The bare numbers are not very different to those of the 2018 edition: about 1650 visitors, 65 traders (2 more than in 2018) on 73 tables. The estimates speak of a business volume in the area of EUR 500,000 with an average of EUR 7000 per trader.
The good news is the cntinuous success of this event. Being the biggest pen show in Europe is not an easy accomplishment before countries with a powerful pen industry and a very rich pen tradition.
The less positive news is the relative old age of most visitors. Fountain pens seem to attract people of certain age... in the Old World. But that is not the case in East Asia, where there is a big body of young aficionados. Then, the question is whether there was anything that could be done to expand the hobby among younger generations in Spain and in Europe in general.
But so far, the current formula works very well, and the Madrid Pen Show is the annual festival of the Spanish pen community. A party where everybody is welcome, as the increasing number of foreign visitors shows.
Romillo Eo – Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo
Bruno Taut
Madrid, November 21th, 2019
etiquetas: Madrid, evento
Bruno Taut
Madrid, November 21th, 2019
etiquetas: Madrid, evento
8 comments:
Great report as usual Bruno...Definitely a contrast from the Manila Pen Show where there were so many young people. It was quite encouraging. Will quote you in the vid.
Yo fui el sábado, entre otras cosas buscaba Pilots antiguas y o no había o no supe encontrarlas.
Saludos
Thanks, Inky.Rocks, for passing by and commenting.
I am really happy to hear of the youthful atmosphere of the Manila Pen Show. The market of fountain pens, and of many other goods, might be moving Eastwards... It would be very helpful to see some actual figures.
BT
Enrique, gracias por el comentario.
El de Madrid no es el pen show más indicado para encontrar plumas japonesas, pero las hay. Yo sí vi Pilot de los años 60 --varias Capless, entre ellas-- en varias mesas. Ahora bien, no sé si eso es antiguo para ti o no. Anteriores a la Guerra vi alguna, pero a precios muy altos.
Gracias por pasar y comentar. Saludos,
BT
No soy aficionado a las capless, me llaman más la atención los plumines "shiro" de los años de la Guerra, que precisamente he conocido por este blog y algunos enlaces que he visto aquí. Tengo una con este plumín y aunque el sistema ink-stopper es algo engorroso me gusta el plumín que tiene cierta flexibilidad, también el material del cuerpo y capuchón me gusta.
Saludos
Thanks for the great report! It's interesting to see the age difference in shows when comparing East vs. West. While attending the latest Ohio pen show and considering the ageing group of atendees, I had in mind the recent show in Tainan where everyone seemed young and full of energy (at least from the photos and short videos). I started thinking what the age situation is like in Europe and your insightful report answered my questions! Thank you
Enrique:
Vi un par de plumines "shiro", pero en todo caso ésta no es la feria para encontrar esas cosas.
Saludos,
BT
Thanks, Nikos, for your continuing support.
I think now that the concepts of pen show are different in the East and in the West, but the future is in the East.
Allow me to suggest the following video by a fellow stylophile who attendend the Manila Pen Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YGY8eylZ-I
Thanks for passing by and commenting.
BT
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