My 1St Pen Show Ever

[Ana_]

I made it!! My first pen show 😊😊😊 Yay!!! I attended the SF pen show Friday, from 7 am- 4:30 pm. I feel like I did it right considering it was my first fp show ever, I was mentally short circuited with excitement, and I was only able to attend one day then dash out of town before 5 pm or turn into a pumpkin. I worked the registration desk from 7 til noon. This was good because I got to wrap my head around the idea I was in a place where every pen I could dream of was being held... I purchased my first FP at the registration desk, an Eagle with nice flex & variation from John Shumaker. And then... I entered nirvana... The first thing I did was to have a nib cut into a left oblique by the amazing nib guru Mike Masuyama. I also left him a Waterman Ideal to repair which I will receive in the mail in a bit. Next, I went right over to Greg Minuskin's table to peruse his flex pens. I have been surfing his web page for ages trying to figure in pen availability so it was a fantastic opportunity for me to meet him in person & test the flexie goodness of his pens myself. I purchased a black & gold celluloid Waterman Ideal from him with great flex and variation. Writing samples to follow. After that I found a box of spare pen body parts & found caps for 2 of my BCHR fp's that came to me capless. Now I can finally ink them! Next I made my way to the lobby where I just tried to breathe & take it all in. It's overwhelming being at ones 1st pen show. My senses were truly short circuited! After lunch & some recovery I went back in, wrote with 40 out of 500 ink sample fp's (there was a twisted part of me that wanted to try ALL 500 but in the end stamina won out..) and just marveled at the clever & modern high tech FP Setup! All those pens all those inks! Truly impressive. Then I spotted a table in the back that for some time I thought might be a mirage, the elusive Akkerman inks straight out of the Nederlands?! Here?! In my bay?? I have had my eye on these since 1st learning about them a year ago & now here it was before me all those pretty inks in that unique gorgeous bottle! I bought myself a bottle of #3 Blue from Vaness Pen Shop and am super happy to finally own it. From there, I needed one more item... I had flex pens, expertly tuned tines & ink.. I went on a hunt for paper, this led me to Curnow's Bookbinding & Leatherwork where I purchased a 3 pack of Standard Midori sized Tomoe River Edition backpack journal paper. *Whew!* I'm including a picture of my first Fp show EVER treasures. There was only one time I saw a pen I wanted and faced a dilemma. One is drama enough! My heart break story is this, I saw an amazing MT Swan BHR with 2 gold rings & clip. It was just beautiful. It was at the table of the esteemed Susan Wirth who btw I loved talking to. The pen was 4 things: beautiful!, worth the price, with great flex, & out of my budget. If I'd have bought it, it would've been my only treasured purchase. And while I struggled with temptation of taking out the plastic and taking it home, I followed fellow SF pen posse member AC12's advice (thank you Gary!) in the end, take a set amount of cash and once it's gone it's gone. So while I felt the heat of walking away from that black beauty, in retrospect I'm SO happy with every wonderful pen, ink & paper I did get AND working the registration desk I got to put the faces to names of many I have online purchased from or emailed for advice and that was truly fun. The SF Pen Show was perfect. It was big but not overkill huge, there were so many who's who's from the FP world, the venue was beautiful, and the people were so happy to talk shop. I hope to be back next year for more than one day. I'm going to start saving right now...

(Photo: 3 pens Top: Eagle, Middle: Waterman Ideal Flex, Bottom: I know it's capped, but nib by Mike Masuyama)

[jmccarty3]

Sounds like you had a great show. Congratulations on your beautiful pens!

[haruka337]

Love it!

[oneopentrail]

Fantastic story. Really makes me want to go to one now!

 

Congrats on the pens too. Wonderful.

[FeuBleu]

What a great day! Can you post more pictures of those pens please? They are stunning, I especially love what I can see of the Eagle.

[Ana_]

Hi Jmccarty3, yes, it was amazing, thank you. I'm still buzzing from it all

Thank you Haruka337. I love the kitty with bread head! lol SO Cute!!

Oneopentrail, you should do it, you'll have fun and stories to tell for afters.

FeuBleu, Yep! I can do that, more pictures coming up.

