(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
The Sendak Mini Artist Roll is a pen/pencil/paintbrush/tool holder. It's the little brother of the Sendak Artist Roll, measuring 14.4 in. by 8 in. (365mm by 202mm) when fully open and 4.3 in. by 8 in. (110mm by 200mm) when folded.
The roll is hand made with waxed duck canvas.
It features a vegetable-tanned leather strap engraved with "The Sendak Mini Peg & Awl." The strap is attached with brass rivets and closed with an antique steel buckle.
Inside there's a small zippered pocket on the left.
In the middle are two large pockets and eight slots for various artist implements.
A flap provides protection for the instruments inside the roll.
Outside, the back part of the roll has two full length, large pockets.
Everything about this artist roll is well made. The canvas feels rugged and virtually indestructible. The leather strap is thick and sturdy. The zipper is made of brass.
The four large pockets can accommodate scissors, knives, skinny sketchbooks, a cell phone, and a host of other objects. The inside pockets are 3.3 in. (85mm) wide and 8 in. (202mm) tall. The outside pockets are 3.7 in. (95mm) wide and 8 in. (202mm) tall (you could fit longer objects in the outer pockets since there's no flap in the way).
The eight slots are not quite an inch wide. Regular pens and pencils and paintbrushes with slender handles fit easily into the slots.
Even though the Peg & Awl website says that the slots will accommodate fountain pens, that is true only for medium and small sizes. I tried a variety of fountain pens with the roll. Larger pens, such as the MB 149, the Opus 88, and even a Franklin Christoph Intrinsic will not fit.
The rugged design of the Mini Sendak means it's not meant for fancy fountain pens. Rather, this is a roll for EDC pens and artist's instruments. It's for stuffing in your backpack so you can whip out your sketchbook or journal in the middle of a meadow or at the top of a mountain. I would not take Walter (my MB 149) on hikes, thank you very much, but I would take mechanical pencils, my Spoke Pen, any of my Karas Kustoms pens or a Lamy Safari all nicely bound up in this roll.
The Mini Sendak Artist Roll is available in the following colors (mine is moss): Truffle, Almond, Coal, Moss, Slate, Spice, and All Black. It costs $120. You can add a tool protector for $8 or a monogram for $15.
Is this pricy for a pen roll? Yes. However, the products from Peg & Awl are not manufactured in bulk. They are hand made using antique materials, such as old, military-issue gun slings. The craftsmanship is exquisite, so if you appreciate handmade goods, you'll love the Sendak Mini Artist Roll.
(My sweet husband purchased the Sendak Mini Artist Roll for me for Christmas.)
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