PAPER REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER TOMOE RIVER NOTEBOOK

Tomoe River notebooks are omnipresent these days, offered by various brands in many different styles. With good reason of course, as everyone wants a piece of the Japanese wonder paper to get the absolute best out of their fountain pens! Turkish stationery and leather goods company, Galen Leather, jumped on the Tomoe River wagon quite a while ago with their collection of 'Everyday Books': a selection of thin softcover notebooks and notepads in various sizes. But also these stunning, leather-bound, full-sized journals...

The Galen Leather "Leather" notebook is possibly one of the most luxurious, best-looking Tomoe River notebook I've seen to this day (and I have my fair share of them!). Whereas most brands go for a more utilitarian approach with thin, textured plastic softcover designs, Galen plays their strength with a cover made from their signature 'Crazy Horse' leather! The leather ages gracefully and noticeably with use: bending the covers creates creases and scratches which highlight the color of the leather, adding a lot of character to your carry. 

While Japanese brands certainly know how to create a tight and clean binding, I think Galen does it just that little bit better (at least, going off of the two samples I was sent!). The binding with 25 small 'signatures' (8 pages bound together at a time) is almost identical to that of Japanese brands. It's very precisely stitched, yet feels a bit less tight perhaps. 

The notebook as a whole is very flexible...

...and lays flat perfectly!

The slightly more loose binding creates a spine that is more flexible and makes the notebook as a whole easier to lay flat or even fold over. I'm really impressed with the build quality of these notebooks. The corners are nicely rounded, the leather is trimmed cleanly,...

On the inside, you'll find 400 white pages of Tomoe River paper. That page count is slightly lower than with other brands (making for a notebook that's still considerably slim despite the leather cover), though arguably 400 pages is still an awful lot. Galen's notebooks are only available in blank, so there's no printing at all on the pages. Numbered pages would've been a nice-to-have perhaps, but it's a feature that's missing on most TR journals I've come across. 

The blank pages could be a dealbreaker for some, but Galen thought of that and made sure that you can still use their notebooks in a structured manner: buying a leather notebook gets you a rather complete package that includes two paper guide sheets with gridded and lined layouts. 

Also included: a leather blotter sheet and two guide sheets with grids and lines.

Especially with TR paper, guide sheets are easy enough to use, as the thin paper makes the grids easy to see. A leather blotter sheet is also included, which could be useful if you'd buy these notebooks for heavy EDC use, where you need to be able to close the book instantly - because of course, fast dry times are NOT the forte of Tomoe River paper!

What IS the forte of Tomoe River is of course its impeccable reception of fountain pen inks. At the tradeoff of dry times, TR renders colors vividly, with tons of shading, crisp outlines, and strong sheen. 

There has been quite some recent debate about whether or not Tomoe River paper can still live up to its name after they changed production. Personally, I find the new paper stock behaves extremely close to the original (even side by side), so I don't think there's reason to panic. Though it did still prompt Galen to specifically verify that they are still using the 'old' paper stock for their notebooks (at least for now!) - so if you are panicking and looking to get your fix of the original stuff, here's your chance! 

With the Leather notebooks, Galen Leather manages to offer a slightly out-of-the-ordinary Tomoe River notebook, ideal for those that don't want to add a separate (and often bulky) leather cover to their EDC to make it look great. As always, Galen presents their excellent eye for detail with a  neatly crafted notebook that also comes with useful extras like the blotter and guide sheets. Compared to their own non-leather covered Tomoe River journals (21€/25$ for A5), these do demand a fairly considerable premium: 30€/36$ (A5), 24€/29$ (B6), 20€/26$ (A6). Though I think that's still a pretty reasonable price considering the great-looking product you get in return!

These products were sent to me by Galen Leather, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER ZIPPERED 3 & 10 PEN CASES

Pen cases come in many shapes and forms. Not only to fit your personal style, but also to cater to your specific use case: Carry a single pen, or 10? Stay-at-home or writer on the go? Convenience and style, or portability? Especially in more recent years, Galen Leather has really put a lot of attention in catering to a wide audience with their pen cases and display boxes, churning out a boatload of new products in different sizes, shapes, and finishes, with almost 25 models currently available (and a few exciting novelties still to come!)! 

Particularly the 'classic' style of zippered pen cases with elastic loops are quite well-represented on Galen's website. I already reviewed one of them, the Galen Leather Zippered 10-pen case & A5 notebook holder, though that one served sort of a dual purpose between pen case and notebook folio. In this review, we'll have a closer look at the more traditional pen cases they offer, aimed solely at carrying pens: the Zippered 3-, and 10-slot pen cases. Once again, I'd like to thank the Galen team for sending over these  products for review!

