PDA

View Full Version : Saturday at the San Francisco 2014 Pen Show



Ian
August 23rd, 2014, 08:37 PM
Left side of the show taken from the entrance
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0538.jpg

Franklin-Christoph Table
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0534.jpg

I love FC's leather products
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0533.jpg

I lot of people stopped to try out Franklin-Christoph's large array of nibs
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0536.jpg

Every nib is hand installed and adjusted by Jim Rouse when you buy a pen. I bought a music nib separately and he tested it and smoothed it by temporarily installing it in a pen
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0537.jpg

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0532.jpg

Several people were pouring over Bjor's ink sample binders the whole time I was there. I bought three bottles of Diamine from her.
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0530.jpg

Pretty good turn out
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0529.jpg

This was down to $500. If I had room...
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0546.jpg

Some cool old bottles
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0545.jpg

John Mottishaw
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0544.jpg

Susan Wirth
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0543.jpg

Someone noticed I was taking a picture
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0542.jpg

Nice little journals- I bought a set of the stamp ones
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0541.jpg

orfew
August 23rd, 2014, 09:34 PM
Thanks for the photos.

Farmboy
August 24th, 2014, 04:34 AM
If you are still around, it has just been moving.

ethernautrix
August 24th, 2014, 08:20 AM
Cool! The show looks great!

The man at F-C is Jim Rouse. The woman selling all those inks is Bjor. I saw Teri Morris (Peyton Street Pens) in a couple of shots. Thanks for sharing photos!

Ian
August 24th, 2014, 08:40 AM
Thanks for the names ethernautrix. I really should have been able to remember Jim's. I bought three pens from him in three separate transactions.

Ian
August 24th, 2014, 09:37 AM
My new Franklin-Christoph Pens- a 40 Pocket with a medium steel nib, a 02 with a fine steel nib and a 19 with a Masuyama medium stub steel nib. The tube contains a steel Christoph music nib. The 02 and 40 are in one of a kind color combinations made for the San Francisco show. All were setup and adjusted by Jim Rouse to write beautifully. They are very smooth.

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0552.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0558.jpg

Jon Szanto
August 24th, 2014, 10:30 AM
Ian, if you are there today, look me up, I'll be around until about 12 - 1 or so. Great coverage of a very fun new show!

LagNut
August 24th, 2014, 11:35 AM
Thanks for the photos, wish I was there. I'd really like to try some of the FC pens in the flesh.

Nice to vicariously enjoy the show...

Mike

normd
August 24th, 2014, 01:04 PM
Trying the FC testers was a real pleasure. I was surprised at how much I like the longer pen bodies of the 65 and 66. Like a really nice paint brush or dip pen holder. Definitely on my wish list.

Crazyorange
August 24th, 2014, 02:09 PM
Thanks for sharing. Your FC pens are beautiful. You will enjoy that music nib. Not an everyday nib but tons of fun to play around with its width. Enjoy :)

Tracy Lee
August 24th, 2014, 02:32 PM
Great pictures! Looks well attended. That F-C music nib is just crazy good, isn't it? And to be able to swap out nibs makes it really crazy good. Enjoy your pens, thanks for taking us along.

Ian
August 24th, 2014, 09:00 PM
Thanks for the invitation Jon, but I didn't go to the show today. I live north of San Francisco. It took me 3.5 hours to get to the show: walk, bus, train 1, train 2, walk. If I had gone, I would have bought a bunch of Private Reserve ink for $5 a bottle. I don't know why I only bought 4 bottles yesterday.

Testing the F-C pens were great. I tested all of the steel nibs in my pen and ink journal. It will be a great reference when I order a 33 on the Internet. I was thinking about looking into the music nib, but Dan's article put it on my must buy list. I love the easy to swap nibs. I won't use the music nib all the time, but it is nice to be able put it on the 02 or 19 when I need it.

earthdawn
August 24th, 2014, 09:13 PM
My new Franklin-Christoph Pens- a 40 Pocket with a medium steel nib, a 02 with a fine steel nib and a 19 with a Masuyama medium stub steel nib. The tube contains a steel Christoph music nib. The 02 and 40 are in one of a kind color combinations made for the San Francisco show. All were setup and adjusted by Jim Rouse to write beautifully. They are very smooth.

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0552.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/tintinsboy/SF%20Pen%20Show%202014/IMG_0558.jpg

ENVY overload !!!

