WIN THE NEW PICCADILLY NOTEBOOK IN BC’S CONTEST! CLICK HERE!
The Moleskine company owes a lot to the US chain bookstore Barnes and Noble. Though I remember Moleskines gaining some popularity when they first hit stationery shops in the US, it wasn’t until Barnes and Noble dedicated an entire double-sided shelf in the front of their stores that they exploded into the American consciousness. The casual shopper was suddenly presented with the wonderful idea of being able to use the same notebook as “Picasso, Matisse, and Hemingway” – in other words, like being handed John Lennon’s guitar or Jack Kerouac’s typewriter. Though the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I have to admit that this is advertising genius at its dubious finest.
I believe the decision to partner with Barnes and Noble proved to be a double-edged sword for Moleskine. I have a feeling that B&N backed them into a corner in terms of price, making Chinese production the only viable way Moleskine could turn a profit and still have their notebook in the biggest bookseller in the United States.
Once production went to China and quality dropped, I expected to see some rival Moleskine-style notebook companies springing up. After all, the Moleskine design certainly isn’t patented – one of the downfalls of their advertising campaign is that it admits they’re simply using a style of notebook that’s been around for quite a long time.
It’s taken a while, but not only is there a new Moleskine-style notebook on the market, you’ll can buy them in Borders Bookstores everywhere (they are found in the DISCOUNT section, NOT on the stationery shelves). Stationery manufacturer Piccadilly, Inc., is offering lined, blank, and gridded Moleskine-style notebooks at only $5 each.
That’s right: $5.
I’ve long felt that $10 for a standard Moleskine is ludicrously overpriced, and probably only sustained by their romantic marketing. A five dollar competitor will definitely give some much-need rivalry. But how does the Piccadilly stack up? Is this just a generic alternative to the name-brand pill, or a something more?
First off, the cover of the notebook is nearly identical in style to the Moleskine: oil-cloth covered cardboard. The cardboard on the Piccadilly is thicker, however, and makes the notebook far more difficult to flex than a Moleskine – a very firm hard cover.
One of the first things I love about this notebook is the spine.
Where the Moleskine has a rounded, loose spine that bunches up when you open it fully, the Piccadilly’s is absolutely straight, meeting the two covers in tight 90-degree angles, which I find very appealing. I’ve often found that Moleskine spines get somewhat warped with use. The Piccadilly feels sturdy and tight.
Size-wise, the Piccadilly measures in at 3.5″x5.5″, or 9×14cm – the same as a Moleskine.
A difference between the two can be found in the cover overhang – the Piccadilly has a bit more. I personally prefer that the cover end a hair outside of the page edges, similar to the Moleskine. However, in the above picture, you can again note the difference in spines.
Inside, the first page simply has the Picadilly logo and nothing else.
Turn to the first lined page, and you’ll find the same problem I have with Moleskine – the way in which the pages are connected to the binding prevent you from fully opening this page (I usually reserve it as a table of contents).
While I once thought this was a necessary evil, I’d like to point out to notebook manufacturers everywhere that, somehow, Quo Vadis has figured out how to get around this problem!
The rest of the notebook works fantastically, however. On first glance, the pages seem nearly identical to the Moleskine – the same creamy white color with perfectly thin lines.
However, Piccadilly does something different: they actually give you a full line to start with at the top of every page. Where the Moleskine lops off part of the top line, rendering it unusable, the Piccadilly gives you the whole top line without making the mistake of turning it into an overly large header-space.
The page thickness is basically the same as the Moleskine:
In terms of flexibility, the notebook opens fully flat anywhere you turn to. The pages are section-sewn like the Moleskine. The bookmark is black and made of satin, as opposed to the Moleskine’s purple cloth version.
Finally, in the back is the ubiquitous pocket folder.
