Monthly Archives: March 2023

THE MANILA PEN SHOW 2023

Posted on by
Reply

The Manila Pen Show 2023 was the Filipino fountain pen lovers’ most awaited event in the last four years! Organized by Fountain Pen Network-Philippines, Inc., the show went on hiatus from 2020-2022 during the pandemic. It came back this year, bigger than ever, with a bigger floor space, more new retailers, and more products. Held last March 18-19, 2023, the show marked its second time at the fifth floor of the Holiday Inn and Suites in Makati. Part of the proceeds from entrance fees this year go to Save The Children, which the Manila Pen Show has been supporting since 2018.

Eager attendees showed up and registered as early as 8am, when the show opened, and continued to arrive in a steady stream until late afternoon of both days. They received samples of the new Sanzen Tomoe River paper in white and cream, as well as a raffle ticket. They were keen to acquire the show-exclusive pens and inks from various vendors following the theme of Filipino flavors. These items were made available for preorder or to purchase directly at the site. Also popular were show merchandise like commemorative t-shirts, tote bags and notepads. The organizers also held several raffles on both days of the show.

Photo by Yancy P. Sura
Registration. Photo by Ricaredo Cerebo, Jr.
Photo by Kailash Ramchandani
Photo by Reggie Reginaldo

International vendors participating this year included Aesthetic Bay (Singapore), Pen Gallery (Malaysia), Straits Pen (Singapore), Toyooka Craft (Japan) and Atelier Musubi (Singapore). Philippine vendors included Everything Calligraphy, Scribe, Kasama, Lamy, Stationer Extraordinaire, Inks by Vinta, ON Inks, Pengrafik, Peter Bangayan, Leather Library, Gav n Sav, Gira Leather, Leather Luxe, Guia’s Vintage Pens, and Troublemaker Inks.

Floor plan

This year the show assigned a separate space for participating nibmeisters John Raymond Lim, JP’s Pen Spa & Nib Works, and Sunny Koh of Straits Pen (SG). There was also a Community Hangout Room where members of Fountain Pen Network-Philippines held pen meets, enjoyed the free coffee and tea, and rested in between purchases. Workshops were held in a dedicated function room on the other end of the floor.

