Hard Leather Journal

[Poetman]

I've been searching for a hardcover unlined (faux) leather journal, with dimensions around 6.5X4.5 or 7X5, for sometime and have been unsuccessful. I would like to spend under $25 and am hoping some of you might have suggestions beyond Staples and Barnes and Noble's limitations. I've been using this (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-bombay-brown-leather-journal-with-tie-6-x-85/26458846)

Bombay journal from BN, which is wonderful, but I am looking for something a bit smaller and with a hardcover. Any recommendations? Thanks!

Edited June 17, 2015 by Poetman

[FountainPenBibliophile]

I've been searching for a hardcover unlined (faux) leather journal, with dimensions around 6.5X4.5 or 7X5, for sometime and have been unsuccessful. I would like to spend under $25 and am hoping some of you might have suggestions beyond Staples and Barnes and Noble's limitations. I've been using this (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-bombay-brown-leather-journal-with-tie-6-x-85/26458846)

Bombay journal from BN, which is wonderful, but I am looking for something a bit smaller and with a hardcover. Any recommendations? Thanks!

 

Hi Poetman,

 

The only option I was able to find that matched your criteria was the QUO VADIS HABANA - 4 X 6.375:

 

http://www.vickerey.com/pqu115-quo-vadis-habana-small-ruled-journal-red.html

 

I know the description in the link reads red but that particular journal comes in 3 different colors (black, anis green and red).

 

I have ordered from the company numerous times with no issues whatsoever, no affiliation....

 

HTH

 

FPB

[Poetman]

I used to use a sketchbook like this: http://www.krekelsverf.nl/images/schetsblokken/artbook-5567.jpg

The size and paper quality were fine, but I wanted a nicer looking cover. This is nice also, but it's lined:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-marble-metallic-brown-italian-leather-trim-journal/12917612?ean=9780641834455

 

Google populated this, but its too expensive and seems to be part of some cinema subculture that affects the price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Indiana-Jones-Blank-Grail-Diary/271903736141?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31478%26meid%3D9a626f0923474ed6a03c556e2614e921%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D271903736141

[FountainPenBibliophile]

See Post Below

Edited June 17, 2015 by FountainPenBibliophile

[FountainPenBibliophile]

I used to use a sketchbook like this: http://www.krekelsverf.nl/images/schetsblokken/artbook-5567.jpg

The size and paper quality were fine, but I wanted a nicer looking cover. This is nice also, but it's lined:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-marble-metallic-brown-italian-leather-trim-journal/12917612?ean=9780641834455

 

Google populated this, but its too expensive and seems to be part of some cinema subculture that affects the price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Indiana-Jones-Blank-Grail-Diary/271903736141?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31478%26meid%3D9a626f0923474ed6a03c556e2614e921%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D271903736141

My apologies! I misread your post. You requested unlined. The Quo Vadis does come unlined as well. Have you looked at Paperblank and Peter Pauper Press notebooks? They are hardcover and have some pretty fancy designs at a reasonable price.

 

http://www.peterpauper.com/

https://www.lovenotebooks.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=33

[Poetman]

Are my criteria untenable? Any other suggestions?

[my63]

I don't know if these are available in your location their paper is pretty fountain pen friendly this is from their sale section

 

http://www.nuco-direct.com/nu-elite-casebound-journal-a6---blue-825-p.asp

 

The size is A6 105 mm x 148 mm which is 4 1/8 x 6 3/4 in.

[WC Lee]

The Fabriano Venezia come in 6 x 4, 9 x 6 or 12 x 9, Global Art makes a 5.5 x 5.5 sketchbook and the 8.5 x 5.5 Stillman & Birn Epsilon that might be of interest. These I can say will work well with fountain pens, only problem is they don't have faux leather covers..

 

The Art Alternative Pen & Ink sketchbooks are decent though not 100% fountain pen friendly but they do have a cover similar to Moleskine.

 

Markings by CR Gibson and Piccadilly also make blank notebooks but 5.5 x 3.5 or 8.5 x 5.5, like the Art Alternative one, they aren't 100% fountain pen friendly, but better than the Moleskine.

 

I would also like to suggest the Quo Vadis Habana but I have never seen one with blank pages smaller than 6 x 9, but then I really haven't tried to either ....

[inkstainedruth]

Markings by CR Gibson and Piccadilly also make blank notebooks but 5.5 x 3.5 or 8.5 x 5.5, like the Art Alternative one, they aren't 100% fountain pen friendly, but better than the Moleskine.

I used to get the larger capacity Markings ones. But I never found unlined page ones. And they seem to have stopped making them in favor of ones that have thinner paper.

I'm finding I really like the ones made by Miquelrius, but they aren't hardcover. And they never seem to have anything but the lined pages ones on their website. But I went ahead and bought six of the 300 page ones just to have a good supply (the 200 page one I picked up on a whim when I was in Boston over Christmas lasted me for approximately 5 months at writing 3 pages a day -- the 300 page one should last me most of the rest of the year... ). For me, capacity is almost more important than whether the pages are lined or not -- while I would have preferred unlined, I just cram two lines of writing into the space of of one....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[WC Lee]

I used to get the larger capacity Markings ones. But I never found unlined page ones. And they seem to have stopped making them in favor of ones that have thinner paper.

