Make a note in your diaries good people the first UK Midlands Pen Show is scheduled for the 21st/22nd June 2008 - YES! thats 21st and 22nd - two days of pens, pens and more pens. This will be a small show 20-30 tables but we're determined to make it the 'friendliest little pen show in the world!'

More details will be posted soon and a show flyer will be available in digital form will be next week, if you want one email me at info@cathedralpens.co.uk.
Thats about it for now folks.

Regards

Ian

www.cathedralpens.co.uk
www.wesonline.org.uk

It's in the diary!!!!!!

Casmi

I'll try and arrange one of my regular Northern excursions for one of those dates so that I can pop in in passing. Do you have a venue yet?

Andy

The venue is the George Hotel in Lichfield, Staffordshire (my home town!). The venue is about 10 minutes from the M6 Toll Road junction. Lichfield is also well served by good train and national coach links with both the train and coach stations being about 5 minutes walk away from the George. There are loads of restaurants, pubs, bistros and cafes literally a couple of steps from the hotel (as well as good facilities in the hotel). For culture vultures Dr Johnson's birthplace museum, Erasmus Darwin's house and Lichfield Cathedral are again within 5 minutes walk of the venue. It really is an ideal location for a weekend show.

I shall pack my passport, phrasebook and bring copious amounts of weak shandy on account of my being a southerner.

It's in my diary, work commitments permitting

I'm working on the show website, should have it up in a couple of weeks. It will be packed full of information! We haven't started selling trading tables yet but we already have quite a few booked so things are looking good.

The website for the Midland Pen Show is now up and running and can be found here www.www.midlandpenshow.co.uk Your support for the show would be greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to seeing you there (and at the Northern!)

Ian
Midlands Pen Show organiser

www.cathedralpens.co.uk
www.wesonline.org.uk

It's a fantastic site, Ian!

The weekend sounds wonderful and I am very excited about attending!

Fantastic website - I didn't even know they did exhibitions like this - I'm entering a whole new world here!!

I would love to do the calligraphy workshop but I'm not going to be able to book anything until closer to the time due to other commitments - do you think it is going to be too late then? (Or indeed if it is too late already?).

I'm going to have a look in my diary and see if I can get it sorted out!

That's not really ooop norf that's just a suburb of Brum these days. No need to pack the flat cap or borrow Whippet Doing some practice on your Eckie Thump technique could be a good idea though, thems can get a bit rough once they gets a scent of the Quink in their nostrils!

Might have a talk with you about a bit of car share if you like - too far out to confirm that I will be going, it is in the BOATING season So I could be oft into the wide blue yonder, the Mem Sahib has mumbled summat about going on our hols about then

This is more like it

3 shows a year, way to go...

Hi you, behave I'm from way further north !!!!
et

I'll be there!

- Stuart

Now we've got the Northern Pen Show out of the way can we get started on the countdown for the Midland Show Will have to check my diary, think I can only make one day that weekend as I've a feeling it clashes with Lurcher tripod racing.

Sounds good though I won't be able to go....

Sounds like a fantastic weekend. Just hope that I will be free that weekend and able to attend!

2 shows in 8 weeks!

It's not enough!

now to find a map of Lichfield...

Lichfield is a lovely town to wander around in.....can't wait!

I'll say it very quietly so that Ian doesn't yell at me - I've never been to Lichfield. Is anyone planning to attend one of the workshops?

I am so mad that I will be in UK the previous weekend...for my old hockey club's festival weekend, but cannot stretch it out to this one, as I have a dog & cat back here in Spain to get back to.

I hope it goes well for those who can make it.

as I have never been to a pen show......... what can i expect?

what's gonna be going on....do they have show offers on pens - is it just collectors there showing r do some of the manufacturers attend - can you play with them and try out colours etc?

I'm excited.....I want to make sure it becomes impossible to miss

I'm hoping to attend this too - have been to the London Pen Show last year, still very much a novice though.

The roofer wants to repair our roof that weekend - hopefully the other half won't mind if I am absent.

I'm hoping to get along to this show (it will be my first) but I'm having to work on Saturday Hope to drive up from London and arrive before the Saturday night "Show 'N' Tell Reception".

