A few photos from our August meeting at the Vancouver Pen Shop

We had an incredible turnout for our August meeting at The Vancouver Pen Shop on Saturday August 22nd! Store manager Shannon remarked that there were well over 70 people present, but I'd guess there were a few more than that; after I got home, I looked at our club's membership list and at least 58 of our members were there (several with their spouses/partners), in addition to many folks I didn't recognize.

The evening's theme was Fountain Pens, Leather Goods and Stationery made by Independent Makers and it was well-represented by: such items sold by the store, artisans in our pen club who came to the meeting with samples of their work, the door prizes generously donated by the Pen Shop, and by examples of artisan-made fountain pens and pen/stationery accessories brought in by our members to show other attendees.

Huge thanks to Vancouver Pen Shop owner Margot, store manager Shannon, and staffers Sunshine and Dee for their hospitality and customer service during a very busy-but-well-organized & fun event! I didn't have much time to take photos during the event, but I did take a few pics, so here they are....

(all photos by Maja, except where noted; please click on images to enlarge)

(photo above courtesy of The Vancouver Pen Shop via their Instagram account)

I'm glad that Shannon said it was fine for me to post the photo above here on our club's blog because I didn't take any photos of people that night (lol). There were a lot of new faces at the meeting, but I do recognize Rumi, Esther and James in the photo above :) 

There were a lot of door prizes given out that night by our hosts, including this gorgeous notebook cover donated by the Pen Shop. It was made by a former RCMP member whose goods were sold by the store and Rene was the lucky winner of this beautiful handcrafted item!

Our fellow VPC member Anson of Springfield Pens also donated a door prize! This adorable 'Hummingbird" handmade resin pocket fountain pen was won by VPCer Enkay :) If you are interested in seeing some of Anson's handcrafted fountain pens in person, you can find some of them for sale in the Vancouver Pen Shop.

VPC member James brought an item he handcrafted to show us---the cool pen cup on the right with the logo of the anime series 'One Piece'. Its design was inspired by the Esterbrook '2GO' pen cup on the left, belonging to Kyle (well done, James!)

I snapped a couple of photos of the items I acquired at the meeting after I got home. In the photo above are: a wonderful print I won in the door prize draws---an image of Vancouver Downtown Eastside's historic Patricia Hotel done by Urban Sketcher (local artist Wong Kang), a lovely leather coaster handmade by our pen club's own Nine Lives Atelier, and a Sheaffer Levenger "Mediterranean" fountain pen I bought from Grant in our pen club. 

In addition to the generous door prizes, the Pen Shop also provided us with a lot of great food, beverages and some great goody bags! My goody bag included some of the items above -- a lovely solo pen sleeve made by Victoria's Genevieve Primeau of Lolabuttons.com, a sticker of the Vancouver Pen Shop based on a sketch by Urban Sketcher, and a small botanical note card by Bowen Island watercolour artist Beth Turner (Watercoloursbybeth.ca). The Retro 51 'Tornado' "Big Shot" rollerball in the bright red "Hawthorne" finish was a last-minute purchase from the Pen Shop before the store closed :)

 

Sorry I didn't have time to photograph more artisan-made items--e.g. cool patches by VPC member Enkay (Enkay Designs), adorable stickers from The Hungry Hummie Paper Co made by VPCer Candice (which you can purchase at the Vancouver Pen Shop!) and samples of some nice leather goods handmade by pen club member Ramiz, who just started his new venture last month!

On behalf of our pen club members, our thanks to everyone at the Vancouver Pen Shop for being such great hosts! 🙏 Thank you to everyone in our club who came out to the meeting, as well. Information about our September meeting will be posted this week, so watch for that!

(~Blog post by Maja~)

Photos from the 5th Annual Metro Vancouver Deas Island Park Pen Meet- Up (held in June!)

Sponsored by our friends at the South Fraser Pen Club (SFPC) and PenDen.ca, the 5th Annual Metro Vancouver Deas Island Park Pen Meet-Up was held on Sunday June 14th at Deas Island Regional Park in Delta, BC. It was well-attended (I counted at least 23 fountain pen fanatics there) by folks from the SFPC and our pen club (and there's a lot of overlap in membership---nearly everyone I saw there was a member of our pen club 😁) *** Info about the South Fraser Pen Club is at the end of this blog post ***

I attended the meet-up and had a great time---many thanks to Mark & Sharon of PenDen.ca for hosting the event and to Sherman (who is in both pen clubs lol) who took a ton of photos and said I could share them here. Sorry for the delay, but better late than never!

