Pen Show Season Continues: The Atlanta Pen Show Is Today!

Well, technically it started yesterday, but I’m doing a one-day trip to the Atlanta Pen Show this year given how much travel I’ve done recently. My daughter wanted to go to a pen show, so we’re on the road once again and plan to visit the show on Saturday (and maybe Sunday) as attendees! I’ll be posting photos of the show from my Instagram account, so if you’d like to track our adventures you can follow along there. If you’re planning on attending the show, check out the full list of exhibitors beforehand, and you won’t want to miss the following vendors who are Atlanta-area locals (or at least relatively so):

• Total Office Products / The Pen Show. Jimmy Dolive has been the Atlanta Pen Show organizer for years, and always does a great job. Be sure to visit his table for limited and special edition modern pens.

• Ryan Krusac Pens. Ryan’s carved scrimshaw pens are always one of my first stops at any show, and he typically brings a large inventory to Atlanta.

• Carolina Pen Company (Jonathon Brooks). Jonathon is based right across the state line in South Carolina, making Atlanta his “home show.”

• Mythic Pens. I’m looking forward to spending some time at Brad’s table, which I missed during my short Atlanta Pen Show trip last year.

• Stacy Robinson Pens. The “Navigator” model (pictured above) was one of my favorite discoveries from 2022, and I ended up taking home three of those pens from Atlanta. I can’t wait to see what Stacy has today.

If you’re attending the show, enjoy! I always enjoy visiting the Atlanta Pen Show as it’s definitely on the smaller side and is quite easy to navigates, especially for first-time pen show attendees. You can read my recap of the 2022 show here.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Atlanta Pen Show Day! And a Lochby Update

Happy Pen Show Day everyone! I’m in Atlanta and will be taking in the Atlanta Pen Show today and tomorrow. Atlanta is one of the first shows I attended regularly, and while it’s not the biggest show, it’s well-run and attracts a diverse group of vendors, vintage and modern. If you live in the Atlanta area, or even if you’re within a few hours’ drive - like me - it’s always worth a trip to a pen show. Keep an eye on my Instagram (both feed and stories) for pictures from this year’s event.

If you’re on the fence about Atlanta, check out some of my recaps of prior Atlanta Pen Shows. The last show I attended was in 2019 (pre-Pandemic), and I’ve been a regular attendee since 2015. (That show, by the way, was absolutely epic, and I wrote a two part review that you should read if you want to hear about how good a pen show can be. Part I and Part II are available here.)

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Lochby is Back in Stock

While I hoped to have a Lochby case/notebook cover restock arrive in time for me to take it with me to the show, I couldn’t get my act together in time to actually place the order for a timely arrival. That said, the package is arriving at my warehouse today, so I’ve updated stock numbers and will have orders ready to start shipping Sunday/Monday upon my return from Atlanta.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lochby and all other brands we stock. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Thursday Drops: National Pencil Day (Continued) Plus Atlanta Pen Show Offer

Pen Show Season has a couple of different “rush” periods, where multiple shows take place quickly. March and April have the Baltimore, Arkansas, and Atlanta shows all within a month, and while I’ve done all three before, it’s been too hard this year. I will be in attendance at the Atlanta Pen Show this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, and while I won’t have a table, I’m happy to arrange show pickup for any orders you would like me to bring on either of those days, as long as we can arrange to meet before noon on Sunday. Use the code “615PICKUP” at check out to drop shipping charges, and I’ll reach out to arrange at time to meet.

Also, yesterday I launched via the Instagram Stories a National Pencil Day Promotion for 10% off all wood and mechanical pencils, using the coupon code “PENCILDAY22” at checkout. I’ll keep this coupon code live through close of business tomorrow (Friday, April 1) since things tend to get buried on the ‘gram.

