High Class Booker

05/19/2026

We are still in Paris, where there is much to amuse a printer and a bookbinder.

Print isn’t dead.

05/15/2026

Spotted in the wild! (Full disclosure, we’re on an island, and this is, admittedly, a family member carrying one of our journals.) But, dig that view!

05/10/2026

If you’ve not popped into the Musee d’Arts et Metiers, it has a lot of early paper making and printing equipment, and it’s only about $15 to spend the day geeking out over the evolution of technology.

05/09/2026

Our favorite French picker Fabrice (say that three times fast!) told us our experience with the coin dealers in the Bourse is typical now. A decade ago, they traded in bronze and plated medallions, but now they only want to trade gold.

So we went the Marché au Puces in Saint Ouen today and did alright for ourselves, taking away some WWI pieces , Trezains, and a couple of sundry bits. Yeah!

05/08/2026

Today’s Apero is at an undisclosed location because we’re gazing at the park where my ashes will be scattered. Just not today.

05/07/2026

Luxe journals and pens are the peanut butter and jelly of the journaling life. Most pen collectors have a grail pen that they seek. For me, I just know it when I see it, but I have grail purveyors.

Today I visited Laure Ridel Point Plume in the golden triangle of Paris and surprised myself (I generally don’t prefer small or monochromatic pens) by the way this Dupont Caprice curled into my palm and fell asleep.

Reader, I married it.

05/06/2026

We had a rather disappointing day today, went to three rare coin dealers only to be told by each that they’re not interested in the sort of medallions we seek. Saw three in a Brocant shop where the seller over-valued them, bought half a dozen new ones at the Monnaie (Paris mint)

Had to console ourselves with some hand tool purchases at Relma bookbinding supply.

Edited: I spoke with my best French picker, Fabrice, and he said the coin dealers only want to trade in gold now, but ten years ago, this would have been fruitful. Mores the pity.

05/05/2026

It’s good to be back home* again.

* while it is true that Rai was born in Iowa, High Class Booker was born in Paris. That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it!

04/29/2026

Our online store will be closed during May while we are traveling and hunter/gathering. Orders placed tomorrow will ship tomorrow. Thank you.

All books in inventory are archival, hand-sewn, hand-built journals and sketchbooks. We ship same day.

04/24/2026

This zinc seal is almost 300 years old, and in mint condition! (See what we did there?)

https://www.raipeterson.com/store/p/trreaty-1737