David

Well good people just over a week to go to the Midland Pen Weekend and stress levels are running high!
All the tables have been taken. Jim Marshall and Laurence Oldfield will be with us to talk about pen repair (if you haven't got a copy of their new book yet I'll have some at the show). David Shepherd will be joining us to launch his new Parker Vac book in the UK. I'll have the full range of Diamine inks including some new colours (are you reading this Carol ) and once again you can try before you buy. I'm also bringing along some vials for the UK ink exchange which will be FREE to all FPNers. I'm sharing one of my tables with John (Oxonian) who will be sellingsome of his pens for the first time (officially that is!) so please give him some support.

I'm trying to organise a meeting room for the FPN Crazy Crew (don't want a repeat of the Northern Show do we ).

If anyone needs directions to Lichfield (Carrie?) or a map showing all of the car parks in Lichfield - all within 5 minutes walk of the hotel, or any info on pubs and eating places just PM me.

Lichfield will not only be full (hopefully!) of weird people who love pens, but also full of people in funny clothes doing funny dances and singing - its the Lichfield Folk Festival on at the same time as our pen weekend - it should make for a fun packed couple of days.

Hoping to see you all there and please tell everyone you know, who might be interested, about the show.

Regards

Ian

www.midlandpenshow.co.uk
www.cathedralpens.co.uk
www.lwes.org.uk
www.wesonline.org.uk

I popped into Lichfield the other week, so found out where the show will be held and just generally had a nice mooch round I'm off on holiday now, so will come straight back off holiday and then head straight off to the show. Therefore I'll leave it to someone else to pass on any contact details and arrange what time folks are meeting up. Ian, don't let me forget that I want to get some new sacs this time and I also need to get sac and seals so I can try to do my first snorkel repair.

Excellent! I like folk music too!

Just need a bike show and a cat show in the area and I'll be in heaven








That is if I can find it. I've ridden though Lichfield on a motorcycle but otherwise have never been there.

MORE new colours??? Woo hoo!!! I alreaady need a bottle of the Flamingo and a second bottle of Royal Blue.........



Excellent! I've got some pens to send back to him and I'll just bring them rather than post them.



Ummmm.....this 'meeting room' you're trying to organise......it doesn't have padded walls, does it? It's just that the fabric they use gives me a rash.....

I'll just be going in on Sunday, so will see everyone then.

regards
Bren

I'll be there on Saturday afternoon.

Parts of Lichfield are really beautiful and I'm looking forward to the special exhibition at Dr Johnson's house, too.

Sadly i will not be making this show as i'm flying home to Belfast on Friday and not coming back till Sunday eve. Trust me to pick this weekend to go home. I would have liked to meet John (oxonian) at last. Ah well maybe the London show.

Well there appears to be just a possibility that I will be able to get there after all.

My 90 yo MiL passed away last night, so it depends when the funeral is...shouldn't be too long depending on the funeral directors 'waiting list' I guess, as she hadn't any relatives in Australia who we might've waited for!!

(No condolences required...she and I never got-on, although I we had a sort-of 'truce' because she was my daughters' grandmother!)

But it's a nuisance that I have just got back to Spain after visiting the children/grandchildren (& the hockey festival) and now haveta find someone to dog & cat-sit for a few more days, book flights, etc!

(Sorry if I sound callous.... )

Anyway, here's hoping I can get to Lichfield for one of the days and see some of you guys

I was really hoping to be able to get to Lichfield, but sadly I have to work that weekend. I shall have to start saving my pennies for London instead.

Sorry that you won't be with us at the weekend Mark, you'll be missed. Hope to see you at The London.

Regards

Ian

www.midlandpenshow.co.uk
www.cathedralpens.co.uk
www.lwes.org.uk
www.wesonline.org.uk

Hi Roger,

I'm glad that you might be able to join us, perhaps we'll have a bit longer to chat than we did at the Northern.

Regards

Ian

It wouldn't be difficult, Ian, as I wasn't there

I guess it was another Roger...or someone else!!

I would loved to have visited (since Lichfield isn't that far from me) but can't actually drive or walk at the moment because of a bad knee. I wanted to register my interest just so that the organisers can add me to the "shows an interest" count. Mind you, it looks like there'll be plenty of support anyway. Good luck for the show. Maybe see you next year...

