The Hamburg pen fair took place on 3 October 2004 in a hall next to the Museum der Arbeit (Museum of Work); a flea market was running in front of the hall at the same time. Trading began early; by about half past eight most of the tables had been set up and the first transactions concluded. Towards ten o'clock the hall filled up additionally with visitors from the flea market.
Almost exclusively old writing instruments were in demand. Newer models from the preceding years, by contrast, sold sluggishly or not at all, although the prices asked corresponded to the level then current on Ebay or were even below it. The reason lay in the structure of the buyers: the collectors were looking above all for older pieces, whereas the flea market visitors were happy to try out new fountain pens but bought none. Anyone offering newer series-production goods at a fair must therefore expect low turnover even with prices in line with the market.