Wouldn't it be great if a paper planner offered flexibility similar to a portable digital device? What if it would allow you to file, find, and retrieve information quickly, while still keeping the tactile feel of pen and paper? And what if the information it contains is stored in flexible modules, as in digital devices and their customizable, switchable, and removable apps?
In the early 2000s, Beate Mangrig was studying at the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar, the University of Art and Design in Saarbrücken, Germany. She had been keeping notebooks since the age of nine. Even as a schoolgirl, she was known for constantly doodling and jotting down random thoughts and impressions—a practice not wholeheartedly encouraged in the rather strict and rigid German school system. (Having gone through it myself, I can relate).
Mangrig became fascinated with the ways people use their personal notebooks, planners, and calendars both as an outlet for their creativity as well as for organizing thoughts and useful information. She dug into the subject so deeply that she ended up writing her academic thesis on it. It occurred to her that there had to be a way to design a better, modular planner. For this, Mangrig came up with a unique and patentable-clip mechanism inside a folder, which allowed for maximum flexibility and modularity. Her system didn't require any holes to be punched, and it could be used with a wide variety of papers, formats, and notebooks of different makes and construction.
Mangrig's thesis (which received the highest grade from the university and was honored with a distinction) led to a start-up company called Roterfaden and a product line called Taschenbegleiter. (Roter Faden can be translated to "red thread" and Taschenbegleiter to "pocket companion").
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Denne historien er fra October 2024-utgaven av PEN WORLD.
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Remembering Ward Dunham (October 11, 1941 - August 24, 2024)
On August 24, 2024, calligrapher Ward Dunham passed away.
The Black Pen Society and the D.C. Pen Show: Poobah in a Flower Pot
Do you like black pens? If so, you are probably already familiar with the fun, frivolity, and fellowship associated with the Black Pen Society (BPS).
Stationery Fest: This Is Not a Pen Show
Daisy and Neil Ni's twist on the traditional pen show is about community, not commerce.
"It Has Style:" A History of the Aurora Hastil (1969-1970)
The Italian pen company's experiment in modernism led to a revolution in late 20th century pen design. A two-part series.
GW Pens Scores a Critical Hit
With new collections inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and Fender guitars, artisan John Greco is tapping into cultural trends.
Roterfaden's "Pocket Companion' "
The Taschenbegleiter hand-made planner system from German artisan cooperative Roterfaden features a modular organizational system that grows with the user's ambitions.
S.T. Dupont Takes the Iron Throne
The French atelier continues its forays into popular culture with a new, officially licensed Game of Thrones collection.
More Mail, More Dip-Less
The six-part series on dip-less (or one-dip) fountain pens garnered some major attention through its run from October 2023 through August 2024 (Vol. 36 No. 6 Vol. 37 No. 5).
David Oscarson: A Reflection
The artisan pen maker celebrates 25 years of luxury writing instruments with a new collection that harkens to his Art Nouveau roots.
The Parkette Hopalong Cassidy Ballpoint Pen
The Jotter was advertised as Parker's first ballpoint pen, but a novelty item that played on the Hopalong Cassidy culture craze predated it.
