Ohio Pen Show 2016!

[inkstainedruth]

We actually just moved to Columbus Ohio from Shanghai and I was really looking forward to the show. I almost exclusively collect vintage Japanese pens so I was not expecting to find anything really interesting there....and I didn't . We drove to the show on Saturday. I thought everyone was very friendly and really enjoyed seeing so many people visiting and exhibiting.

 

We ended up buying a really nice Parker 51 store display case from the 1950s which now houses a a part of my collection. We transformed a corner of our living room into a a nice "pen space"

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/parker%20display%201_zps1yqxk3he.jpg

 

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/nikolaos_photos/parker%20display%20light%20on_zpsxtf2v38z.jpg

 

NIkos

 

I remember seeing that for sale. I didn't ask the price.... Partly because I figured I probably couldn't Iafford it. And partly because I'm not sure it would had fit in the Prius...

Ruth Morrisson 2k2 inkstairndruth

[inkstainedruth]

Well, I got photos taken this afternoon of the two pens I bought at the show. And a half hour later I found my first Morrison ringtop (the one I thought I'd lost... ).

The Emerald Pearl Vac is a small lockdown filler. I think from what I've been reading it may be a "Slender" model. Unfortunately the imprint is partly worn away, so I can't read the date code (and I couldn't get a good photo of it, or of the feed); but I *think* I can roughly say it's in the 1935-39 range. It does have someone's name engraved, as well; unlike on my Red Shadow Wave, the imprint is fairly noticeable. Still, it was the least expensive one I saw, and I'm looking forward to inking it up. I'll admit that I had not seen Vacs where the section matched the barrel before this weekend, and to actually get one was pretty cool...

 

I'll post pix of the Morrison ringtop in another post.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: Sorry the first photo is so large....

Edited November 18, 2016 by inkstainedruth

[FrozenPen]

What a great show! This may be an annual road trip for us.

Finally got my hands on a Parker 75 and brought a couple home - one sterling silver Cisele; one matte black. Parker's always seem to be a pen that fits my hand just right.

The nib smoothing class with Richard Binder (ably supported by Brian Gray and Linda Kennedy - thanks to them both for freely giving of their time) was very instructive. Probably the biggest lesson I learned is not to be afraid of the nib - just get in there and start working on it. And ignore all the "brown paper bag" and "copper penny" tricks you find floating around on the internet. He also implored all of us to share and spread the knowledge gained to others. A real ambassador for the hobby.

Went to a talk given by Bill Weakley about the history of pen shows - fascinating. He communicated personal stories and conveyed the special camaraderie and relationships that make up the pen community. Made me feel like I was being invited into a community and not just buying wares. Wish I had bothered to add my FPN name to my name tag - it'd be nice to expand online relationships into the "real" world.

[gweimer1]

What a great show! This may be an annual road trip for us.

Finally got my hands on a Parker 75 and brought a couple home - one sterling silver Cisele; one matte black. Parker's always seem to be a pen that fits my hand just right.

The nib smoothing class with Richard Binder (ably supported by Brian Gray and Linda Kennedy - thanks to them both for freely giving of their time) was very instructive. Probably the biggest lesson I learned is not to be afraid of the nib - just get in there and start working on it. And ignore all the "brown paper bag" and "copper penny" tricks you find floating around on the internet. He also implored all of us to share and spread the knowledge gained to others. A real ambassador for the hobby.

Went to a talk given by Bill Weakley about the history of pen shows - fascinating. He communicated personal stories and conveyed the special camaraderie and relationships that make up the pen community. Made me feel like I was being invited into a community and not just buying wares. Wish I had bothered to add my FPN name to my name tag - it'd be nice to expand online relationships into the "real" world.

 

It would have been nice. I was also in the Bill Weakley session. I was against the wall, sitting next to the coffee guy, and spoke up about being new to all this stuff and how the pen shows were a great learning place.

Edited November 19, 2016 by gweimer1

[FrozenPen]

>> was also in the Bill Weakley session. I was against the wall, sitting next to the coffee guy,

I was against the wall, next to the buffet table-y piece of furniture, tall guy, handed out some of Bill's envelope decorating how-to copies, and added that I, like Bill, prefer XF nibs.

Edited November 20, 2016 by FrozenPen

[Parker51]

I as well was at Bill Weakley's talk.

In regard to a local pen group, to the best of my knowledge there isn't one. There are likely more than enough possible participants for one however.

I don't know if we could be allowed to have a meeting in my office building as it is a secured government building, but the nearby Grandview Heights Library might be a possibility for a location; fairly central to the Columbus metro area with free parking and good Public Transportation connections nearby. I would suggest the main Library due to it's Cental Location, especially for those using Public Transportation as it is good location for them, but the location is less than ideal for those driving, though not bad for parking as the garage is connected by elevator to the Library.

In regard to the most obviose choice, The Ohio State University, Ohio Union, well, I no longer have any connection to it, but maybe someone else does. The only bad thing about it is again, the parking, not only less than ideal, actually much worse than the main library as the garages do not directly connect to the Ohio Union and they are pricey.

