When I first started at The Paper Seahorse, Mnemosynes were one of the first things that sucked me into the world of analog. Something about the minimalist design, the single gold accent on the front and the sleek black cover enticed me – and this was before I had even felt the paper.
I loved how straightforward it was. No frills, no excessive décor to distract you from poor quality, just “Mnemosyne.” As if to say, “I am what I am.” And that is what it is – one of the greatest notebooks in the world.
Before being synonymous with notebooks and journals, Mnemosyne was a member of Greek mythology – the Goddess of Memory. Mnemosyne notebooks have become a worthy use of her name.
Designed and produced by the company Maruman in Japan, Mnemosynes are designed with practicality in mind, to give the perfect, distraction-free canvas for whatever you’re focused on.
Every notebook has a lightweight and flexible body in a rich, black color, making them a ready companion wherever you going, and the spiral binding lets you lay it open flat on any surface.
But as good as the wrapping is, what’s inside Mnemosynes is the real gift.
Mnemosyne notebooks, hands down, have some of the greatest paper in the world.
Being made in Japan, Mnemosynes have the bonus of being filled with tightly woven, expertly made paper, that compares closely to the smooth surface of glass. Addicting to the touch, it hits your fingers like soft velvet, and it’s even friendlier to your writing tools.
Pens and pencils glide like butter over the surface of a page of Mnemosyne paper. It’s especially attractive to artists who need paper that won’t hook and disturb their art - but anyone who writes pen-and-paper-style knows that paper that doesn’t drag or disrupt our writing can save us from distraction or losing our train of thought. Talk about a lifesaver for anyone in-school or taking notes.
A 194 Mnemosyne notebook with a Blackwing pencil
A great way to test the smoothness of Mnemosyne paper is using a fountain pen. The pointed nib of a fountain pen is notorious for fishing out which paper is well-made and which is a lower-quality grade.
Fountain pens not only write seamlessly in a Mnemosyne, the two almost seem to compliment each other. In fact, writing in a Mnemosyne with a fountain pen is one of the smoothest writing experiences around. It’s why I do it almost daily.
My (slightly beat-up) 197 and gold nib Kaweco. I take these everywhere.
Despite the tightly-woven, glass-like texture, the smooth paper inside is fairly absorbent and doesn’t leave you waving the paper for minutes waiting for your ink to dry. Mnemosyne paper allows for a fast dry time with ink while still maintaining the silky texture.
After testing, fountain pens and rollerballs take about 5 seconds to dry, and ballpoints take less than 2 seconds.
A Kaweco fountain pen, J. Herbin rollerball pen, and Delfonics ballpoint pen
Mnemosynes also include a section for dating your work at the top of the page, in every notebook size. Some designs also include a section for numbering, and for writing a title.
The bonus that puts the cherry on top: every page of a Mnemosyne notebook is micro-perforated on the edge. Whatever you’re working on, you can tear it out of your notebook with ease, without having frayed edges. It makes Mnemosynes great for multiple projects that need to be stored in different places. All of your writing can be done in one place, then torn out and separated easily.
The micro-perforated edges of Mnemosyne pages makes life so much easier.
A fun feature of the Mnemosyne line is the numerical system they use for their products. Every notebook in their collection comes with a number that distinguishes it by size, page number, and whether it’s blank, lined, or graph.
My favorite is the 197, my daily companion for writing down to-do’s and reminders - and the occasional doodle. For bigger doodles, the 181 is a great canvas.
Just by staying completely within the Mnemosyne family, you can find a notebook for almost any purpose you can think of.
Taking notes in class? That’s a job for the 199. Sketching a design? Use the 180. Need a place to write ideas on the go? The 192 is perfect for that.
If you are a writer, a student, an artist, or someone who just needs a blank surface for their writing tools, a Mnemosyne notebook is a companion that gives respect to our practice, that offers a distraction-free environment for what we write, plan, or draw.
Mnemosynes bring organization to our life and gives us the assurance that, whatever we’re putting on paper, it deserves the best canvas.
You can shop our full line of Mnemosyne notebooks here. You can also visit us in-person at our two locations in Tampa, and feel the amazing paper inside these notebooks.