THE 1908 'PANAMA'

Archive Stories: the early days of a Smythson diary.

In the first of our Archive Stories series, we travel back to the early days of a Smythson diary.

In 1908, Frank Smythson created the world’s first practical, portable diary. At a time of cumbersome desk diaries and appointment books, his ambition was to revolutionise the way in which to diarise. Like most of Smythson’s practical pieces, the Panama diary was innovatively designed to accompany everyday life, especially days on the move.

Notable in Smythson’s history, it was the first book to contain airmail-weight paper which later became our Featherweight paper. As legend would have it, the distinctive pale blue page was born when a pot of ink knocked into the paper pulp during production. Refusing for the batch to go to waste, Frank insisted it be used to produce a run.

Suitably slimline and lightweight, the Panama held many advantages… namely, to fit inside a gentleman's breast pocket ‘without causing the least disfigurement’. Known as ‘the Panama hat of books’, after the style of hat preferred by British travel-seekers of the time, the remarkable pliability of its hard-wearing binding, grained in all directions, meant it could be handled without losing its form or showing signs of wear.

It wasn’t long before this unassuming little book, or variations of, garnered a legion of noteworthy fans such as the likes of Vivien Leigh. Frank’s invention was nothing short of a revelation, attracting many to be freed from the confines of keeping a diary at home, allowing them to document life’s moments as they unfolded.

The durability and reliability of the cover caught on and the leather in which it was bound has become the namesake of the diary. Today, our signature Panama leather collection is reimagined across a host of bags, accessories, books, and home pieces, in a range of covetable colours.

Start exploring the latest collection and find a Panama diary of your own.

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