Ronin Bautista of The Pen Noob captured the energy of the Manila Pen Show’s first day in this Instagram reel.
Day 1 of the Manila Pen Show 2023. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Mark del Rosario (R) and Alvin Arcillas (L) of Kasama. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.
Kasama Tala pens in “Takipsilim”. Photo by Kasama PH.
Kasama Una pens in PEEK and titanium. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Kustom Magz rollstops for Kasama pens. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Kailash Ramchandani of Pengrafik. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Pengrafik’s pen show exclusive Leonardo Momento Zero in Primary Manipulation 1 by Jonathan Brooks. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.
Pengrafik’s pen show exclusive Ube Pen by The Good Blue (UK). Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.
Ingrid Cua of Stationer Extraordinaire. Photo by Jeff Cua.
Kaweco pens from Stationer Extraordinaire. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Alden Castaneda and colleague. Photo by Bernie Paras Gan.
Alden Castaneda‘s corner.
Handbound luxe notebooks by Atelier Musubi. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Seigaiha pattern pen cases from Atelier Musubi. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Daryl Lim of Atelier Musubi. Photo by Bernie Paras Gan.
Vinta Inks show exclusive ink Lilac Dawn 2015, or “Simulan”. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Jillian Tan of Everything Calligraphy. Photo by Ronin Bautista.
Everything Calligraphy bundled its pen show exclusive Franklin Christoph pen with Vinta Inks’ Lilac Dawn 2015/Simulan.
Kim Hoong Lai of PenGallery (MY). Photo by PenGallery.
Various pens and inks from PenGallery. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
April Morales of Leather Library PH. Photo by Eliza Rehal.
Embossed leather folio covers from Leather Library PH. Photo by Gema Gonzales.
Toyooka Craft (JP). Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Toru Yamazaki of Toyooka Craft, with Hana Chua. Photo by Hana Chua.
Multi-level alder wood fountain pen box by Toyooka Craft. Photo by Micah Robles.
Tan Fong Kum of Aesthetic Bay. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Nakayas at Aesthetic Bay (SG). Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
AP Limited Editions at Aesthetic Bay. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
ON Inks show exclusives. Photo by Onie Dychitan.
Onie Dychitan and Alma Polvoriza at ON Inks. Photo by Bernie Paras Gan.
ON Inks and swatches.
Diamine Suman, from Peter Bangayan’s booth. Photo by Leigh Reyes.
Peter Bangayan‘s booth. Photo by Bernie Paras Gan.
Troublemaker Inks. Photo by Bernie Paras Gan.
Troublemaker Inks. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Lara M. Telan (left) of Gav n Sav, with Gema Gonzales. Photo by Bernie Paras Gan.
Suman pen wraps from Gav n Sav. Photo by Jun Castro.
Guia’s Vintage Pens. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Guia Bengzon of Guia’s Vintage Pens. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.
Some of Guia’s Vintage Pens. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Gira Leather. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Various products at Gira Leather. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Nibmeister Sunny Koh of Straits Pen (SG) with assistant AD Percal. Photo by AD Percal.
Sunny Koh of Straits Pen in action. Photo by Ronin Bautista.
Sunny Koh of Straits Pen (SG) offered nibmeister services, as well as a pen show exclusive ink, Honest Ink Sisig, and Tomoe River paper. He also conducted a couple of workshops.
JP Reinoso of JP’s Pen Spa and Nibworks. Photo by Ronin Bautista.
Nibmeister JP Reinoso of JP’s Pen Spa and Nibworks.Photo by JP Reinoso.
Nibmeister John Raymond Lim. Photo by Alby Saavedra Laran.
John Raymond Lim. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.
Raymund Nino Bumatay of Leather Luxe.
Raymund and Gjulia Bumatay of Leather Luxe.
Lamy Safari Pilipinas pen at the Lamy booth. Photo by Carlo Jerome Ng.
Lamy Philippines. Photo by Kailash Ramchandani.
Lamy Safari Pilipinas pens. Photo by Carlo Jerome Ng.
Red Lamy Safari display. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Scribe. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Scribe owner Marian Ong, Sailor Ink Master Hidetoshi Takahashi and Tetsuo Hisaka, and Scribe staff. Photo by Scribe.
Laban and Pelikan pens at Scribe. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Taccia Pens at Scribe. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.

Scribe brought in Sailor’s custom ink mixing service, represented by Ink Master Hidetoshi Takahashi and colleague Tetsuo Hisaka. Slots were by appointment, and filled up fast prior to the show. It was an unforgettable experience for those who chose special colors.

Scribe owner Marian Ong with Ink Master Hidetoshi Takahashi and Tetsuo Hisaka of Sailor.
Sailor Ink Masters. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Happy ink mix customer Gianna with Sailor.

Here are videos of the Sailor ink mixing process.

Takahashi-san formulating the color. Video by Carlo Jerome Ng.
Takahashi-san finalizing the color. Video by Carlo Jerome Ng.
Takahashi-san blending the ink. Video by Carlo Jerome Ng.
Day 2 of the Manila Pen Show 2023. Photo by Maria Haze Alenton.
Ronin Bautista of The Pen Noob filmed Day 2 of the show, focusing on the workshops and flow of attendees.
Lorraine Castaneda’s workshop participants. Photo by Lorraine Castaneda.
Sunny Koh’s workshop participants. Photo by Lorraine Castaneda.
Toni Santos’ workshop participants. Photo by Lorraine Castaneda.
Imma Frias conducting workshop. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.
Panel discussion moderated by Leigh Reyes. Photo by JM Jamillarin.
Panoramic shot of panel by Lorraine Castaneda.
Curating A Fountain Pen Collection, panel discussion.

All told, about 1200 people attended the Manila Pen Show 2023, including the vendors, guests and volunteers. Many thanks to organizers Fountain Pen Network-Philippines, Inc., the various vendors, Holiday Inn and Suites Makati, and especially the volunteers for making this event a huge success! Thank you to everyone who attended, whose donations benefited Save The Children. We’ll see you at the next Manila Pen Show in 2024!

For updates, follow @manilapenshow on Instagram, and join the Facebook groups Manila Pen Show and Fountain Pen Network-Philippines.

Save The Children. Photo by Ticky Tabujara.