Newbi Quest No. 912, What to Expect from the The Washington, DC Fountain Pen SuperShow

I am considering goign to the The Washington, DC Fountain Pen SuperShow
just because I will be in the area, but wanted to know what y'all
thought I shoudl expect from attending. Will get bargain basement
prices or just a bunch of propaganda and free pads of paper?


My concern is that the website that is promoting the show is quite
possibly the worse, most unorganized site I have EVER seen. The kids
on myspace have better organization.

I am sorry to be so critical, but i was really looking forward to
attending until I started playing on the promo site.

www.pencentral.com/penshow

" writes:

I am considering goign to the The Washington, DC Fountain Pen
SuperShow just because I will be in the area, but wanted to know what
y'all thought I shoudl expect from attending. Will get bargain
basement prices or just a bunch of propaganda and free pads of paper?

I don't know about that certain pen show, but here is some information
about being in pen show:

http://www.pentrace.net/penbase/Data...cle.asp?id=439

You can find some reviews of former SuperShows from pentrace.net.

And here is some basics and etiquette:

http://www.vintagepens.com/FAQcollec...age_pens.shtml

http://www.vintagepens.com/FAQcollec...w_basics.shtml

http://www.vintagepens.com/FAQcollec...tiquette.shtml


--
Juhapekka "naula" Tolvanen * * http colon slash slash iki dot fi slash juhtolv
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Anulle kukaan ei sanonu suoraan ettei ole olemassa vanhaa pirihuoraa." Steen1

wrote:


My concern is that the website that is promoting the show is quite
possibly the worse, most unorganized site I have EVER seen. The kids
on myspace have better organization.

I am sorry to be so critical, but i was really looking forward to
attending until I started playing on the promo site.


Hey Midwestguy32,

I'd be concerned about that if I was going to a web designers
conference, not a pen show.

BTW, I've read it's a good show for new stuff, not so much for vintage.

Mark Z.

I am considering goign to the The Washington, DC Fountain Pen SuperShow
just because I will be in the area, but wanted to know what y'all
thought I shoudl expect from attending. Will get bargain basement
prices or just a bunch of propaganda and free pads of paper?

You might get a free pad of paper but I doubt you would remember which table
it came from. This is probably the largest pen show in the world and if
this year is anything like last year's show there should be a good mix of
bothe modern and vintage pens available. I believe this will be my 7th year
attending this show and it appears to me that it keeps getting more traffic
every year. We (Swisher Pens) have 4 tables at this show and tend to stay
extremely busy both Saturday and most of Sunday. I plan to arrive on
Thursday and set up by myself for awhile on Friday (the rest of our crew
will be there on the weekend). You will probably find many of the larger
modern pen retailers will be at this show, Airline International, Fahrney's,
FPH, Bertrams, Total Office and Bittner's. From what I hear there will also
be a larger turnout of manufacturers and distributors attending this year's
show.

My concern is that the website that is promoting the show is quite
possibly the worse, most unorganized site I have EVER seen. The kids
on myspace have better organization.

The show is much more organized than the web site. Show up Saturday or
Sunday morning and you will probably be amazed at the number of pens
available in one place. I still remember how overwhelming my first show was
in D.C. It really does take two days to do this show right. There are many
good deals to be had at a pen show. If you do decide to come, please drop
by our table and say "hello".

Best wishes,

Chuck Swisher -

Swisher Pens, Inc. - www.swisherpens.com

mz wrote:


BTW, I've read it's a good show for new
stuff, not so much for vintage.

Hi Mark, Hi Midwestguy32....

I've been to the four largest shows... D.C. (multiple times), Chicago (a
couple of times), LA, and Columbus, and IMO there's no better show for
vintage than D.C. Because it's a huge show (the largest of the U.S.
shows), is hosted in a major east coast hub, and is housed in a hotel
with inexpensive rooms, it attracts a lot of vintage dealers from
Europe -- You'll see more dealers of vintage German pens (Pelikan,
Montblanc, Soennecken, etc.) and Italian pens at the D.C. show than at
any other show in the U.S. Because DC is a huge show, it attracts
dealers from all over the U.S. I've bought a number of very nice vintage
pens from west coast dealers at the D.C. show. In addition, there are a
lot of vintage pen dealers in the Baltimore/Washington area who always
attend.