Great photos of the show too.. THANK YOU !!!!!!

ethernautrix
August 25th, 2014, 04:13 AM
Oops, forgot to mention that Steve Curnow makes those small notebooks.

Also, Dan posted a video from the DC Show of Scott of Franklin-Christoph showing a 65 or 66 (the tester set models) in "smoke," and it looked very cool.

And I love John's Nakaya nib-testing set-up, too.

dannzeman
August 25th, 2014, 01:41 PM
...

Also, Dan posted a video from the DC Show of Scott of Franklin-Christoph showing a 65 or 66 (the tester set models) in "smoke," and it looked very cool.
...
It was actually the 66 in Ice.

ethernautrix
August 25th, 2014, 04:20 PM
I really like the 65 and 66 (I have a 65), and I think having a bunch of them in Ice with different colors would be a Very Good Thing.

Finalist
August 25th, 2014, 06:58 PM
1361613617
The show was awesome. I was there Sunday for a couple hours and when I could calm myself enough to hold a conversation I learned a lot. Looking at the pics above I missed so much!! I spent a lot of time with FC, Nibs.com and Peyton St. Everybody was so kind and generous. It seems like such a friendly group.

My first priority was to select a nib grind and furniture finish for a Naka-ai I'm waiting for... 5 months to go :(, but the nakaya testers were awesome- soft medium and Ruthenium on ao-tamenuri.

Other things learned:
• The FC 02 is bigger than I thought- love it!
• An azure Parker Vac is in my future at some point. I just know so little about them at this point. Some were $130 and some were $250 - I'm lost on what the differences are.
• a lot of pens write really well. I feel great about the custom xxxf grind I did on my L2K. Comparing it to a John Mottishaw I'm now very proud of my effort!
• There is a HUGE amount of awesome vintage pens for $200 or less.
• I love the Peyton St. Ranga 4C ebonite shape.
• Rhodia No.16 pads for $5!!!!!!! My new favorite daily notepad.
• I brought my 8 yo daughter and was hoping she wouldn't beg me to leave... Turns out she enjoyed it at least as much as me!! She purchased a faux sting Ray finished FP from Peyton St., and she was given a free Pelikan twist from CFP. (BTW, the Pelikan Twists are smooth and remind me of a Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2) I bought several things from Bjor's table and she gave my daughter a small Rhodia pad. Basically my daughter is an FPGeek for life because of this show.


I'm also kicking myself because I now realize how much I missed!! On the drive home when my brain finally cleared I realized I had a few questions I forgot to ask and a few items I forgot to handle. ...next year!

Finalist
August 25th, 2014, 07:06 PM
136181361913620

More pics from the show. The writing sample is from the CFP Nakaya tester section. It's the soft medium and it compare well against my Spencerian Falcon - slightly less flex, and very slightly thicker thin stroke and whole lot better as a daily user FP. Sold!
The Parker Vac is one that I was drolling over, but I know so little about them I want to study a bit more before I buy one.

AltecGreen
August 25th, 2014, 07:07 PM
• I brought my 8 yo daughter and was hoping she wouldn't beg me to leave... Turns out she enjoyed it at least as much as me!! She purchased a faux sting Ray finished FP from Peyton St., and she was given a free Pelikan twist from CFP. (BTW, the Pelikan Twists are smooth and remind me of a Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2) I bought several things from Bjor's table and she gave my daughter a small Rhodia pad. Basically my daughter is an FPGeek for life because of this show.


Is this your daughter?
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5571/15037445532_151fe2784a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oUNQEh)

Finalist
August 25th, 2014, 07:17 PM
That's her!

Jon Szanto
August 25th, 2014, 07:53 PM
Well, someone seems to have had a good time! :)



Other things learned:
• An azure Parker Vac is in my future at some point. I just know so little about them at this point. Some were $130 and some were $250 - I'm lost on what the differences are.
• There is a HUGE amount of awesome vintage pens for $200 or less.
• I love the Peyton St. Ranga 4C ebonite shape.
• Basically my daughter is an FPGeek for life because of this show.


Those Vacs are hard to get to know, almost as many variants as the 51 it seems, and yes, there are lots of price points, due to rarity, size, etc. Beautiful pens
True on the < $200 bit.
I picked up one of those very Rangas because I already had a nib, looking for a body - a match made in heaven (and I got to work with Teri again).
The last one is the best, and I hope she has a lot of fun with her pens and paper.

