Thursday Drops: Life Airmail and Typewriting Paper, HMM Restock

Life’s “Airmail” paper - so named due to its resemblance to the thin onionskin originally used to send vintage airmail correspondence - is one of the harder products to keep in stock. It tends to take time to get from Japan, and letter writing enthusiasts snap it up. Hopefully this time we got the order right! There’s also a fresh shipment of Typewriter Paper, Stenographer’s Notebooks, and HMM mugs and ballpoints. Happy shopping!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

1. Life Airmail Paper and Envelopes. Want to send someone a handwritten letter on nostalgia-inducing onionskin paper? This ultralight paper is fountain pen friendly and unlike anything else you’ll find on the market. Corresponding red and blue “airmail” envelopes are also available.

2. Life Typewriting Paper. The other popular entry in what I call Life’s “vintage” series is the Typewriting Paper, similar to paper originally designed specifically for typewriters. It handles ink well, and despite being thin is very strong.

3. Life Stenographer’s Notebooks. Available in both Gregg (classic steno) and grid/graph rulings, these vintage-style stenographer’s notebooks remind me of what I used to swipe out of my Dad’s office supply closet when I was a kid and would visit his office on the weekend.

4. HMM Dodecagonal Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils. These matte pens and pencils have a unique, comfortable shape. Available in matte black, raw aluminum, and matte black-and-brass finishes.

5. HMM “Muggr” Coffee Mugs. It’s surprising to think that coffee accessories would be a big hit among the stationery crowd. (Not really surprising at all, actually.) If coffee and tea aren’t your thing, these beautiful ceramic mugs are great pen cups!

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Thursday Drops and New Arrivals: What, Pens AND Coffee?

Back when I decided to open a small retail shop alongside the T.G.S. informational content, a primary goal was to pull together seemingly disparate product categories that, at second glance, have more in common than one might think. Reading Accessories were a logical starting point, but plenty more opportunities have presented themselves, especially when Taiwan-based HMM popped up at NY Now this year. A company that focuses entirely on stationery and coffee? Now you have my attention.

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HMM’s compact (and sharp!) Exacto scissors

We carry several HMM products, including their dodecagonal ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils, extremely sharp "Exacto" compact scissors, and, yes, a small selection of their coffee accessories. Enjoy your stationery while staying caffeinated! (If coffee and tea aren’t your thing, these also make gorgeous ceramic pen cups.)

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

1. HMM “Mugr” Ceramic Mugs. Combining Japanese ceramic with wood, Mugr comes in two finishes: Cloud (light grey with a lot of tone variation), and Charc. The latter imitates the look and feel of cast iron. There is also an option to add a matching dripper in the Charc finish.

2. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter. Say that again? You’ve probably seen our announcement that we’re now retailers of this versatile German notebook system, which isn’t so much a system as a portfolio capable of holding standard-size notebooks that you may or may not already be using. Check out yesterday’s YouTube video showing how I’ve set up my own Roterfadens!

3. TWSBI ECO Indigo Blue + Bronze Fountain Pen. TWSBI absolutely killed it with their latest ECO release. The dark indigo is a perfect complement to the bronze-toned trim.

4. TWSBI ECO-T Jade + Rose Gold Fountain Pen. We received additional stock of last year’s late holiday release, which was a jade ECO-T paired with rose gold trim. I love seeing TWSBI expand their rose gold models!

5. Nakabayashi Notebooks and Paper. As we’ve brought Roterfaden on board, we’ve also received inquiries about compatible notebooks/refills. The A5 Nakabayashi thread-bound notebooks in any of the paper sizes are one great option.

6. Laconic Tokyo Notebooks. For those in search of a more compact carry, Laconic’s slim A5 notebooks come in a range of different layouts, from Calendar options to To Do lists to even more specialized frameworks such as life tracking and Gantt charts. (The popular Laconic notebook covers are also back in stock.)