My main philosophy for a great notebook, that perfection is in the simplicity, might at first seem somewhat limiting. But subtle differences to an old style can make all the difference in the world. How can one improve the Moleskine design? Though we’ve reviewed numerous other little black notebooks, none of them has been in the Moleskine style. There have been soft-covers, leather covers, wider notebooks, taller notebooks, thinner notebooks…
The Piccadilly, however, has impressed me by being the first we’ve reviewed to make a moleskine (note lower-case!) notebook and, more importantly, improve on the design with a straight spine, better line spacing, a different book mark, and so on.
And for only $5 a pop from Piccadilly’s website (and discounts if you buy more than one), you better really love that Picasso/Matisse/Hemingway gimmick to continue shelling out $10 for Moleskines.
For a limited time, Piccadilly is offering a special 15% discount on all orders made by Black Cover readers! Just use the coupon code blackcover when you check out, and you’ll get 15% off your order. Piccadillys can be bought here in lined, blank, and grided pages for $5 each. There are also medium (5″x8.25″) and large sizes (7.25″x9.75″) available for one a few bucks more. I’ve been told they’re now in Borders Bookstores everywhere – again, in the discount section, NOT on the stationery shelves.
Coming next week (if the postal service permits): a notebook with Biblical origins.
Also – thanks to all of you for your notebook recommendations! Please keep them coming! If it’s been a while and you haven’t seen your product reviewed yet, I promise we haven’t forgotten about it. Since most of the notebooks we review come from international manufacturers, it often takes a combination of language translation skills, postal wrangling, and money to get them here. But as we intend this site to be a comprehensive listing of available little black notebooks, I can assure you you’ll see your notebook here as soon as possible.
72 responses so far ↓
1 Notebook Stories // Sep 30, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Looks very promising, and the discount is a nice offer! Unfortunately the shipping to NYC costs almost twice as much as the notebook itself! I’ll be looking for these at Borders.
I am amazed, though, that this company and others get away with copying Moleskine’s packaging and icons– the form of the notebook itself isn’t something they can trademark, but you’d think they’d protect their brand in other ways.
2 Speedmaster // Sep 30, 2008 at 3:41 pm
VERY nice work on this one, you continue to outdo yourself!
The direct comparison with Moleskine was helpful. I may try to pick up a medium Piccadilly.
3 Two New Notebook Reviews at Black Cover: The Picadilly Notebook and the Agawami +1 | Notebook Stories // Sep 30, 2008 at 3:43 pm
[...] Cover has just reviewed a very promising Moleskine-alternative, the Picadilly Notebook. It only costs $5, which, given [...]
4 Robotguy // Sep 30, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I personally prefer the rounded spine of the Moleskine. In the image with the two books atop one another, I feel the flat spine gives the Picadilly the appearance of something machine-made and mass produced, while the rounded spine evokes more more of a hand-made, artisan feeling. Am I reading too much into this? Probably. But, different strokes for different folks, I guess.
I still plan on taking advantage of the discount offer though, especially since my work Moleskine just fell apart this afternoon. Thanks!
5 Jimmy // Sep 30, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I disagree – I like this straight edge because it gives the notebook a more book-like feel to it. But as you say, to each his own.
6 Steve // Oct 1, 2008 at 8:01 am
I know that Black Cover is dedicated to pocket notebooks, but one of the things I like about this Piccadilly line is that they make a Large notebook that is substantially bigger than the large Moleskine — something I’ve always wanted. The large Moleskine is just a little too cramped for me to use as a journal, so I’m definitely going to check out the large Piccadilly.
Looking around their web site I noticed that they also make a mini “leather look” journal that is smaller than the small notebook you reviewed. I think it comes in black and might make a good candidate for a future review.
7 Ratan X // Oct 1, 2008 at 11:13 am
Thanks for the review! This is my first time hearing about these notebooks. I ordered 2 each of the small, medium and large ruled, and that discount code came in mighty handy.