I'm finding I really like the ones made by Miquelrius, but they aren't hardcover. And they never seem to have anything but the lined pages ones on their website. But I went ahead and bought six of the 300 page ones just to have a good supply (the 200 page one I picked up on a whim when I was in Boston over Christmas lasted me for approximately 5 months at writing 3 pages a day -- the 300 page one should last me most of the rest of the year... ). For me, capacity is almost more important than whether the pages are lined or not -- while I would have preferred unlined, I just cram two lines of writing into the space of of one....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

The lined Markings and Picadilly journals are easy to find but any other offerings are very rare and hard to find, even online. But then, I don't really use them for anything that I want to keep, they are just for quick notes that basically becomes useless after a couple of days so it doesn't matter if they are lined, graph, or blank. For permanence, there are much better options.

 

The Miquel Rius 300 page notebooks are much too thick, I prefer to write in nice thin notebooks/journals, but I do have 3 of them not sure what I am going to do with them.

 

Oh, Gallery Leather makes a 8 x 5.5 blank journal too, not too expensive but not sure how well the paper will handle fountain pen ink.

Edited June 19, 2015 by WC Lee

[Poetman]

I'm looking for a cover/binding like this:

 

[FountainPenBibliophile]

I'm looking for a cover/binding like this:

 

This is quite literally the only book that I can find that is close to what you're looking for:

 

http://m.vickerey.com/pqu349-quo-vadis-habana-journal-black.html

 

There are only 160 pages but they're under $25, blank, leatherette, and 4 x 6.

 

HTH

FPB

[WC Lee]

I'm looking for a cover/binding like this:

 

 

Finally found one that is close to what you are looking for (actually was looking for a nice sketchbook for myself)

a 7 x 5 sketchbook from Trekell, it has 120 pages, smyth sewn binding, has an imitation leather cover, and cost $10

 

too bad it only has 60lb paper or I would get some myself.

Edited June 22, 2015 by WC Lee

[kazoolaw]

Here is a search result for "leather and 'blank pages'" at the Jenni Bick site-

 

http://search.store.yahoo.net/jennibick02568/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=jennibick02568&x=0&y=0&query=leather+and+%22blank+pages%22#_ga=1.130158028.252341043.1434996947

 

Good luck,

 

gary

[Poetman]

After some digging, I figured out this image is actually a replica of the Indiana Jones diary. I do not need the elastic attached to the journal. I am more interested in locating an unlined journal with this kind of cover. I don't want a Moleskine style journal.

[Millefleurs]

I'm looking for a cover/binding like this:

 

 

This one is way over your price range, so I hesitate to even mention it, but I've been looking for something very much like the one in this photo and so far this is what I've found that comes closest:

 

http://design-y.near-mint.com/lprecord.html

 

So yes, it's pricey. And I've hesitated on pulling the trigger and buying it myself (I'm still reading reviews, and so far everything I've read has been very favorable). But, at 600 pages, it's going to last me a long time. So I'll probably wind up getting it.

 

I realize this probably doesn't help, but I thought it might be useful anyway - to you or someone else looking for a hard leather journal.

 

Edited to add: There's also this smaller (216 pages) version: http://design-y.near-mint.com/order/cart.html#!/Record-216-Model-216-Leather-bound-notebook/p/2037203/category=0

 

About $30, not including shipping.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Millefleurs

[Joe in Seattle]

Levanger makes a nice leather Stanley journal. It's pricey, but once you have purchased the cover refills are two for $22. The paper is very fountain pen friendly, also.

[kazoolaw]

I am more interested in locating an unlined journal with this kind of cover.

 

 

Given the number of suggestions made and rejected, and your desire for a journal which is pre-aged (note the wear on the flat surface and the edges of the journal you've selected) I suggest you look for a custom made journal which exactly meets your design criteria.

Edited June 27, 2015 by gary

[Poetman]

I don't need an aged looking journal. All I want is similar dimensions with a similiar leather cover (minus the moleskine elastic)

[FountainPenBibliophile]

I don't need an aged looking journal. All I want is similar dimensions with a similiar leather cover (minus the moleskine elastic)

 

These look to be of a leatherette type of cover:

 

http://www.dickblick.com/products/proart-hardbound-sketchbooks/

 

No elastic....looks nothing like a Moleskine to me....Big bonus only $2.77 for a 4"x6"!

 

More links:

 

http://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-basic-sketchbooks/

http://www.dickblick.com/products/cachet-classic-black-cover-sketchbook/

 

The design-y mint books would be perfect for you but they are quite pricey. Other than sketchbooks, I am hard pressed to find a blank book with a nicer leather/leatherette type of cover and nice library style binding.

 

FPB

Edited June 27, 2015 by FountainPenBibliophile