Tools of the Trade — [ash-ling] Booksellers
Write Well.
Write Well.
Work Beautifully.
The pens, pencils, and desk tools that make the everyday act of writing feel like something worth doing. No boring office supply store energy here.
The Pencil, Perfected
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Pencils & Graphite
The Gold Standard
Blackwing — Legendary Since the 1930s
Cedar from California. Graphite finished in Japan. Four core models (602, Matte, Pearl, Natural) plus quarterly limited-edition Volumes that are as collectible as they are writable. The pencil of Steinbeck, Disney animators, and anyone who takes what they put on paper seriously.
Put Something True on the Page
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Pens & Writing Instruments
Smooth & Distinctive
Poketo & Peter Pauper Press — Pens Worth Keeping
Poketo's metallic Apex rollerballs write as well as they look. Peter Pauper's curated pen sets make excellent gifts for writers who care about what's in their hand.
Paper Clips, Letter Openers, Staplers & More
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Desk Tools & Accessories
Not Your Office Supply Store
Desk Tools That Belong in a Bookstore
Brass letter openers. Weighted tape dispensers. Architectural paper clip dishes. Bone folders. If a tool is going to live on your desk, it should be worth looking at. We stock the kind of things you keep for years — or give as a gift someone actually wants.
The Finishing Touches
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Sharpeners & Erasers
Built for Blackwing & Beyond
Blackwing One-Step Long Point Sharpener & Palette Eraser
Machined aluminum sharpeners with German steel blades that produce a long, curved point. Jumbo aluminum eraser holders with Blackwing's famously clean-erasing material. Tools that take the pencil seriously.
Ready to Give
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Writer's Gift Sets
Build Your Own
A Journal + A Blackwing = The Perfect Gift
Pair a Paperblanks journal with a box of Blackwing 602s. Add a long-point sharpener. Done. We can help you build a custom set — just ask at the register or reach out online.
A note on sourcing: Most of what you'll find here comes through our Ingram wholesale account — Blackwing pencils and accessories, Peter Pauper Press pen sets, and desk accessories from Chronicle Books' gift line, Galison, and Cavallini. For the most distinctive desk tools — brass letter openers, hand-turned wooden pen holders, Japanese tape dispensers, bone folders — we source some items direct from makers or specialty suppliers. Those pieces are clearly marked in-store and online. If you're looking for something specific and unique, ask us — we love a good sourcing hunt.