Do you ever get something that just makes you feel fancy? Something new that you just can’t wait to use? Maybe it’s a new wallet or a nice manicure or a new pair of shoes. For me, that’s how I felt about the Colonel Littleton No. 18 Tablet Portfolio. When I saw it come in for review, I swooped in and snatched it up for myself.
See, I’m a speech-therapist-in-training, and these days, I carry around an iPad and a notebook for use in the clinic. So when a gorgeous iPad and notebook portfolio comes my way, I claim it for field testing.
ABOUT COLONEL LITTLETON
Colonel Littleton is based out of Lynnville, Tennessee, a town with a population of 327. The real Colonel Littleton himself got his start selling vintage cufflinks in 1987, which sparked an interest in creating unique, heirloom items. Now, 28 years later, Colonel Littleton makes bags, belts, hats, wallets, knives, cologne, and more, all with a unique Tennessee flair.
THE LEATHER
Colonel Littleton primarily uses full-grain, vegetable-tanned, American hides for its products. The leather on the No. 18 Tablet Portfolio is a lovely polished, double-tanned black full-grain leather. The snap closure on the front is made of the same leather but tanned in a chestnut brown color. For an additional $8.00, you can get your initials embossed on this strap. The finish on the leather is great for a portfolio. It’s fairly scratch-resistant and won’t get stained. The stitching is absolutely perfect and makes the whole piece look very polished.
The No. 18 Tablet Portfolio comes in black with brown trim, as seen here. I like the black with brown because it goes with just about anything else I choose to carry. It also comes in all black or all brown for the same price, brown buffalo for $215…or in all alligator for $1650. The same size portfolio is also available without a tablet pouch for $150 if you’re not an iPad user.
FUNCTION
I have literally met older speech therapists who had to have shoulder surgery from lugging around so much stuff all day. So I have avowed to try to be as minimalist as possible when it comes to carrying the essentials. Thanks to lightweight technology like iPads, and wonderful portfolios like this one, my shoulders may still stand a chance (though I may be naïve about the amount of paperwork looming in my future). The No. 18 Tablet Portfolio has two brass snaps on the closure that allow it to expand to fit a big stack of documents if need be.
The left side of the portfolio has a business card slot, a tablet pouch, and a diagonal slot for documents. There is a little loop in the center for a pen or pencil. The right side holds a standard legal pad by tucking the cardboard back into two leather straps. The portfolio comes with Colonel Littleton’s Memorandum pad, their proprietary legal pad with brass rivets and thick paper, which you can reorder on their website.
CONCLUSION
What really stands out about the No. 18 Tablet Portfolio is the attention to detail. The double snap closure, the business card slot, the penholder, even the included legal pad and pencil are unique and customized for this piece. You won’t find another portfolio as distinctive as this one for $189.50. It’s American made, it’s full-grain American leather, and it does its job beautifully. Make sure to order some extra legal pads because you’ll be using this often.
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