Writing Paper
 

Home
Up

What's NEW

on the site!

d

d

d

Click on the link above to vote for me!

d

dThe paper you choose is vital. If your personal stationery will be used for hand-written correspondence, you should choose a high grade of writing paper. The higher the "rag" content, the higher the quality and the more expensive the paper. This is not as critical if you write with a rollerball or ball point, except for your own sense of satisfaction at handling high-quality paper and for the impression good paper makes on others.

If, however, you write with a fountain pen, a high-grade paper is vital. The longer fibers and precise, high-quality sizing will make your pen glide over the surface as if you were skimming over air. And a nice, heavy paper simply feels luxurious.

dExacompta was founded in Paris in 1928 as a printing and binding works to produce accounting ledgers. This was at a time when accounting was done by hand. Exacompta manufactured accounting ledgers of exceptional quality. These books were finely bound, with thick paper. The special qualities of Exacompta products are present today in the look and feel of the paper and covers. These qualities underly a French philosophy that even simple, basic tools should be pleasing to use and of good quality.

Exacompta has grown to be one of the two leading office supply companies in France. It is well known for its hand-finished appointment books and address books, file management systems and other office products.

dLocated in the Vosges region of France, Clairefontaine was established on the site of a 16th century paper mill. The Clairefontaine mill has been making paper since 1858 and stationery products since 1890. The company is best known for being the first school stationery manufacturer in France.

The fine quality of Clairefontaine notebooks has been appreciated by generations of French students. Clairefontaine notebooks contain the finest paper bound for everyday use. They are sewn with linen thread and feature cloth spines. People love them for the quality of the paper, and the enjoyment of writing they experience when they use them. Clairefontaine stamps all of its products with its 'water pourer' triangle logo.

In addition to notebooks, Clairefontaine produce pads, stationery, craft papers, sketchbooks and fine art papers. The fine art papers are manufactured in its Schut mill in the Netherlands.

dThe French orange pad with a cult following. These pads are a favourite of scientists, artists, designers and people who like to use graph paper for notes, sketching and hand drafting. The bright orange covers are scored near the top to fold neatly behind the pad while writing.

The company making Rhodia pads was founded in the city of Lyon by Henri Verilhac in 1920. His younger brother Robert joined him soon after. The company was named 'Papeteries VERILHAC Freres'. Rhodia was a trademark used for most of the products and especially the pads.  The Rhodia name derives from the Rhone in Lyon. It is said the two trees were a symbol of the two brothers. The company was eventually moved to Sechilienne near Grenoble in the French Alps. The orange colour for the pads was a standard colour for this type of board at this time. It has been kept unchanged and became famous.

Rhodia pads were designed to be easy to use: fold around cover and a hard board backing. The pad was considered as a professional tool, so high quality was essential: good quality paper and coated board. When Rhodia was first manufactured, its price was far above existing pads. However, consumers have always been ready to pay for its extra quality and quirky personality.

dThe Parisian social stationery manufacturer since 1919, G. Lalo provides the royal courts of Europe with handcrafted stationery. Two aspects of G. Lalo stationery contribute to its fame, the quality of its papers, and the elegance of its presentation. A paper is selected and allowed to bear G. Lalo's exclusive watermark only after exacting examination of its texture, weight, finish and colour. As G. Lalo is produced by skilled craftsmen in small quantities, only a limited amount is offered for sale each year.

Georges Lalo - Biography

Georges Lalo came to Paris as a young man, and was hired by a company specializing in printing and stamping. He caught the attention of his employers for his taste and creativity. He worked hard, and attended drawing and sketching classes at night. Lalo was rapidly promoted and became art director in 1908.

During World War I, he decided he wanted to found his own company. Shortly after he was discharged from the military, he rented a modest place and bought second hand stamping machinery. G. Lalo was founded in Paris in 1919 and has remained there ever since.

The foundation of the company in the heart of Paris was important to Georges Lalo. Paris is a city of fashion, and the starting point for many trends and styles in various fields. G. Lalo is also situated near the finer Parisian stationers and department stores. This group is among the core of his earliest clients, and remains so to this day.

Georges Lalo embodied the company he founded. He had a thorough knowledge of paper, and a real artistic sense and talent. As G. Lalo grew, he hired people who became the real strength of the company, bringing with them specific knowledge and savoir-faire. What is unique about G. Lalo is its ability to do traditional things wonderfully but also to innovate. They make beautiful papers for handwriting, and also for laser jet printers. The company's paper making expertise is now applied to both classic and modern stationery.

dBasildon Bond is Britain's premier and most distinguished personal stationery brand and was named after the village some of the directors were staying in while deciding whether to introduce it in 1911.

Basildon Bond became Britain's best selling writing paper in 1929. One of the reasons for it's early success was the Mail Boom in the first half of the 19th century. Manufactured today by craftsmen to the same exacting standards, Basildon Bond speaks volumes about the letter writer.

Letter writing has been part of our heritage for centuries and handmade paper was first produced in 1490. It was, however, in 1798, that a Frenchman called Nicholas Louis Robert invented a method of making paper by machine and a few years later John Dickinson, founder of the company which now produces the well-known Basildon Bond writing paper, perfected a second machine and as such an era of writing materials was born.

Although Basildon Bond is perhaps Dickinson's best known brand, it was not originally produced by his own company. It was originated by the firm of Millington and Sons which was founded in the reign of George IV.

In the summer of 1911 Millington’s was considering the introduction of a new rag writing paper and some of the directors of the company were staying at a country house in a little Thamesside village near Goring.

The name of the village was Basildon, and that was the name given to the paper. In 1918 John Dickinson and Co purchased the share capital of Millington and Sons Ltd and the Millington chairman Henry Godfrey became the chairman of both companies.

The two companies continued to trade independently until 1932 when the final amalgamation took place.

d

Sunday August 08, 2004 17:52 +0200