Guest post series - 'Filohax' No. 27 - Paul

Thanks very much again to Paul for this next instalment of his wonderful guest post series. 
You can find all of the 'Filohax' posts here.   

Filofax Winchester Ostrich skin review 

After lusting over photographs of 'Buttercup' Ostrich skin Winchesters and being unable to justify the crazy prices being asked (and accepted) for them, I resigned myself to only ever viewing them from afar. Then out of the blue a black one popped up for sale on a website that rhymes with 'she may'! It had definitely been around the block a few times - but I like that in my vintage binders - it also made it within a sensible price range. I can't tell you the rigmarole I had to go through to purchase it, but eventually it arrived and for all of its rough and shabby edges I love it.

 

Except I didn't love the barely closing ring mechanism... I could use it, but you know that feeling when something isn't right? I had that feeling, which was harshing the good vibes I got every time I picked it up and felt the quills...

 

 

To the rescue came a Hamilton I had previously acquired for free. It was a perfectly good personal sized Hamilton - scruffy looking (which as I've said, I like), but I found it a little bit bulky and heavy, so I moved out and it had been storing inserts for a while.

However, the Hamilton's rings were perfect, so I decided to swap them into the Ostrich as this was going to become my daily work binder. One thing I did notice whilst handling these two binders was the difference in weight - the Ostrich skin is noticeably lighter, and as I carry my Filofax a lot at work this would make a big difference. 

So, with some trepidation I got Steve's YouTube video on changing rings on (even though I've changed rings on Winchesters a few times now) and swapped them over. I love 'de-skuzzing' the leather once the back plate is out - we're talking 30+ years of gunk!

 

I'm over the solar system with the results - the Ostrich skin has been my work companion for over three months now. This binder, although once an 'exotic' is my workhorse (I should say 'Work-bird!') like my other work binders before it over the last three years:

• My original Winchester 23mm I bought in 1989 
• Cavendish 30mm 
• Winchester Cognac 23mm 
• Gloucester 23mm 
• Albany 23mm 
• Gloucester 23mm 
• Portland 30mm 
• Argyle 23mm 
• Winchester Croc 23mm 
• Hamilton 23mm 
• Winchester Ostrich.

There's something rugged yet light about the Ostrich (paradoxically the world's heaviest bird!) - the black colour masks the rich texture of the quills - until you feel it. But it's the lightest weighted Winchester I've held.

A few months in and the wear that was visible (top and bottom where the metal clips of the ring mechanism touch the leather) - has advanced so that the metal is starting to show through, and it won't be long until slivers of ostrich skin will be shearing off...I can't wait! I know, to collectors this must sound maddening, but the value to me is in the use, and the visible effects of a job well done. 

 I'll post again in a few months with updated photos of the wear and tear.         

Guest post series - 'Filohax' No. 25 - Paul

Thanks very much again to Paul for this next instalment of his wonderful guest post series.
You can find all of the 'Filohax' posts here.       

Don't take Filofax damage lying down...

I keep seeing wonderful collections of binders on shelves, and there is no doubt it's a great way to display our binders - however, if protecting them from damage is your priority then it might not be the best way to preserve them.
I learned this from bitter experience recently when I bought a wonderful vintage Winchester Ostrich Filofax. I could tell from the seller's photos that this binder had 'been around the block' a few times with particular damage to the leather on the bottom of the spine. I bought it for three reasons - 1) I much prefer binders showing some wear 2) This usually makes them cheaper to buy! and 3) The Ostrich skin was one of my 'Unicorn' Filofax.

I took delivery and immediately realised what had caused the damage to the spine - when binders are stood up on their spine the bottom rim of the leather's edge is taking the whole weight of the binder, and over time the leather starts to distort and fold in on itself. 

 

When the distorted leather starts to make contact with the metal opening mechanism there's only ever going to be one loser- the leather. Then there's the damage from dragging binders that are stood up off and on a shelf - another vintage Filofax of mine, the big vintage Balmoral, suffered from this - when I took delivery I could tell straight away that the previous owner had kept it stood up on their desk, constantly dragging it towards them then pushing it back, with all of the weight creating undue friction on the bottom edge of the leather.
Once I realised this I started storing my collection - laying flat on their back, in a box, with no more than one other binder layed on top. 

Does anyone know of a better storage method for easy retrieval?

Vintage Filofax Inserts Filing Box

Earlier this week I was contacted by Billie, who sent me the photos you see in this post. What a find!

