1857

by Stuart Lennon

Each week, usually on a Wednesday evening, I sit down for a chat with my friend, TJ Cosgrove. The following Monday, TJ puts that conversation on the internet, under the 1857 banner. As I write, we have released around 175 episodes. More than three years worth of weekly conversation. We talk about all manner of things - but there is always a stationery thread. TJ is a pencil man, a fanatic you might say, and an expert. When something piques the Cosgrove curiosity, the man goes deep. Really deep. Swing by and have a listen.


In celebration of the podcast, we carry a range of 1857 products here at Nero's.
I love our cassette, containing the first year of episodes. It's not actually a cassette of course, its a USB drive, but it will bring a smile to the face of anyone of a certain vintage.
Our 1857 pencils are from English maker Chambers who also make our Nero's ones too.
The 1857 notebook is our pride and joy. TJ designed the logo, and then worked with Rob de la Porte up in Rutland who came up with the book design.

The Tech specs:

- Cover 240g Pop-set, black foiled in white

- 48 pages of 70gsm Fedrigoni paper

- Grey dot grid

The vintage look and feel fits perfectly with 1857. Both TJ & I live in the digital world, but we're militantly analogue in our approach to notebooks.

Rob was given a challenge. TJ needs paper that loves graphite, and I'm most often found with a fountain pen in hand. The Fedrigoni paper does a magnificent job on both counts.

Of course, we recognise that variety is the spice of life, so for when not carrying an 1857 notebook, we also have a sticker to pimp up any brand of notebook.