8 ron // Oct 1, 2008 at 11:57 am
while i think you nailed BN’s help with moleskines, they were always made in china, and the price at BN is generally the same or a dollar cheaper and always has been — since before there were enough moleskines to warrant a big display.
great write-up:)
9 Casey C // Oct 2, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Man, I’m dying to get my hands on some of these! I checked two Borders in Indy though and no dice
Can’t find them on the website either. May have to suck it up and pay the expensive shipping!
Great review though!
10 Lanzman // Oct 2, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Picked up the large Picadilly at Borders tonight. Plain paper, not lined. Nice enough product, but the paper seems a bit thin and flimsy. It’s probably only suited for pencils and other dry media, tho perhaps some of the less liquidy inks would be okay. Best thing? The price. Only about 7 bucks. Sweet!
11 Maria-Thérèse // Oct 3, 2008 at 4:29 am
Is the paper similar to the Moleskine? Soft / silky surface, or is it more like cartridge paper or rough?
12 Zoe // Oct 3, 2008 at 11:50 am
I enjoy all your reviews.
I would like to ask if you could include the use of a fountain pen in upcoming sightings for those of us that require bleed-free novelties in our notebooks.
13 Andy // Oct 3, 2008 at 11:56 am
Been calling Borders in my area. They’re in the computer system, but there’s none on order for the store.
I’d order from the web site, but when you add in the shipping, you might as well buy a Moleskine.
14 Lanzman // Oct 3, 2008 at 2:29 pm
@Maria-Thérèse , the paper seems a bit less substantial than what you’d find in the Moleskine. Surface texture is about the same as standard laserprinter stock. The color is creamy off-white or “eggshell” tho, not brilliant white. Should have good tooth for pencils, pastels, or other dry media.
15 albert // Oct 4, 2008 at 3:18 am
I picked up a pocket sized lined and a pocket sized plain notebook at Borders today, after reading this review. Only $3.99 each!
I really like them. The back pocket doesn’t seem to be as high quality as the Moleskine’s, but it’s a very nice notebook still.
16 tschai // Oct 5, 2008 at 7:32 am
i love it!
17 Maria-Thérèse // Oct 5, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Lanzman: ok, thanks so much for your reply!
18 Velma // Oct 6, 2008 at 11:50 am
For what it’s worth, the Picadilly website has several other types of notebooks. The spirals are a bit wider-ruled than I like, but my cubicle-mate loves them. (She enjoys my obsession with the perfect notebook, as she gets first dibs on all the ones I discard as not being quite right.)
The turnaround from ordering on the website to the arrival of the books is very fast, and packaging is quite nice and secure. I suspect that a number of my nieces and nephews will enjoy the journal books as holiday gifts.
19 Mattias // Oct 7, 2008 at 4:07 am
Zoe +1
How does this and other of your reviewed notebooks take fountain pen ink? I would appreciate this factor to be weighed in. Moleskine is, for most inks, useless in terms of bleed-through (ironic since the much exaggerated reference to famous not so recent artists would have implied that too…) , whereas Clairefontaine and the original 90g/m2 paper for Rhodia pads are benchmarks. However none of those have the classic black cover design. Any thoughts?
20 John Tchoe // Oct 7, 2008 at 6:17 am
I picked up a few of the Piccadilly notebooks at my Borders–$3.99 for the smalls, both lined and plain, $4.99 for lined medium. One thing I noticed, you must’ve gotten lucky with your book, because the first line on the top of my pages are cut off. The bottom line is full-height, though. Maybe my pages are upside-down.
21 Moleskine Fans On A Budget - Check This Out « Scott Cheatham’s Weblog // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:14 am
[...] My blogging friend Armand Frasco at Notebookism tipped me off to the Piccadilly notebook through this review on the Black Cover [...]
22 fernando // Oct 7, 2008 at 4:07 pm
i don’t think they have a “gridded” one.
do they?