Given the details on some of the inserts in the box we believe that this filing box dates back to the 1930's. The filing box appears in my 1937 catalogue and the 1979 one as well. 

Sadly we don't have any catalogues between those two dates, if any were produced. However, as you can see from comparing the two catalogues, not a lot changed in terms of organisers, the range of inserts did change. 

From the 1937 catalogue:

 This is in the 1979 catalogue:

The one that Billie bought at an auction is an enamel metal one which is mentioned in the 1937 catalogue but not in the 1979 one. 

And here are some photos of the inserts found inside the filing box. 

Note on this first one the year is indicated as 193n = 1930-1939

Sadly sections 2 and 3 are missing in the maps included, may be they got over used by the original owner. 

Note the retailers sticker on this page, Chisholms Limited in Kingsway London is a shop I used to visit in the 1980's for their massive range of Filofax organisers and inserts that they had on display in the shop. 

The price on the index sheet is the same as that shown in the 1937 catalogue. And in pre-decimalisation prices. UK went from Pounds Shillings and Pence (£sd) to Pounds and Pence (£p) in UK in February 1971

Thank you Billie for sharing this with us. Billie has mentioned to me that they are interested in selling the item. 

If you are interested in buying it along with the inserts please email me philofaxy at gmail dot com and I will forward your email on to Billie, so you can negotiate the price and get more details of the box and inserts etc. 

Personally I think Filofax UK should purchase it for some sort of museum display! 

Guest post series - 'Filohax' No. 21 - Paul

Thanks very much again to Paul for this twenty-first instalment of his wonderful guest post series.
You can find all of the 'Filohax' posts here.      

Sunbathing experiment 

 

At this time of year our thoughts turn to holidays, usually somewhere hot and sunny, with sunbathing on the agenda. And why not, there are known health benefits associated with getting a tan. What has this got to do with leather planners, I hear you say? Well last autumn during the last of the summer sun, I wondered if the leather of my Filofax would benefit from some limited sun exposure, in the same way that my own skin does. 

So I've been doing a little experiment with my own vintage leather binders ever since, leaving them open, inserts facing down, exposing the leather of the outer covers to the sun's rays for up to no more than 10 minutes at a time. 

 

 

Accumulatively each one has had the following exposure over about a year: 
Grosvenor: 1hr 
Winchester: 1hr 
Cavendish 30mm: 2 hrs 
Balmoral 10clfj: 1hr 
Cognac Croc Winchester: 1 1/2hr 
Gloucester: 2hr 
Winchester 5/4 Pigskin: 3/4hr 
Portland 5/4: 1hr 
Argyll: 1/2hr

Before everyone lambasts me - I have increased my leather feeding regime as a consequence. 

Have there been any visible signs of change in the quality of the leather? No, not as such but the only criteria that matters is that I feel like my binders like it. And you can't say fairer than that, can you?

Guest post series - 'Filohax' No. 20 - Paul

Thanks very much again to Paul for this twentieth instalment of his wonderful guest post series.
You can find all of the 'Filohax' posts here.      

To mollycoddle or not to mollycoddle...

I have always been against mollycoddling binders, I love the patina that builds with use over time. And when I got my Kid leather Filofax Grosvenor 9 months ago, I initially just carried it in my backpack, along with everything else. However, before long I started to notice damage to the spine leather, where it meets the metal opener, so I wrapped it in a simple cloth to mitigate against further damage. It didn't really help that much and I noticed further damage. 

 

 

Then while on holiday recently, browsing through a vintage and retro boutique, I spotted an old suede slip case - a typical 1950's unisex case for carrying all of the bits and bobs needed back in the analogue era (an era I would happily return to!). 

 

For two British Pounds it was a no-brainer - I didn't even measure it - and it's turned into my Grosvenor's saviour. It looks too big for the job, but as it's not gusseted the bulk of the Grosvenor fills it out with room to spare for packs of inserts, pens etc.

 

I think I could throw the laden case on the ground and the Grosvenor would be fine.

 

Looking back through catalogues featuring the Grosvenor, it makes sense that it came new with its own felt carry case. You can see a photo of one of these protective felt pouches in Guest Post - Dust Bags by gmax

How do any Kid leather binder owners get around damage to this quite soft leather?     

Silent Sunday - 'Filohax' Vintage on vintage No. 9

Balmoral 10CLFJ 5/4 / World War Two magazine collectors cards