Scriptus Plans 2019
It’s that time of year again! Fall, school, ramping up into the holidays, new releases—and Scriptus!
The Toronto Pen Show, Scriptus, is taking place this Sunday, October 27th at the Toronto Reference Library, at Yonge and Bloor. As always, admission is free, but you can support the show by participating in the raffle. The show accepts donations of prizes, and you can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a prize of your choosing. This year we’ve donated an Edison Pearlette in Sonoran Sunset.
We’ve got plans! Big plans.
We will be bringing lots of things, including Franklin-Christoph prototypes, a re-stock of our Franklin-Christoph 45s, Edison pens, Ferris Wheel Press inks, Rhodia, and a few surprises! Mostly everything will be discounted except for a few brands like Franklin-Christoph or Edison, and prices will be marked at the tables. Stock up for the year ahead, early Christmas presents, or just browse and dream.
In previous years we’ve had these folded up cards sealed with wax that you can break open to see if you’ve won a prize. It’s a relatively time intensive prep to melt all the wax seals, so this year, the most exciting part of our big plans, spearheaded by yours truly, was this brilliant idea to purchase these gold scratch off stickers from Amazon. To no one’s surprise it’s turning out to be a near-disaster,* so despite having our cards printed with the bold declaration of “SCRATCH & WIN,” there is a good chance of it being something more like PEEL WASHI TAPE & WIN or potentially DRAW BLINDLY FROM A BAG & WIN. Such are the hard knocks of life for a shop keeper who does not plan ahead for contingencies.
In any case you have (really) excellent chances of winning a free sample or other treats with a purchase of any amount from our table during Scriptus. You can also take this card with you to our Main Shop at 52 Clinton, which will be open its regular Sunday hours (11-6), and receive 5% off purchases of $50 or 10% off purchases of $100, valid only on the day of the show, Sunday, October 27th, 2019.
We will also have a show stamp (thanks, Josh!). If you’re bringing your Traveler’s Notebook or journal, please stop by our table and you can stamp with our show stamp along with collecting some of our regular pen show things like buttons and a Scriptus postcards. Every year we have balloons, and every year we lose one or more or all of them to the ceiling. We shall see if we will be throwing more money to the wind this year (probably), so please be on the lookout for our balloons either affixed to our tables or bobbling along the ceiling above our tables.
To everyone’s great shock and disappointment, Crestar Pilot Pens will not be attending the show this year, but Do Not Despair: we at Wonder Pens are prepared to take up the mantle of free ink and for any purchases of Pilot products totalling over $150, you will receive a set of three 15 mL bottles of Iroshizuku ink to take home with you, while supplies last. Abundant thanks to the Crestar for this initiative, and for all they’ve done for our pen community in Canada over the years. We will have plenty of Pilot products at our tables this year, so if you’ve been thinking about a Vanishing Point, come by and say hello.
But really, just come and say hello! We will be out in full force, minus Chicken, and we couldn’t be more excited for the big day. All the things that are currently helter-skelter in our warehouse are going to be packed up into boxes and put onto glorious display.
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This show has been a very special part of the Toronto pen community for several years now, and every year we’re both frantic/manic and extremely proud to play our small part. I’ve lived in Toronto for just over a decade, having moved here after graduating from teacher’s college and getting my first job at the TDSB. A decade! It has flown by. And while I sometimes feel like still a relatively new transplant to Toronto, this city and our fellow local businesses and this incredible pen community have fostered a place where a small shop like ours could grow, and “we” (i.e. the show organizers Philip/Lisa/Priscilla) can offer free admission and welcome people from all stages of their pen journey.
Without a doubt, it’s one of the most encouraging events of the year for a small, family business like ours, when we get to meet and shake hands with and hug people from across Canada, some of whom have been following along with us since we were doing local pick-ups at Carlton and Parliament (pre-906 Dundas West days), some to whom we sold their first pen, and some of whom we see every other week. Plus, I can’t wait to see what beautiful pens you’ve all picked up.
For more photos and details of past shows:
Scriptus 2018
Scriptus 2017
Scriptus 2016
Scriptus 2015
*In my defence, the photo on Amazon literally had someone’s fingernail cleanly scratching these off like a lotto ticket. We have tried keys, coins, TWSBI wrenches and praying. No dice.