7. Midori MD Light Notebooks. These slim notebooks feature Midori MD Paper in a more compact layout - perfect for Roterfaden, Lochby, and other clip and cord-based systems. Of course you can also use the standard MD Paper Notebooks, but for those who like separate notebooks for different subject matters, these are excellent.

8. Midori MD Light 70th Anniversary Set. We still have remaining stock of these special notebooks that Midori released for their benchmark anniversary this year, which feature matching grid ruling and thread bindings in different colors.

9. Clairefontaine Triomphe Notebooks. Triomphe writing pads have long been a favorite among fountain pen enthusiasts, particularly those who enjoy writing letters. The excellent paper is now available in both white and ivory, in an A5 notebook format.

10. Stalogy Notebooks. Lightweight paper that still allows ink to dry quickly makes these a favorite for many office workers and lefties. Stalogy notebooks are set up so that you can use them as either an undated planner or a standard notebook.

Interested in how I’ve set up my own Roterfadens (including what notebooks I use)? Check out yesterday’s YouTube demonstration!

Curated Shop Spotlight: 5 Questions About Roterfaden

The big announcement from this past week is that T.G.S. is now an authorized retailer of Roterfaden, which represents a big step for our shop! With Roterfaden, TGS now offers directly most of my favorite notebook systems that I’ve used and enjoyed for years, and each brand that we add furthers our mission of bringing you tools that are not only well-made but truly useful items that you can incorporate into your everyday analog life. Given that Roterfaden is less well-known to our (primarily) US readership than other companies, I thought it might be helpful to answer some of the more frequent questions I’ve received over the past few days.

1. What Does “Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter” mean? “Roterfaden” is the company name, which translates to “Red Thread” in German. Roterfaden notebooks use red thread on the binding, which is a signature design touch, and many of their standard organizers incorporate red accents such as elastic bands and pen loops. “Taschenbegleiter” is the product name of Roterfaden’s signature binder, which translates to “Pocket Companion”, though I have also seen “Bag Companion” used.

2. Do I Need to Purchase Proprietary Refills? Absolutely not. I’ve personally owned multiple Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters over the years, and until recently I’ve never used an actual Roterfaden notebook. As it turns out, Roterfaden notebooks are nice, with multiple different rulings and a lie-flat binding, but they are NOT required to use the Taschenbegleiter system.

3. Are the Roterfaden Clips Difficult to Use? The most unique aspect of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter is it’s clip-based binding that holds notebooks/refills inside the organizer. Most Taschenbegleiters come with two or three clips, which lift easily with a fingertip and are hinged so that they close smoothly. This system works well, and also allows you to swap out notebooks quickly. It goes without saying that the only limitation is thickness. If you want to use your Taschenbegleiter to carry a particularly thick notebook, you may not be able to fit multiple full-sized refills. In this case, you can use the extra clips as bookmarks, or to hold slimmer refills or folded papers, receipts, or even a file folder (which is how I have set up my A4).

4. What Size Notebooks Fit the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter? The current lineup of Taschenbegleiters includes A6, A5, and A4. In the past, Roterfaden has made B6 and Personal (Traveler’s) sized organizers as well, with periodic special releases. We carry a wide range of notebooks that will fit Roterfaden products as long as they match one of the general sizes currently available.

5. Can You Pair a Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter with Other Notebook/Organizational Systems? Yes, and in fact I’ve done this for years. The beauty of the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter is that it’s not necessarily a stand-alone notebook “system,” but rather a portfolio for organizing your individual notebooks. Not only can you use the notebooks/paper of your choice, but this also allows you to pair a Taschenbegleiter organizer with more structured systems such as Plotter. For example, I’ve experimented with carrying multiple Plotter notebooks and refill pads inside the Taschenbegleiter (shown above). During the day, as I’m working, I can take notes directly in the Plotter pads, and if I want to retain the notes for later reference or organize them for further work I simply remove them and save them in the relevant Plotter (or Plotter-compatible) binder.

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I know that a few of the Taschenbegleiters have sold out, and we will be restocking as soon as possible. We do still have stock of all sizes, A6 through A4, but if there is something specific you are looking for, please reach out and I can special order it for you with the next restock.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Roterfaden.

