This journal is a handmade leather bound journal filled with 400 pages (front and back) of Tomoe River paper. The binding is hand stitched with 2 support cords on the binding. GatzBCN is run out of Spain and overall time from order to receipt of the package was 2.5 weeks. Not bad at all.
My initial thoughts:
This leather bound book is gorgeous! The craftsmanship is impeccable and is very professional. The package was packed well inside the box and contained a nice handwritten note as well as a small gift.
The Journal Itself:
This journal measures roughly as an A6 sized book. The leather is soft and once again, the craftsmanship is wonderful. It is obvious that great care was taken to ensure a quality product.
Inside the cover is lining paper that looks nice and has some whimsy to it. I really like whimsy.
The best part of this journal is the binding being hand bound with stitching. It lies down flat on the surface it is set upon which makes writing in the journal a more pleasant experience.
I requested the elastic band closure and it is nice and tight but not overly tight.
The paper is Tomoe River paper which is 52 GSM (Grams per Square Meter) and so smooth. This paper is fantastic for fountain pens and is amazingly thin. I am not sure how it is made but this paper is a pleasure to write on.
The Bookbinder:
I contacted Anna, the woman behind the scenes here at GatzBCN and asked her if I may post a review of this journal and link to her store. She agreed to that and I thank her. Her shop can be reached through Etsy or https://www.etsy.com/shop/GatzBcn
I received 2 tiny little hand bound journals as a small gift as well, which I thought was neat.
Anna has many more styles of journals to pick from, is a delight to work with and is an amazing bookbinder. I recommend her books and will buy from her again.