Can Anyone Help Identify This Paperchase Notebook?

[pellgarlic]

Hi, I've really enjoyed scouring these forums for information and opinions on all things calligraphic =) Thank you to all who contribute here - it's a huge help for newcomers like me =) Reading about other's experiences led me to acquire a new Lamy Safari fountain pen with a "Fine" nib (in "charcoal"), which I'm loving.

 

It takes the place of a Parker Frontier which I received as a present a few years ago, but never got along with - I looked it out recently as I took a notion to start using it, but I still don't really get along with it. I got some new Parker Quink cartridges to try the Frontier out again, and although at first it wrote fairly smoothly, after a couple of days it seems to "skip" a bit... See "samples" photo attached later.

 

It may just be that it sat unused for so long, without having been cleaned out. I flushed it as thoroughly as I could (held it under a running cold tap until my fingers went numb... =P), and it seemed to work pretty well the first day, but not the next day. Also, it's got a medium nib, and I find it writes just a bit too wide for my liking anyway, and getting a replacement "fine" nib was approaching the same as the cost of the Lamy Safari (which gets a fair few positive mentions here) with a fine nib, so I opted for that instead - any excuse for a new toy =P

 

 

So, to my actual question:

 

A few years ago, I received as a present from my wonderful girlfriend an understated-looking but nice Paperchase notebook. Knowing nothing about notebooks, papers, inks etc at the time (and not that much more at present to be honest...), I appreciated it on a surface level, but didn't consider it in detail (paper quality etc). I actually never really got around to writing much in it (used to write tons in my late teens and early twenties, other things occupied my attention for a long time, but I'm coming back round to it now in my mid-thirties).

 

So, I've been trying to identify the notebook just out of curiosity, so I can find out what kind of paper it has in it (I've read that some Paperchase notebooks have "Miquelrius" paper in them...) and the general perception of its quality. Unfortunately, she can't remember where she bought it, although it was somewhere in the UK, either a Waterstones in Scotland (where we live) or possibly at a shop in one of the UK airports. It's 15x11x2 cm, has a fairly stiff black leather (or leather-effect synthetic material, can't quite tell) cover, a curved (as opposed to square) spine, and a black ribbon page-marker that extends about 5 cm below the bottom of the page (shown in photo 1). It has 160 blank (non-lined) pages (320 "sides") bound in 10 x 16-page (32 "side") sections (don't know what the technical name for that is...) with one black thicker "page" at the start and end (shown in photo 2). It has the "Paperchase" logo embossed on the back at the base (shown in photo 3), and no other text or image on the cover or pages at all.

 

 

My own personal perception (from my limited experience - only bog-standard cheap "office" ring-bound notepads, and moleskines packet notebooks - the one with elastic round it) of it is that it's quite good - I'll attach a photo of a sample of a couple of pens on it. I find the Lamy Safari writes on it very smoothly, with a nice amount of "tactile feedback", giving a pleasing line, with no feathering, and no "echo"/"bleed-through" (less common with a fine nib anyway, as I understand)(shown in photos 4 and 5). The pages feel ever-so-slightly thicker than those in my current EDC Moleskine "pocket plain notebook" (I couldn't venture to hazard a guess at the actual "weight"), and a shade or two whiter (almost pure white - comparison shown in photo 6).

 

Whether anyone can identify this notebook or not, I'm really pleased I waited this long to use it, so I can really appreciate it =) Not having tried any "Clairefontaine" paper (which seems to be generally highly regarded around these forums, if not by everyone), I may not have the full picture, but for now I'm really happy =).

 

Paperchase cover:

 

Paperchase "Black" page:

 

Paperchase embossed logo on back:

 

Paperchase ink tests (front):

 

Paperchase ink tests (back):

 

Paperchase and Moleskine comparison:

Edited January 20, 2012 by pellgarlic

[hardyb]

Look through these:

http://www.paperchase.co.uk/stationery/notebooks/icat/snotebooks/?esp_filter_pdxtcolour=black&esp_pg=1

 

or contact them, about six heading down the page there is a place to email them directly:

 

http://www.paperchase.co.uk/help/contact-us/page/contact/

Edited January 20, 2012 by hardyb

[pellgarlic]

thanks hardyb - i neglected to say in my first post that i had already looked over the paperchase website, and unfortunately couldn't see a match for the notebook i have. contacting them is a good idea though - i'll give that a go =)

[calamo]

It looks like a Miquelrius notebook, the Barcelona based company.

 

Take a look here

 

and

 

here

 

They add, meantine, an elastic band...

 

Just my 2 cents...

Edited January 23, 2012 by calamo

[pellgarlic]

thanks for your reply calamo, sorry i didn't notice it until now - i need to set up automated reply notifications =) i had emailed paperchase on hardyb's suggestion, and they have replied with this:

 

"The paper used for these notebook is 100g and is FSC accredited. This item has now been discontinued but we are pleased to inform you that the item you can see on the below link have the same paper: http://www.paperchase.co.uk/invt/00479717/"

 

so it doesn't really settle the question of what brand of paper it uses... =P it seems nice enough paper, if a little "dry" when paired with my fine-nibbed Safari (the ink seems to run a little more smoothly in my moleskine, but it seems by most accounts, that moleskine paper quality is too variable for the cost), so i don't know if i'd run out and get the same book again anyway. it's well made, and the paper does seem good quality, and maybe if i were to use a different pen and/or ink it would "click", who knows... it'll keep getting used anyway. =)

 

when i do get a new notebook (which might be sooner than i really "need" to =P) it will most likely be either a rhodia or clairefontaine - been swotting up on all the fine details, comparisons and opinions on the numerous threads about those makes (i know they're owned/manufactured by the same parent company now, but that there are reported to be subtle differences in the "tooth"/"smoothness" of the paper in each) and it sounds like either one, or maybe both of them will be right up my street.

 

thanks for the replies anyway though =)