What Do You Take To A Pen Show?

[Fermata]

A loupe, reading glasses, a notebook with paper that you trust, some take a small maglight to shine into pens.

 

A bottle of ink, not all vendors have ink and paper for testing pens, and some may object to you testing pens - if so 'walk on by'. A rucksack so that your hands are free, and some are very very warm, useful to stuff a jacket into.

 

Some shows have a communal area and tables where you can talk to others and share stuff, so its nice to take a more unusual pen with you to allow others to use.

 

My father keeps a journal for pen shows, inks and pens he has tried, people he has met, who specializes in what, business cards.

 

If you have a spare pen or spare ink, take it with you, perhaps swap with someone.

 

Take a pen case with you, some sellers just hand the pen over to you, no bag, box or anything else, so you need something to keep the pen secure.

 

Some sellers have a show special, a new pen that is heavily discounted for the show, the last pen show I went to, one seller was selling new Conklins for $10 if you asked him, same man the previous year was selling a Conklin display case for 20 pens for $8.

Edited February 1, 2018 by Parkette

[flyingfox]

A mule is helpful—someone to help carry purchases so your hands are always free and maybe make a trip to the car to drop off the first wave of items. Mrs. Bookman attends these things far more for me than for herself, and so she mules for me at pen shows and I do the job at quilt shows.

A mule!!! (*^▽^*)

 

I wish my husband is willing to do the mule duty someday!!! The best term ever!

 

 

You’ve already got great suggestions, and- if the venue is large, a water bottle may be helpful. At a small venue like Philly show, it is not a big deal to keep going back to the water fountain, but at a larger venue, water cooler may be far away.

[inkstainedruth]

A mule!!! (*^▽^*)

 

I wish my husband is willing to do the mule duty someday!!! The best term ever!

 

Hah! I've gotten my husband to exactly 2 shows. So the idea of him playing mule is amusing, but really, really unlikely.

Although at the first show I went to, DCSS 2-1/2 years ago, he spent a good chunk of Sunday afternoon hanging out at Richard Binder's table (and bought Richard's book about WWII). And when I got him to go with me down to the Triangle Show last summer, he was kinda cranky when he found out Richard wasn't going to be there. I had to go collect him Saturday night for dinner (we were staying at a hotel a few miles away), because he didn't even go over to the show on Saturday; but did tolerate sitting through the auction that night (and with me winning the bidding on a Navy Gray English made Parker 51 with an oblique nib ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[JotterAddict62]

I bring pens that I will sell to dealers, pens that need parts for & pens that I need repaired by the pro's .

 

 

Ken

[alanshutko]

If you want pens tuned, should you bring them inked?

[inkstainedruth]

If you want pens tuned, should you bring them inked?

 

Probably not. I had one pen (since lost, although I keep thinking I'll find it in my house) that was so wet that even iron gall ink gushed. I didn't want to dump the ink, but I also wanted a replacement nib -- I was able to have the *new* nib put on a different pen, temporarily, so I didn't have to dump what was in the first pen. But it probably would have been better had it been empty in the first place.

Most of the repair people I've dealt with at shows have tester inks (especially if they're doing nib work), so you can see if the tuned nib is then to your liking. Because the odds are good that what's in the pen will get dumped out anyway.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[MG66]

I'm looking forward to my first show this year. Is there a lot of ink, paper, journals, stationary, etc... or mostly just pens at a typical show? I have several pens I'd like to have adjusted, but I'm not sure I'd be able to tell someone with any clarity what I'd exactly like done to it, other than the less than helpful plea, "fix it."

[tadas]

A mule is helpful—someone to help carry purchases so your hands are always free and maybe make a trip to the car to drop off the first wave of items.

When I go to stamp shows with some of my older friends, I often act as a "sherpa" - like the carriers on Mt. Everest expeditions.

[SpecTP]

What sort of things do you take with you to a pen show, aside from $$ that is? I'd like to get some well-honed ideas for my first venture to a show since wading into this hobby.

 

I'm figuring on a loupe or two and some different papers for testing pens and inks, and perhaps a pouch for holding pens I might buy, but after that I'm wondering what's worth lugging around. Should I take a few pens to do comparisons between what I have and what I might want? A rule or a caliper to measure pens?

 

Thanks,

Marc

 

take 2 pens that you want a nibmeister to make perfect.

[SpecTP]

If you want pens tuned, should you bring them inked?

 

yes.. bring them inked

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Mighty Eighth,

 

As Greenie intimated... put taste, style and elegance aside... and wear comfortable shoes.

