In my search for Elco Classic paper in the Utrecht stores (Utrecht is a major city!), I learned the following:
So stop worrying about the shavocalypse, the demise of quality writing pads is much nearer. From a few years ago, I still know that any decent shop stocked several brands of writing paper. But now it is only cheap pads (60gr/sqm paper), or very expensive luxury paper (100gr with watermark). Since I was using up my existing stock of paper, and my volume of letter writing was low in the latest years, I completely missed those writing pads disappearing from the shops.
I'm actually a bit sad that I had to order my new writing pads online (Elco Prestige 100gsm A4 watermarked, from Amazon).
- Elco went bankrupt a few years ago, but the quality stationery products were relaunched under the brand name "Elco James"
- Virtually no brick and mortar shop in the Utrecht area stocks any Elco James products, and none have the writing pads
- The prices of other quality writing pads (e.g. G. Lalo) have gone up dramatically in the latest years
- Several shop employees told me that almost nobody asks about quality writing pads anymore
- Many fine fountain pens (e.g. Cross Townsend) had a price label that was already yellowed by age
So stop worrying about the shavocalypse, the demise of quality writing pads is much nearer. From a few years ago, I still know that any decent shop stocked several brands of writing paper. But now it is only cheap pads (60gr/sqm paper), or very expensive luxury paper (100gr with watermark). Since I was using up my existing stock of paper, and my volume of letter writing was low in the latest years, I completely missed those writing pads disappearing from the shops.
I'm actually a bit sad that I had to order my new writing pads online (Elco Prestige 100gsm A4 watermarked, from Amazon).
