About Us

PAPER BISTRO   is a a great resource for French products.  We stock products from Brause, Clairefontaine, Decopatch, Exacompta, G.Lalo, J. Herbin,  and Quo Vadis. 

 

Please note:  We only ship to locations in the United States or its territories.

 

BRAUSE

Brause manufactures steel nibs for writing, drawing and decorating. Brause nibs can be found in the toolbox of many calligraphers, artists, penmen and illustrators.

Brause was founded in 1850 in Iserlohn, Germany, a region famous for the quality of its steel and the skill of its craftsmen.

The founders, Carl and Friedrich Wilhelm Brause, and Carl Bergfeld, showed unusual concern for the well being of their employees, providing them with a company medical plan that existed right up to 1986.

Brause initially specialized in manufacturing needles. In 1895, production expanded to bicycle wheel spokes and pen nibs. Up until then, England was the main center of production, but Brause was able to acquire and master the precision required to mass produce pen nibs.

The market penetration of Brause nibs was facilitated by publicity slogans such as “Die beste Feder, lieber Sohn, sind die von Brause Iserlohn.” (“The best nibs, dear son, are by Brause Iserlohn.”)

Since then, Brause has been crafting a complete set of nibs considered to be one of the best on the market by calligraphers. With over 100 years of manufacturing experience, Brause is one of the rare companies to guarantee an essential quality for its nibs: a subtle balance between relative elasticity for easier writing, and necessary resistance for clear strokes.

 

CLAIREFONTAINE

Clairefontaine is famous for its exceptionally white and ultra smooth paper.

The Clairefontaine mill has been making paper since 1858 and stationery products since 1890. The company is best known for making the first school notebooks in France. Clairefontaine is currently the only European manufacturer making its own papers for its own products.  Clairefontaine Notebooks feature a perfect satin finish for maximum smoothness in writing with fountain pen friendly 90g paper.  A gift of nature, calcium carbonate gives Clairefontaine paper its trademark ultra smoothness and makes it extra white.  

G LALO

 G. Lalo, the Parisian social stationery manufacturer since 1919, became throughout the years the stationery of reference both in Paris’ high society and in the royal courts of Europe such as Sweden, Holland, Monaco and Belgium.

Today, G. Lalo continues its tradition of handcrafted quality and elegance but expressed with the colors and excitement of the 21st century.

Luxurious G. Lalo stationery is the perfect canvas for expressing your sentiments in a memorable way.

DECOPATCH

Decopatch: Decoupage Papers, Kits and Supplies

Decopatch marries the fashion flair of French textile designs to high quality decoupage paper. The paper is ultra thin, super strong and flexible, so it can be applied seamlessly to any shape or surface.

 

EXACOMPTA

Exacompta is well known in France for its quality agendas and organizational products.

Exacompta products follow a French philosophy that even simple tools should be good quality and a pleasure to use.

Exacompta – Exact Accounting  - was founded in Paris in 1928 as a printing and binding works to produce ledgers. At a time when accounting was done by hand, exacompta manufactured ledgers of exceptional quality. The books were finely bound, with thick mint or ivory paper and crisp, clear print. Today, Exacompta products are still known for their consistent quality.

Exacompta Prestige agendas are printed on two special papers: Registre Azur, a lightly tinted paper scientifically-calibrated to be restful on the eyes; and Ivoire Satine, a very fine ivory paper that is lightweight, but exceptionally flexible and strong. Registre Azur has a faint mint green tint – a subtle nod to its accounting heritage.

Agendas with Registre Azur paper include Space 24, Visual and Journal 21. Those with Ivoire Satine include Space 17 and Daily Pocket.

 

J. HERBIN

J. Herbin was established in 1670, when Louis XIV, the Sun King, was 32 years old.

M. Herbin was a sailor, and from his many journeys to India he brought back to Paris formulas for manufacturing sealing wax. His special lacquer formula improved the quality of the seals in adhesion and neatness, helping him to become famous throughout the kingdom.

J. Herbin is also the oldest name in ink production in the world.

By 1700, the company was producing “l’Encre de la Tete Noire,” followed by“Perle des Encres,” (The Jewel of Inks) and “l’Encre des Vaisseaux” (The Ink of Ships).

J. Herbin made ink for Louis XIV, and a black ink for the sole use of Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables. These formulas still reside in our company headquarters in Paris.

QUO VADIS

Quo Vadis makes tools for creative minds. Quo Vadis  planners and notebooks are for people who like to write on paper and appreciate the feel of a well -made product.

They are professionals at planner design and construction. For over 50 years Quo Vadis has helped people organize their time and keep track of what matters to them. Quo Vadis layouts are easy to read with plenty of room to jot interesting ideas and keep important notes.

A planner is a serious tool. People put a lot of time and feeling into selecting the one that is just right for them. Quo Vadis offers a variety of formats to meet a person’s needs at different stages of their life.

 

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