2013 DC Fountain Pen Supershow

[gentlyom]

You don't find a huge quantity of vintage European pens at US shows. Your best bet is to check out specific dealers who are known to deal in those pens. Vintage Italians are hard to find period. When I go to LA, I might find maybe 20 vintage Italians out of the many thousands in most years. Many are overpriced because of the scarcity in the US. Soennecken are even worse. FYI-vintage Japanese pens are equally scarce at US shows.

I totally agree. I was in the DC show from Fri to Sun, and only spot one exhibitor selling vintage Italians. Here are what I got: an Ancora 87, and an Omas Extra 556F (the bigger 557F in the picture as a comparison).

Ancora.jpg
2 Omas Extras.jpg
Omas Extra.jpg

[fountainpenkid]

You don't find a huge quantity of vintage European pens at US shows. Your best bet is to check out specific dealers who are known to deal in those pens. Vintage Italians are hard to find period. When I go to LA, I might find maybe 20 vintage Italians out of the many thousands in most years. Many are overpriced because of the scarcity in the US. Soennecken are even worse. FYI-vintage Japanese pens are equally scarce at US shows.

I totally agree. I was in the DC show from Fri to Sun, and only spot one exhibitor selling vintage Italians. Here are what I got: an Ancora 87, and an Omas Extra 556F (the bigger 557F in the picture as a comparison).

Ancora.jpg
2 Omas Extras.jpg
Omas Extra.jpg

Great finds!

[Steph]

There were a few vendors from Europe, but I think theirs were mostly MBs, Pelikans, Conways, Onotos, etc. You really have to look closely to find others. In my experience vendors may have a handful of "NoName" vintage European pens.

I am still riding the post-Pen Show high and having more than a little trouble reintegrating into my real world. What fun it was to see the pens and spend time with the pen community. I was really happy to have met some of you at the Saturday night Show and Tell. Penultress - that Nakaya is haunting me! I am going to have to pull the trigger on the stone Portable that I've had my eye on! Tracy, thanks for the advice on the Visconti Blue Typhoon - it's coming my way from Bryant ( he didn't have a stub at the show).

[Tracy Lee]

There were a few vendors from Europe, but I think theirs were mostly MBs, Pelikans, Conways, Onotos, etc. You really have to look closely to find others. In my experience vendors may have a handful of "NoName" vintage European pens.

I am still riding the post-Pen Show high and having more than a little trouble reintegrating into my real world. What fun it was to see the pens and spend time with the pen community. I was really happy to have met some of you at the Saturday night Show and Tell. Penultress - that Nakaya is haunting me! I am going to have to pull the trigger on the stone Portable that I've had my eye on! Tracy, thanks for the advice on the Visconti Blue Typhoon - it's coming my way from Bryant ( he didn't have a stub at the show).

I am having the same trouble reintegrating into my chaotic life, I had such a good time! And I am so glad you have a Typhoon on the way. Really fun pen to use. The Nakaya is haunting me too, big time. O_o Amazing.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 4

[Ray-VIgo]

I've scaled back on my acquiring more pens, but there was a blue Esterbrook with a master nib that was just too nice to pass up. Also brought some new people with me who were curious as to what a pen show even was.

[bluefeathers]

There were a few vendors from Europe, but I think theirs were mostly MBs, Pelikans, Conways, Onotos, etc. You really have to look closely to find others. In my experience vendors may have a handful of "NoName" vintage European pens.

I am still riding the post-Pen Show high and having more than a little trouble reintegrating into my real world. What fun it was to see the pens and spend time with the pen community. I was really happy to have met some of you at the Saturday night Show and Tell. Penultress - that Nakaya is haunting me! I am going to have to pull the trigger on the stone Portable that I've had my eye on! Tracy, thanks for the advice on the Visconti Blue Typhoon - it's coming my way from Bryant ( he didn't have a stub at the show).

It was great meeting you too, Steph! And fountainpenkid, don't feel bad about missing pens. For what it's worth, I was determined to see all the tables over a longer period of 1.5 days and still managed to miss a lot of them, including Rick's table.

