On a recent visit to Florence, Italy, a friend and I stumbled upon the most adorable stationery shop while escaping the April showers one evening. "Signum" stood in bold letters above the door, and the large glass windows promised to contain a wealth of everything paper. We spent over an hour in the tiny shop, rifling through large printed sheets, flipping through innumerous notebooks and albums, uncapping pens, and enjoying the sensuous feel of ever-so-slightly textured pages beneath our fingertips. By the time we left, my friend had purchased a small sampling of the shop's wares, including a lovely memento of our trip for me, a small leather journal. Deciding which journal to select had been no arduous task, giving me a perfect excuse to finger and hold, open and breath, small notebook after small notebook. They came in several sizes and with many different designs, from Leonardo DaVinci's sketches to antique maps of Florence. But I surprised myself by selecting a richly floral design, gilt vying with fanciful greens, blues, and oranges for most brilliant vibrance. The notebook has since become the repository for all my thoughts and memories of our whirlwind tour of Italy, recording gelato in Venice, the terror of climbing Il Duomo in Florence, walking the underground Roman streets of Trento, and the hilarity of toilet haps and mishaps. It is a treasured reliquary not only for its contents, but for the intricate beauty of its exterior, a fine piece of workmanship.
Manufacturer: Signum Firenze
Product: Quaderni (Journal/Notebook/Guestbook) with blank pages, leather bound, and printed in Florentine floral design.
Purchase date: April 26, 2015
Purchase location: Borgo dei Greci, 40/r, Firenze
Online Retail Value: 42 Euros
Dimensions: 17.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 3.2 cm
Review:
This journal is fantastic. I have one requirement for journals, and that is that they are actually easy to write in. This requires a flexible spine and a size large enough for comfortable writing, but small enough for easy transport. This journal fits that description well. The leather keeps the hardback firm but the spine supple, allowing the journal to open flat (though it will only stay open flat if held open). The watermarked pages are a beautiful cream color and take normal ink well with no bleeding, allowing writing on both sides. I have already filled a sixth of its pages, writing either at a desk or sitting in bed with the journal propped on my knees. It is pure delight to both the eyes and the hand!
Pros:
Beautiful details, high-quality construction, long-lasting leather, good size.
Cons:
I'm concerned about the longevity of the paper cover with normal wear and tear, so I'm treating it with utmost care. The pages are not lined (there were lined options, but the lines were spaced so far apart and I like to maximize use of space with my small handwriting).
Manufacturer: Signum Firenze
Product: Quaderni (Journal/Notebook/Guestbook) with blank pages, leather bound, and printed in Florentine floral design.
Purchase date: April 26, 2015
Purchase location: Borgo dei Greci, 40/r, Firenze
Online Retail Value: 42 Euros
Dimensions: 17.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 3.2 cm
Review:
This journal is fantastic. I have one requirement for journals, and that is that they are actually easy to write in. This requires a flexible spine and a size large enough for comfortable writing, but small enough for easy transport. This journal fits that description well. The leather keeps the hardback firm but the spine supple, allowing the journal to open flat (though it will only stay open flat if held open). The watermarked pages are a beautiful cream color and take normal ink well with no bleeding, allowing writing on both sides. I have already filled a sixth of its pages, writing either at a desk or sitting in bed with the journal propped on my knees. It is pure delight to both the eyes and the hand!
Pros:
Beautiful details, high-quality construction, long-lasting leather, good size.
Cons:
I'm concerned about the longevity of the paper cover with normal wear and tear, so I'm treating it with utmost care. The pages are not lined (there were lined options, but the lines were spaced so far apart and I like to maximize use of space with my small handwriting).
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| The beautiful floral cover papers are on both front and back |
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| The leather is supple and smooth |
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| The end papers are Signum's signature olive/forest green with a stamped logo |
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| Stamp detail |
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