NY/NJ Show report by Bruce H. Bentzman

October 2, 2007

This report was written for Pentrace by request of Len Provisor. Thank you to Bruce and Len for permission to re-print it here.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB1.jpg

It is an extraordinary thing how pen stores and pen shows beckon me, the way toy stores did in my childhood. When I was younger, if I accompanied my parents into Manhattan, I had every hope of a stop at F.A.O. Schwartz. I would look – just look – at all the expensive toys my parents couldn’t afford to buy me and then be gratified with a lesser gift, relieved not to leave altogether empty-handed. Now when I visit Manhattan with Ms Keogh, my more significant other, I have every hope of visiting Art Brown or Fountain Pen Hospital. That’s how it is with me and pen stores and pen shows. I have enough pens, thank you very much, so I only come to look. Most everything there that I want, I can’t afford to buy anyway, yet I shall be glad so long as I can come away with at least a new bottle of ink.

It was from the beginning my intention to visit the New York – New Jersey Pen Show. Elizabeth, New Jersey is just up the road from where I work, which is Monmouth Junction, merely a quick hop onto and then off of the New Jersey Turnpike. But I usually only go to Pen Shows on Sunday, when I hope to find bargains from exhausted dealers who would just as soon have one less pen to pack. Ah, but Len Provisor, in his wisdom, asked me to write a review of the show for Pentrace. I would like to believe it is due to my exceptional talent to weave words together, but he told me he couldn’t find anybody else.

Since I’m not really qualified to discuss pens at length – I basically just stare at them sighing oohs and aahs – I decided it would be more appropriate to bring a camera. Alas, Ms Keogh has misplaced our Canon Rebel SLR digital camera. In desperation, I went out and bought a new digital camera before going to work, the Olympus Stylus 740 All-Weather – “Stylus”, how appropriate. I brought it with me into work to study the manual when I had a chance and charge its battery for the first time. Unaccustomed to my new camera, plenty of my shots were out of focus.

I work the graveyard shift, meaning I start at midnight and work until eight in the morning. So I left directly from work to attend the New York – New Jersey Pen Show, new camera and a little Moleskine notebook in hand. I arrived early, nine o’clock, and the show didn’t open until twelve. I thought I would nap in the car, and did close my eyes for forty-five minutes while listening to the roar of traffic from U.S. Route One. It was no good. I was too excited about the show and couldn’t sleep. So two hours before the doors formally opened to the public, I wandered in just to watch dealers set up.

Even before the tables are occupied and the displays in place, some had gathered about the round table in the middle of the hall to haggle like horse traders.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB2.jpg

Among the very first to set up were Ralph Stillwell and his sister Harriet Rosen. Ralph tells me how if we don’t pass on an appreciation for fountain pens to our children, it will die with us old fogeys. Behind them in the photograph stands Ralph’s son, Sean, who, seeing me admiring his father’s Parker 51s, told me he sells 51s for less. (This is one of those out-of-focus pictures. Sorry for that. Nice composition, though!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB3.jpg

Familiar names from the internet and previous shows make an appearance. This is David Nishimura. His daughter, Amelia, is not with him this time. Ms Keogh and I still have the several bookmarks she made and sold to us at the 2006 New England Pen Show. Meanwhile, few others arrange their pens with as much precision as David.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB4.jpg

Here is the legendary woman of service, the elegant Ms Pam Braun. I noticed that unlike everyone else, she wasn’t actually wearing pens on her person. I asked her about it. Her favorite pen is a Conway 100 Amethyst, but it did not accompany her on this trip. She was afraid to take it on to the plane, having heard stories about security guards breaking open fountain pens in their exuberance to uncover terrorist plots. And she didn’t want to put it into her luggage where she and her precious pen could become permanently separated with airline efficiency.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB5.jpg

By twelve o’clock, not much more than half the tables were occupied by their exhibitors. From what I was told, many won’t bother to come for the first day, but they are all expected to be there on the morrow, Saturday.

Keiko Preston, here seen with her husband standing behind her, was studiously examining a 1920s Japanese pen with silver overlay. I wanted very much to capture her in that moment of intensity when she was comparing the pen in hand with those in a book, and would have but for my awkwardness with the new camera.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB6.jpg

In this next picture we see a very proud Barry Gross. His pen was selected by Vice President Dick Cheney to have on hand to present as gifts. Actually, Barry was invited to show his wares to the President himself, but the President didn’t want pens made from exotic woods. He wanted pens made from metals. But Dick Cheney happened to come into the room and immediately decided on them for himself after the President had declined. Neither of them wanted fountain pens, but preferred rollerballs. I very politely congratulated Barry on the high honor paid to him, diplomatically putting aside my feelings for the present administration. Barry saw right through me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB7.jpg

I eventually found my way to James C. Dolive’s table where Ken Jones, the jolly fellow in the next photograph, was managing the Visconti pens. Ken works for Visconti, was there to help show off these pens, but not actually to do the money transactions. And there they were, a number of Van Gogh Maxi fountain pens in Musk Green. This is the one I fell in love with long ago when I first saw its photograph in a pen magazine, but I never found another to match the beauty of that first one. Until now. But I don’t need any more pens, so I was determined to get away from this pen show with nothing more than a bottle of ink. By the way, number 5 is Doug Vicary, another dealer in Visconti pens as well as others.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB8.jpg

Mike Bloom is here laughing with Elaine and Aunt Rebecca. I took Elaine over to see the Visconti Van Gogh. I showed her the cap I preferred and the barrel I preferred. I then swapped caps. It appeared a natural combination for both pens and we were convinced this was how they must have been originally, that the caps had been switched before. Ken didn’t mind and allowed me to leave the pens with their caps switched. Only now there was greater heartache as I wanted the pen even more. Still, I walked away.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB9.jpg

The very talented Ron Zorn. As you can see in this photograph, he is attempting to repair a MacDonald’s cheeseburger that, tragically, is missing some pieces.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB10.jpg

This is James C. Dolive, seen here taking my money. Yeah, I bought the pen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB11.jpg

I have never before seen a more impressive display of Montblanc Limited Editions at a pen show. The gentleman is Stéphane Chicheportiche and if you happen to make it to the NY-NJ Pen Show, make a point of collecting his business card. It’s translucent.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB12.jpg

You might think the next blurry picture is once again my lack of familiarity with the new camera. But it’s not. This is Aaron Svabik. He is repairing pens at tremendous speed. “Fastest Turnaround Anywhere!” He does not, however, grind nibs. We talked about the joy derived from working with pens. He does not miss the police force. He has made his passion his paycheck. Still, he could have been happier had his wife, Kim, accompanied him to the show. He was very obviously missing her. She also repairs pens.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB13.jpg

These were a couple of happy fellows. That’s Bert Oser of Bertram’s Inkwell on the left palling around with Dick Egolf of Luxury Brands

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB14.jpg

Abel Bullock, in this next picture, is President of Michel Perchin. I caught him here trying not to laugh. Laugh at what, you may ask. People are generally happy at pen shows, what other reason do you need than being there? He holds in his hand the Metropolitan. Nice pen. Couldn’t afford it. I spent my money on that Visconti Van Gogh and a new digital camera.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB15.jpg

So here ends my review concluding with a photograph of the next generation of pen users, Mr Andrew Kaplan, who was busy using a porcupine quill to draw pictures of dip pens.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/elainepnj/BHB16.jpg

photos by Bruce H. Bentzman

Edited October 2, 2007 by Elaine