There's a wide variety of sizes to choose from with Galen's Zippered pen cases, and the layout depends slightly on the size you go for. Regardless of size, the designs are all kept quite simple and clutter-free, with minimal branding on the backside. The main attraction is of course the wide variety of colored leathers you can choose from to match your style. I personally really like Galen's trademark 'Crazy Horse' leather (love the name!): smooth and soft leather with a pronounced distressed look that picks up a lovely patina with use. It gives the case a more casual look (as opposed to glossy or full-grain leather), and it's already scratched and scuffed out of the box, so you don't have to pamper it.

With the 3-pen case, you even get some spare room for business cards or, for example, a Galen Card Book

The smaller 3- and 5-pen cases (pictured here is the 3-pen version, but they both share a similar design) have all pens on one side, with room for some small loose papers or cards on the opposite side (the slightly larger 5-pen case even fits a Field Notes style pocket notebook!). 

The 3-pen case is made from a single, seamless piece of leather, which folds around the spine of the case on the long side. The way the case is assembled doesn't allow it to open up completely flat on its own, unfortunately. 

The larger 6- and 10-pen cases divide the pens across both sides. Interestingly, there's a soft microfiber divider on each side of the case, and they are attached from the top. The way they did the dividers looks a bit unusual and perhaps unnecessary to have one on both sides. Though you can fold them over quite easily, allowing you to display your pens without the dividers in the way. The zipper on the larger cases (an even more 'heavy-duty' metal one than on the smaller models) opens up further into the spine, allowing the case to lay flat without effort. 

As mentioned in my review of the 10-pen case & notebook folio, Galen recently changed to a different type of elastic band for their pen cases. The new type of elastic is more supple and soft to the touch than the ones in some of the cases I have in my hands (these particular samples are from before the switch). That said, even the least soft 'old' elastic I've tried, still didn't cause scratches or scuffs on any of the pens I tested it with.

The single row of wide elastics does a good job keeping most pens securely in place (unless they're very thin). On the 3-pen and 5-pen cases, the elastics are put closer towards the top of the case, which is both more difficult to put pens in and take them out of the case, and also giving the pens more wiggle room to bump into each other. Preferably, I'd like to see them put the elastic in the middle, like on all their other cases.

Top to bottom: Galen Zippered 3-pen and 10-pen cases, Aston Leather 10-pen case, Visconti Dreamtouch 12-pen case

Both the 3- and 10-pen cases I tested are characterized by a particularly compact form factor. Especially the 10-pen case is tiny compared to alternatives with a similar capacity (such as the 12-pen Visconti Dreamtouch case, or Aston 10-pen case). The 3-pen case measures 15.5 cm/6.1" by 9 cm/ 3.5" (about the size of a modern smartphone) and is about 3 cm/ 1.2" thick when filled with pens. The 10-pen case is a bit taller and wider: 16.5 cm/ 6.5" by 13 cm/ 5.1". 

Top to bottom: Galen Zippered 3-pen and 10-pen cases, Aston Leather 10-pen case, Visconti Dreamtouch 12-pen case

The 10-pen case also bulks up considerably due to the double layer of pens, giving it a thickness somewhere between 3.5 and 4 cm/ 1.38-1.58", depending on the pens you put in it. 

The microfiber dividers on each side of the 10-pen case add some bulk as well. It sometimes takes some fiddling to tuck them in and close the case in one elegant motion (one divider would've probably been enough). The dividers don't always cover the bottom of your pens if you carry a lot of very bulky pens, though they do still effectively keep the two sides of pens separated and protected.

A 'balanced' loadout that fits without issues. Notice that I did put the clips slightly sideways, which helps to reduce the bulk.

As expected by their compact footprints, interior space in the Galen cases is used efficiently, though that doesn't mean you have to rule out larger pens. I would say these cases are ideal for mid-sized pens, but I was honestly quite surprised by how lenient these cases are towards large, even oversized pens. Montblanc 149? Fits no problem. Leonardo Momento Zero Grande? Tight squeeze, but even that still fits. 

Only three at a time of course, but all of these pens can fit!

The 3-pen case is slightly more cramped than the 10-pen variant, but in both cases you'll especially want to watch out with pens that are very wide, because the cases do bulk up rather quickly.

