Behind the Scenes: Preparing for the First Pen Show of the Year

March 19, 2025

It’s time for the Arkansas Pen Show, which will be the first pen show that I attend in 2025. Since we’ve opened our own brick-and-mortar shop, I’ve been operating on a reduced travel schedule, but I’m still planning on taking T.G.S. to at least a couple of shows this year. Despite it being a smaller, regional show, Arkansas has a lot to offer that the bigger shows do not. More on that later.

Hightide Sandglasses TGS Pen Show Table — One year I brought the Hightide Sandglasses to Arkansas and they were a big hit. One reason I enjoy this show is because it’s within driving distance, and I can be a bit more creative with what I pack.

How I Pack For a Pen Show As a Vendor

Whenever I pack and prepare for shows, I carefully consider exactly what I’m going to bring. My tables are usually organized around notebook systems such as Roterfaden, Lochby, and Traveler’s Notebooks, since those are all items many people enjoy seeing in person before purchasing, particularly if they are having a difficult time selecting a specific color or refill. I also make a conscious effort to bring pens, pencils, and other writing instruments that I know other vendors probably won’t have at the show, as opposed to more common brands like TWSBI and Lamy that nearly everyone carries. Past show favorites have included the entire Anterique line and all the Uni Jetstream variants that we import from Japan. Despite most U.S. pen shows being focused on fountain pens, recent years have seen more general stationery enthusiasts attend shows, and they tend to appreciate the additional options. This year in Arkansas I will have two tables (up from one last year), so you can expect a bigger selection and more room to browse.

Shawn Newton Pens Arkansas Pen Show — Pens such as the Newton Prospector (bottom row) are typically made in very small batches, so if you see one you like in a special material, you’ll want to pick that pen up earlier than standard releases from larger companies, where there might be more available.

How to Prepare for a Pen Show as an Attendee

A smaller pen show like Arkansas or Atlanta is easier to prep for as an attendee than a larger show like San Francisco or the D.C. Pen Show. You don’t need to worry about “missing” anything, as there are fewer vendors. You can easily visit every table in a single day, and certainly over an entire weekend. Vendors usually have more time to spend with each customer, since the tables aren’t always slammed, and I’ve personally always enjoyed the ability to have more engaged conversations with customers who come to see me at the smaller shows. Last year I actually wrote a piece after the 2024 Arkansas Show discussing the benefits of smaller shows.

Pen Shows After Dark — You really won’t believe some of the things you see in the bar after-hours.

But regardless of the show you are attending, there are three main things I always advise people to prepare for, at a minimum:

Nib Grinds and Repair Work. Regardless of how big a show is, nib grinders and vintage pen repair appointments can fill up fast. If you have work that you absolutely need to get done, identify who you want to work on your pens and make their table your first stop. If there’s an “early access” pass available, buy it to ensure you’re near the front of any wait list.
Visit Smaller Makers Early. Especially if you are looking for a less-common model or special material, because one-offs and less common items can sell out quickly. Bespoke penmakers sometimes only have one rod of a given resin or other material.
Take Breaks. Even smaller shows can be overwhelming, especially for those who haven’t been to a pen show before. Don’t spend all your money in the first hour (unless of course, you only have an hour to spend). And most of all, be sure to make an effort to hang out for just a little while after the show closes! You’d be shocked at the knowledge you pick up around the table in the hotel bar, especially if you’re interested in more esoteric nib grinds and vintage pens.

I’ve been to many pen shows over the years, and the site has nearly a decade of show recaps that you can read through in the blog post archive. I’ve also written a “Pen Show Primer” Series of Articles, including Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. Some of these articles have some age on them, but I stand by pretty much all of the advice!

Please note that our brick-and-mortar shop will be closed Thursday through Sunday of this week since we will be in Arkansas. We will reopen with regular hours next week. Online orders will continue to be processed in our typical 2-3 business day time frame. Many thanks for all your support, and I hope to see as many of you as possible in Arkansas!

