Madrid 2026

I did not want to keep talking about pen shows and similar events. I thought I had already written a tad too much on the matter, but about two weeks ago Pens and Friends, the organizers of the Madrid Pen Show, announced that they were stepping down from that role. The consequences are obvious—as of today, there will not be a 22nd edition of the Madrid Pen Show in 2026. Is there any hope in the form of a new organizer?

Ten years ago...

Back in November 2025, in the aftermath of the last edition, I wrote a text explaining what I saw as a decline in the event. In summary, I argued that the Madrid Pen Show had two main problems—an ageing public and an expensive city—and these are bound to remain for a while regardless of the organizers. Still, I would like to offer my two cents’ worth of reflections on how a new team could approach a renewed version of the Madrid Pen Show:

1 ・Different dates.
In the not-so-distant past, there was a global calendar of pen shows. According to it, Madrid was held on the third weekend of November -occasionally on the second-, and following that schedule was key to attracting some important dealers. However, new pen events have crowded the calendar and scheduled their shows whenever they see fit.

In this new context, Madrid could adopt the same strategy in order to reduce organizational costs.

2 ・A smaller and shorter event.
With the same goal of reducing costs, the three-day event of 2025 could be shortened to a single day with a smaller number of dealers.

3 ・Attracting new audiences.
The new event should also aim to attract younger and new audiences. Marketing through social media and expanding beyond fountain pens could serve this purpose.

4 ・Local and professional organization.
The organization must be based in Madrid, as it is hardly feasible to organize such an event remotely in Spain. It should also aim to be professional rather than relying solely on the enthusiasm and personal commitment of a small number of individuals.

Announcement on Facebook, January 15th 2026.

For now, however, Madrid has no pen show. But does this city deserve one? Only time will tell.

And I promise I did not intend to write about events for a while…

Parker T1 – Faber-Castell Königsblau

Bruno Taut
January 28th, 2026
label: evento, Madrid, mercado

Confessions of a Spanish Pen Addict. I.

Last September I started a collaboration with the magazine Shumi-no Bungubako (趣味の文具箱) under the generic title “Confessions of a Spanish Pen Addict”. My first text was this piece “East Meets West” on some old topic included on these Crónicas Estilográficas you are now reading.

Repetitive as this text might be, it can also work as a contrast to the new ways seen in Istanbul that I described on my previous text.


East Meets West

My relationship with fountain pens started in high school in Spain. My first workhorse was a plasticky Waterman Jif —an excellent, even if simple, scholar fountain pen.

Waterman Jif.

The hobby came after years of using fountain pens of all kinds —good and bad, smooth and scratchy. Already living in Japan I needed a new tool to write with. I made an Internet search for information about pens in Tokyo and it gave me my first insight on Japanese fountain pens by the hand of the Pilot Myu 701. This beautiful pen triggered my interest for pens in general. Then I digged deeper. That was about twenty years ago. And four years later, I started my blog “Crónicas Estilográficas” where I mostly write about Japanese fountain pens.

Pilot Myu 701.

I attended my first pen show in 2009. It was the sixth edition of the Madrid Pen Show, the pen show of my hometown. It was a wonderful experience: an endless collection of pens and a generous community of enthusiasts willing to share their knowledge. The event gathered about 50 dealers and about 1000 visitors during three days in november.

Since then, I have visited many more pen shows, and I have gained some experience in navigating them, as they are always overwhelming: so many pens and so many dealers, but also so little money.

Madrid Pen Show in 2024.

But I live in Japan, and the scenario here is very different. At that time, 2010-15, there were frequent pen meetings in the Tokyo area –and in Japan in general. They were common, but also small: about a couple of dozen participants at most, and not that many pens for sale.

It was only in 2018 that Tokyo witnessed something resembling a true pen show: the Tokyo International Pen Show, better known as TIPS. Since that year, TIPS has been held every autumn and has grown steadily in reputation and attendance. But is it truly comparable to the grand pen shows of Madrid, London, or Utrecht, to name just a few?

European pen shows are, at their core, about fountain pens. Of course, there are always some dealers offering paper, ink, and other accessories, but these are secondary. The fountain pen is the king. And perhaps because of that focus, attendees are mostly middle-aged or older, and predominantly male.

By contrast, TIPS and other events of the type in Japan are broader in scope —they celebrate stationery culture in general. At these events, fountain pens, mostly new, are only a very small portion of what is on display. The majority of tables feature almost anything but pens: notebooks, fancy paper, stickers, ink stamps, masking tapes, and, above all, new inks. The visitors are also very different: younger, often in their twenties and thirties, and with a strong presence of women.

Tokyo International Pen Show, TIPS, in 2019.

