Colorado Pen Show 2016

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The Third Annual Colorado Pen Show

When - October 7, 8 & 9, 2016

Friday 12pm - 6PM
Saturday 9am - 6PM
Sunday 10am - 5PM

 The shows Website now updated.

Entrance fee is $5 per day and kids 12 and under get in for free so bring the whole family for a weekend of fun.

Where - Held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Denver- Stapleton North

Classes are plentiful and actually start on Thursday.

Thursday:
9am - 5pm American Cursive Instructor Certification Program (ACICP)‎ by Michael Sull & Marie Hornback
5:30pm - 9pm Hands on Spencerian Penmanship Workshop with Michael Sull

Friday:
9am - 5pm American Cursive Instructor Certification Program (ACICP)‎ by Michael Sull & Marie Hornback
9am - 12pm Learn the Coptic Bookbinding Stitch and Make your own Journal with Richard Pollock-Nelson

Saturday:
11am - 12:30pm Custom Color Mixing with Bianca Dudeck-Mandity
12:30pm - 2pm Kick A$$ Snail Mail class with Amanda McKay
2pm - 3pm Think ink with Sam Fiorello
3:30pm - 5pm Sketching with a Fountain Pen by Renee Jorgensen
6pm - 8pm Letter Writing Social with Amanda McKay

Sunday:
10am - 11am Basic Fountain Pen Repair (Hands-On Course!) with Sherrell Tyree & Joel Hamilton
11am - 12pm Why some fountain pens can make anyone's writing look good with Susan Wirth
12:30pm - 2pm Create a Pocket Journal with Jeff Becker
2pm - 3:30pm Diaries, Journals, and Commonplace Books: Personal History and Everyday Adventures with Ruth Feiertag

Classes are listed here with further details:  Some classes you will register with the instructor directly and links/instructions are listed for each accordingly.

Vendors:

Ryan Krusac Studios
Anderson Pens
Susan Wirth
Pendemonium
Paradise Pen
An Tran
Vanness Pens
Franklin-Christoph
Tim Pierson
Michael Sull
Luxury Brands USA
Joel Hamilton & Sherrell Tyree
Pen World
Hardbound Designs
Dan and Cyndie Report
Bob Nurin
Chocolatier - Brandon Lee
Karas Kustoms
Nib Grinder - Mark Bacas
Toys From the Attic
Oxfordianpens
David Ferguson
Kanilea Pen Co.
The Penman - Thomas Baley
Stuart Hawkinson
Eldon Braun
Roger Cromwell
Desiderata Pens
Artistic Paper
John Foreman
Mike Conway
Warren Kothenbeutel
Fountain Pen Day

After show shenanigans:

Friday from 7pm-9pm I will host the Fountain Pen Day Pens & Friends meet. It is a casual gathering of pen people to relax and share your passion. This is the time to find out you are not alone in your obsession for pens, paper and ink. I will gather up some great raffle prizes and have a LE Colorado Pen Show 2016 / Fountain pen Day pin for everyone as well.
Saturday & Sunday after the show you will see there is little needs to run home as many will gather in the bar/restaurant area to meet up and show what they brought and what they bought. I will be there those nights as well looking to meet as many enthusiasts and enablers as possible. 

Social media to follow:

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Please feel free to ask any questions and email me.

See last years photos

Triangle Pen Show 2016

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The 13th annual Triangle Pen Show at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Cary, NC. June 3rd - June 5th 2016. General admission is $10 per person or $15 per couple. This allows admission for all 3 days. Hours are Friday 1pm - 7pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm & Sunday 11am - 5pm. Please see the site for all the details. There are pen vendors from across the country as well as many workshops and seminars that can be taken throughout the weekend. The show is loaded with Pens, Paper, Ink and Parts. This is a once a year opportunity not to be missed.

Atlanta Pen Show 2016

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The 2016 Atlanta Pen Show is racing up to be something really special this year. With the likes of Leigh Reyes, Thomas Hall, The Goulet's, Ed Capizzi of the Colorado Pen Show, Brad Dowdy aka The Pen Addict and they are Broadcasting LIVE Saturday Night the 200th PodCast of The Pen Addict. Myke Hurley his partner in crime is flying across the pond to be at the show as well as Ana Reinert from the Well Appointed Desk.

