Apparently it can get really darn close. If you read my recap of the 2023 D.C. Pen Show, I described it as the biggest pen show I’ve ever attended, both in terms of number of vendors and number of attendees. While I don’t think this year’s San Francisco Pen Show ended up being larger than D.C., it was extremely well-attended and, as always, featured a unique selection of vendors different from any other show.
A Wide Range of Worldwide Vendors, Especially from Japan
The San Francisco Pen Show features more Japanese vendors than any other U.S. pen show, and probably any other worldwide pen show other than the Tokyo International Pen Show. Attendees included Urushi Studio Bokumondoh, Bungubox, Cute Things from Japan, Toyooka Craft, Stylo-Art, Eboya, and Nagasawa Stationery, among others. Many people remarked that this show was much more heavily focused on paper, washi, stamps, and other stationery goods than most pen shows, which is a bit of a welcome change and certainly made the show unique. (There are some crazy haul spreads being posted on Instagram!) San Francisco is also an excellent opportunity to attend workshops, classes, and free seminars, with a robust list of offerings that I had the chance to sample last year.
An early morning view down the hallway outside the main ballroom, which included Vanness Pens, Schon DSGN, Bungubox and more!
Dozens of U.S. vendors and makers were also in attendance at San Francisco, including Vanness Pens, Enigma Stationery, and more. Vanness re-released their collaboration with Rickshaw Bagworks and Leigh Reyes (I picked up a pen roll and a Sinclair), and Distributor Luxury Brands USA hosted the master engraver of Waldmann at their table, who spent the weekend engraving custom Xetra Vienna fountain pens in a fascinating demonstration of skill.
In addition to the Musubi Notebooks, I picked up samples of Neue Gray paper, which as far as I know is a new product out of Japan that was selling organizer refills in A5 and Bible sizes.
Of course, Atelier Musubi also set up around the corner from us, and brought both a new series of pocket notebooks featuring Spica Bond paper, as well as their new in-house “Rasa” paper. I have samples, and will offer my thoughts as soon as I’ve had an opportunity to test them out.
The SF Pen Show Continues to Be a Well-Run Event
The hallmark of the San Francisco Pen Show is that it’s incredibly well-organized. The cost of an expensive city adds to the difficulty in pulling off a show like this one, requiring periodic adjustments such as this year’s hotel change, but the show experience itself didn’t suffer. While I slightly preferred the old location (I think the space was a touch nicer), and the after-hours scene initially felt a bit scattered with attendees split between two hotels, by Saturday night people seem to have found their crowds and by all accounts the auction and live recording of the Stationery Cafe podcast were both well-attended.
Our table setup this year!
Views from Behind the T.G.S. Table
I enjoyed visiting with everyone who stopped by the T.G.S. table! I understand that we were somewhat difficult to find, especially when the show was shoulder-to-shoulder crowded on Friday afternoon and most of the day on Saturday. The fun thing about exhibiting in both D.C. and San Francisco is the fact that attendees are interested in wildly different things - best sellers from San Francisco included Anterique Pens, Penwells (we have two left!), TWSBI Diamond Mini fountain pens, Lamy 2000 Multi Pens, and the Lamy Pico, as opposed to Lochby cases in D.C. I was thrilled to bring mostly empty suitcases home with me.
The last remaining pen from the T.G.S. x Hinze Pens collaboration, including our last remaining bottle of Summer Sangria ink. While this pen currently features a black 1.1mm stub, I have a few different nib options still available. Message me if you’re interested.
I have mixed feelings about having a table at pen shows. While it offers a central location for people to come find you, and it can be nice to have some respite from the crowds (as well as a way to pay for the cost of attendance), I miss the exploration, the ability to visit with other exhibitors, and the opportunity to learn about new and upcoming products that I can in turn use to create content and pass on knowledge to readers. (This also helps me to make more informed decisions about what to stock in the shop.) While I’ve enjoyed exhibiting at a handful of shows this year, next pen show season may have a more balanced approach, with T.G.S. tables at a few shows, classes and after-hours events at others, and a few I attend for fun.
I picked up pen No. 40/50 from the Kyuseido table, opting for the PVD Black Titanium finish.
My Pen Show Haul
As noted, I sadly didn’t have much time to explore the show until Sunday afternoon when I managed to run by the Kyuseido, Gravitas Pens, Neue Gray, and Bungubox tables. For someone who “didn’t have much time to shop,” I still managed to do a lot of damage, and it sort of scares me to think what might have happened if I had a full three days to roam! My pickups from this show included:
Kyuseido Tokyo Pump Piston Filler with Sankakusen (Kodachi/Naginata-style) nib. Kyuseido Tokyo is the relatively new company started by C.Y. of Tokyo Inklings, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on this unique pen, which features a filling system similar to a syringe filler / “bulk filler” mechanism.
Gravitas Pens “Ultemate” Vac-filler. I’ve been wanting to pick up a Gravitas Vac for some time, in polished Ultem. I opted for a steel extra-fine nib and it writes very well.
Schon DSGN Fine Monoc. The fine version of Schon DSGN’s in-house Monoc nib debuted in D.C., and offers a different writing experience from the medium version. Not only does it offer a finer tip size, but the inverse writes like an architect. Ian continues to amaze me with his creations!
Micarta from Skogsy Pens. I’ve been on an Micarta pen kick recently, and I had to be quick to grab one of the last three from Zach and Amy’s table on Saturday morning! (Yes, they went that fast. The San Francisco Pen Show is known for having a very active Friday crowd. If you want the rarer stuff, buy a weekend pass and be sure to line up Friday morning!)
Enigma Stationery Special Edition #3. Dan and I swapped Hinze Pens at the show, and I was happy to provide him with one of the T.G.S. Special Editions in exchange for one of these gorgeous pens in a house-made Enigma blank.
My first show acquisition came on Saturday morning, with this Black Micarta pen from Skogsy Pens!
A Note to Vendors and Attendees: As Pen Show Attendance Grows, Thefts Are More Common
Unfortunately, there has been at least one major theft at nearly all of the bigger pen shows over the last couple of years, sadly the inevitable result of these shows growing in size and profile. This year in San Francisco, a man was caught stealing several thousand dollars worth of merchandise, ferrying it back and forth between his bag and his car. Fortunately, all stolen merchandise was recovered, but it serves as a reminder to vendors and attendees to pay attention to your bags and personal items. Pen Shows are public events, and you can’t simply assume that everyone there is trustworthy.
After hours washi tape sharing!
Overall Show Impressions and Takeaways
While many had expressed concern that post-pandemic pen shows would never return to what they were before, dare I say that the last two I’ve attended turned out better than ever? The crowds are unbelievable, and the fact that the pen community continues to grow is a great sign going forward. San Francisco specifically is the pen show to attend if you’re a fan of Japanese pens and stationery, and it could be the next best thing to a trip to Japan itself. See you next year!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or third-party affiliate links.