern, and as usual it would be impossible to name them all here. Highlights included Lucky Star Pens and Toys from the Attic, along with show show stalwarts Franklin-Christoph and distributors like Kenro Industries (Esterbrook, Montegrappa, Tibaldi, etc.).

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Cary Yeager of Kenro Industries (Esterbrook, Montegrappa) and the founder of Fountain Pen Day.

Need Nib Work Done? Baltimore’s Your Show

This year, I didn’t purchase so many pens as I had pens modified and/or picked up pens I had sent to various people for nib work. For example, I sent four pens to Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio, who delivered some exceptionally good grinds including a medium “Perspective” (Naginata-style) grind, a medium cursive italic, and two 14k flex nibs that I’ll be showing off soon. At the show, I had J.C. Ament (The Nib Tailor) grind a Naginata on a rather boring Parker Duofold Centennial medium nib, and Josh Lax (J.J. Lax Pen Co.) ground an extra-fine architect onto my new Schon Design Full Sized Fountain Pen in an as-yet-unnamed matte-black/magenta pattern.

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J.C. Ament of the Nib Tailor hard at work. He stayed busy all weekend!

In addition to the three mentioned above, Kirk Speer (Pen Realm), Damien from All in the Nib, the legendary Richard Binder, Les at Stylosuite, and Jack Hairston (working through Bertram’s Inkwell and also performing vintage pen restoration) were all set up and working. That’s at least eight different vendors offering custom nib grinds, and nine if you count the fact that Franklin-Christoph will tune a pre-ground specialty nib for you at the time of purchase. In my experience, it’s nearly unheard of to have so many quality nib technicians on site at a pen show. While some vendors filled up their time slots (especially on Saturday), many still had walk-up capacity.

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Jack Hairston of Bertram’s Inkwell ground a cursive italic nib for me, and also too a couple of my vintage vacumatics for sac replacement and restoration. It was great to see someone doing vintage pen restoration at a show.

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Testing out my new nib grinds and my new inks!

Other than nib grinds, I didn’t overdo it on the shopping. I did pick up basically the entire series of Laban “Greek Mythology” inks, since I’m a mythology nerd and the inks are excellent. (The only ink not pictured below is Athena Grey, which I already own.) As mentioned above, I purchased a Schon DSGN Full-Sized Fountain Pen, and two Franklin-Christoph pens (Model 45 and Model 02) in prototype materials. I plan to photograph these pens as soon as

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Takeaways and Upcoming 2022 Pen Show Schedule

Once again, the highlight of any pen show is the people. Baltimore saw a great mix of locals and people traveling in from out of town to attend, which gave the show a much better energy than Chicago, the last show I attended. That’s not a knock on the Chicago Show - it speaks more to the increased willingness of vendors and attendees to travel, combined with the loosening of local restrictions as Covid cases decline in certain locales.

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Kanilea Pen Company display - Pen Shows are a great place to see custom and small-batch pens in person before making a decision.

Going forward, my personal plan is to fully re-engage in the pen show community and I’ll be attending shows throughout the year. While personal and work reasons may prevent me from having a table at any shows this year, I currently plan to be at the Atlanta Pen Show (April 1-3, 2022); the D.C. Pen Show (August 4-August 7, 2022); and the San Francisco Pen Show (August 26-28, 2022). Depending on how travel restrictions evolve, I would love to throw an international show into the mix, possibly the fall London Pen Show (October 9, 2022) or the Tokyo International Pen Show (October 28-30, 2022) later in the year.

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Shop orders will resume shipping Friday upon my return from traveling, and all orders placed during a “pen show week” always receive extra freebies.