(all photos courtesy of Sherman ~ ⚡ please click on images to enlarge ⚡)

Our photographer Sherman (aka "The Selfie King" 😄) and (on the far right of the photo) our pen club's youngest member, Emilio!

Above: Sherman with my dear friend Brian (that's Rene hamming it up on the right lol). In the near background are Joe B (in the light blue shirt) and Derek (in the turquoise-coloured shirt) and in the far background, that's James Y in the dark shirt...

Sherman with the lovely Sharon T, the event's co-host...

That's Sharon's husband Mark (longtime member of our pen club & talented pen repairman) with her and Sherman. Mark & Sharon have a great website for pen repair *and* pen sales at PenDen.ca

Sherman with Sharon N, who always brings great fountain pens to sell at these meet-ups :)

I think those are Mark & Sharon's fountain pens in the photo with Sherman above--very impressive!

Sherman with Jayne (head of the South Fraser Pen Club) and Vladan in the background

David C (seated), Judah and Sherman...

(left to right) Sherman, me (Maja), Shona and James

That's longtime fountain pen collector Dave M. in the baseball cap and Russell (to Dave's right)...

Sherman with Kyle (in the middle) and Jerred...

(can you tell Sherman was having fun at the meet up??)

That's Jerred's amazing collection of Delta fountain pens to the left of Sherman...

Egon (standing next to Sherman) has been coming to these Deas Island meet-ups for years, but he just joined our pen club recently lol--welcome to the club, Egon!

The meet up starts to wrap up...

So many wonderful vintage fountain pens to see at the meet-up (in addition to the many modern ones)!

Mark & Sharon taking a well-deserved break as the event nears its end....

A view of the covered picnic area that Sharon and Mark reserved for the event. Thank you both for hosting and organizing a really fun afternoon! 🙌 (and thank you to everyone who brought food to share :)

Now, in case you haven't heard of the Lower Mainland's *newer* pen club before...
⭐The South Fraser Pen Club was founded in January 2024 and membership is open to anyone who lives in the Lower Mainland. It's a very friendly club and (like our own pen club) it's free to join! 😊 The club meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Cloverdale Legion (17567 57 Avenue, Surrey, BC) at 6:30pm. The club doesn't have a website, but they have a private Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/953894032538942/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
If you have any questions about the South Fraser Pen Club, please feel free to contact the head of the club (Jayne) at southfraserpenclub@gmail.com

(~Blog post by Maja~)

Don't forget---meeting this *Saturday* night at the Vancouver Pen Shop!

Meeting info here: https://www.vancouverpenclub.com/2026/07/august-2026-meeting-meet-up-at.html

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 571

One more vintage review from Christopher! 😄

 He writes:

"Waterman pens, in general, have always impressed me and seem to have a serious focus on what writing instruments are all about. When the company reached the early 1930s, this focus was definitely prime and although their pens had moved away from colourful vulcanized ripple, the dazzling colours of the plastic finish on their pens and pencils turned many a head back in the day.”

(photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)

“Case in point, this impressive 1933 vintage set, finished in a mottled grey and pearl with red flecks and brilliant silver fittings. The 94-model design, having stood the test of time, sits well in hand and at the same time, with the fountain pen posted, is perfectly balanced to write with effectively. Posting at a full 6 ½ inches, but capping back for the pocket at 5 inches exactly. Still, it is the girth of this model at 0.47 inches, which is most impressive and, in turn, sets it apart from other Waterman models, The cap has an attractive matching stacked quad disc top with a beautiful chased pattern banding. Above, well attached, is a tapered, rounded topped flat ball ended clip. The barrel supports a typical Waterman boxed lever filler, while the bottom is flat but carries the Waterman model numbering code of 94. No mistaking this pen for any vintage pen enthusiast! 

At the business end, a substantial jet-black grip section sports both a black feed and a super impressive Waterman Ideal 14k Gold nib, Waterman colour coded red for General writing medium flex, with the pen's point of origin, Canada, proudly noted below. I should mention that this pen is an outstanding writer. And I think it is right to say that the flexible nib lays down the ink in a most responsible and consistent fashion. The matching mechanical pencil is an equally good writer and matches the fountain pen for good balance in the hand and super design. The mechanism works well and I should add that the condition of both writing instruments is very fine to near mint overall. Needless to say, this outstanding example of what the Waterman company was famous for in the early 1930s will definitely become part of my vintage pen collection."

