Barnes & Noble: Boxed Stationery Set - Ivory

[vhr5]

I am an amateur of paper quality and stationery, but I hope that this review might be helpful to someone.

I was looking for a simple stationary set for the occasional letters that I write. My old stationery set was becoming quickly depleted of paper and I was looking for something that had more than 20-50 sheets of paper. After a quick search on the internet I found a box stationery set at my local Barnes & Noble store.

The set comes with 100 sheets of paper, 50 envelopes and 24 adhesive seals. I don't care for the seals, but I occasionally used them. The size of the paper is 9.5" x 6.5". The paper has some texture or tooth, and appears to has a good weight to it. Both the paper and and envelope come with a wavy or torn edge along the top edge. The envelopes are a shade darker than the ivory paper and the interior of envelope appears to be an antique or metallic brown.

I have used Private Reserve: American Blue and Lamy Red ink on this paper and it appears to have very little or no bleed-through. It takes ink reasonably well, but I have noticed that ink will sit slightly on top of the paper for about 10 to 15 seconds and I have smeared some text if I touch the paper to quickly. I have not seen any feathering. I am not sure if this is due to the properties of the inks or the paper itself.

I have not used other well known papers (for example Rhodia, Clairefontaine, etc) that are more popular to fountain pens, but this paper seems to do well.

The box set is priced around $15.00.

I would be open to any comments, suggestions, or recommendations for box stationery or other stationery (with matching paper & envelope) from other members within this forum.

Also those of you whom have received a letter from me during InCoWriMo have seen this stationery.

I've added images of the stationery for you to review and decide for yourself.

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[Sandy M.]

Hi there! Thank you for this nice review. I'm also looking for stationary as I'm almost out of my Crane set.
I think I found the one you have written about--is this it?
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home...=9780641532320

[vhr5]

Hi there! Thank you for this nice review. I'm also looking for stationary as I'm almost out of my Crane set.
I think I found the one you have written about--is this it?
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home...=9780641532320

Hello Sandy - yes, this is the stationery that I was reviewing. Does Crane have a similar set?

[caribbean_skye]

Thanks for sharing, if everything works out tomorrow I'll swing by my local B&N and see if they have any.

[PeppWaves03]

Great review, thanks for sharing. Off to Barnes and noble I go

[caribbean_skye]

Is anyone else experiencing problems with this stationery? For whatever reason it almost seems like I'm writing on plastic as the ink stays on top of the paper. I have tried this with the following ink/pen combos: TWSBI 540 F with J Herbin Terre de Feu, Monteverde Artista M with R&K Alt Goldgrun, Sheaffer Calligraphy Pen F with Akkerman Treves Turquoise and Sheaffer Imperial with Parker Quint black ink. The only one it sort of responded okay with is the last pen/ink combo. I will try other pen/ink combos but I was curious if anyone has experienced anything similar. Thanks!

[vhr5]

Is anyone else experiencing problems with this stationery? For whatever reason it almost seems like I'm writing on plastic as the ink stays on top of the paper. I have tried this with the following ink/pen combos: TWSBI 540 F with J Herbin Terre de Feu, Monteverde Artista M with R&K Alt Goldgrun, Sheaffer Calligraphy Pen F with Akkerman Treves Turquoise and Sheaffer Imperial with Parker Quint black ink. The only one it sort of responded okay with is the last pen/ink combo. I will try other pen/ink combos but I was curious if anyone has experienced anything similar. Thanks!

Hello caribbean_skye, since my last post of this review I have purchased both Rhodia & Clairefontaine paper. I believe it could be the inks. I have noticed that Noodler's Ratter Red Eel sits on all three stationeries (BN Stationery - Ivory, Rhodia dotpad, & Clairefontaine Triomphe) and will smear even after 5 minutes of drying. I have not noticed this with my other inks, for example: Private Reserve American Blue, Noodler's Baystate Blue, or Levengers Cocoa sitting on top of these sheets.

I just received some ink samples in the mail last week, I could run a simple written test and post an update on this thread of the results.

Hope this helps!

[caribbean_skye]

Hello caribbean_skye, since my last post of this review I have purchased both Rhodia & Clairefontaine paper. I believe it could be the inks. I have noticed that Noodler's Ratter Red Eel sits on all three stationeries (BN Stationery - Ivory, Rhodia dotpad, & Clairefontaine Triomphe) and will smear even after 5 minutes of drying. I have not noticed this with my other inks, for example: Private Reserve American Blue, Noodler's Baystate Blue, or Levengers Cocoa sitting on top of these sheets.

I just received some ink samples in the mail last week, I could run a simple written test and post an update on this thread of the results.

Hope this helps!

Sure thing, that'd be awesome. There's a letter on its way to you so you can see what I mean. If I could find one ink that it worked well with (that's not black) I would be ever so happy.

[vhr5]

Sure thing, that'd be awesome. There's a letter on its way to you so you can see what I mean. If I could find one ink that it worked well with (that's not black) I would be ever so happy.

