Leather notebooks.

[noremedy]

Hi guys,

 

I am looking for a leather notebook enclosure similar to the one below:

 

http://www.stylebop.com/grafic/products/115248_a.jpg

 

However, this one is A5 and I am looking for an A4 one. They must be of good quality, but not exceed the £100 mark.

 

I would be grateful if you could provide links to potential sites where I can purchase one.

 

Regards,

 

Ben

Edited April 18, 2010 by noremedy

[mrphyig]

I'd love to hear about this too.

[Lorna Reed]

I can't help as I've been looking for exactly the same thing and have not been successful, although I spent a long time searching. I wanted one as a leaving present for someone. Had to get an A5 one in the end. If you are more successful than me, can you let us know. :bonk:

[noremedy]

Hetty,

 

The private messaging service isn't working and thus I shall reply to your PM here.

 

I have found no notebooks as yet, but will let you know if I come across any.

 

 

Regards,

 

Ben

[noremedy]

I found this one:

 

Way out of my price range, but none the less:

 

http://www.wheelersluxurygifts.com/shop/item/0/3057/?utm_source=google-base&utm_medium=google-base&utm_campaign=google-base

 

Nice looking Mont Blanc one.

[Bipedallou]

I will check in on this thread from time to time because I would be very interested in getting one myself, provided the price would be within my budget of course. I trust that, if they are made, they will be found. I am not at all familiar with the size designations A4, A5. I have a number of letter writing pads 6 x 9, Staples bagasse notebooks size 6 x 91/2, and bagasse loose-leaf paper 81/2 x 11 (bagasse is excellent paper for fountain pen use). I also use 5 x 8 narrow lined note pads in my Bible protective carrying case, (again a Staples product designated as M pads which work very well with fountain pens). I'll have to see what I can find out about the measurements of the A4 and A5 notebooks.

 

Happy hunting on finding the leather cased notebooks. I would be more interested in one that was refillable rather than one that would be a one time use journal style.

 

Lou

 

 

 

[noremedy]

A4 (210 mm x 297 mm) or 8.27" x 11.7"

 

A5 (148mm x 210mm) or 5.8" x 8.3"

 

Likewise, a refillable one would be much more appealing.

Edited April 19, 2010 by noremedy

[Bipedallou]

Did a quick search and thought this might be of interest, called a Globe Trotter A4 Leather Notebook. Here's the web link address to WH Smith: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=31615761#

Thanks noremedy for the size conversions.

 

Lou

 

 

[noremedy]

Thank's for that link - I also spotted it in a quick google shopping page. I really do like the look of the Mont Blanc one, but approx. £250 is a nice new Montegrappa pen! I'm not sure I can justify that amount as a young student, and therefore may well trial the quality of the Globe Trotter

 

Ben

[Skitch]

Best of luck to you all - this is a tough search...luckily you're in the right place, FPN is the best

 

I recently went through this myself so I'll share my findings. This is my final selection list below. Disclaimer - I did not purchase any of these nor do I own any of them. This is my order of preference, solely based on my own research.

 

Lucrin

Lucrin offers several A4 leather covers, I encourage you to check out the rest of their site.

 

1. Lucrin A4 documents case

 

http://www.lucrin.us/images/articles/1391/generiques/vignettes/800-800_img_1773.jpg

 

• $150
  
• Left hand side interior: one large vertical pocket for documents (21x31 cm), another flat pocket of 16x21 cm
  
• Outside: one pocket for credit card and/or business card (11x5 m)
  
• Inside: one pocket to introduce an A4 format notepad
  
• Loop for pen in spine
  

 

Levenger

NOTE - Levenger has a great following and a nice website; all of their products have several customer reviews which speaks well of the company. Levenger paper however, has received numerous poor reviews for use with fountain pens; these can be read on their paper product reviews.

 

1. Levenger Notabilia Notebook with Leather Cover

 

http://www.levimage.com/IMAGE/PRODUCTS/PERSONAL_ACCESSOR/MISC_PERSONAL_ACCESSOR/AL9030_0208_CSW_SA.jpg

 

• $99
  
• Includes one Notabilia notebook
  
• 140 pages of substantial 60-lb. text stock
  
• 1/4-inch ruled
  
• Sewn together rather than glued
  
• Smooth surface takes ink beautifully, including fountain pen ink, and doesn’t bleed through
  
• Smooth, supple full-grain leather cover
  
• 8 1/4W x 1 1/4D x 10 5/8H
  

 

2. Levenger Tyler Folio

 

http://www.levimage.com/IMAGE/PRODUCTS/PERSONAL_ACCESSOR/FOLIOS_PADHOLDERS/AL8775_S6_FY_0508.jpg

 

• $129
  
• 2 compartments for loose papers or files
  
• 2 pockets for 3 x 5 cards
  
• 10"W x 1 "D x 12 3/8"H
  
• Comes with a Levenger note pad
  
• Smooth, full grain leather with matching top stitching.
  
• Pen sleeve
  
• ID Window
  

 

3. Levenger Circa Leather Foldover Notebook

 

http://www.levimage.com/IMAGE/PRODUCTS/PAPER/CIRCA/AL8390_1609_S11.jpg

 

• $99
  
• Junior and letter sizes come with 60 ruled sheets and have pockets for loose pages and 3 x 5 cards plus a pen loop
  
• Smooth, full-grain leather
  
• Letter, 9 1/4W x 1/2D x 11 1/2H
  
• Drawback - Must use Levenger paper, see warning above.
  