As for Midwestguy's other comments: I wouldn't judge a book by its cover
or a show by its website. Regarding pen prices: When you go to a show
(esp. any of the major U.S. shows), you will be among the most
knowledgeable pen collectors in the world. Do NOT expect to get sumgai
deals at a pen show. Do expect to have an opportunity to buy vintage
pens at reasonable (fair) prices. For the most part, the people selling
pens know a heck of a lot more about pens than the people buying them
(esp. during public days). Free markets work best when buyers and
sellers have the same information. So, the more you know about what
you're interested in buying, the better. If you do go to the D.C. show
(and I hope you will because it'll be a great experience) go with a
budget because you're going to find a lot of pens that represent good
deals to you. -- B

1) Thank you to everyone that responded. Even more so, thank you for
not making fun of my typos (ha ha).

2) Thank you also for introducting em to the term "sumgai." I have
never heard that work before, but after looking it up in the urban
dictionary- I love it.

3) I willing definitely check out the Swisher table. I am always
impressed my Mr. Swisher's postings and I enjoy perusing his website.

4) I don't know what I am going to be looking for per se. Would love
to pick-up one the Ducati Writing Machine pens or a Bexley pen. My
budget is limtied to about $200, but I will try to strecth it as far as
I can. I'm afraid that not matter what amount I walk in with, I won't
walk out with any of it.

5) Since there will be a lot of cash on the premises, I presume the
event will attract a lot of pick-potters as well (or am I being an
overly-paranoid farm boy).

6) Thank for sharing with me the etiquette guidelines. Good stuff. and
just the sort of thing that makes me glad I posted my newbie question
in the first place.


B Landolf wrote:
mz wrote:


BTW, I've read it's a good show for new
stuff, not so much for vintage.

Hi Mark, Hi Midwestguy32....

I've been to the four largest shows... D.C. (multiple times), Chicago (a
couple of times), LA, and Columbus, and IMO there's no better show for
vintage than D.C. Because it's a huge show (the largest of the U.S.
shows), is hosted in a major east coast hub, and is housed in a hotel
with inexpensive rooms, it attracts a lot of vintage dealers from
Europe -- You'll see more dealers of vintage German pens (Pelikan,
Montblanc, Soennecken, etc.) and Italian pens at the D.C. show than at
any other show in the U.S. Because DC is a huge show, it attracts
dealers from all over the U.S. I've bought a number of very nice vintage
pens from west coast dealers at the D.C. show. In addition, there are a
lot of vintage pen dealers in the Baltimore/Washington area who always
attend.

As for Midwestguy's other comments: I wouldn't judge a book by its cover
or a show by its website. Regarding pen prices: When you go to a show
(esp. any of the major U.S. shows), you will be among the most
knowledgeable pen collectors in the world. Do NOT expect to get sumgai
deals at a pen show. Do expect to have an opportunity to buy vintage
pens at reasonable (fair) prices. For the most part, the people selling
pens know a heck of a lot more about pens than the people buying them
(esp. during public days). Free markets work best when buyers and
sellers have the same information. So, the more you know about what
you're interested in buying, the better. If you do go to the D.C. show
(and I hope you will because it'll be a great experience) go with a
budget because you're going to find a lot of pens that represent good
deals to you. -- B

midwestguy32 wrote:

... I'm afraid that not matter what
amount I walk in with, I won't walk out
with any of it.

That's for sure. Don't bring anything that you could use to get
additional cash from your bank account... like an ATM card. The show
*will* test your financial self-control.

5) Since there will be a lot of cash on
the premises, I presume the event will
attract a lot of pick-potters as well (or
am I being an overly-paranoid farm boy).

The hotel show is located well outside the city limits in Tysons Corner
.... a rather distant suburb of D.C. in Northern Virginia Happily, the
crime rate out there is nowhere near as bad as it is in D.C. ... which
is a darn good thing. At any rate, the show won't be teeming with
thieves, but there will be a few there. Just use common sense... don't
leave your wallet or pen case in the men's room. I wouldn't expect to
get pick-pocketed there unless I did something really careless or
stupid. -- B