Leather Pen Cases & Pen Holders

Six leather pieces for the pens, and they split into two kinds. Two pen holders clip onto a journal by an elastic band that wraps the cover. Four zip cases attach to nothing and travel on their own. Exact sizes for each are listed below.

Shop leather journals by size

Text displaying various paper sizes on a beige background

A close-up of a pale blush pink notebook cover with the words 'Field Notes size' printed in a dark burgundy serif font.

B6 leather journal cover — shop B6 notebook sizes

Paper refill inserts for refillable leather journals

About Leather Pen Cases & Pen Holders

Holders Attach. Cases Do Not.

This is the one thing worth getting right before you order. The Scribe and the Nomad are pen holders: each has an elastic band on the back that wraps around a journal cover, so the pen travels with the notebook. The Briseis, Cosima, Danica and Galatea are pen cases: they zip shut, hold several pens in elastic loops inside, and attach to nothing. They go in a bag on their own.

If you want one pen on the outside of a journal, buy a holder. If you want to carry four fountain pens without them knocking together, buy a case. They are not two versions of the same idea.

Which Journals the Two Holders Fit

Both. The Nomad's band stretches 4.7" to 9.1" (12 to 23 cm), which spans every cover Asperaria makes — Field Notes, Pocket Size, A6, B6 Slim, B6, Regular, Cahier, A5, Sketchbook, B5 and A4. They also go on a notebook you already own, because the band does not care whose cover it is.

How Much Each Case Actually Holds

Capacity comes from the elastic loops inside, so it depends on how fat your pens are rather than on a fixed number. By footprint: Cosima is the slimmest at 6.3" × 3.9" × 0.8" (16 × 10 × 2 cm). Danica is 6.7" × 5.1" (17.1 × 13 cm). Briseis is 6.3" × 5.1" × 1" (16 × 13 × 2.5 cm) closed and opens flat to 6.3" × 10.6" (16 × 27 cm), which is the one to pick if you want to see everything at once. Galatea is 7.9" × 4.7" × 0.4" (20 × 12 × 1 cm) and its loop panel lifts out.

Cases for a Drawing Kit

A sketching setup is rarely one pen. Next to a Sketchbook cover or an A4, the Briseis is the practical case: it opens flat to 6.3" × 10.6" (16 × 27 cm), so pencils, a brush pen and an eraser lie side by side instead of in a heap. The Galatea is the flattest at 0.4" (1 cm) and slides into a bag pocket next to the journal. For one fountain pen on a Cahier or an A5, the Scribe on the cover is enough, and nothing else needs to come along.

What Else Rides on the Elastics

A leather insert takes a whole elastic slot and adds card holders and a zip pocket. A journal charm clips to the closure band outside. A bookmark clip marks the page. The whole range of covers is on leather journals.

Initials on a Pen Case

Same four methods as the journals: laser engraving, heat-stamped letters, and that stamping in gold or silver foil. On a small flat panel a monogram works better than a full name. See personalized leather journals.

Need help choosing?

Frequently Asked Questions

Leather Pen Cases & Pen Holders

Do the leather pen cases attach to a journal?

No. Briseis, Cosima, Danica and Galatea are standalone zip cases — they hold pens in elastic loops inside and travel on their own. Only the two pen holders, Scribe and Nomad, attach to a journal, by an elastic band that wraps around the cover.

Which notebook sizes do the pen holders fit?

All of them. The Nomad's elastic band stretches from 4.7" to 9.1" (12 to 23 cm), which covers Field Notes, Pocket Size, A6, B6 Slim, B6, Regular, Cahier, A5, Sketchbook, B5 and A4. The Scribe fits the same range. Neither one is specific to an Asperaria cover — the band goes around whatever notebook you already carry.

How many pens does a leather pen case hold?

It depends on the diameter of your pens, because the loops are elastic rather than fixed slots. A slim rollerball takes far less room than a fat fountain pen. Judge by footprint instead: Cosima 6.3" × 3.9" × 0.8" (16 × 10 × 2 cm) is the smallest, Galatea 7.9" × 4.7" (20 × 12 cm) the largest, and Briseis opens flat so you can see every pen at once.

Scribe or Nomad — which pen holder should I choose?

Scribe if you want one pen and nothing else: it is 7.1" × 1.4" (18 × 3.5 cm), just a loop of leather on a band. Nomad if you also want somewhere to put cards, receipts and tickets — it is 7.9" × 4.7" (20 × 12 cm) with a zip pocket, so it adds a little bulk to the outside of the cover in exchange for that.

Can I personalize a leather pen case?

Yes, with the same four methods used on the journals: laser engraving, heat-stamped letters, or that stamping finished in gold or silver foil. The panel is small, so two or three initials read better than a full name. It is done by hand after you order, which adds a little time before it ships.