23 Zoe // Oct 7, 2008 at 7:37 pm
I have only used Moleskine sketchbooks and small diaries bought in Italy so bleed through hasn’t truly come up. My favourite fountain pen paper is Clairfontaine. Not even Rhodia or at least the reporter I am presently using compares.
Any 3×5, 4×6 notebook that can be used sitting at a cafe with pen, ink, water and a tin of watercolour pen would be one I’d buy by the dozen.
24 Ratan X // Oct 8, 2008 at 10:42 am
I’ve only tried one of mine, but I noticed that gel pens and fountain pen ink feathers more on these than Moles. I’ve seen similar comments about Moles on Fountain Pen Network, but I’ve not had that happen. Maybe I just got a bad Piccadilly. Also, the back pocket is a good bit more flimsy than the Mole. Otherwise, it’s a pretty nice little notebook for the price.
25 Scott Cheatham // Oct 8, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I found the lined and black books in the “bargain” section at my local Borders in North Denver. I hope this doesn’t mean they will not continue to carry them but I purchased two lined “small” notebooks for $3.99 each! The staff at first was shocked to find out they had them. We compared them in the store to the similar Moleskine at $10.95 and didn’t see much difference. Thanks for tipping me off on these!
26 Steve // Oct 10, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I picked up the Large version for $4.99 off the bargain rack outside a Borders in Atlanta. I think that may be where they are intended to live, maybe so as not to compete with the Moleskine, which they sell inside. I’ve seen certain types of journals on the Borders bargain rack for years, so I hope that means the Piccadilly is not on it’s way out (which would be weird since they seem to have just started selling them) but just part of their bargain journal selection.
27 Mattias // Oct 14, 2008 at 4:33 am
and here is another what seems to be a strong contender. haven’t tried it myself yet though. please note the A4+ version:
http://www.deskstore.se/epages/deskstore.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/deskstore/Categories/%22Leuchtturm%20Notebooks%22
28 CONTEST! Win The New Piccadilly Notebooks! // Oct 14, 2008 at 12:01 pm
[...] folks at Piccadilly, manufacturers of a fantastic, low-priced moleskine-style notebook, were extremely generous in donating a ton of notebooks for our second Black Cover contest, and [...]
29 Moleskine’s are overrated! | Fund My Shelves // Oct 15, 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] promising review for the pocket sized Picadilly is found at Black Cover. If you order notebooks through Black Cover, you will receive a discount. Better yet, after you [...]
30 Weekend Shopping | Notebook Stories // Oct 15, 2008 at 1:26 pm
[...] reason I stopped at Borders was to see if they were carrying the Picadilly notebooks reviewed at Black Cover. Black Cover had suggested that Barnes & Noble was the big Moleskine supporter and that was why [...]
31 Cheryl // Oct 22, 2008 at 11:25 pm
For those of you looking for a moleskine-type notebook with good quality paper suitable for fountain pens, Quo Vadis now makes the Habana Journal with Clairefontaine Paper – http://www.shopwritersbloc.com/quo-vadis-habana-journal–small.html
32 slywy // Oct 28, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I finally found the bargain books section at the Borders on State Street in Chicago. It was in an unexpected place (second floor, next to the children’s books). I picked up another couple of Piccadillies and am leaving this comment because the cashier said, with no prompting, “Aren’t these a bargain!”
33 The Moleskine Knock-Off: The Markings Notebook // Oct 29, 2008 at 2:12 pm
[...] three moleskine-style notebook reviews we’ve done, following some fierce competition from the Piccadilly and the Guildhall. Both the Piccaddilly and the Guildhall are inexpensive little black notebooks [...]
34 frank // Dec 14, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I recently came across these while browsing Border’s armed with a 30% off coupon (which I get almost weekly in emails from Border’s). I bought one and have since bought a few more. I am a pen and paper junkie! I wish they had a gridded version though.