Our thanks to Christopher for the review! Don't forget that our next meeting will be held on Saturday August 22nd at the Vancouver Pen Shop from 6:30pm to ?? All info in this post!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 570

Here's Christopher's write up about a very special recent find! 😀

(photos courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on images to enlarge)

"The 51 was actually the idea and concept of George Parker’s son, Kenneth, who became president of the company in 1933. A young corporate figure who not only had done his time at an advertising agency, but was both inventive and a pilot. Being extremely progressive, he understood that it was important to be one step ahead of the competition, thus a new and advanced line of pens was called for. What was developed and came out of his idea was the so called ‘Pen From Another Planet’. And better still, Kenneth having his wings, saw to it that to offset leaking from a difference in air pressure, that the new aerodynamic 51 had a responsible breather tube and a collector as part of its feed, to keep a wee bit of ink up front so that the pen would come to life and write at any given time. But most important to the marketing end of the equation was to equip the Parker sales force with 51 demonstration models which, in turn, they could take out to the general public to demonstrate the 51’s working strengths. As one can imagine, these demonstrator 51 models, as time went by, became extremely rare.

For years --in fact, as soon as I realized that there actually were Parker 51 Demonstrators-- it was something I just had to have. But for all of sixteen years, it was just wishful thinking. Then, totally out of the blue, one came my way. What I really liked about this item was twofold. First -- the condition, but secondly, it was never made for sale. And this latter fact was inscribed with the model branding right on the barrel. Produced 100% for the Parker sales department. So let me outline the makeup of this rare fountain pen...

Well, first of all, the barrel is black and, as mentioned, had the model, ‘Demonstrator’ along with ‘Not For Sale’ inscribed accordingly. The filling mechanism is Vacumatic with a plastic button covered with a rounded screw-on blind cap. At the business end of the barrel is a clear transparent grip section which allows viewing of the nib, feed and collector. In this case, the feed/collector is black. The 14K Gold nib is a medium writer and that whole front part of the pen is covered with a smart Parker 51 Gold filled ‘Custom’ cap. The clip is the short feathered arrow held in place with a gray plastic jewel. This specific Parker 51 demonstrator hails from the late 1940s and will definitely deserve a place of honor in the Parker ranks of my vintage pen collection."

Christopher--congratulations on this great vintage find, and thanks for the informative write up and accompanying photos!

Newest Acquisitions (Virtual "Show & Tell") ~ part 569

Christopher's back with another review--this time it's a vintage Waterman fountain pen and pencil set!

He writes:
"To properly visit this set's history, one must turn the clock back to the period just after World War II...While most pen companies were in a state of recovery, Waterman and its pen works were moving forward with amazing grace. There was no faltering in product quality or reliable consistency of materials used. The long era for vulcanized rubber had been suitably replaced with vividly coloured plastics. But, as had always been the company's interest from day one, the business end of each and every Waterman pen had a finely ground and jewelry crafted 14K gold (often flexible) nib. Still, it cannot be ignored that over and above all these strengths, the Waterman company was operating at a financial loss which, in time, halted their North American production, with Waterman products being then moved on to the Jif Waterman works in France.

But, for the time, being let us take a careful look at this lovely late 1940s Waterman pen and pencil set...

(photo courtesy of Christopher ~ please click on image to enlarge)

 The matching finish on both writing instruments is a brilliant scarlet intertwined with jet black and complemented with silver fittings. The effect, to my mind, is both tasteful and at the same time quite elegant. While the pencil has a good working mechanism to extend the lead for writing, the fountain pen sports a fine number 2 Ideal Waterman 14K gold nib that comes with more than adequate flex. This nib is secured a black grip section well-housed in a short barrel that features the typical Waterman boxed lever filler. When I say short, this lady's pen posts at a full 5 ¼ inches, but caps back for her purse at a responsible 4 ¼ inches. Admittedly, I was very much taken with this set the minute I laid eyes on it; subsequently, it will become a go-to part of my vintage pen collection."

Our thanks to Christopher for sending in this review of a lovely vintage set! 

August 2026 meeting at the Vancouver Pen Shop! (*please note date & time*)

When: Saturday August 22, 2026 from 6:30pm to ??

Where: The Vancouver Pen Shop - 555 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC.

Theme: Fountain Pens, Leather Goods and Stationery made by Independent Makers (ie. no major name brands :)

Note: this is just a social event (*not* a regular meeting) hosted by the Vancouver Pen Shop. If you have any items that match the theme and wish to show them to your fellow attendees and/or the store staff (they love seeing the stuff we bring in!), please bring them with you; if you don't, no worries! (you can bring other pen-related stuff to show ;) Thanks to Dom at the Van Pen Shop for this great theme idea.

