Topic of the Week: Pen Shows

Oct. 17, 2026

One of an occasional series that spotlights one part of the Pentrace archive for readers who haven't explored the whole site yet.

The Pentrace Team at the 2002 Ohio Pen Show. From left: Len Provisor, Richard Binder, Rick Propas and Giovanni Abrate. (Pentrace archive)
Two of the four are also in the new Videos section: Rick Propas traces the Pelikan and his life as a collector in The Penguin: A Life in Pens and Pelikans, and National Geographic visits Richard Binder at his repair bench in Fountain Pens Are Actually Fascinating.

For more than twenty years, Pentrace writers came home from pen shows and wrote about them: what was on the tables, who was there, what they paid too much for and what got away. Read together, their reports are a history of the hobby, from Chicago, Ohio and Washington to London, Tilburg, Florence and Tokyo. This page gathers them in one place, by show. If you've never been to one, start with the advice below, then see what's coming up on the Pen Show Calendar.

Start here

If you only read a few of these, start with the following:

Your First Pen Show

Richard Binder on the panic of walking into a room with thousands of pens, and what to do about it: where to go, what to look at and how to buy.

How To Work and Survive a Pen Show

Len Provisor admits he blew his budget by table number two at his first show, and explains how to make a plan and stick to it.

Advice for less Experienced Show Goers

Don Lavin, one of the organizers of the Chicago Pen Show, on doing your homework before you arrive.

A view of the Ohio Pen Show, from the first table you passed

Richard Binder spent the 2002 Ohio show at his table grinding nibs, and remembers it for the good cheer and the company.

The Making of a Pen Show

The view from the other side of the tables: planning the next New York show starts the Monday after the last one closes.

Every pen show report, by show

Everything in the archive on pen shows, grouped by show and in date order:

Chicago

• The 2001 Chicago Pen Show — Donal Higgins
• The Chicago Pen Show Report — Len Provisor
• Chicago Pen Show 2001, photo album — Terry Clark
• Chicago Pen Show 2002 – Len Provisor
• Chicago Pen Show 2002 – Donal Higgins
• Chicago Pen Show 2002 – Miles Q Turner
• Chicago Pen Show 2003 — Len Provisor
• 2003 Chicago Pen Show Review — Maryann Zucker
• 2003 Chicago Show mini-review — Terry Clark
• Chicago Pen Show 2003 Report — Richard Binder
• Chicago Pen Show 2004 — Len Provisor
• A Review of the 2004 Chicago Pen Show — Wayne Samardzich
• Nakaya visit the 2004 Chicago Pen Show — Len Provisor
• Chicago Pen Show 2015: Photo Report — Len Provisor
• Chicago Pen Show 2016: Photo Report — Len Provisor

Ohio

• Ohio Pen Show 2002 Reviews — The Pentrace Team
• Ohio Pen Show 2002 — Len Provisor
• A view of the Ohio Pen Show, from the first table you passed on your way into the sea of pens — Richard Binder
• Ohio - Here I Come! — Giovanni Abrate
• Ohio Pen Show 2003 — Len Provisor
• Trip Report: The Ohio Pen Show, 2003 — Richard Binder

New York and New Jersey

• The New Jersey National Pen Show 2000 — Robert Helfrich
• New York Pen Show - A brief history and update — Maryann and Steve Zucker
• New York City Pen Show — Len Provisor
• New York Pen Show 2002 — Len Provisor
• The Making of a Pen Show
• FPH Pen Fair 2002 — Maryann and Steve Zucker
• Stylus Magazine at 2003 NYC Pen Show — Len Provisor
• What I Learned at the 2003 New York Pen Show — Mark Van Blargan
• The 2003 New York City Pen Show — Jimmie Cockburn

Washington, D.C.

• Pen Heaven — Will Thorpe
• Washington DC Pen Show 2003 — Richard Binder
• 2003 Washington D.C. Pen Show — Len Provisor
• Washington D.C. Pen SuperShow 2003 — Miroslav Tischler
• Welcoming a New Member to Our Obsession, or Acting as a Tour Guide at the DC Pen Show — Mark Van Blargan
• 2004 Washington, D.C. Fountain Pen SUPERSHOW

Elsewhere in the U.S.

• The 2002 North Texas Pen Show — Will Thorpe and Sue Broadwell
• Atlanta Pen Show 2003 — Giovanni Abrate
• New England Pen Show 2003 - Boston — Mark Knight
• The 2003 Miami Pen Show — Giovanni Abrate
• Providence Art Club Pen Fair — Richard Binder
• The 2014 San Francisco Pen Show — Rick Propas
• The 2015 Los Angeles Pen Show — Maja Furlong
• 2015 Miami Pen Show — Lee Ely

Britain

• London Pen Weekend
• London Pen Show 2003 — Miroslav Tischler
• Midland Pen Show, 2008 — Stuart Williams
• The 2014 London LWES Pen Show (Part 1) — Glenn Craig, with an introduction by Len Provisor
• The 2014 London LWES Pen Show (Part 2) — Glenn Craig, with an introduction by Len Provisor
• The 2014 London LWES Pen Show (Part 3) — Glenn Craig

Europe

• The 2002 Tilburg Pen Show — Johan Thole
• Tilburg Pen Show 2003 — Johan Thole
• A visit to the Tilburg Pen Show 2004 — Michael Richter
• The Cologne Pen Show 2003 — Miroslav Tischler
• Impressions from the Cologne 2003 Pen Show — Michael Scharf
• München — Miroslav Tischler
• The Firenze (Florence, Italy) Pen Show 2003 — Miroslav Tischler
• Dario and Sara visit Tuscany and the Florence Pen Show — Dario Giorgi
• Trieste Pen Show, Italy 2003 — Miroslav Tischler
• Bologna Pen Show, Italy 2003 — Miroslav Tischler
• The Marco Aurelio Street Pen Meeting — Dario Giorgi

Japan

• Pentrace East: 2002 Pen Trading Show in Tokyo
• Pentrace East: 2003 Pen Trading Show in Tokyo
• Pentrace East: Photo Album - 2004 Pen Trading Show in Tokyo
• Pentrace East: The 2005 Pen Trading Show in Tokyo
• Pentrace East: The 4th Annual Mitsukoshi World Pen Fair
• Pentrace East: The 5th Annual Mitsukoshi World Pen Fair
• Pentrace East: The 6th Annual Mitsukoshi World Pen Fair

For the shows still to come, see the Pen Show Calendar. Looking for something this list doesn't cover? Browse all pages.