35 Joe // Jan 2, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I just picked up one of these these mediums size at Waldenbooks in Livonia Michigan. It was $4.99 minus 50% off. Upon opening it. It felt cheap and the the elastic seemed stretched out. By no means a Moleskine quality and I actually prefer my large size Markings notebook over this one.
36 Josh // Jan 4, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I’ve been using Moleskines for a while and started using the Piccadilly journals (all three sizes, plain paper) when Borders began carrying them. I like the feel, and, of course, the price, but the elastic is awful. After a couple or few weeks of regular use the elastic band is worthless, which is not the case with a Moleskine. Not sure if paying more than double, or almost triple is worth it but I hate the cheesy elastic on the Piccadilly.
37 Donald Lee // Jan 6, 2009 at 10:15 am
For those who say Moleskine is of a better quality than the Piccadilly, think about it, what do you buy a notebook for? Do you buy it so you can look productive and intellectual in a coffee shop? Or do you buy it for the PAPER?
What good is a journal if the paper quality is inconsistent, too thin, and horrible? Exactly why I use piccadilly.
Yes, the price is a plus, but realistically, Moleskines should be lower than the price of the Piccadilly Notebook. They are a mass produced made in China Product with a quality control number. The Picadilly notebook’s elastic may not be that great, but so what? The Piccadilly paper can take ink from my BB pelikan m200 when I’m using HERBIN INK! The moleskine can’t even take Noodler’s Black from my extra fine Namiki Vanishing point.
What does that say about quality?
38 joe // Jan 7, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Donald,
Having a good tight fitting elastic is more beneficial to me than having FP paper. I use Dollar Store Ball Points, but carry my Moleskine/Markings with me all over the place. They do ten to get trashed and I use the pages to hold things like notes and other papers while I travel. To me that is something of quality. Kind of like you with the fountain pen and the HERBIN INK and your Pelikan M200. WTF is that anyway.
39 joe // Jan 7, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Made in China? Why does this always come up. I bet you have 90% of everything in your house made elsewhere also. That argument is old. You either like it or you don’t. Who cares? As long as you like it then whatever. Don’t try to bend mine and Josh’s opinion because we care about the elastic. That’s just retarded.
40 Josh // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:44 am
I’m a writer/reviewer so use my notebooks constantly, sometimes writing in them for up to 16 hours a day. I was on a two week trip in November and filled up four pocket books: two hard Moleskines, a Piccadilly and a soft Moleskine, plus a large Piccadilly. I have to go back to the books constantly to write articles, which means lots of opening and closing so a strong spine, good stitching and tight band are important to me. I really hated that Moleskine softcover because the oilskin started peeling away from the inner board after less than a day. I glued it back and then the back cover started peeling off. So I’m no Moleskine apologist. But the elastic on my Piccadillys gets so loose that I have to use rubber bands now to keep them closed. Not my idea of a good thing, in spite of the great price.
41 Josh // Jan 9, 2009 at 10:55 am
And the back pocket of the Piccadilly is a joke. Just folded paper with zero reinforcement. I carry business cards in the pocket and use it to hold onto receipts, occasional some money and also use it to accumulate other people’s business cards. I’ve had to tape up all my Piccadilly pockets, often within a matter of days after starting to use the book.
42 Miguel // Jan 15, 2009 at 10:51 am
hi there everyone.
these notebooks are great, but not being able to buy them in the UK I’m disapointed!!!!!
anyone know where I can get them in UK?
43 Kevin // Jan 16, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I just picked up a couple (ruled) from Border’s here in CT. These things, upon close inspection, seem to be superior to the Moleskine in every way except the pocket. The pocket is awful. It appears to be made of slightly thicker than average paper! I’m think of making some reinforcing pre-repairs. Not sure what I’d do though. All that said, at roughly a third of the cost of a Moleskine, I’ll take a crappy pocket any day! I do still prefer my Guildhall’s though.