 

Here is the Eagle:

I barely know anything about this brand at all, so if you know anything about it, please do tell. I bought this from a fellow SF Pen Posse member that I have purchased from before and because of the way it writes. I have started some preliminaryliminary research on this make. So far, all I know, is like many other vintage FP's, there are not a whole lot of records. I know that this FP is not a Prestige make of Eagle fp, it would say so on the barrel and it does not. It does have a very pretty earth green abalone sheen to the body with 2 gold rings, the nib is beautiful too, it has a powerful looking eagle on it with 3 arrows in one claw and what looks like laural in the other, this is a military symbol in the US.It also has a demonstrator window that you can see in the photo with the close up of the nib. Enjoy.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Ana_

[Ana_]

This is the Waterman Ideal with the flex nib that I bought from Greg Minuskin. I intend to do FP reviews on these new editions in the FP review part of the forum at some point soon.

[Ana_]

And this is my Mabie Todd Mosaic patterned fountain pen that I had Mike Masuyama turn into a left oblique nib. The Mabie Todd FP itself I purchased sometime back & have posted about here before. I believe it to be a rare MT prototype fp. It has the Mosaic pattern which was only done for the upscale Swan, not for the lower priced blackbird and yet it has the body of a blackbird. If only pens could talk! I would love to know its story.

[Wahl]

Congrats for the experience

[Ana_]

Thank you Wahl. I enjoyed it very much

[pepsiplease69]

Those are some great pens you picked up.

 

I went home with 2 akkerman bottles (Garuda Red, and Nassau Blue). As soon as I reached home I started showing the marble-stopper inkwell mechanism to everyone, for them to admire the novel approach.

 

I worked the registration desk on friday from 2-4pm and then was on reserve-duty saturday, but I skipped sunday.

 

I had an AWESOME awesome experience..

 

Can't wait for next year.

[Ana_]

Thank you Pepsiplease, wasn't the akkerman table amazing? You know, when I was at that table, my nerves were so frazzled from having had 2 hours sleep the night before after a 7 hour drive, waking up at 4:30am to make the drive to Redwood City taking work traffic into consideration, by 7am, knowing I had to leave before 5 with a 4 hour drive before me that I experienced this mental break..lol I was staring at all those bottles and I could NOT for the life of me decide on anything! IT was the worst feeling EVER! Knowing I would kick myself i I did not walk away with one of those Akkerman bottles, being unable to have any one of the colors jump out at me... I know if i'd been rested it would not have been the case. In the end, I just chose #3 Blue for the sake of taking something home in the much coveted & appreciated Akkerman bottle... *sigh* I like the #3 blue, but i'm wondering if the #5 shocking blue would have been more my taste.. Having said that, i'm just super excited that they sell it here in the US now! I intend to get that #5. Will you be attending the SF Posse post show meet this weekend? Did we meet there?? (again, it was a whirlwind for me...) I wish they would have arranged the Post Posse meetup for a different weekend. This weekend is Labor Day, a 3 day, so I will be going out of town. Oh well, c'est la vie

[Buzz_130]

Congrats on your first pen show, and you go some good advice on only spending the money you bought.

 

I didn't follow that advice a few weeks ago at the DC Super Pen Show and walked away with Akkerman, KWZI, a new French ink, and two Parker "51" Vacs that were way out of my budget.

 

Your symbol of the eagle is an important one for the US government and has several good stories. The Seal of the President has the eagle facing the olive branch (primarily so the eagle will face the flag staff and will allow the eagle to "fly" in the proper direction when marching). The Department of Defense also has the eagle facing the olive branches. And the symbol also represents the highest rank of field grade officers in the services, the colonels and Navy captains. The eagle faces the same way but is always worn the uniform with the eagle flying forward. I can't tell from your photo on the eagle pen which way the eagle faces.

 

Enjoy the purchases!

 

Buzz

[Ana_]

Hi Buzz,

Thank you, yes, im really thankful for the good pen show budgeting advice. It's worth saying again, it is NOT easy sticking to a budget, but I really found there is something to be said for taking your budget out in dollars and spending only that. When I have to pay cash over, what I have spent strikes me in a way that handing plastic over never does.

