The Collection

I like to write on paper, though in the knowledge that I will eventually need to transpose the paper writing to my laptop. But I like to write on paper. For myself. To that end, I’ve spent (literally and figuratively) the past month trying to source the ‘right’ notebook(s) and journal cover(s) for me. Here’s my summary of what I’ve bought (and what I already had). Hopefully I can now put this saga to bed because I’ve bored myself senseless of it. I’m not claiming to be a journal/notebook expert but it’s safe to say I know a fair bit more than I did a month ago.

Executive summary and spoiler: just buy Rhodia stuff and stay well away from Moleskine.

1. 1. A4 aubergine-dyed, full-grain leather soft cover journal from an unnamed French manufacturer, with lined Italian notebook. Loads of pages. I haven’t counted the number but I reckon it’s in excess of 300. And thick too. A birthday present from an ex. I don’t use the journal but can’t bring myself to chuck it as I know it wasn’t cheap (neither was she). Chucking her was easy though, emotional lunatic that she was/is.
   2. B5 Moleskine black hard cover notebook, blank pages. The paper is useless for any decent fountain pen as bleeding and ghosting is prominent. The Reddit r/fountainpens sub-forum people generally sneer at Moleskine products, though the company’s marketing and sales team must be brilliant at their job given their notebooks are up there with the industry leaders. They are, admittedly, lovely from an aesthetic perspective. Elastic closure ribbon and 1 bookmark. Inside back envelope pocket. 192 pages of tracing paper. No offence. Well, not much.
   3. B5 ‘Loch Blue’ leather journal cover from the a specialist leather artisan workshop in Liverpool, personalised. A simply beautiful piece of art. But that’s where it ends as all standard and mainstream B5 notebooks don’t fit. The scousers were trolling me. And I left them some brilliant feedback. My dislike of scousers continues. Obviously can’t throw it away as it was too expensive and too nice.
   4. The Hanshaws notebook that came with the scousers journal cover. Quite nice as it alternates lined pages with blank pages. But too small, so looks wrong in the journal cover, swamped by it. And you can’t buy refills. No idea why they bothered. Scousers…
   5. B5 Leuchtterm1917 navy softcover dotted pages notebook. Highly recommended within the r/fountainpens community (and me). 80gsm, fine for my fine-nibbed fountain pen. 123 pages. Doesn’t fit the scouser journal cover, obviously (see above). Elastic closure ribbon and 2 bookmarks. Inside back envelope pocket.
   6. B5 Rhodia Sapphire Blue softcover dotted pages notebook. Highly recommended with the r/fountainpens community (again), and me (again). My favourite notebook and paper (Clairefontaine, 90gsm) to write on. I’ve ordered another one of these (in ‘anise green’, no less) for my study lessons notes. 160 pages. As per, it doesn’t fit the scouser journal cover (see above, again). Elastic closure ribbon and 1 bookmark. Inside back envelope pocket. My go-to for blog post writing (not that I’ve got around to posting anything yet).
   7. A5 Moonster brown leather bound journal, with blank pages (non-refillable). Very nice to look at, very nice to write in but I don’t like the ‘bound’ bit – I’m not 14 years old. It just gets in the way. Will be passed on to a friend (foc, natch).
   8. A5 Travelers brown leather journal, with dotted pages inserts. Very nice to look at, very nice to write in but, and this is rather trivial in the grand scheme of things, unless it’s opened up you can’t tell whether it’s upside down (or otherwise). Easily remedied, admittedly, but still…
   9. A5 Etsy store navy leather bound journal, with dotted pages inserts, personalised. Very nice to look at, very nice to write in but I don’t like the ‘bound’ bit – not 14 years old, just gets in the way, etc. Groundhog Day, again.
   10. A5 Antony Olivier spare refill blank page notebooks. No idea if I’ll ever use them. No idea why I bought them. The official website doesn’t specify the gsm but the paper is thick and good for my fine-nibbed fountain pen. And has 200 pages, which is excellent.
   11. A5 Rhodia Silver softcover dotted pages notebook. Highly recommended with the r/fountainpens community.  My favourite notebook and paper (Clairefontaine, see above) to write on, as per with the B5 Rhodia (see above). 160 pages. Elastic closure ribbon and 1 bookmark. Inside back envelope pocket. This is my go-to for general note taking.

Additionally, I am awaiting delivery on an A5 Rhodia (specifically) Etsy Ukraine-store-chap navy leather (non-bound) journal cover. Should be here soon, unless the chap (and/or store) is taken out by a Russian missile. I hope he (and it) isn’t, of course.

One piece of negativity for Rhodia products, and I don’t think I’m the first to say this, is that no matter what colour your notebook is (and they do have a ridiculously large selection to choose from) is that, in the main, the ‘peripherals’ (elastic ribbons, bookmarks, inside front and back pages and even some of the pages before and after the main set of pages) are bright orange. Really bright. I get the history of orange with the company, etc but sometimes it feels like I’m writing on easyJet stationery. However, carrying one around town at night, in full view, will mean I get home without being hit by a bus. Probably.