44 Kevin // Jan 16, 2009 at 8:58 pm
BTW, they had a few ruled left and a bunch of plain laying around. I’d recommend any local Blackcover-ers (?) to have a go. (the one in farmington)
45 Lisa // Jan 20, 2009 at 10:25 pm
My only real complaint about the Picadilly is the weakness of the elastic. I also wish that Picadilly carried a sketchbook version with stronger pages as Moleskine does. Then I would be content!
46 Piccadilly Squared Notebooks Coming in April | Notebook Stories // Mar 18, 2009 at 8:09 pm
[...] them in April! The question, though, is whether any retailers will have them. Black Cover’s review mentioned that a gridded version was available, but I’ve never heard of them being in stores. [...]
47 Andy Pastuszak // Mar 26, 2009 at 12:56 pm
The Borders near me had tons of these things a few months ago. I went in yesterday to buy 2 more, and they were totally out of them! The told me because they were a discount item, the couldn’t order them, and couldn’t tell me when they would get more!
Problem is, with what they’re charging for shipping on the Picaddilly site, I don’t see myself grabbing one, when I can walk to a Barnes and Noble and get a Moleskine for just $2.00 more.
I definitely like these books a lot, but they need a better distribution channel to get them in my hands.
The squared notebooks come out in April 2009, and I don’t know if I will be able to buy one.
48 raul // May 4, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Thank you for the review, I just bought two blank small ones for $3.99 and a large one for $5.99 at Borders. After comparing them to my Moleskine I will buy the Piccadilly from now on.
49 ML // May 9, 2009 at 3:47 pm
The elastic on the Piccadilly notebooks stops being elastic in short order. You might as well just cut it off because after a couple of weeks it just droops. And, yes, the back pocket is crap.
50 PFM // Jun 21, 2009 at 10:30 pm
I didn’t see any posts yet from users of the Piccadilly Graph small notebook. I just bought a few today at Borders in DE, and they appear to be consistent with the quality of the plain paper version, which I find to be quite good overall.
Admittedly the pocket and elastic are not significant issues for me; I don’t like mine to bulge (I keep notes and receipts in a Moleskine Memo Pockets), and my notebooks are usually pressed snugly in a travel bag.
I hope these become available locally to those who have had difficulty getting them; I do find them to be a good notebook overall.
I just returned from Germany, where I priced Moleskine and Leuchtturm notebooks. The Piccadilly are really a bargain at US $4.
Thanks for the helpful product reviews.
51 steph // Jun 23, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Spotted these at borders a couple weeks ago and snatched them up for myself and by brother. the smalls for me, and the larges for the bro. We both love them. It works well with my pelikano (aka can write on concrete tough as nails) fountain pen smoothly with little bleed through, though i’d probably notice the difference in finish if i were using a more delicate fountain pen.
I get all the excellent design qualities of the molskeine, at the third of the price…LOVE IT!!
I hope borders continues to carry these for a good long time!
52 Grace // Oct 2, 2009 at 10:23 am
You appear to be comparing a well-worn Moleskine with a new Piccadilly . . . I just picked up a Piccadilly at Borders because I didn’t want to pay for a Moleskine, so I am not a notebook snob, but I did notice immediately that the spine on the Piccadilly is rounded and already detached from the pages. I am curious to see how the cheaper brand holds up.
53 Switching Allegiances « The Cozy Catastrophe // Oct 6, 2009 at 11:53 am
[...] recently, we’ve done some research, and found this superb website whose mission it is to search the world for the perfect black cover notebook. They too gave the Piccadilly a thumbs up over the [...]
54 Ann Harney // Oct 11, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I was a reporter for a long time and chose Moleskine because it’s the only one I’ve found with a “reporter’s notebook.” That style makes it easier to take notes while standing. Is there another, better notebook that fulfills the need of old reporters?
55 Ann Harney // Oct 11, 2009 at 12:41 pm
How long does that usually take?
