This is how the December meeting of writing instrument collectors took place, or many good people can fit in a small space…
Barely a few weeks after the Hungary Pen Show, in the Pens & Watches Facebook group, one of our group members suggested the idea of another meeting and immediately put the possible dates to a vote. Since I was curious about what a friendly gathering with fellow collectors would be like, I decided to definitely attend the meeting.
As the days went by, I noticed that there was quite an enthusiastic crowd for the organization. I myself became increasingly excited, although I had no idea what we would be doing or how we would spend our time.
I decided to reach out to the event organizer, Anna, and ask her how I should prepare and what I should bring with me. To my questions, she casually replied, „Bring a pen, paper, and ink, you'll see the rest!„ Oh, I thought to myself, Anna mentioned the ”holy trinity" of stationery lovers. It was not a problem to think about which stationery items I would take with me.
Christmas Pen Petting
On the afternoon before the meeting, I was so excited that I couldn't concentrate properly on my daily routine tasks and activities. I only thought about how nice it would be to meet those who like, use, and collect these wonderful tools in a similar way the next day.
The day of the Christmas pen petting fell on Sunday morning, and the venue was a cozy café in Budapest's 11th district. The small but charming place near Kosztolányi Dezső Square Kornél was an ideal location for such an event.
I had already been in the area for over a quarter of an hour before the agreed time; I couldn't wait in one place due to excitement, so I went for a walk. The minutes passed very slowly, feeling like hours; I felt like a student in a classroom waiting for the bell to ring just one minute after the most boring lesson started. Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived, and I stepped into the cozy guest area of the café, where my group members were already gathering.
I didn't experience the same excitement in them – or they just hid it well – since most of them knew each other. I started with introductions, of course, shamefully I couldn't remember everyone's names at first, as the number of introductions that took place in that time frame, along with the „stress” caused by excitement, exceeded my brain's current capacity to absorb.
Fountain pens in every quantity
The small room of the café quickly filled with the participants of the Christmas pen petting. After we settled at the small tables, pen cases, inks, and papers suddenly appeared from the bags, and we started chatting, looking at and trying each other's writing instruments. It was wonderful to experience how this community speaks and behaves with such respect and love towards each other, even when almost unknown. These are very important values in our fast-paced, rushing world.
What experiences did we gain? We met helpful and friendly people who contributed to our ability to try out the fountain pens they brought and that we liked. This is a huge thing in our country, as when we go into a stationery or paper store, we often cannot try these pens, and I even had experiences where I couldn't touch them until I paid.
Acquaintances and treasures
There was Szabolcs, who brought a slice of Japanese stationery culture and his treasure box filled with all sorts of things to the meeting, which already seemed like a retro section at the November exhibition. It contained the „drug” for pen lovers, which was not a neatly arranged stationery counter, but a disorganized real treasure trove filled with all kinds of used writing instruments.
For me, this was one of the best things about the meeting, as I could hunt for pens that I liked. It was a real experience, and I am still under its influence.
There was Laci, with whom I got to know a very friendly, helpful person who dazzled me with Hungarian-made fountain pens and introduced me to the stories behind them. He also had a smaller collection from which he was happy to exchange fountain pens with me.
I was particularly pleased about this, as a barter deal similarly involves the good kind of excitement as the items „hunted” in a pen fair. In this case, not only the acquired writing instruments but also the conversation with Laci represents an added value in the whole process, which further increases the value of the pens obtained.
From Anna I happened to acquire an Aurora Marco Polo fountain pen as a mere coincidence. I was grinning from ear to ear when she mentioned that she no longer needed it.
I thought to myself – for me, for whom the Aurora brand represents the „grail” of pens – I cannot let this beauty, manufactured in the 1980s, go to waste, so I quickly arranged with her that this fountain pen would adorn my collection from now on.
There was Attila, who showcased his wonderful Pilot and Namiki fountain pens to the attendees, and we could freely try them out. I have always admired the writing instruments of this renowned Japanese brand, but I can say that seeing and touching these pens in person is not the same as viewing the offerings on online store monitors.
I had the chance to meet Zoli, who brought along his fountain pen repair tools and everyday used fountain pens (including a pre-war Pelikan and a special nib Montblanc from the 1970s). Zoli examined the writing instruments of the group members with an expert eye and happily shared stories about the various fountain pen brands.
Several of our classmates also participated at the Christmas pen petting venue, most of whom were familiar faces from the I. Hungary Pen Show. If they read my article, I apologize for not mentioning them by name – I promise to note everyone's name at the next meeting 🙂
As is often the case, time flew by in good company. The coffee and tea were gone, and the treasures returned to the bags from the tables. I am glad that our shared hobby brought together such wonderful people – I hope we won't have to wait long for the next meeting!
József's further articles in the Budapest Pen Show community magazine here.
