Sennelier 525 Full Pastel Wooden Box Set

Do I have the words to convey to you how awesome this is? No. It is awesome and I should have purchased this earlier and saved money. I always feel indulgent buying big, expensive art sets, so instead I buy lots of little sets and scour Ebay and whatnot to piece things together. Finally, logic appealed to my inner art supply-miser: This is a phenomenal price for Sennelier Pastels. It seems indulgent, but honestly, you can't do any better. There was no sales tax for me & I received a 5% discount with my Amazon store card: at $1.98 a pastel this purchase was a no-brainer for me when I finally took the time to do the math. And that's not including the value of the case, which would easily retail for a few hundred dollars by itself. To have them organized in this big, amazing wooden case with spectacular trays is just the icing on the cake. And yes, totally indulgent, but also pragmatic: each tray is solid wood and features two leather straps that allow you to take the trays out and put each one back in easily and softly. Nothing plops in or bangs around in a way that could cause damage to the pastels. This is not a flimsy, cheaply made case; it's really sturdy and even has dovetail joints. I love that I can lay the trays out on the table, or floor and easily find what I need. I slide the case under a sofa to save space in my tiny studio. I am not ashamed to admit I have actually hugged the case (twice) out of absolute joy. I will feel like a kid in a candy store for a long time. Jerry's shipped fast and free, and this is somehow cheaper here than on Amazon than on their site.

I purchased this box “used-like new” and was surprised when the box showed up with the bottom row of pastels completely destroyed and looking like some pastels weren’t even included. The dust from the broken pastels got all over everything, including my carpet, which is now stained. One of the handles on pan was also broken. I never post reviews but just wanted to share that if a listing says “like new”, you should take it with a grain of salt.

So easy to use, if you have a large flat Surface. Product is as expected for the brand, a dream to work with. Colors are arranged In a well organized pallet, ready to use! I have never bought anything this extravagant, I am very pleased I did!

The pastels are amazing and the colors are incredible. Because they are soft pastels they do break and crumble easily. The reason I only gave 4 stars is that for the weight of the wooden box (33 lbs) and the price, the handle and clasps should be significantly more substantial.

I absolutely LOVE Sennelier! They are a very soft material with minimal binder, so they are best for using at the end of a pastel painting unless you are using a softer surface... but if you use pumice board, these will completely fill the tooth and your pastel will not last very long. BUT- The colors are completely fabulous!!! If you've tried the Sennelier pastels and like them, this is a terrific investment!