The Munich fountain pen fair was held for the first time on Saturday, 10 July 2004, in the historic rooms of the Residenz. The organiser was Gerhard Baur, who had prepared the rooms together with his family: setting up tables, cutting tablecloths to size and providing proper lighting had continued into the night before the fair. 12 noon was announced as the official time of admission for visitors; in fact, people were let in earlier. On payment of the entrance fee, every visitor received a small bottle of Schreibmayr Königstinte ink as a welcome gift. Every vendor had a name plate standing on the table, so that trading partners from online dealing could also be identified in person.
The fair was internationally attended: besides German collectors, participants came from the Netherlands, Italy, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland and the USA. Many travelled in as early as the Friday and met in the evening at an inn to talk shop; others came in the morning and drove back again in the evening. The event was advertised with leaflets and a specially designed postcard, which were laid out in Munich stationery shops. From the outset the fair was not intended as a one-off event; a continuation was already planned.