The Stationers Guild

At this year’s International Gift Show at the Javits Center, Sheila and I were thrilled to find Forgetful Gentleman stationery. Nate and Brett, the two young owners of Forgetful Gentleman, are graduates of the University of Virginia who decided to take what started out to be a college business project (i.e. start a new business) to the next level.  Nate, who lives in New York City, explained that they wanted to create an elegant line of assorted stationery for “forgetful” gentlemen to pen a short note for both important and casual occasions. 

The idea was to provide time-challenged men with the necessary tools (i.e. fine stationery) to connect with others by way of a hand-written note.  In a world gone digitally overboard, this is an ambitious task.  In fact, it was Nate who suggested that I take a look at John Freeman’s The Tyranny of E-Mail, since he refused to have his life chained to the immediacy of a Blackberry.   Is this maturity beyond their years or simply a sign that the digital assault on our senses and sensibilities is drawing to a close?   I certainly don’t have the answer, but it is quite refreshing that these two young gentleman have embarked on this ambitious quest. 

Brett, who lives in San Francisco, explained that Forgetful Gentleman sells an assortment of notes printed in letterpress or flat-printed on quality paper.  Their “Elephant Line” consists of 12 note cards:  3 Thank You notes, 3 Birthday notes , 2 Thinking of You, 2 blank correspondence cards, 1 Congratulations and 1 “I love You.”  They even have included four stamped envelopes for those who have difficultly finding a Post Office.  We opted for the luxury suite in letterpress, which comes with a beautiful wooden box resembling a cigar box.  For those gentlemen who suffer from writer’s cramp, the box comes with a primer on articulate letter writing.

We wish Nate and Brett much success and do hope that they can make the National Stationery Show in May.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

The August 2009 New York Gift Show at the Javits Center was certainly more animated than January’s exhibition.  While the overall mood remains subdued, buyers and exhibitors commented that there is cautious optimism as retailers move into the holiday season.  One excited exhibitor mentioned that this has been her best trade show of the season and she cites the return of queues at  restrooms for women as an indication that the buyers are back.  While I am not sure that this is a valid indicator signaling an economic turnaround, I too felt that there was a level of excitement lacking in previous shows.

While we spent some of our time filling in the gaps of merchandise lines left over from last year’s dismal holiday sales, Sheila and I were excited to find a number of new and unusual products.   While the focus of our business is primarily stationery and invitations, Thérèse Saint Clair has always carried an eclectic line of gift items for the holidays.  This year we were thrilled to discover some unique gift items.

One of our favorite book lines is Assouline, a delightful French company that prides itself on publishing high quality coffee-table books that appeal to the publisher’s sense of curiosity and simple joie de vivre.   While we bought several books from their inspired collection, one that stood out was 1000⁰ (degrees) that will be released later this year.   1000⁰ is a stunning pictorial of an unlikely form of new “art”  that was created when famed Parisian taxidermist Deyrolle burnt down in 2008.   It was as if this legendary collection of stuffed animals, butterflies and birds took flight in a dazzling display of – dare I say it – Divine creativity.   We are most thankful to Ausbert de Arce, for bringing this remarkable book to our attention and his guidance and enthusiasm in helping us round out this year’s delightful collection.

Another “discovery” was Washi Paper Jewelry by Legend Design.  I must give credit to Larry Nelson from Hanson Galleries in Houston for suggesting that we might want to try some unusual “paper” jewelry this holiday season.   Using traditional origami patterns and Japanese Washi paper, artisans in Toronto have created a beautiful collection of earrings, broaches and bracelets.  Each design is hand-lacquered and will easily stand up to the elements.   With all of the dreary and self-serving focus on recycled paper and the largely insipid designs they breed, we are delighted to see a new and unusual application for fine paper.

This year we have added Liberty Puzzles to our line of game collectibles.  These sturdy wooden jigsaws are made in Boulder, Colorado and contain a number of whimsy pieces that make for a fun yet challenging jigsaw experience.  A whimsy is a puzzle piece cut into the outline of a recognizable shape, such as a person, animal or geometric pattern.    The puzzles are not inexpensive ($55 retail price for a puzzle of approximately 250 pieces), but their elegance and stunning designs are a thrill for all generations.

Like most other retailers, we continue to be motivated by the creativity of artisans and people who pursue their craft and occupation with love and passion.  The August 2009 New York Gift Show certainly served notice that creativity and good taste continues to flourish.  We feel privileged to represent their lines.

Richard W. May
Thérèse Saint Clair