[penultress]

There were a few vendors from Europe, but I think theirs were mostly MBs, Pelikans, Conways, Onotos, etc. You really have to look closely to find others. In my experience vendors may have a handful of "NoName" vintage European pens.

I am still riding the post-Pen Show high and having more than a little trouble reintegrating into my real world. What fun it was to see the pens and spend time with the pen community. I was really happy to have met some of you at the Saturday night Show and Tell. Penultress - that Nakaya is haunting me! I am going to have to pull the trigger on the stone Portable that I've had my eye on! Tracy, thanks for the advice on the Visconti Blue Typhoon - it's coming my way from Bryant ( he didn't have a stub at the show).

I LOVE the stone finish Nakayas! We'll have to compare at the next show!

[AltecGreen]

I totally agree. I was in the DC show from Fri to Sun, and only spot one exhibitor selling vintage Italians. Here are what I got: an Ancora 87, and an Omas Extra 556F (the bigger 557F in the picture as a comparison).

Very nice finds.

Did Gary Lehrer have anything at his table?

[gentlyom]

I totally agree. I was in the DC show from Fri to Sun, and only spot one exhibitor selling vintage Italians. Here are what I got: an Ancora 87, and an Omas Extra 556F (the bigger 557F in the picture as a comparison).

Very nice finds.

Did Gary Lehrer have anything at his table?

Thanks Altec. But your Extra Lucens is more beautiful than my Extras. I am still looking for a pen like yours.

Unfortunately Gary but did not bring many Italians, however he showed me a couple of Omas 555 in silver marble, both are beauties.

[talkinghead]

FYI-vintage Japanese pens are equally scarce at US shows.

I was at the show and had my whole collection of Japanese metal pens (most NOS with stickers, some matching Pencils and BP also), Pilot and Platinums, mainly from the 60's and 70's, so not too old......but barely got a sniff, and didn't sell any of them!! Had a rare Black Striped first generation capless, an uncommon Custom White Stripe and a Black Striped MYU among the bunch. I don't think anyone even picked them up! Kinda weird...

Rick

[AltecGreen]

FYI-vintage Japanese pens are equally scarce at US shows.

I was at the show and had my whole collection of Japanese metal pens (most NOS with stickers, some matching Pencils and BP also), Pilot and Platinums, mainly from the 60's and 70's, so not too old......but barely got a sniff, and didn't sell any of them!! Had a rare Black Striped first generation capless, an uncommon Custom White Stripe and a Black Striped MYU among the bunch. I don't think anyone even picked them up! Kinda weird...

Rick

The 60's and 70's stuff don't get much attention at US except for specific pieces (think white stripe MYU, Buddhist Scripture pens etc.). When I talk about vintage, I mean early 1950's or earlier. Definitely wartime and pre-war pens. Those are the pens I collect and they are even hard to find in Japan.

[plistumi]

Rick. I did. I picked up the black striped one and you showed me the white striped one. I liked them, but I must say, currently my pockets are full of lint. So I socialized at the Pen Show. It was nice talking with you (I was the short lady with the curly hair, not Deborah Bazel, the other one).

FYI-vintage Japanese pens are equally scarce at US shows.

I was at the show and had my whole collection of Japanese metal pens (most NOS with stickers, some matching Pencils and BP also), Pilot and Platinums, mainly from the 60's and 70's, so not too old......but barely got a sniff, and didn't sell any of them!! Had a rare Black Striped first generation capless, an uncommon Custom White Stripe and a Black Striped MYU among the bunch. I don't think anyone even picked them up! Kinda weird...

Rick

[talkinghead]

Rick. I did. I picked up the black striped one and you showed me the white striped one. I liked them, but I must say, currently my pockets are full of lint. So I socialized at the Pen Show. It was nice talking with you (I was the short lady with the curly hair, not Deborah Bazel, the other one).

Hi,
Yes I remember now...I believe you told me your name too, was it M***a? ( I didn't want to spell it out incase you don't want your real named posted) But thanks for looking!

Rick

[Mags]

I hope it was you who was able to help the gentleman David.

Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks

[david i]

I hope it was you who was able to help the gentleman David.

Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks

I happened to be at right place at right time, and I do have some experience with this sort.

He is doing well now, which is the key thing.


regards

daivd