April 15th-17th at the Wyndham Atlanta Galleria. See site for details. ~ 21st Atlanta Pen Show ~

After a very long weekend the amazing Atlanta Pen Show 2016 came to an end. It was fantastically busy and pen people were everywhere. I will update with a blog on the shows details because i am exhausted from working on the photos below the last 3 days in my spare time. Ill say this though, the Dolive family knows how to make a show feel like home. It was a warm and inviting time with smiles all around.

Long Island Pen Show 2016

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The Long Island Pen Show 2016 was held on March 12th & 13th this year at Hofstra University. This is the best lit show on the circuit.

The show was very busy Saturday and Sunday was great too. It was especially nice to NOT have it rain or snow finally. The last 4 or 5 years we have had one or the other. BUT this year the weather was great, the press was great and this is without a doubt the best lit show on the circuit. I felt it was an excellent mix of modern and vintage. You had some of the most well know vintage dealers and some of the biggest modern dealers as well as a lot of grinders and repair going on.
 
Franklin-Christoph made a return, Fountain Pen Hospital had the $50 parts bags back and the coffee was excellent as well.... and very much appreciated.
 
LOVE the tables in the middle of the show for attendees to try out ink, let their "others" sit and rest while they indulge or just chat with a friend they have not seen since the last show.
 
While I do prefer the hotel setting for after hours fun and letting the show continue into the wee hours I do not think the trade off in lighting would be worth it. Yes shows like DC go literally 24 hours a day but here it is not necessary.

Baltimore-Washington International Pen Show 2016

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Baltimore-Washington International Pen Show on March 4-6, 2016 at the Hilton Double Tree BWI Hotel. Follow on Instagram for up to the moment pictures @FountainPenDay and for information on the show see the site BWI Pen Show 2016

The show was 3 full days running Friday, Saturday & Sunday. The picture gallery above is in 2 parts though it runs continuous. The first set are all square photos and ones I uploaded to Instagram during the show. The second half are more random but were shot on my Panasonic G7 so the quality is much better and you can zoom in on details. Helping out at the FPD table and enjoying the show as well as taking a slew of pictures was Dan @DanDon375 on Instagram.

Friday things kicked off a little slow as many people are at work but that did not stop a lot of folks from taking off work to get in early and see all there was and sign up for a nib grind by Mr. Binder. There were so many vendors that wanted to be at this show that the host, Bert Oser of Bertram's Inkwell, literally setup outside the ballroom to accommodate them, leaving Adam to run the table. By the early afternoon the room was hopping with enthusiasts taking in all the vendors. While it closed at 5 there were still some lingering till almost 6 with vendors sticking around to help them.

Saturday was the biggest day. At 10am there was a line going back towards the lobby waiting to get in. Dare I say the mood felt like DC as people were pouring in and the ballroom nearly at capacity. The good balance of modern & vintage was just right. Binder was busy from open to close of course as was Franklin~Christoph. Though the proto-type trays were picked on the day before Scott made sure had plenty of eye candy to satisfy the Baltimore crowd. The show again ran past 5 but come 5:30 the after party with Fountain Pen Day and Montegrappa started. Lots of people stayed as did some of the vendors to meet and greet on a social level with attendees. The full Montegrappa Grappa setup was in pace as was the new Mule pen. Wine and Grappa were served as well as cheese and crackers. After the raffle of some OMAS journals and FPD swag we got to relax and show off what we got and share the pens, paper and ink we bought or brought. Some of the biggest names in the industry like Bert Oser, Paul Erano, Jimmy Dolive, Deborah Basel, Andy Lambrou and more attended. It was a great reminder of why we love sharing our passion with others.

Sunday morning was Sunday morning and while it was a slower start it kicked into full gear by noon. Of course Richard Binder was going from the moment the doors opened till they closed. Ending at 4 but once again even as vendors were breaking down so were the deals. The last few pictures you can see things getting packed up but attendees still lingering and getting in on every last deal that could be made.

