As long as we’re revisiting old Quo Vadis ads, I figure I might as well retell the story of our most popular planning format…
Though it seems like one of those things that must have been around forever, the idea of weekly time management—at least as it applies to planners—didn’t exist until 1952. The inventor? A French doctor named F.G. Beltrami, who invented the “one week on two pages” planner format when he stamped a grid onto the white pages of a notebook. (Up till then, appointment books were like diaries, with one day per page.)
Dr. Beltrami called his invention the “Agenda Planning Diary.” His friends and family were so enthusiastic about it that he eventually decided to switch careers and form his own company to manufacture his creation. In 1954, Editions Quo Vadis was formed in Marseilles, France—and has been turning out new Agendas ever since.
Curious about the name “Quo Vadis”? Read Karen’s post about the topic.
4 Comments
Chet
Is the first notebook that he stamped the grid on in the Quo Vadis collection? Are there pictures of the inside that we can look at?
Leah Hoffmann
That’s a great question, Chet… I don’t know, but I will ask Karen to get in touch with our French offices. I’ll keep you posted!
Stephen Smith
I would love to see those pictures too!
Leah Hoffmann
Alas, it doesn’t look like anyone knows what’s happened to that first stamped notebook… If we find anything in the future, though, I will post it here!