2023 Bag Dump, Part II: Travel Edition and Pen Show Packing

July 29, 2023

August is usually a big month on the road for me. In addition to two of the largest pen shows in the world (the D.C. Pen Show from August 3 - August 6, 2023, and the San Francisco Pen Show later that month from August 25-27, 2023), our family sometimes tries to take one last summer trip before school’s back in full swing, and I occasionally have a 1-2 night trade show with some day-job work travel mixed in. I actually do love being on the road and meeting new people, but this is a lot even for me.

As both a travel and stationery enthusiast, I spend a fair bit of time thinking through what I pack for trips (especially business trips and pen shows). It’s a delicate balance between packing far too much - encumbering yourself in ever-shrinking airports, planes, and hotel rooms - and leaving yourself without the tools you need to do your work, and a modicum of comfort on the road. Today I’ll walk through what I tend to pack, with a focus on pen show travel.

Rickshaw Banzai Bag compared to Macbook Air 13-inch — The Rickshaw Banzai Bag is slightly smaller than a 13-inch Macbook Air, making it conveniently small enough to carry over your shoulder in crowded event spaces.

I Bring Two Bags to Pen Shows

Let’s assume that all of my clothing and toiletries go into a carry-on roller bag, and that any shop merchandise I’m bringing to the show goes into checked luggage. There’s not much leeway there in terms of what I can and cannot take, so the focus will be on my “personal items” (to use airline terms). My current travel backpack is an older North Face Surge II (black with red trim), which I like not just because of my signature colors, but because it has a sturdy laptop compartment and more than a half-dozen different compartments for smaller items like headphones, chargers, notebooks, etc.

Rickshaw Banzai Packed for the DC Pen Show, open top

Inside my backpack (or possibly in my carry-on), I’ll pack my Rickshaw “Banzai” bag, which is a bag that Rickshaw specifically designed for pen and stationery carry, with shows in mind. I did a Banzai-specific post earlier this year, which showcases just how much you can fit inside this relatively small shoulder bag.

But why bring two bags to pen shows? DON’T BE THAT PERSON WHO WEARS A HUMUNGOUS BACKPACK IN A CROWDED BALLROOM. If you don’t want your bag to hit other attendees in the head and/or knock valuable merchandise off vendor tables when you inevitably get jostled, bring a smaller shoulder bag or tote to carry around during the day. The Rickshaw Banzai is perfect for this role.

Lochby Rickshaw Pen Cases showing pens coming to the DC Pen Show — Believe it or not, by comparison with many people who will be attending, this is a relatively small number of pens to bring to a pen show! All of this fits inside the Rickshaw Banzai with room to spare.

What Goes Into My Pen Show Bag?

This year, I plan on bringing the following stationery gear with me to the D.C. Pen Show, and my San Francisco Pen Show carry will likely look similar if not identical:

Lochby Field Journal to Carry Personal Notebooks. I always travel with my personal journal, a notebook for morning pages, and at least one blank “scratch paper” notebook.
Plotter A5 Binder. This is my “T.G.S. Notebook” for post ideas, pen and ink testing, notes from meetings with vendors and suppliers, and recent ink swatches for comparison purposes.
Plotter Mini 5. If I really want to lighten the load and walk a show with no bag at all, I’ll grab the pocketable Mini 5 with a pocket pen and go. The Plotter paper is exceptionally fountain pen friendly and great for testing any pens and inks, and the Mini 5 pulls double duty as a wallet.
Multiple Pen Cases with Pens to Share. I always bring a lot of inked pens to shows for after-hours show-and-tell, and this year will be no exception. I’m currently in the process of packing a Lochby Tool Roll and Quattro, a Rickshaw Sinclair Model R, and a Rickshaw 6-pen roll and three-pen sleeve. The shocking part is that all of these cases will fit inside the Banzai Bag at one time, allowing me to carry up to 30 pens to the after-hours meetups in the hotel bar (though I’ll likely leave at least a few slots open to carry new finds home).