56 Why I’m not on the Moleskine-brand bandwagon | POS 51 // Oct 22, 2009 at 10:48 pm
[...] I was intrigued. So when I got home I checked for some reviews and found Black Cover’s review here. Though we’ve reviewed numerous other little black notebooks, none of them has been in the [...]
57 Matt // Jan 3, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Nice comparison. I just picked up a Piccadilly today from Borders. I actually saw it before xMas, and couldn’t wait to hit Herald Square again so I could try it out. I love the Moleskin, but with a beer or two in me, I’d have no luck telling them apart. Happy to have a cheaper alternative, especially if both are made by cheap overseas labor. Here’s wishing for an American option in the future.
58 james // Jan 9, 2010 at 12:14 pm
after reading your post went to check which notebook did i’ve and funny how it was paccadilly.
great review though.
59 Corinne // Jan 9, 2010 at 10:46 pm
I really wanted a new sketchbook and I really appreciated how the moleskin notebooks were made, except they didn’t come in a large enough enjoying size for me to work in and their covers were so weak. It wasn’t until I stumbled into Borders a few days ago when I saw the Piccadilly notebooks in a larger size! Unfortunately, there wasn’t one that was blank, so I tried looking online. And unfortunately, I couldn’t find a single blank Piccadilly notebook online. I might be too late in the game. =[
60 Corinne // Jan 11, 2010 at 6:13 pm
I found them! Though, I don’t know if they are still going to make them since they were in the clearance section at Borders.
61 Moleskine Alternative « God in the Wasteland // Jan 15, 2010 at 11:51 pm
[...] However, after I cracked it open and thoroughly examined it, it seemed eerily similar to the Moleskine. A couple days later I read this review: [...]
62 JP // Jan 16, 2010 at 7:29 pm
I picked up a couple small Piccadilly notebooks (1 ruled and 1 squared) at Border’s the other day for $3.99 each. Way cool to get two moleskine notebooks for less than the price of one Moleskine notebook.
Anyway, I finally got around to using one yesterday and was quite pleased. As far as quality goes, I really can’t find any difference between it and a Moleskine, other than the elastic band is noticeably tighter than on my Moleskines. We’ll see how it holds up over time. The paper is the same or better. The cover is comparable as is the binding. I haven’t bothered fiddling with the pocket in back so I can’t comment on that.
Overall, I’m quite pleased with my Piccadilly moleskine so far.
63 David FInk // Feb 1, 2010 at 4:36 pm
You can’t order directly from the Piccadilly site any longer. Since I’m not a fan of B&N or Borders or any other large indie-crushing conglomerate I guess I won’t be trying this one.
64 Colin // Feb 10, 2010 at 12:50 am
I have used several different Picadillys from the ruled to the blank sketchbook. $5 is a great price considering your $10 Moleskine costs $17.95 plus tax for the standard size! However, Picadilly’s constantly fail me in one aspect: I can always see exactly what’s on the other side of the page. The paper is simply too thin. Even if they are being manufactured in China, the Moleskine has Picadilly beat on function, especially if you’re the compulsive type that refuses to waste the back side of the page. But $12 a pop does make me cringe.
65 rm.camp // Feb 21, 2010 at 9:08 am
I finally got around to picking up one of these notebooks last month as a means to writing drafts of journal entries before publishing them online. I’ve never been good at keeping it up in the past, but I’m making a genuine attempt at it now.
This is mostly due to how impressed I am with the Picadilly, I feel I should do it justice. So impressed I am, in fact, that I decided to pick up a couple more – a medium graph-lined and a large ruled – for my laboratory work.
The only thing that worries me about these notebooks is nothing to do with the books themselves, but with the fact that a lot of Borders locations around me are going under. I hope Picadilly can find more distibutors if Borders collapses, because I’m not going to bother with the overpriced hype of a Moleskine. Maybe I can try to convince my university bookstore to carry them…
66 Tom // Feb 25, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Being a sketch artist I look for the blank notebooks. Price is a major issue. So call me cheeeeep but I think price is more of an issue than many will admit. I have Moleskins, two sizes, and liked them, then I saw Piccidilly and was so surprised at the price I grabbed six of them.