I have uploaded additional images of Barnes & Noble - Ivory stationery with ink smear samples to compare drying time. I had a drying time interval of 5, 10, 20 and 30 seconds. From the results, it appears that Private Reserve American Blue, Levenger Cocoa, and Noodler's Baystate Blue did well and dried within 20 - 30 seconds on the B&N Ivory. I've also uploaded images of Clairefontaine Triomphe stationery as a comparison. It appeared that only two inks dried within 20 - 30 second range: Private Reserve American Blue and Levenger Cocoa.

I am not an expert, but I would assume that some inks perform and dry faster on certain papers than others. Some inks sit longer on top of the paper before setting in and drying. Your results may vary depending on many factors (humidity, inks, nib size, stationery, etc.)

I hope that this additional information helps.

Just for the record, I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this review.

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[caribbean_skye]

I am not an expert, but I would assume that some inks perform and dry faster on certain papers than others. Some inks sit longer on top of the paper before setting in and drying. Your results may vary depending on many factors (humidity, inks, nib size, stationery, etc.)

I hope that this additional information helps.

It could very well be the nibs size, you'll have to tell me what you think when you receive my letter. Noodlers Ottoman Azure appeared to be behaving better than the others, I'll have to continue testing this and seeing what does/doesn't work.

Continued thanks.

[jacksterp]

It seems that some papers have what amounts to sizing applied to the surface to make them "smooth." This finish, as it were, could be what is causing this behavior. This coupled with certain inks can be a down right royal pain.

I have some Ampad Pro tablets and Private Reserve Ebony Green will still smear days after I have written on them.

From the posted samples, it seems like this stationery is not particularly well suited to fountain pen use.

[vhr5]

It seems that some papers have what amounts to sizing applied to the surface to make them "smooth." This finish, as it were, could be what is causing this behavior. This coupled with certain inks can be a down right royal pain.

I have some Ampad Pro tablets and Private Reserve Ebony Green will still smear days after I have written on them.

From the posted samples, it seems like this stationery is not particularly well suited to fountain pen use.

I'm not so sure if we should toss in the towel yet on this particular stationery. Although sizing may play a factor, I believe ink properties could also play a part. I have encountered ink issues on papers that were considered to be of better quality (i.e. Clairefontaine & Rhodia), but I have continued to use them based on their reputation.

Since this review was limited to only a few inks, I believe further testing is needed before a final assessment should be made. Please feel free to drop me a letter (my address is listed within this forum) and I will send you a sample of this stationery for your examination.

[KrazyIvan]

I think that sizing may be the same stuff I experienced on some Hallmark cards. They take fountain pen ink and it dries after a bit but it does seem like you are writing on a semi-waxed page.

[caribbean_skye]

I have a plastic sheet of paper and have been resting my arm on that when I'm writing and that seems to help a lot. This paper seems particularly predisposed to picking up any sort of oils from ones skin as I've never had this happen to me before with any other paper. Whatever they've done to coat the paper I'm sure isn't helping with the oils either.

[jacksterp]

It seems that some papers have what amounts to sizing applied to the surface to make them "smooth." This finish, as it were, could be what is causing this behavior. This coupled with certain inks can be a down right royal pain.

I have some Ampad Pro tablets and Private Reserve Ebony Green will still smear days after I have written on them.

From the posted samples, it seems like this stationery is not particularly well suited to fountain pen use.

I'm not so sure if we should toss in the towel yet on this particular stationery. Although sizing may play a factor, I believe ink properties could also play a part. I have encountered ink issues on papers that were considered to be of better quality (i.e. Clairefontaine & Rhodia), but I have continued to use them based on their reputation.

Since this review was limited to only a few inks, I believe further testing is needed before a final assessment should be made. Please feel free to drop me a letter (my address is listed within this forum) and I will send you a sample of this stationery for your examination.

Sent a PM concerning testing of this paper. I look forward to your response.

[Arizona Anderson]

Thanks for the heads up, it looks like a really nice set at a goo price.p

[Sandy Fry]

I have the exact same set. No problems with any ink I have used...so far. No bleed-through/show-through or long ink drying times. No smudges. No problem with "oily residue" from my hand on the paper. For $15 it's great value.

David

[waqarvision1]

Thank you for sharing this detailed review! As fellow enthusiasts of paper quality and stationery, your insights are incredibly valuable. It's evident that you've put this stationery set to the test, and your observations are thorough.

The 100 sheets of paper, 50 envelopes, and 24 adhesive seals in the set sound like a great deal, especially for those of us who enjoy sending handwritten letters. The torn edge and antique-like brown interior of the envelopes add a touch of elegance to the set.

Your experience with inks like Private Reserve: American Blue and Lamy Red is particularly helpful. Minimal to no bleed-through is a significant plus, and while the ink's slight surface dwell time may require some caution, it's good to hear that feathering isn't an issue.

While you haven't compared this stationery to well-known brands like Rhodia or Clairefontaine, your positive assessment suggests that it holds its own in the fountain pen world.

For the price of around $15.00, this set seems to offer excellent value for both occasional and avid stationery set users.

Your openness to comments, suggestions, and recommendations from other forum members is a great way to foster discussion and discover even more hidden gems in the world of stationery. It's evident that those who received your letters during InCoWriMo had the pleasure of enjoying this stationery's charm.

Thanks for including images for others to review. Your review is a valuable resource for anyone seeking quality stationery. Keep writing and enjoying the world of stationery!