Pen shows - direction.

**Empty_of_Clouds** · November 24th, 2019, 06:15 PM

Read an interesting post on another social media site regarding how pen shows may (or may not) be changing as a reflection of the visitor demographic. That post contained a link to the following blogpost, which added further fuel for thought.

Cronicas Estilograficas: Madrid Pen Show

Until relatively recently I've not seen a great deal of hobby activity/news/show stuff in my part of the world (Oceania), but it seems that there is quite a growing 'community' in Australia, though less so in New Zealand (there are occasional Pelikan Hubs, I think). So, there are a couple of FB groups, dedicated to NZ specifically and Oceania more broadly, that have a healthy population.

I have often wondered what other places in the world had pen shows, as up until now most talk has seemed very much US-centric.

Anyway, it's always good to learn new things.

**guyy** · November 24th, 2019, 06:17 PM

Japan has had shows for a while. Lots of users and enthusiasts over there.

**Jon Szanto** · November 24th, 2019, 06:47 PM

The Madrid show has been popular for a number of years (and probably the first I want to get to on the Continent). The Bologna show was just this past weekend. There was recently one in Antwerp, another big one was London. Also of note is that the Manila Pen Show just wrapped up last weekend.

Even though there is a fair amount of variety in the shows around the US, I think the shows in other regions exhibit their own significant flavors. Ricky Chau (AltecGreen) had an *exhaustive* thread with dozens and dozens of photos on the Tokyo Pen Show, which was a month or so ago.

**Chrissy** · November 25th, 2019, 01:48 AM

Most of the relevant information about Pen Shows can be found in the Clubs, Shows and Geek Gatherings forum

**Empty_of_Clouds** · November 25th, 2019, 02:02 AM

Golly! Never noticed that forum being there; blindly scrolling down to my usual haunts as I do.

**Chrissy** · November 25th, 2019, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by Empty_of_Clouds

Golly! Never noticed that forum being there; blindly scrolling down to my usual haunts as I do.

Sheaffer also has it's own forum in Pens.......

**Empty_of_Clouds** · November 25th, 2019, 02:14 AM

Yes, saw that, but it is less helpful in navigating the Sargasso sea of Sheaffer pens.

**Voiren** · November 25th, 2019, 02:27 AM

The UK has a number of regional pen shows - tending to be smaller, one day each. London will have three next year, one from a new organiser, so that should be interesting! Bristol, Chester, Cambridge, Lichfield, Newcastle, Sheffield.

(I think it was the Cambridge one that became the London spring show).

**amk** · November 25th, 2019, 06:53 AM

Paris has Rocollection, but that's moving further towards watches and lighters and away from pens.

The Netherlands has Til;burg and Utrecht, there's a Belgian Pen Show (Waterloo! if I'm not out of date), Turin has one and there's a pen show in Katowice, Poland. That's just off the top of my head.

I shall regret the Cambridge show - that was my first ever and a very nice, gentle introduction to the world of pen shows. But it may have had too low a footfall to survive. London is good, lots of parts boxes and ink vendors last time I was there.

**penwash** · November 26th, 2019, 10:40 AM

Looks like Brazil also have a Pen Show now:

from pensforever.com:

São Paulo Pen Show segunda edição 2019

A segunda edição de nosso encontro de colecionadores deste ano será nos dias 07 e 08 de dezembro junho próximo no Novotel Center Norte como das ultimas vezes.
Troca de informações, avaliação, comercialização e conserto de canetas antigas
dias 07 e 08 de dezembro de 2019 das 10 às 20 horas.

**Jon Szanto** · November 26th, 2019, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Empty_of_Clouds

Yes, saw that, but it is less helpful in navigating the Sargasso sea of Sheaffer pens.

Bear in mind that there are people who spend decades working out the intricacies of the Sheaffer product line. There are many, many production items and then there are the pieces that got produced in-between new lines being introduced, etc. Much research is often done from old catalog and salesman pamphlets. There isn't any easy answer.

If I were going to start at one place to get a good survey of the output of the company, I'd probably start at the PenGallery at PenHero.com and scroll down to Sheaffer, then read every single article Jim has produced. There is a lot of very significant history, photography and - in many cases - a review of the pen itself. Invaluable.