As interesting as these events are, they might not be the primary destination for fountain pen lovers in search of unique pens in Japan. Instead, such collectors could do much better by looking to the smaller groups of aficionados whose regular gatherings, though modest in scale, are specifically dedicated to fountain pens.

Reagardless of its commercial focus, the example of TIPS poses an important question: how sustainable is the European model for pen shows? Their audience may be loyal and relatively wealthy, but they are also aging, and there is hardly a new generation of pen lovers ready to take over. Pen show organizers in Europe may then need to look at events like TIPS for inspiration, especially when it comes to attracting younger customers.

On the other hand, the TIPS model is not without problems. Its very broad scope, particularly in a country so rich in stationery goods as Japan, makes it easy to replicate. In fact, in recent years we have seen a proliferation of similar stationery markets and fairs. At times, it has seemed as though there was one such event almost every month. Is there room for so many? To stand out, organizers might want to study the European model, where specialization and focus provide a clear identity.

Ultimately, my only wish is to keep attending these gatherings, both in Europe and in Japan, for many years to come. Pen shows —whether in Madrid, Hamburg or Tokyo— are enjoyable events where a personal passion becomes communal. But for this to happen, the shows themselves must adapt, evolve, and survive.

Pilot Elabo – Pilot Black

Bruno Taut
August 25th and December 31st, 2025
etiquetas: evento, mercado, Madrid, Tokyo, publicaciones

Crossroads

I can count up to eight pen shows (but what is a pen show, anyway?) held this past November—Tokyo, Istanbul, Madrid, Budapest, Paris, Melbourne, Singapore, and Bologna. But for the sake of this text, I will focus my attention on just three of them: the Tokyo International Pen Show (Nov 1–3), Pen Fest Istanbul (Nov 8–9), and the Madrid Pen Show (Nov 14–16).

I will begin by stating that I attended only two of them—Tokyo and Madrid. As I have often said on these pages and even in the printed publication Shumi-no Bungubako (趣味の文具箱), they are two primary examples of the basic models of pen shows—the Western and the East Asian. And they went as expected: plenty of stationery in Tokyo and a strong presence of vintage pens in Madrid. Both were successful events.

In Tokyo, about 150 dealers attracted over 3,000 visitors in three days (entry fees ranged from JPY 1,000—about EUR 6—to JPY 3,000 per day, or JPY 5,000 for a three-day pass; table fee: JPY 40,000, or EUR 225). Everything looked business as usual. The formula is well established, and it works. Limited as it is in the vintage and used pen area, TIPS has the merit of attracting small companies to display their goods to a mildly international audience. The only drawback might be the relatively small number of visitors compared to the large number of dealers, as well as the proliferation of similar events in Tokyo. The good part? The exhibition area is never crowded.

TIPS 2025.

In Madrid, over 1,500 visitors attended an event with around 60 dealers (free entry; EUR 360 per table). However, attendance figures in Madrid must be taken with a pinch of salt, as a free-access event makes accurate counting more difficult.

Still, the Madrid Pen Show showed some signs of exhaustion, as if that model had already reached its full potential and could only decline from here. The reasons are both circumstantial and structural.

Madrid has become a very expensive city, and for the first time in years the organisers are reporting some losses. The cost of the city also deterred many regulars from attending the event—accommodation, some said, was prohibitively expensive. But the main problem is the age of the regular attendee. We are old, and there is hardly a younger generation of aficionados ready to take over and generate the necessary demand.

Madrid Pen Show 2025.

Madrid, I believe, is at a crossroads—the formula that has worked for 21 editions may no longer be the right one in 2025. And the way out of this situation might be found in Istanbul.

Pen Fest Istanbul, now in its fourth edition, showed some remarkable numbers: 63 dealers and about 8,000 visitors in just two days (entry fee: TRY 500—EUR 10; table fee: TRY 40,000—EUR 800).

But what is more interesting from the outside is the combination of the two basic pen show models in a single event. As we can see in Miroslav Tichsler’s video, Istanbul offered new and old pens, stationery, pen fixers, and nib tuners—an exciting mix indeed.

Penkala´s video of the 2025 Pen Fest Istanbul.

Istanbul, at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, might very well represent the future of pen shows: the sweet spot between the declining Western tradition and the rising force of the Eastern aficionado.

Hongdian N6 Long Knife– Platinum Black

Bruno Taut
December 3rd, 2025
etiquetas: evento, mercado, Madrid, Tokyo, Istanbul

On Route

Come Fall and my time for pen shows starts. Paris, Tokyo, and finally Madrid.