Special Announcement: T.G.S. and Roterfaden!

After a few months of keeping this one to myself, I’m excited to finally be able to announce that The Gentleman Stationer is now an official retailer of Roterfaden products! I’ve long used the Taschenbegleiter organizer/notebook cover/portfolio to hold my personal journals, and enjoy this versatile organizer system that combines unique design with sustainable, handmade craftsmanship. The beauty of Roterfaden’s “system” is that it’s not really a system: the covers/portfolios allow you to use pretty much any notebook you choose as long as it’s close to a standard size (A6, A5, A4, etc.).

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While we have an initial shipment of covers and Roterfaden refills currently in stock, we plan to grow our selection and will have more color options in the future. All Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters qualify for free shipping.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all products sold, including Roterfaden.

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Honey Suede interior of the Taschenbegleiter LB_23

Thursday Drops and New Arrivals: TWSBI Indigo Blue + Bronze, Pocket Pens, and Mnemosyne!

After some Fedex delays, I’m happy to report that we have our initial shipment of TWSBI ECO Indigo Blue + Bronze fountain pens in stock now. Currently we have medium, broad, and 1.1mm nib sizes available, but will restock shortly. We are received additional stock of the Diamond Mini AL Grape, which was a hit at the San Francisco Pen Show but sadly sold out on Friday except for a single stub. Finally, we have more Laconic Tokyo notebooks with the cover options, as well as Midori MD A4 Notebooks and the Maruman Mnemosyne A4 spiral notebooks. Happy Shopping!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

1. TWSBI ECO Indigo Blue + Bronze Fountain Pen. I love that TWSBI is getting more creative with their color combinations, and have expanded into different trim like the Rose Gold and, now, Bronze!

2. TWSBI Diamond Mini AL Grape Fountain Pen. I set out to the change the trend of exhibitors not showcasing the TWSBI Diamond Mini at pen shows, and it turns out that a lot of you agreed that it was a good idea. It was fun to have people seek out my table “looking for the purple Mini.”

3. TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR in Navy Blue. We received a few more of this classic Diamond 580 fountain pen, in the popular EF-M nib sizes.

4. Laconic Tokyo “Style” Notebook Covers. When I discovered Laconic Tokyo back in January at NY Now, I had a sneaking suspicion that readers would love this hyper-specialized notebook line that allows you to customize your planner/journal/notebook with nearly a dozen different refill layouts. Laconic sells a series of slim PVC covers that holds two refills.

5. Laconic Style A5 Notebooks. You don’t need the Laconic-specific cover to enjoy the Laconic refill system! These standard A5 refills fit covers from Lochby, Roterfaden, Midori, and more.

6. Maruman Mnemosyne A4 Spiral Bound Notebooks. With their perforated pages and versatile layouts, Maruman Mnemosyne notebooks are among our favorite everyday writing options. We recently received a large shipment of A4 sized notebooks in all the various rulings.

7. Midori MD A4 Notebooks. Large-format notebooks offer a versatile canvas for your writing, art, and more, and Midori’s large A4 notebook features excellent MD Paper. If you enjoy the MD Cotton Paper, the “F3” size is close to A4 dimensions and fits most A4-sized covers.

8. Midori MD Multi-Year Diaries. It’s time to order planners and journals for 2024! Why not pick up one that you can start with immediately and keep on using for three to ten years?

9. Traveler’s Company Standard Traveler’s Notebook in Olive Green. The latest notebook release from Traveler’s Company is back in stock, along with the matching pen holder and specialty papers including Traveler’s Company Sticker Release, Lightweight, and Accordion Paper Refills for Traveler’s Notebook.

10. Lochby Venture Pouch. Navy Blue and Brown Venture Pouches are back in stock. You all cleaned us out in DC and San Francisco!

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By request, I’ve left the “InCoWriMo” section in the Curated Paper shop, where we collect letter-writing supplies.