decorative paper found all over the world
Tiny storefront just packed with vibrant Nepalese papers and paper goods. Excellent choice of vibrantly colored 9x12 sheets. Look up for the larger sheets draped over dowels near the ceiling. Incredible patterns and textures. Cheap.
106 Macdougal St., New York, NY.
http://www.nepabhon.com/
You won't find anything but contact information on their web site, and they only take cash, checks, or money orders. What do you want from an outfit that still produces lead type — e-commerce? Still, Dave Churchman is just about the nicest person you'll ever want to do business with, and was as accommodating as could be when I needed an assortment of typecast Stars of David shipped right away (I'm making my nephew's Bar Mitzvah invitations at CBA).
Sterling Type Foundry
PO Box 50234 / Indianapolis, IN 46250
http://www.sterlingtype.com/
With over 100 classes and workshops in bookbinding, printing, typography, and papermaking, this is the mecca for serious paper fetishists, artists, luddites, and assorted do-it-yourselfers. The 10-week letterpress printing class I'm taking is at once rewarding and extremely frustrating. Setting lead type by hand has given me a sincere appreciation of the craft; five weeks in, I'm still marveling that the printing industry ever managed to take off at all.
In retrospect, I'm just glad my eBay bid for a tabletop press after that first class wasn't successful.
The Center For Book Arts
28 West 27th Street, 3rd Floor. New York, NY 10001
http://www.centerforbookarts.org/
Craft Corner hosted an exhibition in January in a tiny space at Safina Plaza absolutely packed with paper treasures (and terracotta ones, too). I did five or six turns around the 50 square foot room before grabbing two of everything in sight. The house brand, Paper Nothings, featured decorative rolled sheets with inclusions and watermark patterns; plus artists' papers, stationery, albums, boxes, bags, cards, and desk accessories in rich colors and patterns. A very cool cardboard clock and an intricately-pieced paper peacock in a shadowbox frame were highlights. Don't leave without a terracotta Ganesh.
As it was my last day in Bangalore, I did not get time to visit the actual shop. As good an excuse as any to go back again, I think.
Craft Corner is located at 10/1, First Floor, 6th Cross, near Vijaya Bank, Victoria Layout, Bangalore 560 047. Contact 57630255.
I frequent this place so often that I nearly forgot to mention it. Carries a nice selection of Japanese washis and other textures from 1" origami sheets up to 16x20" rolls. Also folded sheets of plain and decorated rice papers, mulberries, block prints, and the occasional Italian print. Downstairs you'll find Chinese joss papers in solids, prints, and foils (alluringly cheap, but next to impossible to do anything with except burn it, which is after all what it's for) and large rolls of white rice paper for calligraphy.
NB: visit the newish Home Department on the third floor (outside, up the stairs to the right) for pretty lokta prints and vibrantly colored paper cord.
http://pearlrivermart.com/
and 477 Broadway, New York, NY.
Labels: chinatown, chinese, handmade, japanese, joss paper, new york, origami, rice paper, washi
The collection here is not particularly rich or exciting, but I have a soft spot for it just the same. Cheap-to-moderately priced origami squares (and circles!) in sizes from 3/4" to 8", in solids, patterns, and prints, plus more star-folding strips than you could ever need, or use, really. I've spent many a satisfied lunch break here. Located in Chinatown. 151 Mott Street, New York, NY.
Make your way upstairs to the stationery gallery, past the Hello Kitty crap. On the back wall you'll find a handsome array of Japanese papers, including handpainted and printed rolls and sheets, and brilliantly-colored silk-wrapped mizuhiki. This is the real stuff, and their prices are pretty good, too.
10 W 49th St, New York
(212) 765-7766
http://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/english/
It's not them, it's me. I just don't understand this place — how it's organized, where to pay, why there are never prices on anything, etc. The decorative papers are in the main store, I want to say on the third floor, and there's some stationery on the main level, but everything else relating to making things with paper is in the craft ghetto across the street. I made the mistake of enquiring as to the whereabouts of rubber stamps in the big house, and was instantly disdained. Maybe it is them after all.