TGS On-Site Display 2022 — Our table setup from last year.

2023 D.C. Pen Show Details

This year you can find me sharing table space with our friends at Vanness Pens. TGS won’t have a stand-alone table, but I’ll be bringing a handful of items with me, including Lochby cases and notebooks, washi tape, and whatever stock remains from the TGS-exclusive Penwells and Hinze Collaboration pens. While I plan to have a full table setup in San Francisco, I tend to use the D.C. Show to visit with people and scope out new releases. Note: If you have your eye on something from the shop and want me to bring it to the show for you to pick up, you can select “Local Pickup” at checkout to drop the shipping charge and send me a message to arrange for delivery. Just be mindful that I probably won’t be able to bring heavier orders (i.e. 5 or 6 notebooks) due to airline weight restrictions.

Pen Show Primer Series

Every year when I start getting ready to attend the “big” pen shows in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, I link back to a series of articles I’ve written including Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. While these particular articles have some age on them, I stand by pretty much all of the advice! (You’ll also note that “get a good pen show bag” has remained consistently high on the list of tips for a positive pen show experience.)

This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Baltimore Pen Show 2019 Throwback — A throwback to Saturday at the 2019 BWI Pen Show!

Pen Show Prep 2022: Back to Baltimore!

March 5, 2022

This weekend will probably be consumed by getting caught up on shipping shop orders and cleaning/re-inking pens as I get ready for - you guessed it - my first pen show of the year and one of my favorite stops on the show circuit! The Baltimore-Washington International Pen Show isn’t the largest of the shows, but it’s very well-attended and features a diverse array of vendors and after-hours events. Ever since I had to miss the Philadelphia Pen Show in January, I’ve been looking forward to attending Baltimore. Read on to see how I’m getting ready and how to get in touch if you’re attending the show.

Are You Planning to Attend Your First Pen Show? Here’s a Short Recap of How I Prepare

For a more in-depth discussion of pen shows and why you should consider visiting, check out my previous “Pen Show Primer” series, including Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. Today I’ll briefly run through my favorite tips for making your pen show experience successful.

Check the List of Exhibitors. While the current list of exhibitors who will be attending Baltimore isn’t 100% accurate (it still shows T.G.S. attending as a vendor, for example), it will give you an idea of what to expect and how to prioritize if you have limited time at the show. I highly recommend purchasing the weekend or VIP pass if one is available, since it let’s you attend during non-public hours and get a slight head start on the rush.
Make a Short List of “Must-See” Vendors, Especially Small Makers and Nib Workers. The wonderful thing about pen shows is that they give you an opportunity to see in person those smaller makers and vendors who don’t have a storefront or sell through traditional retail channels. The downside is that quantity is often limited, especially on “show-exclusive” releases, so if there is a vendor who you really want to see, visit them first. For example, Franklin-Christoph releases a tray of prototypes first thing in the morning on each day of the show, and these go fast. Similarly, Schon DSGN often brings new finishes of their Pocket Six and other pens to the show, so if this is a pen on your list and you want to have your pick of colors, get there early, preferably on Friday. The Franklin-Christoph and Schon DSGN tables are often my first stop, after I get on the list for nib grinder(s) if I want to have a nib ground or a pen tuned. (Many nib grinders are now allowing you to make appointments ahead of time, so check their websites to see.)
Set a Budget. It’s REALLY EASY to get overwhelmed and spend more money than you can/want to spend without realizing it. (Trust me on this.) Back when vendors operated on a mostly cash-only basis, it was easier to stay on budget because you had to go to an ATM, and mercifully the ATMs at the show hotels often ran out of money and saved you from yourself. These days, with the advent of payment apps, most people accept credit cards, Venmo, or PayPal and you need to pay close attention to be sure that you don’t find yourself needing to unload a large portion of your pen collection when you get back home in order to pay your show bills.
Take at Least One Seminar or Workshop. One of the reasons I love the Baltimore Show is the range of non-shopping activities that are scheduled throughout the weekend. This year’s lineup includes three calligraphy classes, a Zentangles class, and multiple seminars on pen collecting/repair, in addition to a “Fountain Pens 101” session for those just getting into this hobby.
Save Time, A Little Bit of Money, and Energy for Dinner and After-Hours Events. At night I typically have dinner with friends and then hang out in the hotel lobby/bar area sharing pens, inks, and show acquisitions. If safety concerns permit it, try to spend at least one evening visiting with other attendees and vendors. It’s the best way to not only make friends but to have the opportunity to handle and write with pretty much any pen you could ever want to try. Most people in this community are kind and willing to share their knowledge - I always bring a few cases full of pens for people to try out.

