THE MANILA PEN SHOW 2019

As I write, people still have a hangover from the two excitement-filled days of pen/ink/stationery/accessories shopping that was the second Manila Pen Show last November 16 & 17, at the Holiday Inn & Suites Makati.

The show was held from 9am to 6pm (both days) in two big function rooms, with other function rooms assigned as a workshop room and a show-and-tell lounge. It was also a treat to have free-flowing coffee, tea and water from refreshments stations in the lobby!

Organizers/volunteers at the Manila Pen Show 2019. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Day 1 of the show was jam-packed with people. Day 2 was more sedate, but filled up towards the afternoon.

Before registration opened. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Registration Day 2. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Donations at registration will benefit Save The Children. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

The line to the registration table. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Manila Pen Show 2019 Day 1. Video by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Manila Pen Show 2019 Day 1, Yakan/Abaca/Jusi Room. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Manila Pen Show 2019 Day 1, Ramie Room. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Manila Pen Show 2019 Day 1. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Scribe. Photo by Fernando Zubiri.

Early morning, day 2. Photo by Fernando Zubiri.

Early morning, Ramie Room, day 2. Photo by Fernando Zubiri.

There were three show exclusive fountain pen inks sold at the show. The official show ink was Diamine Arkipelago Blue, a blue based on Pantone 286C, which is the blue of the Philippine flag. Straits Pen also sold a limited run of Mani-lah!, a purple ink based on a Filipino purple sticky rice cake. Pierre Cardin HK sold the orange ink Manila Bay Sunset. All inks were sold out by the end of the show.

Diamine Arkipelago Blue was based on the Pantone blue of the Philippine flag. Photo by Leigh Reyes.

Straits Pen produced Mani-lah! (Project Puto Bumbong), a purple. Photo by Leigh Reyes.

Pierre Cardin’s Manila Bay Sunset is a sheeny orange ink. Photo from Pierre Cardin HK.

Aesthetic Bay of Singapore was a popular booth for people looking for Nakayas, maki-e pens, high end Pelikans, raden Pilot Vanishing Points, and other unique items.

Nakayas at the Aesthetic Bay booth. Photo by Christopher Chong.

Aesthetic Bay’s booth. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Tan Fong Kum (R), Connie Tan (C) and Ivy Tan (L) of Aesthetic Bay. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Faber-Castell pens were 50% off! Photo by Christopher Chong.

Lara M. Telan of Gav n Sav pen wraps. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

Cross Experience Booth. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

Cross. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Guia P. Bengzon of Vintage by G (R). Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Vintage by G booth. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Everything Calligraphy. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

Vinta Inks. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Jillian Joyce Tan of Everything Calligraphy/Vinta Inks. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Inks by Vinta launched a special grey shimmer ink, Vinta Nakar (Mother of Pearl) at the show. Here’s a writing sample.

Vinta Nakar (Mother of Pearl). Photo by Anne Tamondong.

Nibmeister John Raymond Lim. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Nibmeister JP Reinoso (J.P. Pentangeli on Facebook). Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Native fabric pen cases from Jennifer Lee Bonto. Photo by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Mark del Rosario (L) and Alvin Arcillas (R) of Kasama PH. Photo by Kasama PH.

Kasama PH pens. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

Kasama Una fountain pens in delrin, with stormtrooper rollstoppers. Photo by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Lamy Philippines. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

Lamy Philippines. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Atelier Musubi from Singapore brought their artisan luxury notebooks, Tomoe River paper everyday notebooks, and luxury pen cases. These benefit disabled artisans and people at risk.

Daryl Lim of Atelier Musubi (L), with Anthony Goquingco of FPN-P (R). Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Kimono notebooks at Atelier Musubi. Photo by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Luxury pen cases at Atelier Musubi. Photo by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Leuchtturm notebooks at NBS/Noteworthy. Photo by Martin Marvin Macalintal.

Journals from NBS/Noteworthy. Photo by Edrie Alcanzare.

Pengallery from Malaysia brought their special exclusive Diamine inks, Jalur Gemilang (blue with red sheen) and Manggis (“mangosteen”, violet with green sheen).

Kim Hoong Lai (L) and Hannah Low (R) of Pengallery. Photo from Suhana Amiril.