Good on you, a very good first pen show, I'd say!

Farmboy
August 25th, 2014, 09:12 PM
That's her!

Next year when I'm paying more attention, she can dig though the pen debris and take something home on me.

I'll also let her use one of my 51s such that she will make you get her one...We need to start them young.

She should also become a member of the BPS. We will speak with the PooBah about this.

Jon Szanto
August 26th, 2014, 01:33 AM
I thought I would pop into this thread, most active, to give just a glimpse of the recent - and wonderful - San Francisco Pen Show of 2014. I'm not going to load it up with too many photos, because I purposely didn't take too many, knowing that there were people who were going to do a much better job of documentation.

While my own pen show attendance is still in it's infancy, I follow the shows both online and in places like The Pennant, which covers many of them. It doesn't take long to realize that each show has it's own, unique personality. After the SF show had a hiatus, with no show in 2013, it was up to a small band of intrepid people to pull it up by the sac straps again and carve a new history.

The three day show took place at the Sofitel in Redwood City, right near the headquarters of Oracle, and on a lagoon of the South Bay (I think). I loved it - for the accommodations, the access to both a fine restaurant as well as nearby other choices, and most of all a spacious and well-lit event room to host in. There is room for growth, which I don't doubt will happen next year. The organizers took very good care of the vendors, sellers, and traders, with breakfasts in the morning, snacks in the afternoon (for all!) and a killer live music event on Friday night with a hosted bar. The Royal Deuces were an inspired choice, and everyone had a good time.

Which is key: there will be pens at all pen shows, but everything else is about people, and how those people interact and enjoy themselves. This show was second to none in human beings having a great time! I was very surprised by the number of people that came on Saturday, and in listening to the conversations, there were a lot of first-time pen people. This can only bode well for the future.

That said, you can't even get in the door without a badge:

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140825_233114-1_zpslg4kkxix.jpg

What happens when you get in the door? You go look at pens, right? There will be, and have been, many photos of the pens and pen stuff from the show. It often looks like this:

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140822_112742_zps573wv8qu.jpg

(I took that for the people who like to collect pens like the Waterman Phileas in every possible color) But beyond the hardware of pendom, you find people that aren't anywhere else: Nibmeisters! At SF were John Mottishaw (of Classic Fountain Pens), Mike Masuyama (of Mike It Work), and Greg Minuskin. I hadn't worked with Mike before, but I had purchased a Platinum 3776 Nice with a Broad nib specifically to be ground. We had a nice discussion (on the quieter opening morning), including the difficulties of grinding rose gold plated nibs, and he soon set to work...

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140822_093853_zpskvi62sxm.jpg

One of the treats was being there early enough to watch him assemble his grinding station, which is all custom machined and comes apart for travel! In very little time, he had ground, exactly to my specs, a smooth stub that leans towards an italic edge. Remarkable, and so effortless (on his part):

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140822_101259_zpssxr2rkae.jpg

Just as with Mike (and his charming wife), an irreplaceable component of attending a pen show is meeting and conversing with people who have been doing this for a long time, have deep knowledge, and are passionate and devoted users, collectors, and sellers of fountain pens. When I heard that Paul Erano was going to be there, I almost flipped! I met him in LA in 2013 and was bowled over by his warm generosity and kind sharing of information. I found a number of times to sit with him at his table and talk about not only pens, but life itself. I had hoped I could show him a modest pen to gain entry into the fabled and vaunted Black Pen Society, and sure enough, it worked: I am now a member in good standing (which means that my badge, plus $3.75, will get me a grande latte at Starbucks). As it would turn out, my eye kept falling on a pen at his table, and before I left we made a bargain of money and pen, and I had another elegant black pen. Here is my "ticket to the ball" pen, a stately and underated Mentmore (on the left), with the new purchase, a Goldfink from Germany (Berlin). Any surprise this "brother from another mother" caught my eye?