Several new products hit the store this week. The new Midori MD 70th Anniversary Fountain Pen Sets have sold like crazy, to the point where I only have two left, one in blue and one in orange. (I’ll have to hunt a grey one this weekend in Atlanta to keep for myself.) We also received 22-pencil Hi-Uni Pencil Sets, containing pencils in 22 different grades of graphite so you can experience the full spectrum of what Mitsubishi has to offer in the Hi-Uni lineup.

1. Midori MD 70th Anniversary Fountain Pen and Ink Sets. Midori has released a clear version of its standard MD fountain pen, in a set complete with a cartridge, converter, and bottle of one of three inks that matches their orange-grey-blue color scheme (the same as found in their MD colored pencils).

2. Mitsubishi Hi-Uni Pencil Sets. Featuring 22 different grades of graphite from 10H to 10B, with F and HB in-between, this pencil set is perfect for artists or others looking to experience the full range of graphite grades that Mitsubishi has to offer.

3. Midori MD Pencil Drawing Set. A drawing set for those of us who like our graphite on the “Darker Side”. Includes Midori MD pencils in 6B, 4B, 2B, B, and HB grades, plus pencil caps and a sharpener.

4. Midori MD “Codex” Day-to-a-Page Notebooks. Freshly restocked in both dot grid and the blank versions, the “Codex” has enough Midori MD paper to allow you go to for an entire year on a page-per-day basis, and ships with stickers to help you set this notebook up for anything from journaling to multi-subject notetaking to planning. Consider adding on some Midori MD Sticky Notes or Undated Planner Stickers to customize your notebook even further.

5. Soumkine “Oh My 307” Universal Planner. I snapped up a bunch of these when I heard that Soumkine would be winding up their Atelier (hopefully only temporarily but I wasn’t taking any chances). We’re running low on the classic “Mustard” covers.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Midori and all other brands we stock. In addition to the fountain pens discussed here, we carry the full range of Midori MD notebooks, writing paper, pencils, and other desk accessories.

Recapping the 2019 Atlanta Pen Show

I don’t know where to begin with this 2019 Atlanta Pen Show Recap. Everyone always remarks that the Atlanta Pen Show “feels like family,” to the point where it seems cliched, but it’s not - that’s the best way to describe it. Alongside Baltimore, Atlanta puts on one of the friendliest, most open pen shows of the year, somehow managing to keep the physical size of the show relatively small while attracting a high-quality group of exhibitors and vendors. Be warned - this will be a lengthy recap. This year’s Atlanta Show had so much to offer in terms of new products and new vendors that I’m still not sure I managed to catch everything.

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When I arrived late Thursday night, #penshowsafterdark was already in full swing!

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By far one of the more anticipated releases at the 2019 Atlanta Pen Show were Pilot’s 100th Anniversary Iroshizuku Inks. Vanness had all of the Iroshizuku Inks and the Lamy Crystal inks at their table.

Show Setup and Venue

For as long as I’ve been attending, the Atlanta Pen Show has been held at the Wyndham Atlanta Galleria. The location is fine - the hotel is clean, outside the center of Atlanta so traffic is as much of a non-issue as it can be in Atlanta, and there is a reasonable variety of restaurants within walking distance or a short drive. The main drawback to this hotel is that the staff seems anywhere from indifferent to annoyed at big groups, which limits the after-hours activities somewhat because they always try to shut the bar down by 11 p.m. and this year even turned the lights off on everyone Saturday night to try to make them leave. Given this, and the fact that the show itself has now outgrown available ballroom space, I wouldn’t be surprised at a change in location over the next couple of years.

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Jonathon Brooks and his new helper. If I had sold that many pens, I’d be in good spirits too!

The Leonardo Momento Zero: quite possibly my favorite pen on the market at the moment.

Top Five Takeaways from the Atlanta Pen Show

I’ll run a vendor-by-vendor breakdown later on in the recap, but while I was taking some time to collect my thoughts on Sunday night, I put together the following list of “show highlights,” which are, of course, highly subjective.

