Melbourne Pen Show Review

Hello all, and welcome to the week before Fountain Pen Day (November 7) and my review of the Melbourne (Australia) Pen Show for 2014.

While Australia may not boast the fountain pen retail networks of USA and Europe; we more than make up for it in enthusiasm and a delight in sharing our passion.

"Passion" was the theme (not officially, but to my mind at least), that saw a show this year (one day only) that focussed on the collector rather than the retailer - and was better for it.

Yes you could buy (and of course I did - see later); but it was the passion of the collectors showing, talking, selling and explaining their obsessions that gave the show its zing!

As you entered the show in the Malvern Town Hall, the room was a buzz with quillidyllic overtones (my word).

Guido Staltari with his Visconti's, and other Italian beauties

The passion, of course, started before even going to the Show, as Quillidealists (also my word) from all over Australia (well, I know at least two from Sydney who came along) prepared their hauls for show-and-tell on arrival. Here was mine:

From left: Delta Zen, Delta Stantuffo Mocha with Rose Gold, Visconti Homo Sapiens Crystal, Visconti Pininfarina, Montegrappa Extra 1930, Omas 556 GF, Omas Extra Lucens LE, Edison Menlo in Tibaldi Impero celluloid, Montblanc Proust WE, Montblanc Heritage 1912, Omas 360 Arco, and the appropriately themed Aurora Oceania. 

 Here both veterans and the uninitiated was presented with the wares of many stalwarts of the Melbourne Pen world including: 

• Old Post Office Pens (and their Diamine inks, Sheaffer's and Conway Stewarts),
• David Van Cuylenburg of "Pen Collectors of Melbourne", Peter Ford of AusPens.com, 
• Dr Bernard Swift and his eclectic collection, 
• Pam Sutton and her extraordinary Pencil collection, 
• Alan Marrone (who also had an antique or two),
• Mike Allen (antiques, pens, jewellery and general mayhem),
• Guido Staltari of FCI luxury pens (Visconti +), 
• the fabulous folk from the Melbourne Pen Group with their quillomania clearly on display.

and more...

Old Post Office Pens had Pens-a-plenty!

David Van Cuylenburg of "Pen Collectors of Melbourne"

Peter Ford of AusPens - looking trim, taut and terrific!

And the wares we were shown were infinitely ware-able! 

Conway Stewart may be out of business, but not here:

Pam Sutton's pencils were beautifully presented and, well, beautiful!

... and the array of other pens, papers and leather on display was just what every Quillophile (yes, another me-ism) could hope for.

Transehe Design pens [copper my favourite - top, fourth from the left - just a bit on the $$ side :( ]

And so to my purchases (*embarrassed flush).

I'm not used to seeing Omas at these shows, but maybe someone knew I was coming! This pen, based on the Omas S2001, was produced specifically for the Eni Company and includes their logo on the nib:

thank you Alan Marrone

and these two inks: 

Visconti Turquoise (because SBRE Brown keeps instagram-ing how good it is) and Diamine Red Dragon (just because)

The Show done, the Melbourne Pen Group hosted a lovely dinner at the Tower Hotel, Hawthorn where we amiably chatted and constructively de-constructed one another's pen habits and pens (with a heavy emphasis on my own humble offerings of the day):

Next year, another show! So, until next tine (or at least until Fountain Pen Day and the announcement of the winners of my Fountain Pen Day rhyming competition)

Keep writing!