Up until the later '90s, nearly all vintage pen and pencil activity converged at pen shows. The combined effect of online trading and the colonization of shows by new pen sellers, however, has radically altered the picture. While shows are still major gathering-points for traders of vintage writing equipment, the amount of fresh material on offer has dropped precipitously, as has the transaction volume. Senior collectors who used to attend virtually every pen event have become much more selective, and dealers are following suit. Nonetheless, pen shows still offer the newcomer an unparalleled opportunity to view and handle a wide range of vintage pens and pencils. Furthermore, collectors and dealers will often speak more freely and candidly in person than online, which can be of inestimable importance in judging what advice to trust and what to discount. Note that many local clubs now hold regular meetings that are essentially small shows with a predominantly vintage focus.
Pen shows began in the USA, and American shows are still the biggest and most numerous. Oldest and best for vintage collectors remains Chicago (May), with Los Angeles (Feb) being the other long-established biggie. Washington DC (August) now appears to be the largest in terms of public attendance, but leans heavily towards new pens. Columbus, OH (Nov) has steadily grown into one of the bigger events, with much vintage material on display. Outside of the USA, the London show (Oct, but canceled for 2006) is unquestionably the prime event; in total number of tables, it is small by US show standards, but since nearly all those tables are completely devoted to vintage writing equipment, the show ranks high on amount and variety of material on offer. Australia hosts an annual show in Melbourne (Feb); most of the vintage material is low- to middle-range, but prices are good and the company excellent.
A selection of American regional shows would include Philadelphia (Jan), Atlanta (Feb/Mar), New England (May), Minneapolis (May), Houston (Jun), Fort Lauderdale (formerly Miami; Jul), Michigan (Sep), San Francisco (Oct), and New York (Sep, but on hiatus for 2006). The New York show is unique in prohibiting collector-to-collector trading, following instead the model of antique shows where exhibitors sell to the public (and to each other).
The primary online sources for information on US pen shows are maintained by Susan Wirth (this is now the official calendar for the PCA ) and Bill Acker (you may wish to turn off your speakers, however, before clicking on this link). There is now an online calendar of European pen shows here.
We have posted two articles on what to expect at your first pen show in our
FAQ
section, under
Collecting
.
If you are considering bringing along friends or family and would like to know which show venues offer the most for those not deeply interested in pens, take a look at our highly
subjective summary of
shows for noncollectors
.
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