1. Leonardo Momento Zero. Dan Smith of The Nibsmith now carries Leonardo, and while the pens aren’t yet up on the website, I understand they’re coming soon. Dan basically had the entire line set up at his table, and I added yet another Momento Zero to my collection, this time in matte black. It’s early, but at Leonardo’s price point, this pen has the potential to kill the Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black.

2. Pilot Iroshizuku Inks (100th Anniversary and Standard Colors). Much of the pre-show buzz focused on the release of two new series of inks: Pilot’s 100th Anniversary Iroshizuku colors, and the Lamy Crystal inks. I picked up two of the Iroshizukus (Hoteison, a dark green, and Bishmonten, a pinkish red), and one Lamy (Topaz) from Vanness Pens. Look for reviews of these inks soon.

3. Newton Pens. Shawn Newton has gotten me bad at these last two shows, Little Rock and Atlanta. Since he added some new machinery and lowered the price point on certain production-line pens, it’s become increasingly difficult to walk away from his table without buying something, and this show I acquired three (!?!?!) pens from Shawn: a Prospector in blue and gray ripple Japanese ebonite, and two Orvilles.

4. New (to me) Vendors Matthew C. Martin Custom Pens and Truphae. Matthew Martin’s machined metal pens are about to take off big time, and he was clearly the sleeper hit of the Atlanta Pen Show. And while I had heard of online retailer Truphae, mainly on account of their “Inkredible” subscription box, I had not seen their collaboration with Visconti on two gorgeous Opera Masters: Stardust (featuring ruthenium trim) and Corvina.

5. Conid. While Conid wasn’t officially present at the show, a group of enthusiasts who collectively (and maybe individually) owned ALL of the different models of the Bulkfiller set up tables to show them off and let people test the pens. Once again, I’m blown away by the generosity of the pen community, since I’ve been considering a Bulkfiller and these tables were incredibly helpful in deciding which one I want to order.

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A few Shawn Newton Orvilles in some gorgeous custom acrylics that I had never seen before.

A Quintet of Conid Kingsize Bulkfillers (with a Conid Giraffe peeking out at the back).

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Visconti Opera Masters from Truphae, with the Stardust pens on the left and the “Corvina” pens on the right.

Other new discoveries included PK Custom Goods pen cases and wraps, which you can purchase from their Etsy store. I picked up Star Wars and Harry Potter-themed versions, and you’ll see a review up on the site at some point in the future. Here’s a further run-down of some other things I saw at the show, by vendor:

• Total Fine Writing/The Pen Show. Jimmy and Suzanne Dolive once again organized a great show, and they also attended as vendors with multiple tables that included one of the show’s largest selection of Montblanc limited edition pens and inks (as well as the Penlux Snake).

• Papier Plume. Patrick always attends the show from New Orleans, with the full range of Papier Plume’s hand-mixed ink, wax seals and stamps, and fountain pens from brands such as Cleo-Skribent that you don’t see very often. I also picked up two bottles of the exclusive inks that Papier Plume always makes for the Chicago Pen Show, which I won’t reveal quite yet.

• Nock Co. Instagram is on fire with pictures of the “Coleman” tall-boy cozy - I mean pen case. I’m not sure whether or not Brad and Jeff plan to make these available on the site or whether they will be show exclusives, but they sold well and I definitely saw dozens of them walking around (mostly used as actual pen cases).

• Tactile Turn. Will and his team are now attending more pen shows, and he has, IMHO, perfected the design of the Gist fountain pen, now available not only in Titanium and Delrin, but in “fireblue” Titanium! Look for a review of the “Gist 2.0” soon.

• Carolina Pen Company. Jonathon Brooks brought tons of pens turned from his “Primary Manipulation” acrylics, and they went fast. Somebody picked up the pen I had my eye on when I was taking an initial turn around the room - one of the perils of hesitating at a pen show!

