Back in August, I received an email from Yusuf at Galen Leather. “Hi Sarah,” he wrote. “I’m thrilled to be connecting with you all the way from Turkey! I recently just stumbled on your blog and thought it would be a great fit for a collaboration. Would you be interested in receiving one of our handmade leather items item to review or include in a post on your blog? All of our products are handmade in Turkey using traditional leather making techniques including vegetable tanning.
“We love working with bloggers who respect craftsmanship of unique products like ours. Unfortunately, with the cheap, mass factory production of similar items these days, it is becoming a rare trade in Turkey but our hope is to see the craft live on. We’d love to send you a product of your choosing if you’re interested in working with us. Look forward to hearing back from you! Kind Regards, Yusuf”
Absolutely, I was VERY interested! Months before 9/11, I was fortunate enough to visit Istanbul and shop the Grand Bazaar. Wandering it, I fell hopelessly and eternally in love with pretty much everything I saw there in terms of passion and craft traditions. The light pink prayer rug I finally decided on depicts a cat napping in the sun; every time I look at it, I still feel that dry heat beating down on me as I bought it from the weaver.
With that said, I was really excited to immerse myself in this fantastic world again, albeit on a screen. And I immediately fell utterly and hopelessly in love with their selection of Writer’s Medic Bags. Available in two varieties and several colors as well as undyed leather, these are simply a must for any stationery fan.
Pens, cords, phone, to say nothing of cards, notebooks, even tablets can find a dedicated home here. This really is an heirloom in that not only is a beautiful and beautifully designed object, but because every last square inch has been created not by a machine, but a pair of hands.
And then of course everything neatly and brilliantly folds up to travel with you!
Galen Leather is named for Claudius Galenus, a Greek surgeon, physician and philosopher who lived in present day Bergama, Turkey, during the Roman Empire. His work influenced medical science for centuries; the Medic Bag itself was envisioned as a physical means to bring his innovative ideas from antiquity into the present and future.
The bag itself was designed by Galen founder (and Yusef’s sister) Zeynap. She discovered a vintage Swiss army bag in a market, once used to transport medical tools, and that got her inspired to think about how she might make their already wildly popular Writing Boxes portable.
Sadly, Zeynep passed away of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, a rare type of head and neck cancer, on July 3, 2019. The Writer’s Medic Bag was her last design, and as such, every last one is an enduring testament to her.
I so enjoyed discovering every last treasure tucked inside this amazing creation: information on the bag itself, its care and keeping; a postcard of Apollo’s temple; samples of Turkish teas and coffee; even two evil eye charms to bring good fortune and peace.
Now all I can think about is how this will up my organization game at my next trade show. There’s a spot for every conceivable item I need on the show floor: business card, pens, phone, notebook, charger, room key … plus plenty of space for whatever ephemera I pick up on my journey.
I will definitely think of Zeynap with much gratitude and more than a little wonder each time I use it or spy its lovely smooth surface.
So, I’ve can’t close without strongly recommending that any lover of paper — and certainly anyone with a shop — check out this amazing, family-run house of handmade leather goods. Your stationery will never be quite the same!
