Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook: 150 g Paper, 4 Formats
The Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook is a sewn hard-cover sketchbook with 112 pages (56 sheets) of 150 g/m² white paper. The Medium (A5) measures 145 × 210 mm (5.75 × 8.25 in) and also comes in landscape, square and Master (A4+) formats, with an elastic closure, ribbon and back pocket. It suits pencil and ink; heavy watercolor is not its strength.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook Medium (A5), Portrait, Hardcover, 112 pages, 150 g/m²
- Brand
- Leuchtturm1917
- Brand origin
- Germany
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Hard cover; 150 g/m² white, acid-free drawing card, thread-sewn
- Price range
- $$$$20–75 per ream or pad
Notes on these facts
- Made by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany). Country of manufacture not stated: We found no listing that gives a country of origin for the current 150 g/m², 112-page Sketchbook, and Leuchtturm1917's German page names only the maker in Geesthacht. Galaxus lists Germany for the separate Edition120 sketchbook, and other Leuchtturm1917 notebooks are listed as made in Taiwan, China or Germany, so check the label on your copy. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Leuchtturm1917's German site lists 112 pages of white, acid-free 150 g/m² drawing card in every format, from €24.95 (about US$28).
- Medium (A5) is 145 × 210 mm (5.75 × 8.25 in); landscape 210 × 145 mm, Square 225 × 225 mm and Master 225 × 316 mm.
- Leuchtturm1917 lists a thread-sewn book block, elastic closure, ribbon marker, gusseted back pocket and cover and spine labels.
- 2016 reviews describe 180 g/m² paper, so older stock may be heavier than today's 150 g/m² books.
- Leuchtturm1917 is a German brand; we found no reliable source for where the sketchbook is made.
What is the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook?
It is Leuchtturm1917’s drawing book: the brand’s hard-cover notebook format filled with 112 pages of heavy 150 g/m² white paper instead of thin writing paper. It keeps the elastic closure, ribbon marker and gusseted back pocket, and Pulp Addiction lists a blank table of contents.
US art and pen shops such as Blick and Phidon Pens stock it, and retailers list cover colors including black, sage, lemon, lilac, azure and Forest Green.
Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook Medium (A5) specs
| Spec | Medium (A5), portrait (this guide) |
|---|---|
| Size | 145 × 210 mm (5.75 × 8.25 in) |
| Pages | 112 (56 sheets), plain |
| Paper | 150 g/m², white, FSC-certified |
| Paper | Acid-free (Leuchtturm1917) |
| Binding | Thread-sewn, hard cover |
| Extras | Elastic closure, ribbon, gusseted back pocket, cover and spine labels; table of contents (Pulp Addiction) |
| Article / UPC | 801321 (Leuchtturm1917 Germany) / 4004117648434 (Sage, Blick) |
| German list price | From €24.95 (about US$28) |
| Made in | Not stated |
Pages, paper, binding, extras, formats and price come from Leuchtturm1917’s German product page; Blick gives the size in inches and the UPC.
What formats does the sketchbook come in?
Four formats, all with the same 112 pages of 150 g/m² paper.
| Format | Size | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (A5) | 145 × 210 mm (5.75 × 8.25 in) | Carrying every day |
| Medium landscape | 210 × 145 mm | Wide scenes and panoramas |
| Square | 225 × 225 mm (8.9 in) | Studies, design boards |
| Master (A4+) | 225 × 316 mm (8.9 × 12.4 in) | Desk work, bigger drawings |
The format sizes come from Leuchtturm1917’s German and US sketchbook pages; Hunt Office confirms 112 pages for the Master.
What media work on the 150 g/m² paper?
Pencil, ink and fineliners work well; heavy watercolor and alcohol markers do not. The Well-Appointed Desk found inks stayed put without bleeding, while The Pen Addict saw fountain pens feather a little on the older 180 gsm paper.
The Well-Appointed Desk found the paper isn’t sized for watercolor and pilled under heavy wet rubbing, so use water sparingly; its Copic markers looked good on the front but bled through the back. Both reviews date from 2016.
Has the paper changed?
Yes: 2016 reviews describe 180 g/m² paper, while current listings say 150 g/m². The page count today is 112 in every format.