Then I saw a large size Piccadilly and it was heaven. Just the size for my sketches. I was so happy to see it made with the beautiful black cover quality. I want Piccadilly to make it with heavier paper for art stuff.
Well, I have had communication with almost 200 artists, and here it is, Piccadilly wins over Moleskin by 92 percent. I got lots of additional information that I am going to contact Piccadilly about. I had no idea how easy it was to get the subject of notebooks going.
67 Pam S // Apr 8, 2010 at 11:40 am
Have bought several (many) Piccadilly notebooks & love them. 1st, I am an artist and decorate them as gifts; 2nd, you can’t beat the prices (all sizes), and 3rd, they are a great substitute for Moleskine, and 4th, people love them. Thanks so much for having a Black Cover as it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! Cheers!
68 I Want To Find the Perfect Journal… « Fountain of Pens // Apr 10, 2010 at 6:40 pm
[...] There’s a review of a Piccadilly note just like I’ve described at Black Cover (http://blackcover.net/?p=30 ) from 2008. The problem is, I can’t find it anywhere. That’s my other big criteria, [...]
69 Tim Keeton // Apr 19, 2010 at 9:38 am
I am a Moleskine fan from way back, but I picked up some of the lined and unlined small Piccadillys (I can’t pass up blank journals, particularly at a good price).
Initially, there is little difference, other than price and the inside pocket, and the lack of a “Cahier#…If lost, please return to…” page up front (I wrote it in mine).
As others have reported, my Piccadilly (which I carry with me every day – like I did/do with my Moleskine) lost its elastic (I eventually cut it off and now use a rubber band). It also has frayed at the top and bottom of the spine (again, I simply cut away the frayed parts).
Mine has gotten pretty damp and endured hip pockets, cargo pockets, backpack pockets, etc. I have to say that considering the frequency of use and amount of abuse (e.g. camping, backpacking, traveling, etc.), it has held up very well. Actually, I suppose it has acquired a sort of “cool” well-used look.
Although I believe my Moleskines have weathered a little better, I have been pretty satisfied with my Piccadillys.
I guess I’m just a little bit of a Moleskine snob, but again, I have a ton of different brands, styles and types of “little black book” journals, and will continue to buy whatever catches my fancy at the time. If I can buy Moleskine cheaply, I do. If I can’t, I buy something else.
Thanks for this site and for your reviews. I find them and the comments to be helpful. I will certainly keep them in mind in my future purchases.
Tim Keeton
Poet/Wizard/Teller-of-tales
70 Elijah Nicolas // Apr 22, 2010 at 12:05 am
it’s awesome how one can just google “moleskine vs piccadilly” and boom, this review comes up!
I actually was interested in purchasing a Moleskine notebook but happen to come across this website and come to find out that the one I’ve been using was the Piccadilly (medium grid) from Borders. I definitely believe that the Piccadilly version is just as well done if not, as you mentioned, a nice upgrade from the Moleskine.
I’m sold and will probably start stocking up. I’ll be honest and say I’ve put tasteful stickers on the front of mine to give it more character.
71 Naim Sahil // Apr 26, 2010 at 8:43 am
I need quote for below item.
Piccadilly notebooks, cover style hard book medium 5×8 1/4 black, Quantity 30 EA
Please send me the quote ASAP,
72 The End of an Era? The Piccadilly Notebook at Borders « The PenUltimate Ink Blog // Apr 28, 2010 at 9:43 pm
[...] not the only one who thinks that Moleskines and Piccadillys are essentially the same; over at Black Cover, the author wrote a review in which he discusses the advantages that Piccadilly has over Moleskine [...]
Leave a Comment