 

4. Circa Zip Folio

 

http://www.levimage.com/IMAGE/PRODUCTS/PAPER/CIRCA/AL8535_0408_RD.jpg

 

• $119
  
• Letter size can accommodate your iPad, Kindle, Nook or other electronic reader
  
• Pockets for business cards, loose papers and 3 x 5 cards
  
• ID window
  
• Smooth, full-grain leather
  
• Letter, 10W x 1D x 13H
  
• Drawback - Must use Levenger paper, see warning above.
  

 

Hope this helps,

 

Scott

Edited April 19, 2010 by Skitch

[Skitch]

And your A4 pad w loop from Lucrin:

 

A4 portfolio with loop

 

http://www.lucrin.us/images/articles/1311/generiques/vignettes/480-269_img_9897.jpg

 

• $179
  
• A4 format with a loop closure, made in full grain leather.
  
• One large pocket with gusset for papers (180x300x30 mm)
  
• 3 pockets for credit and/or business cards (90x55 mm)
  
• One pen holder in the middle
  
• One compartment for note pad A4 format
  

[Joe in Seattle]

Renaissance Art makes nice leather covers for Moleskine and other size notebooks as a "to order" item. I'm very pleased with mine.

[noremedy]

Skitch,

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing.

 

I found this http://www.johnlewis.com/230751941/Product.aspx - looks very nice.

 

 

Edit: Joe, thanks for the link, will take a good look at them, but form a glance they seem to ornate and medieval for me.

 

Ben.

Edited April 19, 2010 by noremedy

[geoduc]

Best of luck to you all - this is a tough search...luckily you're in the right place, FPN is the best

 

I recently went through this myself so I'll share my findings. This is my final selection list below. Disclaimer - I did not purchase any of these nor do I own any of them. This is my order of preference, solely based on my own research.

 

Lucrin

Lucrin offers several A4 leather covers, I encourage you to check out the rest of their site.

 

1. Lucrin A4 documents case

 

http://www.lucrin.us/images/articles/1391/generiques/vignettes/800-800_img_1773.jpg

 

• $150
  
• Left hand side interior: one large vertical pocket for documents (21x31 cm), another flat pocket of 16x21 cm
  
• Outside: one pocket for credit card and/or business card (11x5 m)
  
• Inside: one pocket to introduce an A4 format notepad
  
• Loop for pen in spine
  

 

Thanks, Scott! I've been looking for a leather A5 pad holder and the Lucrin site has a number of nice choices in both A4 and A5 size. Time to give my wife some not so subtle hints for a future gift idea.

[Skitch]

lol my pleasure geoduc! I prefer the A5 as well.

 

Wow, those John Lewis and Renaissance Art covers are nice!

 

Renaissance Art:

http://www.renaissance-art.com/Images/Products/RARR_5_prod.jpg

Edited April 20, 2010 by Skitch

[noremedy]

I think I will be putting one of those Lucrin files on a gift list also.

 

Thanks,

 

Ben

Edited April 20, 2010 by noremedy

[Skitch]

More cool covers in this thread.

 

Oberon - $135. Cool and Different

 

 

Saddleback - $140. Real nice leather. This notebook holds both top bound or side bound A4 pads!

 

http://www.saddlebackleather.com//system/uploads/assets/New%20Product%20Images%20Batch%202/_v/NH-MD-DCB%20closed%20Leather%20Notepad%20Holder,%20Portoflio,%20Padfolio%20large%20file.jpg/large.jpg?1270220564http://www.saddlebackleather.com//system/uploads/assets/New%20Product%20Images%20Batch%202/_v/NH-MD-DCB%20side%20spiral%20Leather%20Notepad%20Holder,%20Portoflio,%20Padfolio%201000.jpg/large.jpg?1270220565http://www.saddlebackleather.com//system/uploads/assets/New%20Product%20Images%20Batch%202/_v/NH-MD-DCB%20side%20spiral%20Leather%20Notepad%20Holder,%20Portoflio,%20Padfolio%201000.jpg/large.jpg?1270220565

[bogiesan]

Umm, sorry to butt in, I don't pretend to know the Euro sizes for notebooks. I think the conventional Moleskine pocket form factor is an A6.

 

My favorite leather unit wraps my Moleskine. Full disclosure, the proprietor is a friend of mine and I produced his video:

 

gfellerscasemakers.com

 

 

Notebook Covers hand built using our signature English Kip leather are functional protection offered in a range of popular sizes. These products are a natural extension of our line of Geoscience related field equipment items. We design and build leather goods to protect and or assist with the use of many tools. The popularity of these notebook covers is a testament to the need for them and the fact that we “got it right” when we designed them and chose the right leather for them. Each is stamped with a serial number as a measure of identification and further adds to the uniqueness of every cover. We are pleased and humbled by the reviews that these covers have received in numerous blogs, online comments and customer testimonies. If you have not already done so, we suggest that you spend a few minutes learning about the process by which we hand build these covers…You Tube Video… Many thanks to Dave Bogie for this work.

 

david boise ID

[thecla]

I think the conventional Moleskine pocket form factor is an A6.

 

It's not.

Pocket size Moleskine is 9 x 14 cm and A6 is 10,5 x 14,8 cm. So the Moleskine is a bit smaller and also the height to width ratio is different, height/width=1,55 on Moleskine and 1,41 (square root of 2) on A6.

[Ipno Tizer]

If you want this to cover a wiro notebook, I think 've seen something similar in Staples stores in the UK. I can't remember what they are called but you can recognise them by their magnetic closures which are fasioned like buckles. I think they might be faux leather though rather than natural leather. They are usually displayed with the paper and come ready fitted with a notebook.

 

Chris B.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Ipno Tizer