Sonnenleder Pencil Roll "Fichte" mocha brown

The Sonnenleder "Spruce" pen roll is a handcrafted leather case made from vegetable-tanned Southern German cowhide – warm, slightly oily to the touch, with that unmistakably earthy leather scent you know from a quality saddlery. The mocca brown is rich and deep, and the material comes alive: rain, sun and warmth change the patina over time until no two pieces look alike.

Features

• Vegetable pit tanning: The leather is tanned using traditional methods in a pit – without synthetic chrome salts. The result is a living, breathable surface that adapts to use and climate over time and develops a unique patina.
• Southern German cowhides: Selected hides from Southern Germany are used in production – short supply chains, controlled quality, leather with substance and uniform thickness.
• Six compartments for writing instruments up to 17 cm: The roll holds up to six pens – fountain pens, pencils, fine-liners, mechanical pencils. At 17 cm length, smaller travel fountain pens and standard sizes fit comfortably inside.
• Side leather tab to protect nibs: An integrated flap lies protectively over nib tips and cartridge tubes – useful when transporting loose or delicate instruments.
• Extra leather pocket: A separate flat pocket provides space for a ruler, a folded card or flat accessories such as spare cartridge sleeves.
• Two leather straps as closure: No zip, no press stud – the roll is simply tied shut with two plain leather straps. The mechanism protects both the case and the writing instruments inside.
• Pure handcraftsmanship: Each piece is individually handmade and hand-cut. Natural variations in grain, colour depth and surface make every roll a unique piece.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pens with large clip: The open compartments without buttons or velcro allow fountain pens with broad or tall clips to be placed comfortably – no catching, no scratching.
• Shape the patina actively: Those who regularly treat the leather with colourless leather balm can guide the colour and surface development. Untreated leather develops a rougher, lighter patina – both are intentional and full of character.
• On travels: When rolled up, the "Spruce" is compact enough for a travel bag or rucksack. The straps hold reliably even when the case lies on its side en route.
• As a desk roll: When unrolled on the desk, the case lies flat and stable – your writing instruments are instantly within reach without the roll sliding away, as the leather has enough weight and grip.
• Breaking in: New pit-tanned leather is firmer and stiffer. After a few weeks of regular use it becomes softer and moulds even better around your writing instruments.

For Leather Enthusiasts

Pit tanning is the slowest and most labour-intensive tanning process of all: hides lie in pits with water and plant-based tannins such as oak bark or quebracho extract for many months – sometimes over a year. The result is leather with significantly higher density and strength than chrome tanning, containing hardly any synthetic residues and biodegradable. The living surface, which Sonnenleder explicitly points out, is not a flaw – small scars, pores and colour variations are the expression of natural material and pit tanning does not level them out but leaves them visible. For writing instrument collections that value materially honest storage, this is a significant difference from industrially tanned leather with a homogenised surface.

Technical Specifications