Regards,
Dean

I had hoped to join you all at the Midland Pen Show, but I'm now having to work all weekend. I even had my room booked at the George Hotel, but have had to cancel it

I hope you all have a great weekend

David

Hope y'all have fun. I don't live in brum nae more, or I'd have wandered down to the university and gotten a train


Mike

Edited to correct the smiley

Do we have a plan then? Are most people going on Saturday or Sunday?

I'm going on Sunday - if you're going that day, Carrie, I've left you a message on your mobile about meeting up to get there.

Casmi

Right, Sunday sounds good. Will go and find where I've put the mobile....send out a search party if I disappear...

Sunday for me too.

what time does it start on Sunday?

cheers
Bren

Well, I'm just back from th efirst day of the show and its been hectic, everybody has done good business and a lot of people came away with bargains, I bought a super whytwarth safety pen with a silver overlay, I'll have it with me so that I can show it off!!!!!!!!!!!

Ann has got the ink ready to go, Oxonianhas been creating trouble all day in his usual inimatable style.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow and don't forget to ask for your FPN Crazy Crew discount

Regards

Ian

I'll be there bright and early, Ian!!!

Does that mean you're arriving before the doors open again

Thank you to all for a wonderful day I behaved myself relatively well, just one pen, some ink and a book (the latter might be an excuse to get some junk pens to practice repairs on). That said, I was very tempted by one of Ian's Sheaffers and that little brown Parker with the blue swirls - beautiful. Nice to chat to Sarj as well and have a nosy at all of his simply stunning pens.

Well, wasn't that very friendly?

I had a great time. I think I spent more time chatting than looking It wasn't so much of a pen show, more of a club meeting, so relaxed and intimate. Can't wait for the next one.

My son, Jack, appears to have been the real winner today. He managed to accumulate 5 pens and loads of ink (with special thanks to Ian, Ann, Andy, Gary, John etc). You might have just brought another fan in to the fold. Next time though, be warned, he's setting his sights on Mont Blanc's or Limited Editions

As for me, I just bagged a few repair items and a Stipula 22 from Ian. It just looked too lovely there on it's own, especially with that Titanium nib...

Now to get to work on some nib smoothing...

regards
Bren

That was just a lovely day!

I spent some time drooling over the lovely, lovely black/silver pen at Worcester Pen Company...and now I'm trying to figure out what I can sell to get that pen!

I also spent some time at The Pen Room's table, enchanted by the exquisite nibs they had on display. I must make my way there soon. If the people staffing the museum are half as friendly as the two folk at the show yesterday then it's definitely worth the trip to Birmingham!

Ian and Ann were, as always, fantastic.......though Ian DID do me in with the inks, of course. After I'd bought the Flamingo Pink and my second bottle of Royal Blue (one for home, one for the office donchaknow) along with a small bottle of Registrar's Ink I thought I was done. And then Ian asked that simple question - "Did you see the new Diamine colours?" [sigh] Add Ruby and Damson to the haul!

I also managed to get a bottle of MB Racing Green - the ink had been bought only to make a display so I got it at cost!

And then there was Oxonian. He once again brought a case full of pens with luscious nibs and has sent me home with six 'to play with'......[sigh] I'm in trouble.

I did not buy ANY pens AT ALL yesterday. I was so good! But then, Oxonian has taken about 10-12 pens of mine home to work on. As these are pens I purchased and didn't manage to get working, when they come back to me they will be 'new' to me and I figured that 10-12 pens was enough to get out of any show!

Bren, please thank Jack for me, will you? We had a bit of a discussion about Diamine inks and he pointed me in the right direction. [grin]

It was lovely to see Carrie again - and yes, we WILL manage to meet up before the next show!

I thought we were ALL extremely well behaved - even Oxonian! I can only think that we wanted to be able to use The George again next year, and having the police called on account of riotous nib discussions would have been a deterrent....

Well done to Ian and Jeremy! The website for the show said you aimed to create 'the friendliest little pen show in the world' and I think you managed just that! Consider yourselves having received a standing ovation from Crewe!

Talking of the Pen Museum, how about those dip pens with the metalwork on the end to look like feathers - truly exquisite.
Now I need to find my one and only dip pen to have a play with that Diamine calligraphy ink.
I've not been brave enough to look at my Snorkel yet to have a go at repairing that.