 

Thank you SO MUCH for your information on the Eagle! I'm very happy to have read it. I just went to get the pen to take a look at what direction the Eagle faces, it is in the direction of the Olive branch. That makes me wonder about the pen all the more. I was reading everything I could find about the Eagle fountain pens and what I discovered so far (i've only just started to search for information on it) is that there is only information on the Prestiege which i do not think this pen is because it says that the Prestiege pens say so on the barrel and mine does not say anything, only the word Eagle on the clip and the nib, the nib does not have a nib size that I can see anyway, I suppose it's possible it's further down, I have not popped the nib and feed out yet. I have not found there to be a whole lot of information on the Eagle. I'm very interested in it. I loved reading what you wrote. It's beautiful to add that symbology to this nib and pen. Thank you

[TXKat]

Congrats on your first pen show! And even more kudos for sticking to your budget for the show! You got some great goodies!! So, the question becomes...what will you do NEXT show, heeheehee!

 

Each year I struggle with all the new "shinys" and spend way more than should be! I think last year the final ink count was 16! Seriously!!?? But, but none are the same shade...and some smell pretty...

 

I have set aside my Susan Wirth fund for this year. Her table is always a buzz with activity, laughter, learning and inky fingers!!! It's so fun! I must be an old soul as for whatever reason, the flexies are the only thing that really trips my trigger, even though I'm no expert at writing with them...properly. Not much of the new stuff appeals.

 

Again, congrats on your beautiful acquisitions and glad you had fun!!!

[Buzz_130]

You're welcome! For a young nation, we have a great deal of symbology when you know where to look for it. Some organizations want to keep a solid foundation on their history and heritage.

 

The eagle should be a reminder that we long for peace and will pursue it aggressively (it's the way we face), but the arrows remind us that we are a fearsome adversary in war.

 

I'm not sure I would pop out the nib on this old pen where replacements might be very far behind. A good cleaning and a soak might be the order of the day before I started working on the nib.

 

Buzz

[lsmith42]

  On 9/1/2015 at 1:48 AM, Ana_ said:

I wish they would have arranged the Post Posse meetup for a different weekend.

Figure out a few weekends that will work for you... we will likely find a happy collision.

 

One rule of Posse is that anyone can call a Posse. Just be sure it's someplace you like in case you're the only one that shows up.

[RMN]

Uhhh, could you introduce some paragraphs next time? That would make it easier to read.

 

D.ick

[Ana_]

TXCat:

Thank you for your congratulations well I had gone to this pen show intending to find a black Osmia Platina which is on my wish list, but there was none to be had, sooooo, if inbetween now and then I do not find one (no way I can wait til next year.. lol) then I will be searching for one of those. Also, Soennecken's, Swans, those are always winners with me. WOW 16 inks! You must have every basic color at least once! How fun! You know, there is absolute wisdom in what you said about setting up a Susan Wirth fund.. having seen what she has and the prices in comparison to what my over all budget was, I too shall set up a Susan Wirth fund! So that is another thing to look forward to next year. I know what you mean about flex pens and vintage pens for that matter, it's very high on my FP priorities

 

Buzz_130:

Thank you for the tips Buzz, I will not pop the nib out myself. I'll just keep researching the Eagle .

 

Loren,

I will figure out the weekends that work for me, and i'm perfectly happy to have it called in Millbrae, I like the cafe and it seems accessible for everyone. Hmmm, only me showing up... lol that would be super sad.. lol maybe ill just keep an eye out for pen show meetups and make the ones I can.. lol Me sitting sola with my pens and inks is just too sad.. How did you do?

 

RMN:

Totally

Edited September 2, 2015 by Ana_

[lsmith42]

  On 9/2/2015 at 7:27 PM, Ana_ said:

Loren,

I will figure out the weekends that work for me, and i'm perfectly happy to have it called in Millbrae, I like the cafe and it seems accessible for everyone. Hmmm, only me showing up... lol that would be super sad.. lol maybe ill just keep an eye out for pen show meetups and make the ones I can.. lol Me sitting sola with my pens and inks is just too sad.. How did you do?

I was quite pleased... sold a few things... made some great trades... found some great pens, paper products, and books!

 

The details:

- traded

- some unused pens for an MB Oscar Wilde 3-piece set (that I used to own - don't laugh)

- a bottle of MB Racing Green and Mahatma Gandhi ink for an MB Leonardo da Vinci sketch pencil

- some notebooks for some of Mark's amazing Monsoon Malabar coffee

- bought

- a restored Parker DuoFold Special (Junior diameter, Senior length)

- a mint Pilot MYU701 with original box and papers

- the MB collector's book I kept missing

- a bottle of MB LE ink that was missing from my collection

- some beautiful letterpress stationery

- sold a bottle of Parker Penman Sapphire for $125 (so, that's the new market price as far as I'm concerned)