Sonnenleder pencil case "Lenz" mocha brown
The "Lenz" writing case from Sonnenleder is a handcrafted pencil case made from vegetable-tanned South German cowhide leather. Leather inside and out – the mocha-brown case smells of genuine tannery, feels warm and firm in the hand, and becomes more personal with every year. Anyone who has worked with a pit-tanned leather case knows the feeling: firm, slightly textured material that moulds to your hand with use rather than wearing away.
Features
- Traditional pit tanning: The leather is tanned purely vegetally in a pit – a process that takes months and gives the leather a dense, breathable structure that noticeably differs from chrome-tanned leather: firm grip, natural scent, lively surface with visible grain.
- Carefully selected South German cowhides: Sonnenleder processes exclusively hides from regional sources with traceable supply chains – short distances, controlled raw materials, no anonymous mass production.
- Patina instead of wear: Sun, rain and heat change the surface over time: the leather initially darkens unevenly and then develops a characteristic patina that provides natural surface protection and turns the case into a unique piece.
- Leather lining: Pure leather inside too – no textile, no plastic. This protects the pens from scratches and ensures that fountain pen nibs and lacquered bodies don't catch on rough seams.
- Polished metal zip: No plastic slider, but a polished premium metal zip from Germany – runs smoothly and closes the case reliably.
- German rubber webbing straps: The loops are made from German rubber webbing – elastic enough to safely hold writing instruments of different thicknesses without permanently stretching.
- Handcrafted, piece by piece: Every case is made individually. Natural colour variations and grain patterns in the leather are not defects, but expressions of the lively surface.
Use & Tips
- Space for 9 writing instruments: One loop is wide enough for a fountain pen, eight further loops hold ink rollers, pencils, fine-liners or ballpoints up to 17 cm long – a sensible capacity for a fully equipped desk set.
- Flap for eraser or sharpener: The separate flap keeps small accessories within reach without them getting lost inside or scratching the writing instruments.
- Storing fountain pens correctly: Fountain pens with delicate lacquered barrels or resin bodies lie safely in the leather-padded interior. If you carry several fountain pens with different ink colours, you can organise the case accordingly: the widest loop accommodates even large-volume fountain pens.
- Leather care: Pit-tanned leather is cared for with a colourless, wax-based leather conditioner. No silicone or lacquer care products – they close the pores and inhibit patina development.
- Breaking in: The leather is initially somewhat stiff when new – this is intentional. After a few weeks of use, the case moulds to your hand, the loops give way and the material becomes more supple without losing its firmness.
For Leather Enthusiasts
Pit tanning – also called vegetable tanning – is the oldest known tanning process. In contrast to chrome tanning, which takes just a few hours, pit-tanned hides are stored for months in pits with plant-based tanning agents from bark, roots and fruit. The result is leather with higher density, firmer structure and a pH-neutral profile – relevant for anyone who wants to protect sensitive writing instruments (fountain pens with gold nibs, lacquered or resin bodies). The plant-based tanning agents react with UV light and atmospheric oxygen: this explains why the leather darkens first on exposed areas and patina begins to form where the case is regularly handled. Sonnenleder produces in Bodman-Ludwigshafen on Lake Constance and relies exclusively on German tanning craftsmanship with seven generations of experience.
Technical Specifications
| Model: | "Lenz" writing case |
| Colour: | Mocha brown |
| Material (exterior): | Vegetable-tanned cowhide (South German cattle hides, traditional pit tanning) |
| Material (interior): | Leather |
| Closure: | Polished premium metal zip (Germany) |
| Loops / Holders: | 1 loop for fountain pen, 8 loops for pens up to 17 cm long, 1 flap for eraser or sharpener |
| Rubber bands: | Rubber webbing (Germany) |
| Manufacture: | Pure handcrafted |
| Origin: | Germany (Bodman-Ludwigshafen on Lake Constance) |
| Includes: | 1 writing case (contents not included) |