• Franklin-Christoph. It wouldn’t be a pen show without a mad dash to the Franklin-Christoph table first thing after opening to grab the latest prototype acrylics. This year I finally picked up a Penvelope 6 pen case, which was long overdue.

• Dromgooles. These guys can cost you a LOT of money. Dromgoole’s brought an expansive selection of Danitrios, Graf von Faber-Castell Pens of the Year, Pelikan, and Montblanc, a few of which featured custom urushi and maki-e work by Studio Bokumondoh.

• Vintage Pen Shop/Jessica Coles. Jesi was set up directly behind the Nock Co. table with her vintage Esterbrook pens and nib testing station. If you’re interested in testing the waters with Vintage Pens, Esterbrook is THE place to start, and Jesi has you covered.

• Kenro Industries. Cary attended with samples of Esterbrook’s upcoming line of pen cases, as well as Loclen, a new line of machined metal pens out of Italy that feature a unique design incorporating an integrated converter/piston.

• Luxury Brands. The distributors of Platinum, Noodlers Ink, and Benu Pens had a table, where a display of updated Platinum Mix-Free Ink bottles caught my eye. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, the Mix-Free Inks are designed to - wait for it - be mixed together to create your own ink colors. Apparently Platinum is releasing these inks in new bottles and as part of a set.

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Look for this line of Esterbrook pen cases later this year!

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Dromgoole’s always brings an unparalleled selection of high-end Japanese Pens, including custom urushi work from Studio Bokumondoh, Danitrio, Pilot, and more!

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You rarely see Graf von Faber-Castell “Pen of the Year” editions, much less are you able to handle them. I love the size and balance of these pens, despite the fact that they are heavy, both figuratively and literally. (I’m not kidding when I say that the Dromgoole’s table can do serious damage to your wallet.)

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You know the industry is truly evolving when a pen case that doubles as a tall-boy cozy becomes a reality.

Look for Loclen pens soon at your favorite Kenro retailers!

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The PK Custom Cases table on Sunday (minus the two I bought).

Other vendors included pen show staples Desiderata Pens (with Pierre’s Soubriquet pens!), Michael Sull, Nik Pang, Ryan Krusac, Bittner Pens, Toys from the Attic, and many more!

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The second ballroom late Saturday afternoon. The Nock Co. table had already sold a bunch of cases!

Overall Impressions

I spent time at the show during all three days this year, and traffic seemed pretty steady in all three ballrooms, with most vendors reporting brisk sales skewed towards entry-level pens and inks. The friendly, open atmosphere of the Atlanta Show lends itself to beginners, and many people I met described how they were attending their first pen show. Their excitement is always contagious, and there was a lively after-hours crowd in the bar every night (at least until the hotel staff kicked us out by turning out the lights). You can bet I’ll be back next year!

Note: I missed the live podcast recording this year, since my family joined me in Atlanta and I spent some time with them on Saturday, visiting the Georgia Aquarium and going out to dinner that night. I did listen to the show afterwards, and you won’t want to miss this year’s special guests!

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My preferred way to close out the Atlanta Pen Show.

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The Damage From Atlanta: 2019 Show Haul

My recap from the Atlanta Pen Show is going to be a doozy, so I figured I’d break it out into a couple different posts. The first one is simple: a picture of my “show haul,” since I went a little crazy this year. (Hey, I’m not attending another show until D.C. in August, right?) Pictured here, clockwise from left: Penvelope 6 from Franklin-Christoph, Wax Seal Stamp from Papier Plume, Iroshizuku 100th Anniversary Hoteison (green black) and Bishmonten (a pinkish red) from Vanness, Lamy Crystal Topaz from Vanness, a Leonardo Momento Zero in Matte Black from Dan Smith (the Nibsmith), three pens from Shawn Newton (two Orvilles and a Prospector), and two hand-sewn pen cases from PK Custom Goods! More details to come via a full recap later this week.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.