We just had a great time getting to know each other and talking about pens, inks and everything else. At one point, I looked around and was struck, in a happy way, about all of us having such a fun time, geeking out about Pelikans. I do not get this with my regular friends.
I brought just a few pens. These six, plus two others.
Since everyone who sees this case asks, I’ll mention briefly that it’s a Kaweco Traveller Case, which I’m going to be reviewing. It’s a leather case, nice-looking, and compact, but with room for at least six standard-size pens.
I left the Hub with my Pelikan M205 blue demonstrator filled with Edelstein Tanzanite, which is the blue-black ink that you can see in the next photo.
Pelikan was very generous, and provided the Edelstein inks for us to use, which our Hub Master put into sample pens. But every attendee also got to take home a pad of paper, a pen sleeve and, for me, the best of all, a bottle of the 2016 Ink of the Year, Pelikan Edelstein Aquamarine.
I think we were all thrilled. I hadn’t tried Aquamarine before, and I put mine into a Pelikan M200 with a gold medium nib stubbed by Richard Binder.
I think the Aquamarine is a nice color, and, candidly, I’m pleasantly surprised by that. Blue-green is not a colorway I tend to like.
On the pen front, we all admired everyone else’s pens. There were Pelikans of every type, vintage and modern, to pass around, as well as some pens from other brands.
This was my first Hub, and I loved it. Our Chicago host did a great job, and we all had fun. Pelikan hosts these Hubs all over the world, and with locals organizing each, it’s personal for each city. But the common thread is how nice it is to meet up with other fountain pen enthusiasts. I have talked to friends who went to Hubs in other cities, and everyone I know had a great time. In fact, my fellow blogger Nadine went to the Munich Hub, and posted a piece on their Hub here.
And I’d like to thank Pelikan — it’s got to be a lot of work, and a substantial investment, to organize these, and to give away so many bottles of inks and pads of paper and such. I know it’s promotional, but I think it’s a nice gesture, because it goes directly to Pelikan customers. I already can’t wait for next year’s Hub. They are always on September 16.
Fountain Pen Follies 
I have several mentions of these Pelikan hubs and would certainly like to attend one. There aren’t many fount pen enthusiasts in the circles I roam with. It sounds like you had a great time, Laura.
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Great post, thank you for sharing.
And thanks for the great pictures. I think it’s an awesome idea to put all the Edelstein inks into pens to try out. It sounds like your Hub master did a wonderful job.
I really like the idea that Pelikan brings us all together for these little events, and that they go out of their way to present us with this wonderful ink as well. I’m glad you had fun, too. 🙂
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Sounds like an amazing time! I hope a Hub comes to my locale some day.
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