A 'balanced' loadout of larger and smaller pens, that fits without issues

Especially really oversized pens (like the Leonardo MZ Grande) do tend to hug up against the metal zipper, which feels like it could scratch pens, so you'll want to pay attention when putting pens in/ taking them out of the case. This is especially something to look out for with the smaller 3-pen case, because on the 10-pen case the dividers cover up the top side and make it easier to put pens in the case without scraping against the zipper.

Galen Leather is probably best known for their creative, unique 'niche' writing accessories, like the 10-pen case & A5 notebook folio, the Writing Box, or Writer's Medic Bag. But they also have you covered when you just need a functional, no-frills EDC pen case.

The range of Galen Leather zippered pen cases offers clutter-free designs in a variety of leather options. I was surprised to see that their compact form factor still manages to offer decent carrying capacity, even for larger pens. To sweeten the deal, their prices are also very competitive compared to other leather pen cases on the market: The Galen Leather Zippered 3-pen case retails for 33€/ 39$, while the larger Galen Leather Zippered 10-pen case goes for 49€/ 58$.

These products were sent to me by Galen Leather, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

PEN CASE REVIEW: ABSOLUTE BRETON PEN DISPLAY BOX

Pen cases and pen storage boxes are at least equally big business as the pens we put in them. That makes sense, we want to protect our prized possessions after all... and in a stylish way too, if possible! 

So today we're looking at something I actually have never tried out: pen boxes! I got in touch with Breton (Absolute Breton), a luxury and custom leather goods maker from Spain, up until recently perhaps one of the more obscure brands on the scene, but they seem to be slowly gaining traction within the community especially for their leather 'Travel' pen cases.

We're not looking at the Travel pen cases today though, instead Breton sent over the 11-pen box with glass lid (their products don't seem to have actual names). I was actually surprised because I didn't know Breton also made pen boxes like this. In fact, it seems that I didn't know much about the brand at all. If you have some time to peruse their website, I'd definitely urge you to do so. Breton is known in the industry for their custom work on yacht interiors and upholstery of suitcases to accommodate everything from watch or pen collections, to entire minibars. They even make custom safes for watches and pens, fully upholstered in leather, of course! 

So yeah, we're talking really high-end products here, and serious eye candy, to say the least! But anyway, back to the pen box, because there's quite a lot to talk about... 

I'm all too often put off by pen boxes due to their often gaudy, ornamental, and very classic designs, which doesn't fit my personal style at all. This had me a bit worried about the design of Breton's pen box, because I tend to associate their brand with a fairly classic look and styling. The Breton pen box managed to change my opinion, though, with a pleasantly modern design. 

It's a nice, straightforward rectangular design, unadorned from all sides and covered entirely in leather. Of course with a glass window in the lid that takes up almost the entire top of the case for a more or less unobstructed view of the pens inside.

The box has no handle to open the lid, so on both sides of the case, you'll find oval indentations through which you can lift the lid. I like this solution because it means there are no knobs or handles sticking out from the case, and no metal hardware is visible for a clean and simple look.

The style of leather further aids in providing the Breton pen box with a modern appearance - although of course you can choose from a selection of leather types and colors when you order from them directly (for example with crocodile leather, you'd clearly step away from the modern appearance of the finish I tested!) Unfortunately, I have no idea what the exact name or specification is of this leather, but it's some kind of perforated, black leather. All I can say is that it's very soft to the touch, and it looks modern - which fits the overall design of the box. The perforated leather reminds me of steering wheels in luxury sports cars, which is quite cool. The inside of the box is finished in light grey microfiber material, giving an overall muted color scheme.

It's subtle, but the pen box is angled about 5 degrees towards you, because of two sturdy metal feet at the back. The feet are rounded, so I don't expect them to damage the surface you put the box on, but I would've preferred if they were rubberized to keep the box from sliding. Because the box does like to slide around a bit, especially since it's surprisingly lightweight without any pens in it (with 11 pens inside, the case becomes rather heavy, of course!). Some high-end pen boxes feel weightier, which might be associated with quality, but I honestly have no complaints in terms of build quality so I think it would be unfair to make the same association here. 

In fact, I'd say the build quality is downright excellent. The leather on the outside is neatly applied (the perforated pattern doesn't show any stretching or warping anywhere), corners are nicely tucked in, and no seams or unfinished edges are visible. The bottom of the case is finished with a durable fabric to prevent wear. 

If I'm being very picky, maybe one area where I do think they were a bit too fanatic (if that's even possible?) about the finishing, is in covering up the lid hinge. This strip of leather covering the hinge, overlaps on the top of the lid, causing a slightly bulkier finish and more seams than necessary. In my opinion, having the hinge visible wouldn't distract from the overall clean aesthetics of the case. 

