@elisabeth
- I don't know what Micheal's seminar on Sat afternoon 330-430 will be about. I need to ask the guys. That is open to all.
- Deborah Basel will also be giving 2 tuition seminars; a shorter 2 hr American Cursive (Sat 130-330), and a 2 hr italic (Sun 11-1). Both are $40, paid at the registration desk. I think there is a 20 seat limit on both of her classes.
- All other seminars are open to all.
A problem is that the seminars are still moving. They have added seminars, such as Deborah Basel's, and moved others around.
I will talk to the guys about getting an up to date seminar schedule up on the web site.
The current seminar schedule will be posted in the show lobby. I know that does not help those planning what day to go.
@cryptos
Yes there are dealers buying from other dealers. I've seen that in many other hobby shows that I've gone to.
To me, the term "trader" seems to apply to "serious" pen folks who want first crack at what the dealers are selling. So if you were seriously looking for a particular pen or pens, you would buy a trader pass, so you got to check the dealers out on Friday, before the general public who enter on Sat/Sun. Heck if you were serious, you would be there when the door open, because the guy in front of you might be looking for the same pen you are looking for. It's the old saying "early bird gets the worm."
Traders can also bring their own pens to trade/sell with others. Last year the traders could use a half table that wasn't occupied by a vendor, on Friday. Or trade/sell on one of the round trading tables.
Some traders are selling entire collections of pens. And these pens may just be in a briefcase or pen case, and shown to just a few other people, who would buy entire collections.
Other hobbies have similar arrangements. In my bird hobby, the local bird shows have an extra charge, 1 hour early admission. And when I was looking for certain birds to breed, I would buy the early admission, cuz I wanted first crack at the birds to get what I want. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes not. But for me as a breeder, I really did not want to see someone else leave with the bird that I wanted. And like pens, some of the birds are in limited supply.
But for a new pen person, I would recommend the weekend general public days, and skip the trader day.
Then next year, they can decide if they want to "go for it" and do the trader bit.