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/CameraZOOM-20140825232552577_zpspghfsdun.jpg

It's hard if you can't have your favorite person with you, and she had to work. I found something to bring home, a lovely unique ink purchased from Bjor of Refill Monster: here is J. Herbin's Bleu Myosotis:

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/57e1b8d4-493b-4e0e-9f8a-c165985b943a_zps15a2608c.jpg

In the end, this is all too terribly fun, and with the explosion of the online world and social media over the last couple decades, you finally have the chance to meet the people you only type to on a regular basis. Things happen. Gatherings occur. Late night explorations of pens, techniques, inks, and alcohol are inevitable (sparring with Posse member G. Weddig):

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/greg_jon_scotch_zps3f4ee617.jpg

My gosh, the infinite variety of humanity, tied together by a love for writing instruments built to deliver colored fluids is a never ending fascination. The spirit in the room, the creativity of the people knows no bounds. Give them plain old advertising postcards and their imaginations will run wild:

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140824_110448-1_zps4gcvusdb.jpg

My hat is completely tipped to the main organizers and sponsors of this show: Ricky Chau, Todd Eberspracher, and Syd Saperstein (of the Wahl/Eversharp Company). For a maiden voyage, they nailed it, and the future looks bright for this show. I can't wait to come back in a year, and I'll do everything I can to help make it even more of a success. You want pens? You want fun? I know the place.

All we can do is thank them for putting it on. This happened to one of the three. I tried to whip it out quickly, but I'm getting old, so I missed the opening bars:


http://youtu.be/JrqQ3TPipb4

Here's to next year, the 2015 San Francisco International Pen Show!

Crazyorange
August 26th, 2014, 05:42 AM
Thanks Jon. Great review and pics. Pen shows are just big social events with beautiful pens. Your review show cased that.

dms
August 26th, 2014, 10:13 AM
Here's to next year, the 2015 San Francisco International Pen Show!

I'll drink to that!

Nice account, Jon! And I agree with Crazyorange. The best part was the people. .... Of course, the people had pens ...

David

orfew
August 26th, 2014, 06:45 PM
Thanks very much for the great photos and stories. I have never been to a pen show and so I am enjoying all of the different posts relating people's experiences. I hope to get to my first show in Toronto in November.

Jon Szanto
August 26th, 2014, 07:01 PM
Thanks very much for the great photos and stories. I have never been to a pen show and so I am enjoying all of the different posts relating people's experiences. I hope to get to my first show in Toronto in November.
Oh, man, you will have such a good time!

Hector, I thought of you *totally* while there: I met Jim Rouse at the Franklin-Christoph area, and on display was a set of the Fantasy Legacy pens that he has made, including another orange one (like yours)! I mentioned the thread where you took such great photos of the pen, along with your calligraphy, and plan on sending a note to him with a link (or something... I want him to see it!)

It was terribly good fun this last weekend.

Finalist
August 26th, 2014, 09:55 PM
Thanks very much for the great photos and stories. I have never been to a pen show and so I am enjoying all of the different posts relating people's experiences. I hope to get to my first show in Toronto in November.
Oh, man, you will have such a good time!

Hector, I thought of you *totally* while there: I met Jim Rouse at the Franklin-Christoph area, and on display was a set of the Fantasy Legacy pens that he has made, including another orange one (like yours)! I mentioned the thread where you took such great photos of the pen, along with your calligraphy, and plan on sending a note to him with a link (or something... I want him to see it!)

It was terribly good fun this last weekend.


SAME HERE!! lol

I saw that orange FP at the FC table and thought the exact same thing! I picked it up and felt an urge to draw a bird! It was an awesome pen.

youstruckgold
August 27th, 2014, 03:48 PM
Backpocket tomoes rule!

youstruckgold
August 27th, 2014, 03:54 PM
oooooo, love those Nakayas all in a row!!

penultress
August 27th, 2014, 07:25 PM
Thank you for the post! I really hope to make it next year. I love San Francisco as well!

franzdimson
August 27th, 2014, 09:01 PM
Awesome photos! Great review Jon. It was great meeting everyone. I miss it already.

I should bring my camera next year and possibly help contribute to documenting the show.

Jon Szanto
August 27th, 2014, 11:55 PM
I should bring my camera next year and possibly help contribute to documenting the show.

Please do, Franz. All I had was my phone, I don't take good pics anyway, and the more the merrier. Dan has posted the review on the FPG blog, and there is a link to a nice set of photos from Gerald Lieu at the bottom of the article.

Really, though, I hope Ricky gets over his hesitation for posting his (he feels a conflict of interest), because I've never seen anyone do a better job of capturing a pen show in all its glory.

BTW: have you officially changed your name to "Moneybags" Dimson? :)

franzdimson
August 28th, 2014, 01:08 AM
aw man... Gerald's photos were very good as well. =) I'm missing the show already.

