Has anyone ever tried the Piccadilly notebooks? I saw them in Borders for $3.99 for the pocket notebooks and $4.99 for the large ones. They look to be pretty much exact copies of Moleskines. I would have bought one just to check it out, but I was buying a book with a coupon and didn't want the coupon applied to the notebook. I would assume that they are cheap (Potty Mouth), but at that price I would pay to see. I may pick one up next time that I'm over there.

Rcannonp:
Your entry whetted my taste. Tried to find them on Borders web site. Went through dozens of pages of Journal and Notebook offerings, NO JOY. Found a Piccadilly web site with online store, but unable to sort out how to order them. No order, add to basket buttons. Next time you're in Borders could you copy down the barcode # and list it here or PM me. I'm hopeful with that I can order some, or maybe I could call your local Borders and have them ship me a couple. My local Borders has Moleskine and several other brands but Piccadilly gains me an Italian (no offense meant) salute. Thanks, Jim

I'll see what I can come up with next time I'm over there.

Rcannonp:

Fantastic. I really appreciate that. I got an Email from Piccadilly Paper (the Company), and apparently, they aren't currently set up to market their items on the net., " Maybe sometime in the future". So I'm grasping at straws to find a source. I appreciate your going to the trouble of doing that for me. Thanks, Jim

What's your fancy? Pocket or large? Ruled or plain?

Rcannonp:
I should have thought of that. Pocket, ruled, moleskine alter ego, is my druthers. Thanks, Jim

Here's the store info: Atlanta - Midtown - Borders - Books, Music and Movies

Here's the isbn # of the small, lined journals: 978-1-57133-522-4

I bought one of the large, plain notebooks. The fit and finish aren't on par with the Moleskine. The most noticeable thing is that there are a few ripples in the cover. I wasn't expecting much from the paper. In fact I was expecting it to totally suck. It's not worse than the Moleskine paper and may actually be better for writing. My EF nibs seem to come out closer to EF, unlike the Moleskine paper on which my EF nibs look like F nibs. It's not a drastic difference, but it's there. I've only written on a few pages, but the paper seems pretty consistent(unlike the Paper Blanks journal that I tried).

Rcannonp:
Thanks a million for doing the leg work for me. I'll try the net first and if not give them a call. The ISBN# should do the trick, it's a worldwide universal system. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HELPING ME OUT WITH THIS. Just another notebookaholic, Jim

Rcannonp:
Got 3 of the pocket journals on order, thanks to you. You should get a commission. I also ordered 2 of the 5 x 7 Journals, different format. Thanks again for all your help. Let me know if I can return the favor, Jim

It didn't occur to me at first because I've never bought a large Moleskine journal, but the large Piccadilly notebooks aren't the same size as the Moleskines. They are 7.25"x10". I knew that they were somehow different, but couldn't figure out exactly how. I think that the pocket journals are the same size.

Last week I grabbed one of the 5.5x8.5" lined Piccadilly journals at a Barnes & Noble. It seems like a good rugged, knockabout journal, especially for the price ($4.98 before member discount).

Front and back heavy/stiff, smooth cardboard covers in several colors.
Wire-O binding.
No pocket nor ribbon.

The paper has 26 light lines per page and about the same bleed-through and feathering as a Moleskine. But the paper is thicker, similar to the Red N' Black. Unlike the 'Skines, the paper is a bright white and shows an inks true colors, at least for the 20 or so inks that I tried in it.

ISBN #978-1-57133-446-6 (for the plain navy blue cover)

I don't know how this version compares with their Moleskine clones, but it seems okay for its type.

Bill

There's a great review of the pocket size Piccadilly today on Black Cover:

http://www.blackcover.net/

It sounds like their web site is up and running for placing online orders, and you can get a discount by using a code provided in the Black Cover reivew. Plus it says that they are available at all Borders stores.

One thing that intrigues me is that their large is about the size of a regular composition book, which to me is the ideal size for an everyday journal (their medium corresponds to Moleskine's large hardcover). I've always wished Moleskine made that larger size in their hard cover, but it looks like Piccadilly has beaten them to it.

I'm about halfway through the large Piccadilly notebook that I bought, and I've found that the back cover is separating from the block. I haven't been particularly rough with it. I guess that you get what you pay for. I do like the paper in it though.

I just picked up a large Piccadilly notebook. I really like it. Noodler's Standard Brown feathers a little bit, but in an unobtrusive, "warm" way, if that makes sense.

While not committed to one journal or another, and not a paid advocate for Moleskine, here are two sketchbooks I've used and traveled with for 3 years, and 17,000 miles. The only damage is a stretched cord on one of the two. Both have been used with fountain pen ink, drawing ink, one has many glued items in it, and watercolour drawings. They are now full up.

I have a few of these: one blank and several ruled. Their sizing is different: They go Small, Medium and Large. Moleskine seems to go Small, Large and Extra Large, but the sizes are close. They are a little thicker than Moleskine.

The paper seems to be at least as unpredictable as Moleskine.

Moleskine does not have something hardcover in their "Extra Large" size. That and the cheap price have made these more than worth it. The blank extra large size works with some ruling templates I have. The ruled versions have similar ruling to Moleskine: smaller than college.

I believe at their website, one can now order in bulk and get 20 percent off if you order more than 10.

I just picked up a few of the Large size off the Borders bargain rack for $4.99 each. It's like a large Moleskine on steroids! I don't think the paper is quite as smooth, but it's comparable (BTW, I'm not a fountain pen user, so that aspect of the paper isn't a consideration for me). Not white, as a post above indicates, but the off-white I associate with the Moleskine (maybe the pocket version uses white paper). The pocket is flimsier, but for the price, it's an amazing notebook.

I picked up some from Boarder's last week, two large and two small, one lined and one unlined. The total cost was less than I spent for my large Moleskine. I have just started using one large one for a political journal. So far it seems to have slightly better quality pare than my comparable moleskine. No bleed-through and no feathering. I am using a Pelikan M400 with a cursive italic nib and Visconti Blue ink. I am a lefty and no smearing, ink drying fast on the paper. I have attached a photo showing part of the second page. You cannot see the writing on the first page! Let's see how the journal holds up over the up-coming year. But so far a very good value!
PMS
Click to view attachment

Does anybody know if they're going to be available in the UK? They seem good value.

Ronin

Quick paper comment:
On the Notebook I tried with a Tibaldo Impero Diamine Prussian Blue there was clearly 'show through', but not bleed through.
I could easily see what was written on the reverse side of the page, although the ink itself did not bleed through.
I'll keep looking,
gary

I bought a 5" x 8" one a week or so ago at Borders for $5. It's fair, although the paper is a bit thin: I ruled a table of contents with a rollerball pen and it cut through the page on one of the pages. I refuse to buy Moleskines (calculate the paper cost per square meter and it's higher than anything else except those Field Notes, which are even more over-priced), so I can't compare.

I'll use this one up and see how the binding holds up. I'll probably make my next notebook, as I want to learn bookbinding and I've never really been satisfied with the paper in any journal I've used (well, there was one exception -- I had a superb lab notebook at a company I worked for in the 80's).