Lochby Tool Roll For Baltimore — The Lochby Tool Roll is coming to Baltimore! The two pens on the far right are vintage Parker Vacumatics I need to have restored. The rest are pens that I currently have inked up that I’m in the process of reviewing and/or will bring for after-hours fun.

What to Bring to a Pen Show

This is pretty straightforward and doesn’t change too much from year to year:

A bag that's comfortable to carry, and shoes that are comfortable to stand in all day. You will likely spend a lot of time on your feet, and unless you have a room at the hotel, space to sit will be limited in the ballroom and there won’t be a safe place to set your bag down. (Unfortunately, there has been a rash of pen show thefts this year, so I would not recommend leaving your pens or bag unsupervised anywhere.)
Water and Snacks. Food at hotel restaurants can be expensive, and since many pen shows are located in hotels near the airport, there aren't great options for shopping nearby. Bring a couple of snack bars, a bag of nuts, or whatever high-energy food you prefer. Please don’t forget to eat and hydrate!
Paper to test inks and pens. Some vendors will let you test a pen before you buy it by dipping it in ink, and all nib grinders/tuners will want you to write with the pen they are working on. I carry two types of paper with me to pen shows: Tomoe River paper and a Write Notepads spiral notebook, not just because they are guaranteed to be ink-friendly, but because it’s the paper I tend to use for most of my writing.
Pens that you want to share, trade, or have worked on. I typically bring a dozen or so pens with me to shows, though I know people who bring many more. For pen show travel, I’ve carried both pen cases and pen rolls, though I’ve been leaning more towards pen rolls lately.

Dip Pens for Ink testing — This year I’ll likely bring dip pens to test inks if people are willing to share. Shown here are the Drillog and a Kakimori Brass Nib.

What’s on My Radar for This Year’s Baltimore Pen Show?

Baltimore will be my first pen show of 2022, and I have several things I want to check out, including the new Schon DSGN Anniversary Edition Ballpoint, and of course the full-size fountain pens that I missed seeing in person when I couldn’t attend Philadelphia. I’m also looking for several additional Laban Greek Mythology Inks, and a few vintage pens to add to my rotation.

If you’re going to the show, hit me up via e-mail (joe@gentlemanstationer.com) or Instagram (@gentlemanstationer). I’d love to say hello! While I won’t be attending as an exhibitor this year due to work and family commitments on either side of the weekend that don’t leave me enough time to get ready, I plan to be there in my personal capacity Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning.

Schon-DSGN-Pocket-Six — Looking to grab the latest release from SchonDSGN? Get to the table early!

Get Your Shop Orders in This Weekend

Fair warning: Because I’m attending the show next week (among other commitments), I’ll be on the road from Thursday, March 10 through Friday, March 18 and shipping will be a bit slower than my usual three business days. If you’ve had your eye on anything in the shop, or need anything to arrive the week I’m away, be sure to get your orders in by Tuesday just to be safe. I will make one shipping run Thursday morning and then I’m off to Baltimore. See you there!

