Waltraud Bethge, designer: "The desire for quality doesn’t make life lighter, but nicer." This desire is clearly reflected by Bethge’s personal suggestion for special Christmas gifts.

She suggests three accessories that (naturally) deal with writing. The first item is a refined, handmade, stationery-box made of black lacquered Maplewood lined with black Alcantara-suede. As a fitting complement to this, Waltraud Bethge suggests notepaper created by her studio. Every sheet of paper and envelopes is individually printed by hand.

The writing desk ensemble is completed by a fountain pen (by Ferrari da Varese) made of sterling silver combined with exquisite horn.

The personification of the Italian art of writing.

About Waltraud Bethge

It all began in 1977, with a love of beautiful notepaper and a tiny shop in a square in Hamburg: "The smallest, finest, and most expensive stationery shop in the city", as it was called at that time, from which started an enterprise that now has an international clientele, and four of its own stores in Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf.

Bethge Hamburg offers products dealing with writing and lifestyle accessories such as organisers and portfolios, and manta-ray-, sharkskin- and python-covered iPod-cases. As well as caviar cups, vases and key rings made of polished African horn, lacquered Canadian sycamore-wood jewellery and cigar humidors, a sterling-silver bulldog collection - and of course the most beautiful writing utensils in the world.

All creative ideas and product development are developed completely in-house. Totally bespoke printing of writing paper, visiting cards, wedding and birth announcements can also be made.

The complete price for this Christmas present is normally EURO 2.390, but Classic Driver readers will be able to take advantage of a special price of EURO 2.200.

For further information please visit www.bethge-hamburg.de, or email [email protected].

Text: Classic Driver
Photos: Bethge Hamburg