Superior Labor Brass Clipboards

Ordering things in from Japan sometimes takes literally months to get in, which is a test in patience and organization and predicting future stock levels. I have not always passed this test with flying colours, but I'm working on it!

We have been waiting months and months to get in these beautiful brass clipboards from Superior Labor in Japan. We knew as soon as they'd arrived because the box carrying them weighed about a million pounds. Sometimes a new delivery person will ask what we've got in some of our boxes - paper and inks are usually the heavy ones - but this time, it was an order of brass clipboards.

If you're going to carry a clipboard, there is no better clipboard than one made of brass. There is just something beautiful about products made from natural materials - you know your leather boots or pen roll is going to soften in with time, and your brass clipboard is going to develop that patina of use and wear. I've seen a few Kaweco Brass Liliputs that have seen some good use, and they're gorgeous, and Midori also makes some brass products, like their rulers and alphabet guides that I love. There's just something about buying goods that will last you a lifetime.

This is a heavy, strong clipboard made out of solid brass. The spring in the clip mechanism is super strong, and while it's not stiff or hard to press down on to open, it's definitely not going to let any papers slide out. You can see the quality of the clipboard in the detail - the fastener of the clip goes through the brass backing onto the back, and even the fastener has "Superior Labor" on it.

Superior Labor's logo is engraved into the clipboard at the bottom, and while sometimes I think I prefer smaller logos, the engraving is very subtle, and the font and typography is beautiful. You have to turn the clipboard in the right light to really see the logo.

This clipboard will fit either a sheet of A4 paper (above) or an entire Rhodia pad, which is slightly longer than A4 as the top of the pad is the stapled portion above the perforation.    

  I love things that are built to last and serve their owners for years and years. We've got two that I've already appropriated for inventory and stock counting in the shop. Let me tell you, there's nothing as motivating to counting stock and making to-do lists (for Jon) than doing it with a fountain pen and a brass clipboard. The brass on this clipboard will slowly develop a patina over time as you pass it from hand to hand. If needed, you can always polish it or buff it up, but this is an office tool that you will be able to count on for many years. More and more, especially I guess now that I have the baby who outgrows things before I can blink, I think it's important to have a few beautiful and useful tools that we will be able to use indefinitely.