Commonwealth Pen Show (pic heavy)

Today was the Commonwealth Pen Show brought brought to us by the Boston Pen People




My lovely bride, ML, and I arrived before the doors opened at 9 AM. We were 10th and 11th in line. Surprisingly we have had those positions for 3 years in a row.
The crowd was thin at first but quickly filled up. This is ML (striped shirt on the right) perusing a table.



She used an eye loupe that Freddy sent us a while back. A necessity for checking the nibs.
Though you can not see it ML purchased the pen she is checking.


The loupe was handy at every table.



It got crowded by 10:30 AM. We left at 11:00.



This is our haul for the day. Clock wise from the top.
J Hebrin Stormy Gray ink with gold particles for a sparkle effect.
Mont Blanc 144 Bordeaux fountain pen (Phil).
Sheaffer flat top "necklace" pen (ML)
Clairfontaine writing tablet



The ink bottle looks waxed.


I actually have a heart shape J Hebrin bottle with a real cork and wax. I almost did not purchase this until a patron behind me said it is a screw cap top designed to look like wax.



This is the bordeaux pen. I have wanted one for a while. This was at the table of Paul Erano. He publishes Fountain Pen Journal magazine. His table was the first one inside the door.
He asked if I was interested in the pen. I said yes but I did not want to purchase a pen from the first table 4 minutes after I walked in the door. Using all my will power I held out till 7 minutes  

It has a Fine nib. It writes very nicely.

ML's pen is a gold filled model. The nib is a #3 which appears to mean a fine flexible. It is a lever filled pen. The vendor installed a new ink sac and doctored the nib. It writes extremely smooth. There is a ring on the top of the cap and it is designed to be worn on a necklace so you always have a pen handy. It is from the 1920s.



ML really likes this pen.

The Clairfontaine paper is one of my favorites. I have the blank sheets. As a lefty I find my handwriting is worse when I write small enough to fit on lined paper.

It was a good show. This is the third year and the best attended by far. We had a great time and really like the pen-phernalia we purchased.

Phil

Very nice, Phil! I really like Mary Lou's Sheaffer and the fact that it has a flexible fine nib makes it even more intriguing. Your Mont Blanc is a classic beauty.





































I really like Mary Lou's Sheaffer. I'm a fan of flex nibs. Can you write with one, Phil, or do you find that being left handed makes it just too difficult to use?

Very nice, Phil!  I really like Mary Lou's Sheaffer and the fact that it has a flexible fine nib makes it even more intriguing.  Your Mont Blanc is a classic beauty.  



I really like Mary Lou's Sheaffer.  I'm a fan of flex nibs.  Can you write with one, Phil, or do you find that being left handed makes it just too difficult to use?

Freddy,
The pen is too tiny for my hand so I will not be using it.

ML and I tested both pens. I did not have any trouble with the flex nib. However we both noticed that my writing was a much thinner line than ML's. Enough so that the Iroshizuku Kon Peki in ML's pen looked to be a different shade of blue than when ML wrote with it. I had Edelstien amethyst in my pen. The color was more consistent but I definitely put less ink on the page than ML.

I think it is a Leftie adaptation that I do not consciously think of. I automatically apply less pressure so I have less chance of smearing. Due to this I never flexed the nib. I may try it just to see.

Phil

Very nice, Phil!  I really like Mary Lou's Sheaffer and the fact that it has a flexible fine nib makes it even more intriguing.  Your Mont Blanc is a classic beauty.  



I really like Mary Lou's Sheaffer.  I'm a fan of flex nibs.  Can you write with one, Phil, or do you find that being left handed makes it just too difficult to use?

Freddy,
The pen is too tiny for my hand so I will not be using it.

ML and I tested both pens. I did not have any trouble with the flex nib. However  we both noticed that my writing was a much thinner line than ML's. Enough so that the Iroshizuku Kon Peki in ML's pen looked to be a different shade of blue than when ML wrote with it. I had Edelstien amethyst in my pen. The color was more consistent but I definitely put less ink on the page than ML.

I think it is a Leftie adaptation that I do not consciously think of. I automatically apply less pressure so I have less chance of smearing. Due to this I never flexed the nib. I may try it just to see.

Phil

Interesting. If you do try again, I shall be interested in what you discover.

Phil, very interesting. Clearly a show like this is an opportunity to find a vintage pen like ML's, but is it also a way to get bargains on pens that are offered retail elsewhere?

Phil, very interesting.  Clearly a show like this is an opportunity to find a vintage pen like ML's, but is it also a way to get bargains on pens that are offered retail elsewhere?

John,
In a word - NO. The show has been in existence for 3 years now. The first year there were no new pen vendors.

Last year Paradise Pen had a table. They made a tactical error. They only had their house brand pens. Their table drew little traffic. They were not present this year.

Most tables have modern pens but they are used.

Noodler's Ink had a table. He made three inks just for this show. He also sells his inexpensive fountain pens but they are list price.

So there are no new pens let alone show specials. I wish there were.

Perhaps Freddy can chime in. He has attended bigger shows like Philadelphia.

Phil

I have been to the Philadelphia show once and the Los Angeles show three or four times. Once in a while one might find current pens at a discount but I would have to say that it is the exception rather than the rule and high end pens like Mont Blanc, even if a vendor has them new, won't be selling at a reduced price.

From what I have seen, in my admittedly limited experience, the interest in the antique-vintage market is far greater than that for modern new pens.