From Friday 15th to Sunday 17th, the Madrid Pen Show will take place at Centro de Negocios MEEU (Calle Agustín de Foxá 40, 28036 Madrid; in the Chamartín Station Complex). In there, around 70 dealers and an enthusiastic pen community will gather around pens and inks.

And I am just starting my journey to attend the event. Say hello if you happened to be there.

Lotus Maharaja with Custom Nib Studio nib – Private Reserve Dakota Red

Bruno Taut
November 10th, 2024
etiquetas: evento, Madrid

Madrid 2023

During the weekend between November 10^th and 12^th, the 19^th edition of the Madrid Pen Show took place at the Meliá Castilla hotel. And as it is already customary (::1::, ::2::, ::3::, etc.) I will offer my reflections on the event.

This 2023 edition was celebrated one weekend before the usual schedule –the 3^rd weekend in November— because of a chronic problem—the difficulties to find a hotel in Madrid in November with a large enough salon (about 700 m²). And on this occasion, the organizers had to settle with what was available—a nice hotel (and known from the 2021 event) with a big enough salon, but at a wrong date.

And the wrong date came with a number of issues. First, it was a long weekend in Madrid and many locals decided to leave the city. Then, an important football match was celebrated on Saturday evening in the neighborhood of the hotel. Finally, a number of political demonstrations –with occasional bouts of violence— took place in Madrid on those days.

The result? About 30-40% lower attendance than in previous editions. And that meant a lower amount of money in circulation.

Photo courtesy of JMBS.

On the positive side, the mere size of the event remained untouched—about 65 traders, including some new faces coming from Ireland, Greece, India, Japan... And the available space was also enough for a pleasant experience. Of course, the lower attendance also helped on this regard. However, one of the two rooms of the event lacked some light, a detail noticed by both dealers and visitors.

I hope the problems experienced on this 2023 edition could be solved in 2024, as I also hope for a long and prosperous life of the Madrid Pen Show. Nevertheless, the average age of visitors is not a good omen, and that is a most fundamental problem.

Jinhao Dadao 9019 – Montblanc Irish Green

Bruno Taut
December 3^rd, 2023
etiquetas: evento, Madrid

Madrid 2022

After the pen show of hope in 2021, the 2022 edition of the Madrid Pen Show had to be the show to return to some form of normalcy. And it seems this was achieved.

Photo courtesy of Mr. JMBS.

The odds were not in favor, though. New hotel with last minute problems, a sense of uncertainty regarding the coronavirus, some passivity in the local community, conflicts with a couple of dealers...

But 70 dealers and about 1800 visitors –official figures provided by the organization— prove it was a good event.

There was a mild renovation in the list of dealers with respect to pre-pandemic editions. Some retired, some were not willing to travel. But there are others willing to fill in. A minor side effect of this renovation was a higher presence of inks in the Madrid Pen Show.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Conde de Carrión.

Re visitors, the Spanish pen community had shown a remarkable lack of enthusiasm in online fora. Lack of reliable information about the event was at the heart of it, but it was corrected in time and aficionados did attend the event. And not only the domestic community came, but visitors from other European countries and even from the US.

Photos courtesy of Mr. Conde de Carrión.

The Madrid Pen Show is a free-entry show—the costs are covered by the table fees (about EUR 300/table this year). That makes it a very welcoming event for casual observers and for families, and encourages the social aspect of it. After all, a pen show is the perfect excuse to meet like-minded people even if you did not want to buy anything.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Conde de Carrión.

So this was the Madrid Pen Show in 2022, The test posed by the coronavirus pandemic seems passed, and now the challenge is dealing with the economic crisis ahead of us. But that will be in 2023,

Video courtesy of José Riofrío.

My thanks to Mr. JMBS and to Conde de Carrión for the pictures, and to Mr. José Riofrío for the video.

Hongdian N6 – Montblanc Black

Bruno Taut
November 28th, 2022
etiquetas: evento, Madrid

Western Paradise. Madrid Pen Show 2022

Comes November and the Spanish pen community get ready for the big party, for the “fiesta mayor”, the Madrid Pen Show. And it also happens to be the biggest pen show in Europe.

This year there is a new venue—Hotel VP El Madrono—and the party will take place between Friday 18th and Sunday 20th of November.

After the full-of-hope event of last year's, this one promises to be more normal, more free, and more populated. And with many pens!

Madrid Pen Show 2021.

So, go West, paradise is there.

See you in Madrid!

Lamy Safari Kanji - Franklin-Christoph Urushi Red

Bruno Taut
November 2nd 2022
labels: evento, Madrid

East and West

The following picture shows the fundamental difference between pen shows in in the East and in the West:

Pens, pens, and pens. Madrid Pen Show 2021.