The best location would probably be the State House. Great for those using Public Transportation, Central location, and a nice, heated parking garage with reasonable rates at night, assuming a week night meeting, my preferred choice, but again, I have no contacts with The State of Ohio Government any longer.

Meeting at a restaurant is something some Pen groups do in other cities and that likely would work, but I live in Delaware and so the local Restaurants I know are toofar away from most everyone else in the Central Ohio area, in Delaware and the transportation times would be a killer for anyone from outside Delaware County, especially for those who uses Public transportation.

So, does anyone else have any suggestion?

Maybe somebody in Ohio State Government?

[whichwatch]

I was also in Bill's session and would love to see a Columbus area pen club. I'm in Granville, east of Columbus, but willing to drive to wherever such a meeting might be held.

[KZ900]

I would attend also.

[Nikolaos]

I would definitely attend! Hopefully it could turn into a regular event. I live in the center , Arena District.

[gweimer1]

So...we were ALL in the same room together, and never made the connection. I do remember FrozenPen doing the handouts.

We need to work on our...communication.

[trdsf]

I am trying to adjust to living in Columbus, which is actually a pretty nice city, just way more compact and laid back compared to Shanghai. For sure it's slowly growing on me.

 

If you all have a pen club that meets from time to time, do let me know cause I would love to join!

 

We don't that I'm aware of, but there's getting to be enough of us that maybe we should!

 

I've lived in Columbus for a bit over 20 years now, and I love it here. It's a great city, big enough to be interesting and small enough to be comfortable. I don't know what part of town you're in, but I definitely have recommendations for things to see and places to go.

 

Also, what a terrific display case!

[trdsf]

So, does anyone else have any suggestion?

 

I think the downtown library is probably a really good option; not only is it central, well-placed relative to various bus lines, and with parking, it also has rooms that can be signed out for meetings.

 

I know what you mean about public transport; I bike and bus everywhere since I don't have a car. The pen show is always a little tricky because the nearest bus stop is about a mile away. Fortunately, COTA is really good about the bike racks on front of the buses. There is a bus link between COTA and the Delaware system, I thought? I've meant to try it out, but never made the time.

[trdsf]

It also occurs to me that there are a couple coffee houses in the Short North that could handle a small group of pen enthusiasts, although I'm not sure any of them have areas that can be reserved. The Short North Coffee House does; they charge $10 for the first two hours and $2 an hour after that, which is reasonably nominal, and outside of the summer, they're 24/7 -- they serve a mostly university clientele, so over summer break they close at 12 midnight. The downside, of course, is finding parking in the Short North for those who don't bus or bike.

 

And I can personally vouch for the quality of their coffee and excellence of staff.

[Parker51]

I thought that might have been your bike secured outside the pen show.

In regard to using Public Transportation to get to Delaware from Columbus, yes, it can be done, and the two systems recognize each other's transfers, so cost isn't an issue, but time is. The point of connection is Crosswoods, which makes sense, but given the distance and that both connecting buses are locals, we'll ts slow. Maybe someday there will again be express service from Delaware to Columbus, but to the best of my knowledge the last regular express service was by Interurban and ended close to a hundred years ago. Greyhound service ended a decade ago or so, and since then the Delaware Cab Company which had been in business for over a hundred years has gone out of business, killed in part by temporarily cheap and now pricey on demand Public Transportation!

I work adjacent to Grandview Heights, so meeting Downtown or near it is OK with me.

[josephl]

Saturday Pen Auction

 

Has anyone posted results of the 2016 Ohio Pen Show Saturday auction, or know where I can find them?

[gweimer1]

Saturday Pen Auction

 

Has anyone posted results of the 2016 Ohio Pen Show Saturday auction, or know where I can find them?

 

I don't know if they get posted. Any particular items? I was there, and wrote down a lot of the final prices.

[trdsf]

I thought that might have been your bike secured outside the pen show.

 

Yup, that was Albert II. Maybe I should hang an FPN message board on it next year.

[gryphon1911]

It also occurs to me that there are a couple coffee houses in the Short North that could handle a small group of pen enthusiasts, although I'm not sure any of them have areas that can be reserved. The Short North Coffee House does; they charge $10 for the first two hours and $2 an hour after that, which is reasonably nominal, and outside of the summer, they're 24/7 -- they serve a mostly university clientele, so over summer break they close at 12 midnight. The downside, of course, is finding parking in the Short North for those who don't bus or bike.

 

And I can personally vouch for the quality of their coffee and excellence of staff.

 

I could be interested in meeting up from time to time. Live out east toward Reynoldsburg. keep me in mind.

[Federalist Pens]

Okay!

 

Venustas Dark Blue and Robert Oster Purple Rock:

 

Hope you are enjoying the inks!

 

Regards,

Frank

 

[trdsf]

Hope you are enjoying the inks!

 

Regards,

Frank

They're terrific inks; I'm really pleased with the Purple Rock. It shades great, looks really good on the page, and it's solid enough I can use it in the office without people looking at it funny. The Venustas is a super rich super dark blue more than a blue black and also looks terrific, thanks again!