Pengallery. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Kim Hoong Lai (L) of Pengallery, Arnold Ang (C) and Melissa Pabilona-Ang (R) of Shibui PH. Photo by Melissa Pabilona-Ang.

Pengrafik. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Pengrafik. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Peter Bangayan and Gema Gonzales at his booth. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Diamine Arkipelago Blue at Peter Bangayan’s booth. Photo by Gema Gonzales.

Veronica Liu (R), May Poon (C) and staff of Pierre Cardin HK. Photo by Veronica Liu.

Veronica Liu of Pierre Cardin HK (L) with Leigh Reyes (R) trying out a pointillist electronic pen. Photo by Veronica Liu.

Pierre Cardin HK. Photo by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Ralph Reyes of Regalia Writing Labs. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Ralph Reyes. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Damascus nib in EF, by Regalia Writing Labs. Photo by April B. Morales.

Scribe. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Scribe offered a special Sailor Pro Gear to commemorate their 10th Anniversary.

Melissa Pabilona-Ang and Arnold Ang of Shibui PH. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Shibui leather pen cases. Photo by Arnold Ang.

Ng Lip Sing (L) and Sunny Koh (R) at the Straits Pen booth. Photo by Amanda Gorospe.

Straits Pen. Photo by Amanda Gorospe.

Nibmeister Sunny Koh of Straits Pen. Photo by Amanda Gorospe.

Gabriel Arnado (R), Kaiser Duragos (L) and friend (C) of Troublemaker Inks. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Troublemaker Inks. Photo by Eliza Parungao Rehal.

Pens by Shawn Newton. Photo by Gema Gonzales.

Calligraphy books at The Curious Artisan. Gail Anne Madalag (L) and Lennie Dionisio (R). Photo by Iris Babao Uy.

Carl Cunanan, Editor in Chief of CALIBRE magazine. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

The Calibre Lounge. Photo by Ernesto Tabujara Jr.

Leigh Reyes conducting her Everyday Creativity through Journaling workshop. Photo by Micah Robles.

Leigh Reyes at her workshop. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Leigh Reyes. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Daryl Lim of Atelier Musubi talks about his vision and business model. Photo by Micah Robles.

Nibmeister John Raymond Lim talks about pen maintenance. Photo by Micah Robles.

John Raymond Lim talks about pen maintenance. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Carl Cunanan (L) talking about entrepreneurship. Photo by Micah Robles.

Carl Cunanan. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Anthony Goquingco held a workshop on nib grinding. Photo by Micah Robles.

Fountain Pen Network-Philippines founder Jose (Butch) Dalisay, Jr. talking about vintage pen collecting. Photo by Micah Robles.

Jose (Butch) Dalisay, Jr. and his vintage pens. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Guia P. Bengzon and her vintage pens. Photo by Camilla Libunao.

Lorraine Marie Nepomuceno conducted a penmanship workshop for adults and for kids. Photo by Micah Robles.

Lorraine Marie Nepomuceno conducting penmanship workshop. Photo by Ricci Castaneda.

Artist Diane Rodriguez with her portraits of Philippine makers and retailers. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

Save the Children’s table. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.

Fountain Pen Network-Philippines founder Jose (Butch) Dalisay, Jr. (R), June Dalisay (L) and Melissa Pabilona-Ang of Shibui PH. Photo by Arnold Ang.

Fountain Pen Network-Philippines President Leigh Reyes. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

FPN-P Board, vendors, international guests at the welcome dinner in Mesa Greenbelt. Photo by Leigh Reyes.

Day 2 dinner with Alesa McNeill and Troublemaker Inks. Photo by Diane Rodriguez.

Alesa McNeill (L) took videos! Kailash Ramchandani (R) of Pengrafik. Photo by Chito Gregorio.

L-R: Kailash Ramchandani of Pengrafik, Dan Hoizner, Ng Lip Sing of Straits Pen, and Daryl Lim of Atelier Musubi. Photo by John Raymond Lim.

Many thanks to Fountain Pen Network-Philippines, Inc. for organizing the Manila Pen Show 2019! Thank you, too, to the vendors, volunteers and fountain pen enthusiasts who made this a successful event! Thank you to Holiday Inn & Suites Makati for having us. We look forward to a third Manila Pen Show in 2020!