Talking about the hinge, it's probably my favorite feature of the Breton pen box! It's incredibly well-adjusted to the weight of the case and requires just the right amount of force to neatly lift it open without having to brace the rest of the box. You can literally open it with a single finger, and the hinge is nicely dampened, so even when you let it fall closed, it shuts relatively quietly. The lid only opens to less than a 90-degree angle. It would've been nice if it opened up a bit further to give more unobstructed access to the pens inside. It's not really a dealbreaker though.

L to R: Wahl-Eversharp Decoband, Scribo Feel, ASC Bologna Extra, Pelikan M1005, Montblanc 149, Leonardo MZ Grande, Conid Kingsize, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The entire 11-pen box (other sizes are also available) measures 26cm/ 10.2" by 18 cm/ 7.1", and is about 5cm/ 2" deep at the highest point. To give some perspective, Visconti's - now discontinued - Dreamtouch 11-pen case isn't much smaller, measuring 26.5cm/ 10.4" by 16.5cm/ 6.5" by 3.5cm/ 1.4".  So the Breton pen box manages to be quite compact and doesn't take up too much space on your desk.

On the inside of the Breton 11-pen box, you'll find a rather interesting layout for the pen slots, which don't cover the interior top to bottom. The pen slots only run up until about two cm from the top of the case, where a horizontal 'channel' cutout interrupts the pen slots. I assume the design is meant to provide easier access to taking out the pen by the cap, but the functionality of this design quirk depends quite strongly on how large the pens are.

The slots of the Breton box are wide (pens up to 21mm/ 0.83"), and every square inch of the interior is lined with an incredibly plush and soft microfiber material. The slots are concave too, not just flat, so your pens can be neatly aligned and will stay that way. Larger pens have ample space, even going into really oversized territory. Up until 16cm/ 6.3" long pens - effectively the size of the ASC Bologna Extra pictured above - will fit... but barely! Ideally, you'd want to stay below that 16cm threshold, because it just looks a bit weird when it's squeezed in there like that. 

The Breton 11-pen display box made me look at pen boxes differently, I have to say. I've always been a bit wary of them and used to prefer pen cases for their more versatile (read: portable) nature. But there's a certain elegance of having your pens displayed on your desk, and especially a smaller box like this is not too terrible in terms of the space it takes up on your desk. In fact, there's also 3- and 6-pen variants available in this design, which may be even more appropriate if you just want to keep a couple daily carry pens on your desk. Particularly the modern looks of the Breton pen box appeal to me, especially since so many brands (from budget to extremely high-end) stick to a very classical styling that just doesn't' resonate with me.

Given Breton's luxury status, I expected a price tag to match, so I was pleasantly surprised by this 11-pen box's price point. While 271€ is arguably still a lot of money for a case that only holds 11 pens, it can certainly be a lot worse when looking at other high-end brands like Agresti or Ladon, which are easily double the price for a similar setup. Breton's website offers these pen boxes in different sizes (up to 34 pens - 491€), with a variety of leather options to choose from. But of course, you can always inquire about a fully bespoke design (although you might have to dig a bit deeper into your wallet for that!).

This product was sent to me by Breton, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

PEN CASE REVIEW: FRANKLIN-CHRISTOPH NEW PENVELOPE

Of all the hardshell-type pen cases I know, the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope (review) sits comfortably in my top recommendations, perhaps only to be surpassed by Visconti's Dreamtouch cases (review) to the number one spot. In any case - hah, pun. - the Penvelope is without a doubt a stylish and practical storage option for your pens, and it's offered at an attractive price point. But despite already having the excellent Penvelope - and an extensive range of storage options overall -, Franklin-Christoph recently introduced a second Penvelope-style case to their product lineup: the 'New Penvelope' (not quite the most original naming ever). So obviously I was very curious to give it a try and see what it's all about!

"Why fix what isn't broken?", one could argue, but the New Penvelope doesn't really feel like they just updated the original. Instead, it's a complete departure from the original, meant to serve a different audience based on what you're looking for in a pen case.

In terms of design, only the signature FC beveled edge on the front flap remains, the rest of the design was overhauled completely. The bottom and sides of the case are now completely closed up with a single strip of hard material. That's in contrast to the original Penvelope which has accordion-shaped (?) soft leather sides that allow the case to stretch out when (over-)filled to the brim. This design change makes the New Penvelope more robust - so in theory more protective for your pens - but it also takes away some of the practicality of having extra room to accommodate small notebooks, cleaning cloths, or even additional pens in front of the pen slots. No extra space to do that here.