BWI is a fantastic show that ran strong and well the whole weekend with great weather and high attendance. Many thanks to Bert Oser for continuing to be the example of how it should be done. See you all next year!

Philadelphia Pen Show 2016

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The Philadelphia Pen Show 2016 will be January 23rd & 24th. I will be updating this page with pictures throughout the show so continue to check. I will as I can but the pictures will be done throughout the days & nights. Follow all the Fountain Pen Day social media as well for pictures, tweets and of course some Periscope time. All social links are at the bottom of this page except Periscope which is @FountainPenDay as well.

Colorado Pen Show 2015

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Here are some great photos from the ever growing Colorado pen shows 2nd year.

The video below is from a live Periscope I shot of Michael Sull and it is unedited and uninterrupted. The app only shoots in portrait mode and I was disappointed but it was captured and is amazing to watch a blank sheet of paper transformed into this stunning piece.


DROMGOOLE'S HOUSTON

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Early in November I found myself on a trip to Texas on family matters. While my trip was unexpected due to a passing I made the best of it. I was in need of a break and did what any pen fanatic in a new town would do. I Googled “Pen Stores” of course. I saw on the list that under an hour away was Dromgoole’s of Houston. Dromgoole’s has been open since 1961 and a supporter of Fountain Pen Day since it’s inception in 2012. I emailed Larry to make sure he would be there the following day when I planned to visit. I emailed instead of calling because the store had already closed for the day. He promptly emailed back to say he would be there open to close. The next afternoon I set the navigation and off I went. An easy drive on the edge of Houston’s city scape. As soon as I saw the Dromgoole’s sign I felt the itch. Not knowing what was inside this store I had never been in I got that feeling you get as a kid when your going to an amusement park and you finally see a glimpse of the roller coaster. I parked and grabbed my camera, I knew I was taking pictures right away, and in I went.

I was immediately greeted by Larry Dromgoole at the front counter. His hand extended as soon as we made eye contact and after a brief introduction we talked about Fountain Pen Day, of course, and what else was going on in the pen world. The store had customers and he was busy helping them so he kind of sent me off to look around. Well there was certainly a lot to be looked around at! Once I was able to take a moment and really start to absorb the depth of brand selection I started to feel as if I was at a pen show. When you first walk in on the right is a section of glass showcases dedicated to Mont Blanc. The selection was not just a few but many many Mont Blancs. From the new 90 years edition & 90 years special edition classique to the writers editions. Daniel Defoe, Starwalker, Heritage, Meisterstuck were all there for the taking if your wallet can handle it.

This was just the start of my tour as around the corner was a 7” tall glass David Oscarson case that was just a buffer before the wall of Visconti. If it was Visconti it was there. Both the newestHomo Sapiens, Crystal & Florentine Hills, as well as the original in bronze or steel. Divina’s, Rembrandt’s & Operas oh my. It was amazing to see so many packed into a few display cases. Even a Jacques de Molay was there next to an Istos Aracnis & Salvator Dali. For me the beauty was in one of my all time favorites that he had one piece of as well, a Divina Desert Springs LE.

The next case was filled with Aurora, Omas and Montegrappa. A full selection of the limited editions in those brands were available. The 360 and Arte Italiana with the stunning Arco Celluloid was just a tease. The new LE Auroras were really nice but actually a little smaller then I had thought they would be. The Oceania and Optima Demonstrator were my favorites. There was also a nice Krone display as well.

Keep going past that and there is a wall of ink. You could spend a long time looking through the massive selection. There were a few of the hard to find inks as well. It was fun looking behind to see if anything was lurking that the last ink obsessive collector might have missed. Mont Blonc, Noodlers, Private reserve, Visconti, Lamy, Diamine, Omas, Waterman etc. That was a good 1/2 hour of my time there.

Next to the wall of ink was a case dedicated to William Henry. He had knives and pens from the collection. While I was not familiar with them Larry was happy to educate me. I was impressed with the workmanship put into the pens he came out with. Every aspect of the well balanced pens were perfect. It was not inked so I did not write with it but the custom 18k nib looked all business. If you get a chance to see one in person make sure you do.

