Recap: The 2021 Washington, D.C. Pen Show

How do we properly describe our weekend at the D.C. Pen Supershow? Fun? Exciting? Memorable? It’s too had to pick just one word, so we will go with D: All of the Above.

Earlier this month, we were thrilled to back at one of our favorite shows to set up our booth and see many of our old friends and customers again. The old adage about riding a bike definitely applies for us at this year’s show: after such a long absence, everything seemed to fall easily back into place for us and so many others.

Much of that we owe to the organizers of the show. Somehow, between the size of the show, the additional safety measures, and the high expectations of those in attendance, they made it a breeze, both as an attendee and as a vendor. Thank you!

But there was something else in the air, too. After the year we have all had due to COVID-19, there felt like there was a bit of electricity in this year’s event. Whether it was more laughter, more engagement, or more conversation, there was an undeniable buzz for both the attendees – and for us!

This year, Kenro had a lot to introduce to attendees. First, being able to introduce newcomers to some of our newer brands, including Pininfarina, YStudio, and Otto Hutt. Not only that, but Montegrappa and Aurora have launched some beautiful new products since the last time we saw many of you that we showcased at our booth. 

Kenro’s own brand, Esterbrook, had quite a showing this year, too! We launched our first seasonal collection for the Esterbrook JR, the Paradise Collection, in person. The bright colors of this collection weren’t the only thing catching everyone’s eye; we had commissioned our friend Matthew Morse (@heymatthew) to create custom Paradise pins and t-shirts to celebrate this launch. You can purchase these items on our site, while supplies last.

Not only were we in the booth, we were fortunate enough to produce three in-person Storytellers interviews during our time at the show. We shared a lot of laughs, enthusiasm, and behind-the-scenes facts from some of our favorite brand collaborators. If you were not able to attend any of these sessions virtually, you can watch them now following the links below:

Vanessa Langton’s interview can be found here.
Pen Boy Roy’s interview can be found here.
Matthew Morse of Hey Matthew’s interview can be found here

We want to give a heartfelt, “Thank you,” to all of those who attended the show and stopped by our booth. We’re happy to be back to doing what we love: seeing our friends and making new connections along the way. We’re already packing our bags for San Francisco later this month and we hope to see you there.

We appreciate the continued support of Kenro and we are excited at the new products we’ll soon launch among our brands. Watch this space – you won’t want to miss a thing.

Storytellers Live at the DC Pen Show!

We’re thrilled to be bringing OUR show to the DC Fountain Pen Supershow!

Our Storytellers series will broadcast episodes six-eight live on Friday, Saturday and Sunday directly to you from the show.

Join our host, Katy Klassman @ayearincolor, live on @esterbrook_official as we welcome:

Vanessa Langton @vanessalangton, @PenBoyRoy, and Matthew Morse @heymatthew to tell their stories.

We’ll talk all things art history with Vanessa, attempt to get Pen Boy Roy to tell us his real name and mysterious backstory, and delve deep into Matthew’s unique graphic design sensibility.

These special sessions will air:

Friday 11AM with Vanessa

Saturday 11AM with Roy

Sunday at 11AM with Matthew

Also, if you’re at the show, we’d love to have you be part of our live studio audience.

Email Esterbrook at: info@esterbrookpens.com to claim one of the twenty spots we’ll have for each episode.

We can’t wait for you to meet these three exceptional Storytellers, live from DC!


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

Ana of The Well Appointed Desk reviews the Esterbrook Estie Maraschino Fountain Pen

Ana of The Well Appointed Desk reviews the Esterbrook Estie Maraschino Fountain Pen

“Wowsa! This material is GORGEOUS! It is a beautiful crushed ice red ranging in color from a deep reddish-burgundy to a pinky-almost-white. Of course, I had to mix a drink with this pen and YES, I speared a maraschino cherry with the nib. There is no length I will not go for a good photo. Pen flush will definitely be needed. I do recommend using Luxardo cherries in your cocktails….”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

Forbes – Esterbrook JR: A Blast From The Past For Contemporary Tastes by Nancy Olsen

Esterbrook JR: A Blast From The Past For Contemporary Tastes by Nancy Olsen

“The ergonomic gripping section insures optimal writing comfort, and the threaded cap is another notable feature. The cap crown is decorated with an eternity symbol, no doubt in a nod to Esterbrook’s lasting popularity among collectors and contemporary pen fans as well. The cap band is a well-chosen accent, and it is decorated with a laser engraving of the Esterbrook logo. The fountain pen is conveniently filled by cartridge or convertor…”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

Gentleman Stationer Reviews the Esterbrook JR in Tuxedo Black

Gentleman Stationer Reviews the Esterbrook JR in Tuxedo Black

“While I’ve only had the pen for a week, what I’ve seen so far leads me to believe that the JR will be widely viewed as a success. As with all “heritage” releases – which is how I generally refer to products such as pens and watches that draw inspiration from a vintage product without copying it exactly – the JR borrows from those aspects of the original “J” that translate best into a modern fountain pen, and dispenses with others that, well, wouldn’t work so well today. I’ll briefly run through the similarities and differences…”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

The Penblotter reviews the Esterbrook Estie OS Sparkle Garnet with The Journaler Nib by Gena Salorino

Esterbrook Estie OS Sparkle Garnet with The Journaler Nib by Gena Salorino

“From the very first moment I saw a promotional photo of this pen, I knew I wanted it. I knew I had to have it in my collection. Stunning, there is no better word to describe what I saw in that photo. I own a few vintage Esterbrooks and had thought for some time about buying a modern one, but that photo made my decision for me. It was then that my excitement grew even more when I also learned it would be available with the Journaler nib, a collaboration with Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studio…”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

Ana of The Well Appointed Desk Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen

Ana of The Well Appointed Desk Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen

“The dangers in undertaking a project like this is that it will never be the same nor should it be. The point of recreating a pen like the J is to make a pen that looks just a classic but might not suffer from being 60+ year old fragile plastic, require fiddly lever-filling or be quite as small as the original since the modern pen user might prefer a larger pen…”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

UK Fountain Pens reviews The Esterbrook J reborn

UK Fountain Pens reviews The Esterbrook J reborn

“Unlike the rounded Estie, the JR has nearly flat ends: the end of the barrel is topped with a metal coin, and there’s an inset coin in the end of the cap that’s been engraved with a cloverleaf-style symbol, filled with black. It’s not quite like the stepped ends of the original J, but again it’s a more traditional look. There’s a thick metal band around the cap that’s laser-engraved with the Esterbrook name in its cursive typeface, and a narrower metal band breaking up the barrel…”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

Bertram’s reviews the Esterbrook Navy NOOK Collection

Bertram’s reviews the Esterbrook Navy NOOK Collection

“As for the aesthetics, the Esterbrook Nook Navy Pen Case is a wonderfully deep shade of Navy Blue.  I like the contrasting red stitching around the borders.  Also, the inner lining is simplistic in design.  It’s mainly red (matching the stitching), with the Esterbrook Eternity symbol…”

Read the full article HERE


Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

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