Spice Age

The Spice Islands

Jimmy Maher | The Analog Antiquarian | 14th March 2025

Instalment in an ongoing serialised history of the voyage of Magellan. Although the explorer himself had died several months before, in November 1521 what remained of his crew finally arrived at their intended destination: the Spice Islands, also known as the Maluku Islands. In the 16C, this archipelago in the South Pacific was the only known place that nutmeg, mace, and cloves could be grown (6,000 words)

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The Golden Age Of Japanese Pencils

Carson Monetti | Studio Notes | 2nd March 2025

Many of the greatest pencils of all time were produced in Japan between 1952 and 1967. Two manufacturers, Tombow and Mitsubishi Pencil, went head to head in "the Great Tokyo Pencil Rivalry", vying to produce premium writing implements that married superlative form and function. Every detail, from the exterior colour and typography to the graphite and clay within, was honed and optimised (4,600 words)