The 2026 DC Pen Show is in the books! Unlike 2025 - when I had to miss Friday due to a weather delay and flight cancellation - I had the full four-day experience Thursday through Sunday, including a half day of walking around the show on Sunday. While nearly everything "rare" was sold out, I managed to snag some fun items for my personal collection, as well as some new additions to the shop. Some of these you will see here, and others are still to come later in the summer or early fall.

Dan from Good Made Better brought these gorgeous limited edition Bird Series fountain pens, each crafted from hand-finished ebonite.

My Thoughts on the Current State of the DC Pen Show

As one of the largest pen and stationery-focused events in the world, the D.C. Pen Show offers an unparalleled opportunity to interact with major manufacturers, independent makers, customers, and enthusiasts. The show remains a fountain pen-focused event, with a large contingent of vintage and second-hand dealers, though paper and general stationery accessories are not as well-represented. Given the proximity of this event to Yoseka's Stationery Fest in NYC the prior week, many "pure stationery" (i.e. washi and sticker) retailers did not attend. While that was probably a good thing given the size of the show, it did result in a somewhat less diverse array of exhibitors and goods than you will find at other shows such as the upcoming San Francisco Pen Show.

A plate of Inkii Cannoli wipes — One of my favorite finds was Inkii (see link below), which makes a fun selection of leather goods including these pen wipes in the shape of a Cannoli!

Every year we talk about the size of the D.C. Pen Show, and once again I find myself of the opinion that this show continues to grow to the point where it’s too big. At four ballrooms, as well as multiple hallways and alcoves tucked all over the hotel, I heard multiple attendees express frustration that the show was difficult to navigate. While the show didn't feel as crowded as previous years, the layout can make it hard to locate certain vendors and see the entire show, and narrow aisles stay congested on the busier days. The organizers have indicated they have no intention of shrinking the show and are actively looking to add even more vendors, so this will probably remain an issue going forward.

DC Pen Show Main Ballroom — The main ballroom on Sunday morning. The wide aisles kept traffic moving moderately well through this space, though there were areas where the aisles were much narrower, and even spaces where vendors were tucked into stairwells and narrow hallways that created chokepoints.

Kaleidocraft Table at the DC Pen Show — Kaleidocraft brought their 3D-printed goods to DC, including their customizable Washi Wallet.

Kanilea Pen Co 10th Anniversary enamel finial — For their 10th Anniversary, Kanilea Pen Co. added an enamel finish to the finial.

My Modest DC Pen Show Haul (Personal)

As mentioned above, I got to escape the table for a couple hours on Sunday morning due to the kindness of Lisa over at Olive Octopus, who helped me out not only while I was wandering but when I was teaching classes. Here’s what I came back with, first for my personal collection and also for the shop:

Nagasawa Decimo Kobe Gradation - Sengari Water Blue and Rhodium. Each year Nagasawa releases a special Decimo in these gradient finishes. This year’s is not available online in the U.S., but Vanness had a small number for sale at the D.C. Pen Show!
Nagasawa x Vanness Hummingbird Green Ink. Arrives soon at Vanness! Our friends at Vanness collaborated with Nagasawa on an exclusive ink, which is a gorgeous green with blue undertones.
Inkii Canoli Wipes. I bought one for pens, one for glasses. It’s creativity like this that keeps me coming back to pen shows, even if truly original items are increasingly few and far between.
Inkii B6 Notebook. The red and black color combination got me, and I’ve been wanting to try a B6 notebook.
Kaweco Glow-in-the-Dark DIY Sport. I took the opportunity to build my own! We’ll be hosting the Kaweco DIY machine in the shop in October, as well as at the On the Paper Trail Live Event later that weekend (October 16-18).

My 2026 DC Pen Show Purchases arrayed on a table. — My personal DC Pen Show Haul

My DC Pen Show Haul (For the Shop) and a Note of appreciation to everyone who stopped by!

I love going to DC because it presents a great opportunity to visit with makers in person and to see new products up close. This time I was able to snag a handful of the Galen x Nock Co. Leather Sinclair cases, and generally restock some of our Galen Leather pen cases. I also picked up a restock of the Laurett's Ebonite Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils, and placed orders for many more finds that will show up later in the summer or early fall.

Galen Leather Cases from the 2026 DC Pen Show — I love the Cognac leather Sinclairs. Get them while they last!

Finally - a note of appreciation to everyone who stopped by the table to shop and offer kind words on the site and our growing podcast! It was heartening to see that this project resonates with so many people and we are looking forward to hosting our own event in October in Nashville!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

OnionBrand A5 Notebooks Distressed Finishes — We introduced two new finishes of the OnionBrand Leather A5 Notebook Covers: Distressed Chestnut Reserve and Distressed Polished Saddle, for those who prefer a more matte finish and leather with character!

Next week is the D.C. Pen Show, and while I’ll be sharing table space with our friends at Vanness Pens, as we do every year, I’ll also be downstairs in the pen lounge hanging out and teaching, including my usual class on notebook systems. By “notebook system”, I’m referring to an organizational system that uses a cover to hold multiple notebooks, refills, and/or other accessories designed to work in combination. Brands that most people are familiar with include TRAVELER’S Company, Plotter, Roterfaden, Lochby, and others.

Typically when I teach this class I walk through the major types of systems and how each one works, along with some personal examples about how I’ve used different options over the years. Discussions can range from cover materials to bindings to refill sizes. I bring samples to pass around the room, and if you’ve been considering a specific brand, it’s a good way to get some hands-on experience before you make what can be an expensive purchase.

A Selection of Roterfaden, TRAVELER'S Company, Hobonichi, and Plotters on Joe's Desk — A few different brands that I may have on hand in D.C.

For those who can’t attend the class/seminar in person, please do check out the informational resources on Notebook Systems that we maintain on the site. As my own understanding of these systems evolves, and my own use changes, I also like to periodically offer my own thoughts and recommendations on how to get started. For 2026, here’s what I typically advise when people come to see me at a show or in the shop:

Practicality over aesthetics. Choose a system based on your actual needs, not what you think your needs should be (or what social media tells you your needs should be). For me, there are lots of systems out there that I think look really cool, but which don’t align with how I work and organize information. The best notebook system is the one you will use, and that you won’t struggle with incorporating into your everyday life.
Start slowly. Pick the one system you think will work best for you, and use it for a while to see if there are any holes in your workflow or organization. Add accessories as you need them, which helps to control costs. Try to avoid buying multiple new systems at once and testing them at the same time, as this prevents you from diving deep enough to understand how each system works.
That said, don’t be afraid to eventually use more than one system. I personally use a combination of different notebook systems, because I’ve found that each fits better in a different area of my life. The key is to be intentional about how you add things.
Universal sizing is almost always better than proprietary. Beware of companies that try to sell you an expensive cover where the only refill that fits is the notebook that company sells. If that company goes out of business, or you discover you don’t like the paper, you end up having to make your own refills or start over. Check measurements carefully and if at all possible choose standard A5 or B6 sizes or the slim equivalents of the same. Height is more important than width, especially with bound refills, because a notebook can usually be trimmed down to a narrower width, but cutting a notebook across the binding to make it shorter can cause it to fall apart.
It doesn’t have to “look pretty.” My notebooks are not Instagram or Tiktok-ready, which is why you don’t see me post pictures of them all that often. If you enjoy doodling or decorating the margins and headers, by all means do that, but don’t feel intimidated into not trying a specific system because “I could never make look like so-and-so.” (Take it from someone who has followed the stationery influencer world behind the scenes for a very long time - many of those notebooks you see displayed on social media accounts never actually get used beyond layouts for social media posts.)