A new UK Pen Show

[CasmiUK]

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

[Carrie]

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

[bluemax]

Sunday for me too.

 

what time does it start on Sunday?

 

cheers

Bren

[ianpwilliamson2]

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

[CasmiUK]

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!!!

[Carrie]

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

[Carrie]

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.

[bluemax]

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

[CasmiUK]

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!

[Carrie]

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.

[Fafnir]

The roofers were too much for him indoors to manage on his own so I had to stay home in the end. <sob>. Sounds like everyone had a wonderful time. I wish I could have come along as well.

[Jim Wilson]

I really enjoyed yesterday at the Midland Pen Show. It was particularly nice to put some faces to names and in a very friendly enviroment.

 

Having gone for a bottle of brown ink, I came away with a CS58 "tigers eye" , a "big red" and the ink.

 

Thank you to the organisers.

 

Jim Wilson

Staffs.

[calliej]

I was sorry to miss it - sounds like you all had a great time. I hope to get to the London one in Oct instead.

[ianpwilliamson2]

A BIG, heartfelt thank you to you all for helping to make the show the great success that it was, I can't believe the distances some of you traveled to be with us - truly amazing.

 

The weekend was a great success, even though financially we didn't come close to breaking even but I would do it all over again - in fact Jeremy and I have already started planning the next Midland show - and we are also talking about holding one in the West country probably based on Bristol or Bath.

 

Over the weekend we had around 100 visitors - not in the same league as the London or even the Northern but that was never our intention we wanted a show that was relaxed and friendly with plenty of time to chat and I think that was achieved.

 

All of the dealers did good business and the Writing Equipment Society signed up seven new members - a record for a show! It felt really good when visitors and dealers came up and thanked us for putting on a great show - made all the stress worthwhile! I'd like to thank Oxonian for being a great help to me and it was great fun to see him in full flow 'holding court' throughout the show - this guy's knowledge amazes me more and more. Ann sends a great big thank you to Bluemax's son Jack for all the help he gave her in locating the inks when customers wanted them - you're welcome back at any time Jack.

 

Finally, it would help tremendously if you could let me have your feedback on the practical aspects of the show such as the venue, the geographical location, parking etc What you would like to see in a show, is a two day show what you want or would a one day show be okay. This sort of feedback is important to us as this is YOUR show. We planned a whole programme of events around the show such as workshops and a 'Show and Tell' session but there was very little advance interest shown and we were forced to take the decision to cancel as we had to pay the workshop leaders - so do we want to have them next year?

 

Finally ( I mean it this time :embarrassed_smile: ) It occurs to me that it would be an interesting idea if we got together as a group 3 or 4 times a year to have our own little show and tell session and to buy/sell/trade pens. We could move the sessions around the country, what do you all think, worth pursuing?

 

Once again a BIG thank you to you all.

 

Ian

[rogerb]

The same goes for me

 

I was sorry to miss it - sounds like you all had a great time. I hope to get to the London one in Oct instead.

 

 

Edited June 23, 2008 by rogerb

[misterh]

The weekend was a great success, even though financially we didn't come close to breaking even but I would do it all over again - in fact Jeremy and I have already started planning the next Midland show - and we are also talking about holding one in the West country probably based on Bristol or Bath.

 

Glad to hear that the show was a success, I am just sorry I couldn't get there.

 

A show based on Bristol or Bath would be an excellent idea

 

 

 

[Carrie]

Finally, it would help tremendously if you could let me have your feedback on the practical aspects of the show such as the venue, the geographical location, parking etc What you would like to see in a show, is a two day show what you want or would a one day show be okay. This sort of feedback is important to us as this is YOUR show. We planned a whole programme of events around the show such as workshops and a 'Show and Tell' session but there was very little advance interest shown and we were forced to take the decision to cancel as we had to pay the workshop leaders - so do we want to have them next year?

 

Finally ( I mean it this time :embarrassed_smile: ) It occurs to me that it would be an interesting idea if we got together as a group 3 or 4 times a year to have our own little show and tell session and to buy/sell/trade pens. We could move the sessions around the country, what do you all think, worth pursuing?

 

Personally I liked coming along on the Sunday because the roads were fairly quiet, even if the car was being blown all over the place on the way down. It was good luck that I managed to park on the car park nearest to the hotel as I hadn't bothered to look at a map in advance, was glad that car parking was free as well. At least somewhere like Lichfield is so small that you don't need to look where you're going in advance, you're not going to end up parked too far from your destination.

 

If I'd known in advance where I was likely to be based / if I had a job then I would definitely have signed up for one of the pen repair workshops. As it was, whilst I'm still job hunting I had to behave on how much money I was spending. Hopefully next year that won't be an issue (god, who am I kidding, who ever got rich working in museums!).

 

The idea of a get together a few times a year sounds good to me

 

[Inkanthropist]

we are also talking about holding one in the West country probably based on Bristol or Bath.

 

This sounds like a great idea! Sorry that I couldn't make it to the Lichfield event.

 

Neil

[Have Fun]

The weekend was a great success, even though financially we didn't come close to breaking even but I would do it all over again - in fact Jeremy and I have already started planning the next Midland show - and we are also talking about holding one in the West country probably based on Bristol or Bath.

 

Glad to hear that the show was a success, I am just sorry I couldn't get there.

 

A show based on Bristol or Bath would be an excellent idea

 

Ditto the feelings - Bath or Bristol could be a nice event

[Rincewind]

Ian, many congratulations on the success of the Midland Pen Show!

 

I hope you and other FPNers will enjoy my full report on the show which has been posted on the Pentrace Message Board and which will shortly be on the main home page.

 

Cheers,

 

Stuart Williams

Pentrace Roving Reporter (UK)