There were 2 or 3 cases after that which held the Pilot and Taccia brands. The Taccia case had a Tanto LE that was larger than I expected in person. As well the Pilot Custom 823 Amber was in a gift set. Theres a pen I am destine to own one day. It is a bold and big pen that really has such an aura of elegance about it that most demonstrators just don’t have. The new Vanishing points were all in attendance as well as many more affordable Pilots too.

The center of the store has a large walk-around case that was filled with a huge Pelikan section as well as Platinum. Pelikan was in full force with everything in the line represented. If you ask for it he probably has it. M200’s, M400’s, M600’s M800’s M1000’s as well as limited editions and the rhodium trim versions. Of course he had the newest M101n Red Tortoise and that’s one that caught my eye immediately. We can save that pen for a little later. The Pelikan station was overwhelming and hard to take in all at once. You could spend an hour there alone with no problem. The Platinum section was well stocked also and finding a 3 tine music nib was easy. That was when I decided I needed to try a few pens. So I started with a Platinum music nib as I had never written with one before. Larry was more than happy to get one inked up and in my hand to try. Thats when he said you have to try them to decide and get a feel for the pen.

That was something that made his store so nice and inviting, having someone want you to try a pen and handle it. While I did have access to pretty much everything in my line of site I was very adamant to ask before touching or handling anything. Larry was extremely gracious as he never said no. He walked me over to the Mont Blanc section as well to unlock the cases and hand pen after pen to try.

Before I finish up my story theres a little more to it. Larry got his hands on a very good sized collection of Danitrio! This is where my heart fluttered. I stared at the case that was in-between the Pelikan’s and Platinum’s and was in awe. There was about as close to a full representation of the line as you could have. Including a full sized Sho-Genkai with full Maki-e work and the killer #8 nib. Of course it was pulled out of the case and placed in my hand. As he placed it in my hand he informed me that the pen was $20,000. I don’t think I took a breath while holding it but I did manage to uncap it and peek at that glorious nib.  Have no fear there are many Danitrio’s that are in the price range we are use to seeing. It is very rare to see this in a retail store in the US I can assure you.

Of course there was a huge selection of paper, notebooks, cards, journals etc in the back part of the store. Everything you could want was there from all the premium brands. Up front was a great selection of leather goods too. The store was stocked with a full days worth of shopping and a staff to guide you with whatever you needed help with. They also have a high tech setup for greeting cards and invitations. While I don’t know much about it I noticed that there was someone at the table the entire time I was there. Not the same customer but many. I asked if that was normal and Larry smiled and said yes the invitation business is always busy there.

They also have a gentleman, Stephen Pustilnik “The Pen Doctor”, who comes in on certain Saturdays to do nib grinding and adjustments. Theres no permanent schedule as he actually is a Doctor. Events are common as well. I know Krone was there in November as well as Delta and William Henry.

My visit was not quite complete yet. Larry went to the back somewhere and came out with a wooden pen box. Placing it on the counter he said these are my favorites. He opened the box to show me his own personal collection of pens. I was flattered he wanted to share them with me. Not only to view but to hold if I wanted. While the Mont Blanc Oscar Wilde caught my eye it was the Mont Blanc Hemingway that stopped me in my tracks. Of course I asked first if I could hold it and was told of course I could. Wow was that awesome to pick up and uncap to view in all its glory. Theres something about seeing just what another collector and lover of fountain pens decides are the grails to keep. Especially when your looking at the collection of someone who has seen them all at one point or another. It was the highlight of my visit, which was 3 hours by the way. I don’t know how time went by so fast but it really felt like less than an hour.

I left with the beautiful Pelikan M101n Red Tortoise w/Broad nib, a couple of Rhoda Ice Pads, a bottle of MB Love You scented ink & MB Honore de Blazac ink. Score!

It was a wonderful trip to a fantastic store with an owner who is carrying on the family business with pride and passion. This is a store you must visit if your in the area and if you live within an hour you are blessed more than you know.

Dromgoole’s

2515 Rice Boulevard • Houston, Texas 77005

713.526.4651

dromgooles@sbcglobal.net