(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
One of my most prized possessions is an antique writing box from the 1860s. I found it in an antique shop in Pennsylvania when I was there visiting my grandmother. I'd seen many before, and always wanted one, but they're highly prized and often highly priced. This one, however, needed repair, and the shopkeeper sold it to me like he wanted it gone. I've yet to have it repaired. I kind of treasure it in its worn state--this writing box was used well. Now it sits on my dresser and is often admired. Someday I'll collect more antique writing boxes.
In the meantime, there are excellent folks like Galen Leather keeping the portable writing box tradition alive. And while I haven't yet taken the spendy plunge on their official Writing Box (I will, though--maybe for the holidays if I've been very good), this more affordable Wooden Sketchbox caught my eye (and my heart) immediately.
Made from walnut wood, with a solid brass clip and red felt lining, this sketchbox looks fancy, and I feel fancy when I use it. The wood is smoothed to a satiny finish--there is no texture to it at all, so it works well as a surface for writing or drawing. The brass clip is held in place with two adjustable bolts, and the underside of the clip has two padded feet that keep your papers in place. It can hold a decent stack of papers, but not quite the quantity that a clipboard would.
On the left side of the box is a hole where you can insert your finger to push the drawer out on the right side. The drawer is held shut by a small swiveling metal leaf. The swivel does tend to move on its own a bit, and I wouldn't rely on it to hold the drawer shut under any kind of agitation, but it does well enough to hold it during regular writing or carrying.
The drawer itself is large enough to hold unbound A4 papers or A5 notebooks, though it is fairly shallow. My Seven Seas Writer notebook comes to the top edge. The downside to this is that not many pen or pencil cases will fit inside, so writing instruments almost have to go in loose, which isn't going to work well for something that you carry around. The drawer does have a small wooden board that can be inserted to divide the drawer space, if you desire. However, it doesn't have a very tight fit, so mine just ends up rattling around once the box is lifted. Honestly, I've found that piece more useful as a straight-edge for drawing charts in my planner.
Despite the shallow drawer, I find myself using this sketch box a lot. It makes a great lap desk for reading or writing. If I want to sit in my comfy chair while I type, I use this as a surface under my laptop so it doesn't overheat. I do carry some note paper, gel pens, and pencils in the drawer--just not delicate fountain pens. Overall, I really enjoy this sketchbox. Who knows, someday maybe it will be sitting, in disrepair from good use, in an antique shop where it will make someone's day.
(This item was purchased at retail directly from Galen Leather.)
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