2004 Washington, DC Fountain Pen Supershow

This Information received today from Bob Johnson, Host of the D.C.
SuperShow.

It is that time of the year. We are less than 10 weeks from the DC
fountain pen Supershow on August 12-15, 2004. I have been getting numerous
table reservations and have already half filled our room block at the
hotel. So I thought that I would try to quickly get out an email with the
show highlights.

Make your reservations now. The number of the Sheraton Premiere is
1-703-448-1234 and the room rate is still $79. Interior tables are $99.
Few wall tables are available, please call.

Delta Theme Pen

This year our Theme Pen will be the Delta Maori collection honoring the New
Zealand native. The Indigenous Peoples collection is inspired by the
customs and traditions of populations around the world, and was first
introduced in 2003. Delta initially offered three limited editions within
the Series I collections: the Maasai, Native Americans and Inuit. The 2004
Series II collections include the new Tuareg, introduced this spring, the
Maori, and the Cossack, which will be introduced in the fall. Francisco
Rienzi, a Milanese architect, designed the collections who, through his
desire to create and educate, has brought a unique thematic perspective
to the pen world. These unusual and unique pens can be seen on www.yafa.com.

We also would like to thank Delta for their gift of a souvenir Maori ink
bottle to all show participants and 400 general admission attendees.

Pen World Co Sponsor
Thanks to Pen World (www.penworld.com) for Co-Sponsoring the show. Their
help advertising the show was appreciated.

Collector's Theme: INKS
Please note the collector's theme for 2004 will be INKS. We will have over
5 tables of opened bottles of ink for testing and evaluation combined with
some seminars on ink subjects on Sunday. Clairefontaine will be supplying
their superior fountain pen paper for ink testing. We will have dip pens
and Q-tips available for making your own comparison charts of the various
inks.

Nagahara is Back

Nagahara will be back. A highlight of the last two shows has been the
spectacular nib customization by the legendary Nagahara Family of Sailor
Pens. Mr. Nagahara will watch the way you hold your hand when writing, then
adjust and smooth your nib. Priority for this free service will be Sailor
but he has been able to fulfill all requests in the past. This year Mr.
Nagahara, Jr will attend. He has over 25 years experience with Sailor
dealing with nibs.

Pen Repair and Nib Customization

And don't forget the www.pentrace.com Pen Doctor, Richard Binder, and Deb
Kinney will be customizing nibs, while Penopoly and Ron Zorn will be doing
repairs at the show

Welcome the Nakaya Pen Company

We are also pleased to announce that new Nakaya Pen Company will be coming
to the show. They were an overwhelming hit at the Chicago Pen Show with
their demonstrations of hand made pen manufacture. . It was like going to
Williamsburg and watching the master craftsman at work.

Nakaya Pen Company is operated by Mr. Nakata, the grandson of the founder
of Platinum Pen Company, and staffed by retired master craftsman from
Platinum. Please check the article on their company in last month's Stylus
Magazine or online at www.pentrace.com Pens can be purchased from their web
site, www.nakaya.org/eindex.html, and picked up at the show. I urge
everyone to checkout his or her web site before the show.

Seminars

Again, we will have free seminars on Sunday on Pen repair and Inks. Please
contact if you have any suggestions on the Sunday
Seminars or want to give one. This year we will be especially interested in
topics about ink use and manufacture.

Deb Kinney ) will again present the 4 hr course in
Fountain Pens and Kate Gladstone ) will present a 2 hr
course in Handwriting Repair. Reservations and required and a fee is
charged.

Wine and Cheese Party

This year's Wine and Cheese party (sponsored by the Sheraton) will be Friday
at 7PM. We are tentatively planning a Pizza party for Pen Club Members (DC
Local, Triangle, Southeast, Richmond, Long Island, Baltimore, PCA and
others) and other events sponsored by New Pen Retailers.

Carolina Custom Case

Carolina Case will again be at the show. As an added service, you can
order your case ( 1-910-286-4000 ) and they will deliver it at the show.

Sailor Gel Pen Give-a-way. Finally.

Two years ago, I tested a 1.0 mm, broad tipped Innovation gel pen from the
Sailor Pen Company. The barrel is ergonometrically styled and expands at
the center like a 20's Parker Zaner-Bloser. It fit my hand perfectly and
was well balanced. I thought the gel pen was special and unique and
suggested that Sailor might get similar comments from the pen experts that
attend the DC Pen Show. In 2004, Sailor will give away 1800 gel pens at the
show and everyone at the DC show will be able to give Sailor their own
opinion. I would like to find out what others think of this unique pen.

Calligraphy Supplies Available

This year I will advertise locally that calligraphy supplies will be
available at the show. If anyone knows of any calligraphy newsletters or
groups in the DC area, please call (1-864-963-3834) or email.

Major Maki-e Pen Exhibit

Bernard Lyn will display part his Maki-e collection that were pictured in
his book on Maki-e Pens. Some of his pens can be seen on www.danitrio.com
and in an article on his collection on www.pentrace.com. More information
will be available later on our web site.

Everyone associated with the show wants to make the supershow memorable and
educational to the attendees. Any suggestions for Ink activities would be
appreciated.

Make your reservations now.

See you at the show,

Bob Johnson

D.C. SuperShow Web Site: http://www.pencentral.com/penshow/index.html