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 T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

It's That Time Again: Prepping for the 2019 D.C. Pen Show!

July 31, 2019

While there’s not really anything on my acquisition list for this year’s show - I’ve done enough damage to my wallet in the four shows I’ve attended so far - I’m still excited for the 2019 D.C. Pen Show. It is, after all, the “big show,” and the one that I recommend everyone attend if they can only do one show. For the second year in a row, I’ll be behind the Vanness Pens table near the entrance to the main ballroom, so please stop by!

So who all will be in D.C. this year, and what am I excited to see?

Vanness Pens. Lisa is bringing pens from Faber-Castell, Conway Stewart, Opus 88, Kaweco, and Diplomat. I’m told we will have tester pens from Diplomat inked up for people to try at the table. As always, Vanness will have the famous “wall of ink” with brands such as Vinta, PenBBS, Colorverse, some Akkerman, Herbin, Lamy, Organics Studio, and Robert Oster. There will be clearance pens and show specials on ink, so stop by the table for details!
The Nibsmith. Dan is back in D.C.! Appointment slots for nib work have already filled up, but if you purchase a pen from Dan it may come with complimentary nib tuning or even a free grind, depending on price. Dan is also an authorized Visconti dealer, and will have Visconti at his table!
Anderson Pens. The Andersons are your stop for Sailor Pens in D.C., particular the King of Pen and Bespoke series! Also, be sure to check out the Wahl-Eversharp Signature Series, a smaller version of Wahl’s Decoband pen!
Nib Grinders! Dan Smith is booked in advance, but others will be there including Mike Masuyama and Josh Lax. If having a nib ground or tuned is on your list of things to do in D.C., be sure to go and sign up first thing in the morning on Friday or Saturday.

Other vendors who will be present include Kanilea Pen Company, Franklin-Christoph, and Dromgoole’s. I can’t list everyone who will be in D.C. - this post would be pages long! - but rest assured there will be more pens, paper, pencils, and ink than you could ever hope to see in one place.

While this picture is from the old location, it gives you a good idea of how many people pass through the D.C. Show. And this is only one ballroom!

A Few Notes on Pen Shows

People always ask me for my “best pen show advice,” and my number-one pointer is simply “have fun.” Don’t take the show too seriously, and don’t be overly concerned with seeing everything because you won’t. There’s just not enough time. A few other tips:

Have a Plan, But Don’t Be Wedded to It. If there are 1-2 things you really want to see and know that they might sell out fast or, with respect to appointments for nib work, book up, then make these a priority and hit them first. “Time-sensitive” pen show items include Franklin-Christoph prototype pens, vendor-specific limited or special edition inks, and handmade pens from smaller vendors like Kanilea Pen Company. Make those tables your first stops, but afterwards take some time to see the show. If you’re going to hunt vintage pens, there will be so many your head will spin, so there’s no reason to buy the first one you see. Take your time!
Pay Extra to Go on Friday. If you can, buy the “weekend trader” pass. Saturday will be crowded, and on Sunday the wares might be picked over. That’s not to say you won’t find good deals, but limited-quantity items will be gone.
Participate in the After-Hours Festivities. Typically held in the hotel bar, “Pen Shows After Dark” is a thing. (Seriously, check out #penshowsafterdark on social media.) In addition to fellowship, camaraderie, and alcohol, people trade and sell pens.
Don’t Forget to Eat and Hydrate! Self-explanatory, but easy to do. If you want to have the energy to indulge in the after-hours bar scene, you’ll need things like food and water. I also like to take a rest in the mid-afternoon, if I’m not working the show.

If you are attending your first pen show, you may want to check out my “Pen Show Primer” series, including 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. Also check out my 2018 D.C. Pen Show Recap to get a sense of what awaits you, and if you didn’t make it this year, what you’re missing out on!

See you in D.C., or at the next show!

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.