Top to bottom: FC New Penvelope, Visconti Dreamtouch, FC Penvelope (original) (all 6-pen versions)

Top to bottom: FC New Penvelope, Visconti Dreamtouch, FC Penvelope (original) (all 6-pen versions)

Talking about space, the first thing that stood out is the New Penvelope's incredibly tiny footprint. The original Penvelope is quite a large case, much larger than an equivalent Visconti case, and I can see how that can be frustrating when you want to carry it around in a backpack or purse, or while traveling. The New Penvelope trims off almost an inch (about 2cm) in both height and width, while also being much slimmer. That puts it at an even more compact form factor than the - already quite compact - Visconti Dreamtouch pen cases.

New Penvelope left, original Penvelope right

On the inside, Franklin-Christoph opted for a removable slotted insert made of soft black cotton fabric (gone is the classy ribbed fabric of the 'old' Penvelope, unfortunately). I don't think making it a separate piece was the most space-efficient option, but they pulled it off anyway. The insert is sort of practical because partially sliding it out keeps the flap of the case opened and makes your pens easily accessible. The slots run all the way to the bottom of the insert, so removing the insert from the case won't display anything but the pens' finials, but at least they are well-protected.

One of the unique selling points of the New Penvelope is the addition of - besides the classic boot leather - a leatherless (vegan!) finish called 'Natural Wood Fiber' (NWF in short). It looks like leather (complete with the wrinkly, texture of real leather), it feels like leather (I think it's waxed, not sure though?), it even smells like leather... but it's actually wood-based cellulose made into a kind of fabric. The FC website states it's as durable as real leather, and having the case in hand it sure looks like it will easily stand the test of time. I quite like this material, especially in these muted colorways that FC offers. It's not as soft or cushioned to the touch as the original leather Penvelope though, but I suspect that also has to do with the stiffer and thinner materials used for the structure of the case.

The slots of the New Penvelope are visibly narrower than on the original design

L to R: Pilot Metropolitan (almost invisible), Esterbrook Estie, Leonardo Momento Zero Grande, Edison Beaumont, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

Inevitably, the size reduction does have an effect on the functionality of this case. I maybe wish they hadn't taken the space optimization exercise quite as far, because the small form factor physically dictates the maximum size of the pen you can fit inside. The rather stiff construction of the case doesn't budge too much, so I feel like pens up to 14.5cm (5.7") are about the tallest to fit comfortably. Not at all bad for such a compact case, and plenty for a large majority of pens. Though the FC website goes even further with a maximum of 15.3cm (6"). Optimistic, but indeed possible because the long tab of the closure allows for about a centimeter of additional headroom inside the front flap. You can see that even the 15cm long Leonardo Momento Zero Grande could still fit, but it's a bit too cramped for my taste, whereas it fits just fine in the original Penvelope.

Space is limited inside the case, so clips have to face sideways to get them to fit.

The main size limitation is not so much the length, but the maximum diameter of the individual slots. Here's where I don't agree with the FC website: they say it can take pens up to 0.75" (19mm) in diameter, but I just don't see that happening. The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande was again a good test subject (maximum diameter of 0.66" / 16.8mm). It worked, but it's already an extremely tight fit and difficult enough to get out again. I can't see how anything even wider would be possible without getting pens completely stuck inside the slots. For really oversized pens, this case is clearly not your best friend. 

The New Penvelope from Franklin-Christoph is a cool new offering in their extensive range of pen carry & storage options. The NWF material is really neat, it looks and feels almost like real leather. And I think the more compact form factor will appeal to a lot of people that want to slim down - literally - their daily carry. It's almost complementary to the original Penvelope, so I hope Franklin-Christoph will let both cases coexist side by side!

The New Penvelope is not without its faults though: The new closure system doesn't look quite as clean as the magnetic closure, the fabrics used for the pen insert feel a bit cheaper, and the overall finishing doesn't feel quite as premium and plush as the original  Penvelope (although that's just due to the thinner and stiffer overall construction I think). The compact form factor also means that this case is simply not ideal for larger pens, although it should still be plenty spacious to fit the majority of 'normal' pens.