On this picture alone there are more pens than in any of the pen shows celebrated in Tokyo. And that is a representation of the differences in philosophies associated to them—Western shows are about pens, pens, and pens. Second hand and vintage pens are the name of the game, and after that you could also find some new pens and some inks and paper.

On the contrary, pen shows in Tokyo –and in other East Asian cities- are about cute things... and some pens, mostly new. Sure enough a couple of traders might be there offering used pens, but their offer pales in comparison to what you can see on a single table in Madrid, as the firs picture showed.

Lots of people, very few pens.
Tokyo International Pen Show 2019.
(Picture courtesy of Inktraveler).

As I have repeatedly said (::1::, ::2::), they are not pen shows but stationary salons where brands and new entrepreneurs show their products. But the formula works and there is no real incentive to change it.

Bottom line—if you were interested in pens go West, paradise is there.

Omas Extra ca. 1940 – Sailor Yama-dori

Bruno Taut
December 17th, 2021
etiquetas: España, Japón, evento, Tokyo, Madrid

The Pen Show of Hope. Madrid 2021

The Madrid Pen Show of 2021 was not like those of previous years—it just could not be.

This pen show had everything against—a pandemic, a hotel that was closed on the planned dates, a new venue, the changing local policies, the unclear and ever changing travel requirements, a new mutation of the virus discovered days before the event... So, not much was in there for the pen show to be celebrated and, much less, to succeed.

But the people responded. There was a real crave in the Spanish aficionado to reconnect with the community and with the market.

Needless to say, the event figures did not reach the values of 2019 (no pen show in Madrid in 2020) and before. On this occasion, only 49 traders and about 1000 visitors joined the party. But it was a good party.

Several traders reported that they were selling more pens than on previous pen shows, which shows that there were some savings after two years without similar events.

But it was the sense of community what made the event successful. Visitors from all over Spain –from the Canary Islands and from the Balearic Islands, from the Basque Country and from Andalusia, from Murcia and from Catalonia...-- gathered at the Meliá Castilla Hotel and spent their money on pens that came all the way from all over Europe (UK, France, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, …) and from the US.

So, the Madrid Pen Show is alive and kicking. This year´s edition proved how well connected the Spanish community is despite the pandemic, and in 2022 the Madrid Pen Show will be even better.

Montblanc 146 – Sailor Yama-dori

Bruno Taut
December 15th, 2021
etiquetas: España, Madrid, evento, mercado

Madrid vs. Tokyo (2021)

On the weekend of June 26-27, two different pen events took place in two very different cities: Madrid and Tokyo. This alone are very good news in times of pandemic, but a lot more can be said.

Let's start with the contexts. Madrid is a city of about 3.5 million people with a metropolitan area of 6.7 million. Tokyo, on it side, is home to 14 million with a metropolitan area of 37 million.

Regarding the infection conditions, Spain is currently doing a lot better than Japan in terms of immunization. At the time of the event, over 30% of the Spanish population had been vaccinated. And Japan, at the time, was struggling to get 3% of the population in the same conditions, and that despite the incoming  Olympic Games...

Then, 10 traders gathered in Madrid on Saturday morning (June 26th), and attracted about 100 potential buyers.

Madrid, June 26th.

In Tokyo, the yearly Pen Trade event was composed by 10 traders and 100 visitors over two days –Saturday and Sunday.

Tokyo, June 26th.

The plain figures are not very different, and any variation could be associated to the different levels in the immunization rates in these two countries... Maybe. However, the differences run much deeper.

The most obvious contrast, and not limited to these events of this month of June, is the mere number of pen for sale on the tables. On just one table in Madrid there were as many pens –or even more-- that in the whole Pen Trade event in Tokyo. We have seen this effect in other, bigger, events celebrated in these two cities—namely, the Madrid Pen Show, and the Tokyo International Pen Show.

Tokyo, June 26th.

Madrid, June 26th.

The real paradox is that a population shy of 7 million –Madrid-- concentrates more pens and more traders than Greater Tokyo with a population five times bigger. That or the organizers of pen events in Tokyo fail to attract those traders. Something is done very well in Madrid, and not so well in Tokyo.

And that, among other things, is why I say that the Tokyo International Pen Show is not a pen show. But there is always something interesting to take home with you.

The spoils fo the Pen Trade 2021. Not too bad...

My thanks to Inktraveler, whose pictures are greatly appreciated.

Montblanc 146 celluloid – Diamine Teal

Bruno Taut
July 7th, 2021
etiquetas: evento, Madrid, Tokyo

Madrid Pen Show 2019

The 16th edition of the Madrid Pen Show finished last Sunday and I want to offer some personal reflections on the event.

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