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Fifth Annual Commonwealth Pen Show - Sunday, September 16Th, 2018


dwattsjr

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Sunday, September 16th, 2018! Doors open to the public from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm - Free parking!

Holiday Inn Somerville
Union Square ballroom
30 Washington Street
Somerville, MA

Conveniently located approximately a half-mile walk from the Sullivan Square MBTA station (Orange Line).

Vintage and Modern pens for all budgets, paper, ink, journals, supplies, refills, on-site repair and nib tuning, and lots more! All for an $8.00 admission fee.

For more information: http://www.commonwealthpenshow.com

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Uh, your link doesn't seem to be working.... :(

That being said, I've been to this show a couple of times now (have to juggle scheduling since it's not a close location for me) and while small, I've had a good time both times. Whether I can make this year is going to depend somewhat on my husband's schedule (he's supposed to be going to the West Coast sometime in September for "training" at his new job, but he also has to go up to MA to help finish up his mom's income taxes at some point before the deadline).

Fortunately the show does NOT conflict with something I probably should be going to in the Jamestown, NY area the end of September....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Thanks Mr. Watts. I was almost worried I might have to post in the annual "Commonwealth Pen Show Speculation Thread" before reading this. Whew ! Disaster averted. I am glad to learn the date is moved up a week this year, only because now it won't clash with my plans to attend the big Brooklyn Maker Fair the following weekend, so there's that.

 

Starting a list of people who will show up:

1. me

Increment the list by one and add "me" after your number if you plan to be there !

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Hi everyone. I am looking for help with something and am hoping you guys can please steer me in the right direction. I will unfortunately be unable to attend the Commenwealth show this year due to completely unforeseen circumstances. This would have been my first time and I was really looking forward to it. I was especially excited to purchase a 2018 show exclusive item. Does a super secret pen show mule exist to make purchases for the less than fortunate? Better yet, is there an open forum dedicated for this purpose? Please help! Please! I will of course pay for the item and its shipping as well as a courier fee if that is requested. If this goes against a fountain pen code that I am unaware of, I am very sorry and mean no harm...It just means a lot to me. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thank you everyone!

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Always fun to spend time with Nathan at the pen show; like Wonka with pens!

 

That's a very, um, *interesting* description of him.... Scarily enough, I can actually envision him wearing a stovepipe hat and a long Victorian coat....

I'm half amused and half befuddled by the inks that you can use on hard surfaces like glass and plastic (admittedly though, I use routine use Noodler's Kung Te Cheng on those slick plastic post-it flags -- and have successfully used iron gall inks on freezer bag labels).

That washable/bondable green ink has potential -- I'd have to see it in person in order to decide if I like the color, though. As for the demonstrator Boston Safety, I'm going... er, um.... (I do like my black ebonite one, but it needs a serious flushing out at the moment; I should maybe do that before the show, in case I am able to go, and bring it along to play with). The game of "buy them all at my table before the UK dealer sells all theirs out" is amusing -- but I'm not a huge fan of demonstrators, and I'm not sure I like the look of the brown ebonite. And I really do NOT need another black Boston Safety -- I want to be able to tell my pens apart when they're inked up....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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Anyone going early to this show that would be willing to help pick up some stuff for me?

 

I have to go MA every year but I can never make it in September.

 

If you would be willing to help me out, could you please pm me so I can arrange payments and all that.

 

Thanks in advance.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Nice overview for someone's first pen show. It's a nice little show, especially for a first-timer -- my first show was DCSS, and that was a pretty overwhelming experience.... Hope to make it back up there next year.

Sadly, by the time I got there (a little before 11 AM) there were no pins left.... Although I've now tried the swag ink, Noodler's Boston Brahmin Ship of the Line -- a soft, slightly greyish green ink. (I'll admit that I expected the ink to look like the green used to print the label... but was pleasantly surprised by the actual ink color. Fast drying, but not much in the way of water resistance -- unlike last year's blue ink, Boston Brahmin Blue Washable which was supposed to be washable but way more water resistant on the page than I thought it would be from the name).

Also picked up a bottle of MB Beatles Psychedelic Purple, a bottle of (re-issued) Noodler's Carmine Suffragist, and a small bottle of Diamine Havasu Turquoise. Wasn't able to get a converter for the stupid Waterman Exclusive that fit right. ALMOST bought my first Sailor -- looked like a Purple Cosmos but seemed to be blue rather than purple -- at the same table as the MB ink. But then spotted a Pelikan M120 Iconic Blue, and it was ALL OVER.... Unlike some of Pelikan's publicity shots, this one looks even better in person.... Could only get a medium nib, but it's a nice smooth writer. and, like the MB ink, a little cheaper than I've seen them running at price wise. So all in all a good show for me.

Shout outs to Larry Barrieau (who someone introduced me to) and to some guy named Bob who is apparently a new person on FPN (sorry, I didn't catch the rest of your name, and I've had a lot of stress in my life since then).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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