Labels: new york
I was already an avid online customer before I visited the store in Boston, which is even more fun. The excellent house-brand card stock comes in a wide array of colors and every standard size -- invest five bucks in the swatchbook if you don't live nearby. Plus an international selection of beautiful handmade papers. http://paper-source.com/ and 338 Boylston Street, Boston, MA and other locations.
Labels: boston, cardstock, handmade, massachusetts
This is where it all started for me. I wanted to buy a little card for my friend Jen, picked out a cute little green one with a nosegay of minute punched white flowers on the front, and got a tiny shock: $8. I started making my own cards right after that and have never given a store-bought since. I have come to understand since then exactly why handmade cards are so expensive retail, but I still get the most satisfaction from making my own. Never look back.
Anyway, Kate's is the grand dame of paper shops in New York. Although their prices frequently are not competitive, they do stock an amazing array of papers, cardstock, ribbons, finished cards, albums, pens, accessories, and supplies. Worth a drool.
(n.b. for equally good cardstock, check out Paper Source instead. Lower prices, no tax in NY, free shipping over $100.)
http://www.katespaperie.com/
I spent a week in this store one afternoon near the Pallazzo Pitti. This is the real deal for the famed Florentine marbled paper, and it's the oldest such establishment in Italy. Gorgeous handmade sheets in every imaginable combination of colors. Marbled, spotted, speckled, spattered -- collect them all! Plus a range of handmade books and accessories made from the very same. Also stocks a beautiful collection of classic printed designs. I made the clerk work for it; apparently I was her first customer to buy enough to require a VAT refund. 37r Piazza Pitti, Florence, Italy.
Labels: florence, florentine, handmade, italy, marbled
Here's a case of going all around the world to find the paper shop next door. I visited the shop in Pisa, just across the street from Ol' Pedente itself, but I'm told the shop on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan is equally immersive. Besides, it's all made in Florence. This is an excellent little store for rolled and flat sheets of handmade marbled paper and desk accessories made from the stuff, as well as beautiful flat sheets printed with nature themes (horticulture, butterflies, birds), nauticals, geometrics, and an exceptionally beautiful alphabet sheet. Also a nice collection of rubber stamps of "illuminated manuscript" capital letters, and stickers made from the same prints. In Pisa, Italy; 1021 Lexington Ave., NY, NY; and other cities.
Labels: florentine, handmade, italy, marbled, pisa
This one's a little bit of a crap shoot. I've been there (New Delhi) and sent emissaries there (Bangalore) and when they're stocked, they're stocked. When they're not stocked, they're capable of claiming they've never carried it (New Delhi, 2006). Anyway, I've encountered plenty of excellent stationery, flat paper, and decorative paper stickers and boxes here. Also an excellent selection of handpainted papier-mache in every shape imaginable. CCIE is a national government-run concern (read: hooray for fixed prices), so it's possible that different branches carry different regional inventory. That's two C's, and I, and an E -- don't be fooled by imitations. On Janpath, New Delhi; 144 M.G. Road, Bangalore; and other cities.
I'm starting here because I arrived here in Bangalore today and visited Gangaram's straight away. Absolute treasure trove. This is the kind of place a Desi might call a bookstore-cum-paper emporium (happens I'm not Desi but some of my best friends etc etc.). The entire first floor (*which is the second floor to 'merican speakers) is devoted to paper and things made of paper. Flat sheets, rolled sheets, stationery, cards, blank books, paper boxes, gift wrap, gift bags, gift boxes, even earrings made of sturdy coiled paper. Super fun and super inexpensive, even with the U.S. dollar down the crapper. Fixed-price shop, which, if you shop in India at all, you know is a must. 72 M.G. Road, Bangalore. So easy to find, even the taxi driver can't pretend he doesn't know where it is/it closed down/etc.
