Perhaps I am spoilt at home (the UK). High street stationers still carry a good range of papers for letter writing, and I usually buy something like Basildon Bond or (if feeling particularly extravagant) Crown Mill.

But I'm in the USA for a few weeks, and a good, smooth writing paper seems impossible to find. I looked online but Basildon Bond doesn't seem to be marketed here at all. I tried ordering a brand I hadn't heard of from the internet, but the paper is so textured that my usually smooth fountain pens do not write on it at all well.

So my questions are:

What is a brand of plain, unfussy, smooth writing paper that I can order online with confidence?

Where is a good place to order from? (I'm staying in Va if that makes a difference)

Best wishes,

N

Anything not made in America.

I'll never understand it but American companies seem to have no concept of what makes "good" paper, IMO.

The best I can suggest is to look at Pendemonium for starters and you'll get an idea of what is available in the US (via Exacompta importers) in the way of decent FP-friendly stationery. Other companies sell these papers as well, Pendemonium has sort of narrowed the field on what is truly FP friendly and once you see what they have you can search for competitive pricing if need be. For the most part* Pendemonium's prices are in keeping with other sellers.

G. Lalo Verge de France, a heavy, laid stationery, is available from Vickery for a very good price.
http://www.vickerey.com/

Depending on where you are in the States, you might try

http://www.katespaperie.com/store/productView.php

or

http://www.oblationpapers.com/

Kate's ships; I don't believe Oblations has their full line of writing paper on line, and I'm not certain they ship (Portland, OR).

or

Papers on Amherst in Albuquerque (NM) has wonderful papers; no website, however, but would take orders on the phone.

or if you are in or near New England, you might try Brattleboro VT and check out

http://www.dragonflydrygoods.com/

No affiliation to any of these shops, I have however bought good quality paper at all of these in my own travels.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your stay and find what you are looking for here in the States.

Zoe

If there is an Office Depot nearby, there is the old standby HP 32 lb duplicating paper. OD also usually carries some Crane stationery, at least the ones near me in Texas.

If there is a Container Store nearby, I discovered last week they sell Rhodia and Clairefontaine notebooks and pads, and probably some stationery also, but I wasn't looking that far into it.

Donnie

This may help:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=63942

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=68887

If you go to papyrusonline.com, there is a store locator, which may find a store near where you are staying. There are stores in a couple of malls not far from where I live, so I suspect there will be several near where you are staying. There are many cities in Virginia in the locator.

Donnie

www.pendemonium.com

www.swisherpens.com (this one is in Virginia Beach, Va.)

I've had good products from American Stationery, but it never seems to be mentioned on this site.

<http://www.americanstationery.com/>

I usually use Pendemonium for Clairefontaine, but The Daily Planner has the widest selection that I've found for all kinds of notebooks, etc. They do take a while to ship, so that may be an issue for you.

I don't know how close to Washington, D.C., you are, but I would think that there would be a number of stationery shops there. At least Fahrney's catalog carries Crane, and they have stores in that area. Might be worth a look.