In the end, it manages to redeem itself with an incredibly competitive price point though. The original Penvelope already offered excellent value for its 65$ price tag, but the new model sits even lower, at just 45$ (for the 6-pen variant). Of course, you can also go for the smaller or larger 3 and 12 (not 13!) form factors. But regardless of the size you choose, the New Penvelope is consistently more affordable than the original (even if you do choose the slightly more expensive boot leather finish!). That makes it an excellent storage option if you're on a budget, yet still want to keep your precious pens safe and easy to carry around.

This product was provided by Franklin-Christoph, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: FRANKLIN-CHRISTOPH PENVELOPE SIX PEN CASE

Franklin-Christoph is one of those Jack-of-all-trades brand that has more than just pens up for offer. From specialty nibs and custom nib grinds, to inks, notebooks and all kinds of leather goods. Of course they are best known for their great fountain pens, but the product I was actually most eager to try from them is this one: the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope six! My thanks to FC for sending one of their latest itterations of their custom pen case over for review.

One thing I admire about Franklin-Christoph is how consistent their designs are. Their aesthetic is simple, yet unmistakable: straight lines, minimal decoration, no fuzz. A distinct design element in all their products are the chamfered edges: it makes up their four-diamond logo, it comes back in almost every one of their pens and accessories, including the Penvelope cases. 

As I said, Franklin-Christoph generally likes to keep their designs simple, and the Penvelope is no different. If it weren't for the chamfered edges, this case would just be a big fat leather square. Look at it from a distance though, and those chamfered edges fit right into the design you'll see an envelope to carry your pens - a Penvelope - clever! The entire case keeps its clean and minimal appearance by being unadorned, except for a hot-stamped FC logo on the back.

New in this instance of the Penvelope cases - which have been around for years now and have become a staple in the pen community - is this 'Boot Brown' leather finish. The matte, distressed leather offers a bit more character than the Fxcell leather they normally use, and ages rapidly with use. It starts out as a fairly pristine, matte leather, but with use it becomes a bit shinier and picks up scuffs and scratches. 

Fit and finish is excellent, as I would expect from a premium pen case. The leather is folded all the way around the edges for a neat look, and all the edges are stitched through with beige thread. The front flap of the penvelope is held shut by a magnet that is neatly concealed. The interior is lined with black ribbed fabric that feels very stiff to the touch. The pen slots itself are also made from this fabric. I suppose the entire case - including the pen slots - are lined with a stiff cardboard or plastic material, making the entire construction is very rigid. For the outside 'shell', that rigidity offers protection to your pens, but the pen slots are perhaps a bit too stiff for my liking. Despite being rigid, the fabric of the slots doesn't scuff or damage your pens.

The only part of the case that isn't rigid are the sides, which are made up of a pliable layer of leather. This allows the entire case to stretch a bit, for example when you put a small notebook, cleaning cloth or additional pens in between the front of the case and the pen slots (as you can see in the photo above, I like to keep a cleaning cloth handy in there!). 

As the name suggests, the Penvelope 6 case can hold 6 pens (there's also a 'Lucky thirteen' version that holds - you guessed it - 13 pens!). It's an obvious comparison to my staple pen case: the Visconti Dreamtouch 6 pen case (reviewed HERE). Putting them side by side brings up an obvious difference: Measuring 6" x 7" x 1.25", it's a substantial chunk of leather compared to the Visconti, even though both carry the exact same amount of pens. 

The FC website claims pens up to 17.8 cm (7") tall, and 1.9 cm (0.75") in diameter. While it certainly does hold very tall pens, I wouldn't suggest it for really wide and oversized pens. In practice, most pens will be just fine, even a Montblanc 149, Pelikan Souverän M1000 or equivalent fit perfectly. Anything wider (Like the Delta Dolcevita Oversize) would be a bit too snug for the stiff pen slots. For really tall or really short pens, the Penvelope case actually has the upper hand over the Visconti case. Especially small pens can be clipped to the slots to keep them aligned nice and tidy, whereas in the Visconti case they fall all the way to the bottom. 

Because the front flap can be opened flat or even fold all the way back, you can display your pens visible and easy to reach on your desk. This is something I really appreciate, and its an area where the Visconti Dreamtouch cases lack because their lid can't stay open by itself. 

For 65$, the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope six offers excellent value for the money. It's a sturdy and well-built case that does a great job protecting your pens. On top of that, it's quite versatile due to the large pen slots and extra space for small items. The design is quite bulky to carry around, and perhaps not as elegant as the ones Visconti makes. But the fact that it's less than half the price of the Dreamtouch case, makes for a very compelling argument in favor of the Penvelope.

This product was provided by Franklin-Christoph, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.