 

Since no one else has mentioned it, (if so, I missed it),... I will... a smartphone or tablet with internet access... you may need/want to do some research out in the field... more like jungle.

 

Be well... and enjoy the show.

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

Typo.

Edited February 2, 2018 by ParkerDuofold

[ParkerDuofold]

My life savings.

 

 

Me, too, Sid. Sometimes you want to grab an extra bottle of ink or a pack of gum on the way out.

 

 

- A.C.

[Trexton]

Thanks for the suggestions here, I'm hoping to go to the Sydney Pen Show this year, it's the first in Sydney and therefore accessible at this time when I can't really afford overseas expense (yet!). So my first pen show, and I can't wait. I have a few pens I'm looking to pick up at a decent price, but I'll be happy to just meet and interact with some like-minded people and share the passion. I'm yet to run into someone who shares my crazy interest, and can't wait to be able to share my pens and bond over this great hobby. Hope the Mrs lets me splurge a little if I see something I really want though

[dadbar]

Bring a reference pen....sometimes it helps if you are trying to figure out if a pen is too big or too small...or too smooth etc. Having something you are familiar with to compare to is helpful.

[mitto]

I bring pens that I will sell to dealers, pens that need parts for & pens that I need repaired by the pro's .

 

 

Ken

+1

 

Beside $$$$$

[inkstainedruth]

Hi Mighty Eighth,

 

As Greenie intimated... put taste, style and elegance aside... and wear comfortable shoes.

 

Since no one else has mentioned it, (if so, I missed it),... I will... a smartphone or tablet with internet access... you may need/want to do some research out in the field... more like jungle.

 

Be well... and enjoy the show.

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

Typo.

 

Oh, thanks for bringing that up! That really is more important than people might realize. Here's why:

At my first pen show I was signed up at several tables for repairs or nib work, and stupidly wrote down my home number instead of my cell phone # on the signup lists. So of course all the phone calls went to my home answering machine (my husband was also out of town at the time, just to complicate matters).

Fortunately for me, I was checking back at the different tables fairly often to see how far up the queue I had gotten.

And yeah, I tried one time to sign up late Saturday to get an early slot Sunday morning. That is a definite no no....

It's also really useful to have a watch or phone with the capability of setting reminders or alarms, so you don't miss out on a class you've signed up for because you're schmoozing with someone or geeking about inks....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: dauber's advice about a "reference" pen is a good one -- and I can think of another reason: color comparison! If you're looking for, say a Plum 51, or one that's Cordovan Brown, it will help to have a Burgundy one with you so you know what you're looking at on a table (while not as bad as judging eBay photos, the lighting in ballrooms at hotels aren't necessarily the best -- and at the Triangle Show one year, the power went out in the neighborhood on Saturday, which especially hurt a lot of the repair people's bottom lines, since their USCs and dremels and such didn't work....

Edited February 2, 2018 by inkstainedruth

[Runnin_Ute]

I haven't been to a show yet. Closest one is Denver so over 500 miles away. But Richard Binder on his site

richardspens.com has a couple of articles about pen shows and what you should do.

 

First show: http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/shows/firstshow.htm

 

preparing for a show: http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/shows/showprep.htm

 

Why bother? http://richardspens.com/?page=ref/shows/showswhy.htm

 

there may be others, but these should be helpful.

[flyingfox]

I'm looking forward to my first show this year. Is there a lot of ink, paper, journals, stationary, etc... or mostly just pens at a typical show? I have several pens I'd like to have adjusted, but I'm not sure I'd be able to tell someone with any clarity what I'd exactly like done to it, other than the less than helpful plea, "fix it."

There are vendors selling all kinds of stuff- ink, paper, pen cases, and other “usual suspects”. There may be antique/ vintage dealers, silversmith, calligraphers... When I went to DCSS, there was a wax seal stamp maker as well!

 

The details seem to change from one year to another. At Philly Pen Show, there used to be more leather craft makers selling their own pen cases, but there was only one person this year. There used to be more pen parts as well. I saw a bookbinder a couple of years ago, who usually works in Williamsburg.

 

So- I am not sure if there is such thing as a “typical” show. Hope you will have a great time!

[aardvarkbark]

If you're looking to save weight and space, I wouldn't bother packing the self-control. Everyone seems to report theirs missing within the first hour.

[MightyEighth]

If you're looking to save weight and space, I wouldn't bother packing the self-control. Everyone seems to report theirs missing within the first hour.