If you are replacing an older book, expect slightly thinner pages. The current paper is still about twice the weight of the 80 g/m² paper in the Leuchtturm1917 A5 notebook.
How does it compare to other hard-cover sketchbooks?
It sits between its two main rivals: more pages than the Moleskine, fewer than the Stillman & Birn.
| Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook | Moleskine Art Sketchbook | Stillman & Birn Alpha | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 14.5 × 21 cm | 13 × 21 cm | 14 × 21.6 cm |
| Pages | 112 | 104 | 124 |
| Paper | 150 g/m² white | 165 g/m² ivory | 150 g/m² white |
| Formats | Portrait, landscape, square, A4+ | Pocket, Large, A4 | Several portrait and landscape |
| Made in | Not stated | China | Bound in the US |
Pick the Leuchtturm1917 for its many cover colors and the square format; pick Stillman & Birn if you want a series built for heavier washes.
Where is the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook made?
We found no reliable source that names the country of manufacture for the current sketchbook. Galaxus lists Germany for the separate Edition120 sketchbook, and Leuchtturm1917’s notebooks are listed as made in Taiwan, China or Germany depending on the batch.
Leuchtturm1917 is a German brand, run by the Leuchtturm Gruppe from Geesthacht, near Hamburg. Check the label on the back of your copy.
Frequently asked questions
What paper weight is the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook?
150 g/m² white, acid-free drawing card, per Leuchtturm1917's German site; Blick and Hunt Office agree. Reviews from 2016 describe 180 g/m² paper, so the paper has changed since then.
How many pages does the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook have?
112 pages, which is 56 sheets, in every format. Unlike Leuchtturm1917's notebooks, retailers don't list numbered pages for the sketchbook.
What sizes does the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook come in?
Medium (A5) portrait, 145 × 210 mm; Medium landscape, 210 × 145 mm; Square, 225 × 225 mm; and Master (A4+), 225 × 316 mm.
Can you use watercolor in the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook?
Only sparingly. The Well-Appointed Desk found the paper isn't sized for watercolor, so heavy washes can pill. Watercolor pencils and light washes are fine.
Do markers bleed through the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook?
Alcohol markers can. The Well-Appointed Desk found Copic colors looked good on the front but bled through to the back, and darker ones to the next page. Use one side per spread and a scrap sheet under markers.
Is the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook the same as the A5 notebook?
No. The notebook has 251 numbered pages of 80 g/m² writing paper; the sketchbook has 112 unnumbered pages of 150 g/m² drawing paper. Both share the cover, elastic, ribbon and pocket.
Where is the Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook made?
We found no reliable source. Leuchtturm1917 is a German brand from Geesthacht, near Hamburg; check the back label on your copy for the country of manufacture.
Sources
- Leuchtturm1917 (Germany): Skizzenbuch (sketchbook: article 801321, from €24.95, 112 pages, white acid-free 150 g/m² drawing card, thread-sewn, four formats)
- Leuchtturm1917 US: Sketchbooks (Master 225 x 316 mm, Square 225 x 225 mm, Medium 145 x 210 mm, Medium landscape 210 x 145 mm)
- Blick: Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook, Sage, Portrait, 5-3/4 x 8-1/4 in (112 pages, 150 gsm, hardbound, UPC 4004117648434)
- Blick: Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbooks (56 sheets, 150 gsm, FSC-certified, elastic closure)
- Phidon Pens: Leuchtturm1917 Master A4 hardcover sketchbook, 150 gsm
- Pulp Addiction: Leuchtturm1917 Medium (A5) Sketchbook, landscape (expandable back pocket, blank table of contents)
- Hunt Office: Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook Master A4+, hardcover, 112 pages, 150 g/m²
- Cass Art: Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook Medium A5, Black
- Galaxus: Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbook Edition120 medium (country of origin Germany; a different 120 g/m² book)
- The Pen Addict: Leuchtturm1917 Pocket A6 sketchbook review (2016, 180 gsm paper, slight fountain pen feathering)
- The Well-Appointed Desk: Review, Leuchtturm 1917 sketchbook (2016; 180 gsm, not sized for watercolor, Copic test)