Moneybags? I have no idea what you are referring to. All I bought was a Vanishing Point nib unit from Detlef, ink from Bjor and 2 BPS pins from Paul Erano...

I plead the 5th... ;-P

Jon Szanto
August 28th, 2014, 01:44 AM
Dude, you damn well better post pics of that other thing. You know. THAT one.

:D

lsmith42
August 28th, 2014, 07:05 AM
I heard Franz owns a bank... could be just a rumor...

franzdimson
August 28th, 2014, 07:38 AM
Dude, you damn well better post pics of that other thing. You know. THAT one.

:D
Okay, okay, you got me. =P Once I get the chance over the weekend, I will take some nicer photos of it.



I heard Franz owns a bank... could be just a rumor...

Well, that isn't a rumor at all.
I used to own two banks.

But right before the pen show, I had to break both of them open... so now, the bank owns me. ;-)

dannzeman
August 28th, 2014, 08:28 AM
[QUOTE=franzdimson;93915]...

Really, though, I hope Ricky gets over his hesitation for posting his (he feels a conflict of interest), because I've never seen anyone do a better job of capturing a pen show in all its glory.

...

Ricky has a pen show report and he's holding out? WTH?!

Seriously, though, where's the conflict of interest?

AltecGreen
August 28th, 2014, 09:24 AM
Really, though, I hope Ricky gets over his hesitation for posting his (he feels a conflict of interest), because I've never seen anyone do a better job of capturing a pen show in all its glory.


It's not so much a hesitation. The three of us discussed this and agreed that none of us would post a review. It is absolutely a conflict of interest. A few of my pictures are up on the show website as of yesterday.
I may post some pen show stories and pictures that have no direct connection to how the show went.



Many of my pictures will be used by others to supplement their own in their pen show reports.

Finalist
August 29th, 2014, 09:32 PM
How about another in six months? Why wait a year?

ac12
August 29th, 2014, 11:26 PM
How about another in six months? Why wait a year?

Can we count on your help next year?

franzdimson
September 2nd, 2014, 01:40 AM
Finally got to sharing some photos I took at the show. The show was a lot of fun and the whole weekend flew by really quick!

Next year, I will most definitely help out more and take more photos to cover the show. I guess I just got pen-struck... :shocked:

Bjor's paper and inks were a very big hit at the show...
13800 1380113802

Susan Wirth's table was set up just like it was at the LA Pen Show.
13803

After the show, Friday, Gale's microscope camera was the show. The detail of the new $100 bill is just mesmerizing...
13804

Having fun while The Royal Deuces were playing.
13805

Nakayas, Nakayas, Nakayas...
13806

The Naka-Ai's. It's a good thing the one I wanted was sold on Sunday morning. :wave:
13807 13808

franzdimson
September 2nd, 2014, 01:50 AM
At Mike Masuyama's table. I got the chance to have 2 pens ground to his awesome cursive italics and another one tuned for a better flow.
13809 13810

This is posted on Mike's portable machine. It's a good read while you wait for your nibs...
13811

On to the table of Teri Morris of Peyton Street Pens. She is such a nice person and we've had a friendly and warm conversation for a while.
This test pad was on her table.
13812
Cool pens...
13813

Lee Chait's table had a lot of Parker pens that I want to have. He is after all, Mr. Parker 75.
13814

Ryan Krusac of Fountain Pen Studios
13815
Dangers of the Deep
13816
Beautiful pens...
13817

franzdimson
September 2nd, 2014, 02:00 AM
On Saturday and Sunday, I spent time helping out at Rick Propas' table.
13818
13819

Roger Cromwell's table (Penopoly) with Marta and a customer.
13820

Pretty pens!
13821

At Cynthia's table. Met her on Saturday and we also had a great conversation about pens and Capri.
13822

It ain't just pens that's talked about. There was a mini knife posse after the show on Sunday.
13823
13824

Until next year!!

Crazyorange
September 2nd, 2014, 05:27 AM
Awesome. Thanks for posting.

ac12
September 2nd, 2014, 01:56 PM
Great photos, thanks

ac12
September 12th, 2014, 05:56 PM
No pictures of Loren's boxes of Penman Sapphire and MB Racing Green.

lsmith42
September 14th, 2014, 09:25 AM
Not sure what you were imagining you saw...

Now, understand, Commander, that torpedo did not self-destruct. You heard it hit the hull. And I... was never here.