Edition 5: Stationery Unicorns
Impossible things for your desk
Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my new weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
Welcome to Stationery Week!
I’ve spent the better part of my adult life chasing the rarest of stationery products and am excited to apply my intel to your super specific requests. Let’s get into it!
Ronnie in Tel Aviv: “I am desperately looking for those cool Japanese pencil boxes from the 80s that came with popping up magnifying glasses, bubble animations and secret drawers. Some even had 2-3 layers to separate pencils from markers from rulers! Are any of these still alive?”
Dear Ronnie,
In short, YES! There are many vintage ones to be found on eBay, which will definitely be your best bet if you want all the bells and whistles. I also found lots that seem to be new stock, but they mostly come from websites that don’t ship outside of Asia (or Jordan in this case), or from Amazon (which I personally avoid). Hint: use the words “automatic” “push button” and “multi-function” when searching for these online and you just might find your unicorn! Next time you’re in NYC, check out Good Field Trading on Mott Street for a treasure trove of deadstock stationery items, including old pencil boxes from the 80s and 90s.
Meredith in Chicago: “A lined memo pad! I love the Craft Design Technology gridded pad and the clairefontaine triomphe, but I cannot find something with simple lines that's as good as these. Hoping for glue-bound and ~100+ gsm, around A5 size. Would like to pay less than $20 if poss, but would pay more for something with a bajillion pages.”
Dear Meredith,
I have two options for you! The first one that came to mind is the Levenger Freeleaf Full-Page Pad, which fits your budget, comes in a smaller size and has nice heavy paper. One of my pen pals has been writing to me exclusively on this paper for 5+ years and it just feels so nice. If you’re like me, though, you might find those lines to be a bit dark. Here’s a more delicate option from Strathmore, which comes in at less than $10, is glue-bound, 90 gsm and has 25% cotton content. I think this might just be your holy grail.
Danielle in NYC: “Perhaps this is a layup for you, but I'm looking for a good desktop pencil/pen/writing instrument holder. I have it all in a metal flowerpot now, and it is hectic. Rulers, markers, pencils, scissors, pens. I want something with distinct compartments and also large enough to hold my haul on the desk but not have a huge footprint. It has to be pleasing to look at. I'm not opposed to spinning things. Yes, I need it all on my desk, drawers are limited and these are things I use daily. Is this all too much to ask?”
Dear Danielle,
I would really love to know why this is such a difficult ask!? I have spend years trying to find the right desktop storage, because like you, I really want to be able to see and access everything easily. My perfect desktop organizer doesn’t exist, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some good options out there. When it comes to any sort of specific storage or organizational product, the first place I like to look is Yamazaki. They make the simplest, most functional things, including the world’s prettiest dish drying rack. I think you’ll like this organizer that has magnetic dividers, which can be put flat up against a wall. Since you’re open to something spinning, here’s one I’m considering buying for myself . Need more compartments? Get a few of these and set them up together. I’m not totally sure what your ideal aesthetic is, but if you’re open to bright colors, the Penrex Desk Organizer (pictured below) from the 1970s is seriously stylish. Penrex made many different models of desk organizer — a very fun Etsy rabbit hole to fall down.
Lindsay in Chicago: “I’ve written thousands of postcards to voters and am looking for pens that can be used on postcards without smearing, which has proven to be a challenge, especially since I’m left-handed.”
Dear Lindsay,
First, I have something to put out there to those who print, make and/or sell postcards: PLEASE STOP MAKING COATED POSTCARDS!! This makes me crazy and the unfortunate truth is that most postcards are printed on coated paper — and especially for lefties, this is a BIG problem. The go-to for many of my postcard-ing friends is just a good ol’ fine tip Sharpie. That’s a boring choice, though, and I think with a little experimenting you can find something better. The key here is that it has to be alcohol-based or oil-based to ensure smudge resistance and staying power. Try a Uni Pin Pen or the Zebra Mackee Marker Pen. If that’s still not working for you, a high quality ballpoint that does skip or leave ink globs will be your next best option.
Do you live in the NYC area? I hope you’ll join me next Saturday, April 23rd for an all-day letter writing social at the lovely letterpress studio of Tiny Bones Press! Learn more and RSVP here.
FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
As you must already know, because I’ve been telling everyone: I am STILL serving on a grand jury in New York as I write this. Not only that, but I, being who I am, volunteered to be the grand jury secretary, which is a job that entails of copying all of the info on the case slips into the minutes book, and stamping the date on each case page for any action taken. It gives me something to do, a reason to pay closer attention and I do really love using an adjustable date stamp for actual official business.
All of that said, one thing I’ve learned quickly is that the court house does NOT have good pens, and most of them don’t even work, so I bring my own. I need a reliable red pen, and a fine black pen for writing all of the info into the tiny spaces allotted. After digging through my relatively minimal collection and trying out a few options, these are the tools I’ve settled on:
Uni Jetstream Edge Pen - I first learned about this pen before its release in 2019 when I visited the Mitsu-bishi Uni HQ in Tokyo. It’s the FINEST BALLPOINT ON THE MARKET at a shocking 0.28mm (to compare - the smallest Muji pen is 0.38mm). The tip is microscopic, but it still writes smoothly without skipping (seriously!). It’s perfect for people with tiny handwriting, or for filling out paperwork. We sold a ton of these pens in the shop, and I really believe that every stationery shop should sell them!
Pentel B100 Red Pen - This is a cool one! It was the FIRST WATER-BASED PEN on the market when it was introduced in 1972. It’s a 0.8mm tip, and is so inky and juicy, just as you’d want for aggressively marking things in red. Better yet, they’re less than $2! I’m tempted to buy a box of these to give to the warden at the end of my term.
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next Friday for fresh recommendations! xo Caroline
Wow, this is full of gems!!!