As with previous VPC get-togethers held at the store, attendees can purchase stuff from the Pen Shop during the event. Many thanks to the Vancouver Pen Shop for inviting us back again this year! 😁

➡️ Any questions? Please email us at vancouverpenclub@gmail.com

A few photos from our July meeting

We had a good turnout for our July meeting, held at the Renfrew branch of the Vancouver Public Library on Thursday July 16; I counted at least 34 people in attendance, including newcomers Chris, Daphne, and Sam L! It was just a casual get-together with lots of pen, ink and statoinery chats going on, so I had a bit of time to take a few photos of the items our members brought to show others....

(photos by Maja ~ please click on images to enlarge)

That's Andrii's new Enigma notebook by Taroko (with fountain-pen-friendly Tomoe River paper) and a Waterman 'Hemisphere' fountain pen he got from a pen friend.

Andrii told me that when he got it, the pen wouldn't write, so he removed the feed and discovered it was inserted incorrectly at some point; apparently, the feed is keyed (but very subtly so) and has to be put into the section at exactly the right orientation or the incorrect nib-feed alignment won't allow for the ink to flow. Well done, Andrii!

Stuart's brand-new Sheaffer '300' "Coffee Edition" in Matt Brown with Regal Brown Trims.

From Sheaffer's official website: "This beautiful pen features a rich dark coffee brown hue, accented with a refined cup and heart emblem on the cap." 😊 Stuart recently bought the pen from the Vancouver Pen Shop downtown. Sheaffer was sold to William Penn (an Indian luxury writing instruments retailer) in 2022 and it's good to see its new owners coming out with cool new stuff like this special edition fountain pen.

Jerred recently acquired a red and black marbled Filcao 'Columbia' fountain pen, shown above next to its larger counterpart, the Filcao 'Atlantica' "Lapis". The 'Columbia' model came out in 2004 and was followed by the 'Atlantica'; both pens use a button-filling mechanism. Jerred did a nice review of the 'Atlantica' on our club's website a few years back (posted here).

One of our newer members, Richard P, brought two lovely Pelikan fountain pens he recently acquired--the M200 'Orange Delight' and a M205 'Star Ruby'!

(I took this photo on the hood of my car, in the library parking lot, after the meeting lol)

I purchased the beautiful Galen Leather x NOCK Lookout pen case in Deep Cognac (part of their Legacy Collection) from Buchan's Kerrisdale Stationery earlier this month, and I love it! The leather is supple and gorgeous-looking, and the inside of the case is lined with silk.

The three fountain pens I had inside the case are (left to right) a wonderful Stipula fountain pen with a Titanium nib that I bought from Mark & Sharon (in our pen club) of PenDen.ca, a Levenger 'Plumpster' in "Tides" resin, and a Narwhal (Nahvalur) Voyage Cult Pens exclusive (made specially for the well-known UK retailer) that I got from a dear pen friend (that you so much, Bonnie! 🙌)

Our thanks to everyone who came to our July meeting at the Renfrew VPL branch this month!
Information about our August meeting is in this post: https://www.vancouverpenclub.com/2026/07/august-2026-meeting-meet-up-at.html

(~Blog post by Maja~)

Pacific Northwest Pen Show ~ July 10-12, 2026 !

Just a reminder that Portland, Oregon's Pacific Northwest Pen Show is happening this week! (Friday July 10 to Sunday July 12, inclusive)

For more information, check out the show's official website at https://pnwpenshow.com 😁

July meeting info!

Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦 

It's a new month, which means we have another meeting coming up...

 
Location: The Branch Meeting Room of the Vancouver Public Library's RENFREW branch at 2969 East 22nd Avenue, in Vancouver, BC. The library is located on East 22nd Avenue, between Renfrew and Nootka. Link to branch's web page: https://www.vpl.ca/location/renfrew-branch

Date: THURSDAY JULY 16, 2026

Time: 5:00pm to 7:30pm   (gentle reminder: we have the use of the meeting room from 5:00pm, so no "early birds", please! 😉)

Topic/Theme: NONE! This month's meeting is just another casual get-together (ie. no "show & tell") where you can chat, buy/sell/trade pens/inks and hang out with other fountain pen enthusiasts 😀. Hope you can make it! (and no need to RSVP) 

Any questions? Please contact us at vancouverpenclub@gmail.com