Nos Parker Quink Blue Black Ink From 1943.

[Florida Blue]

Hello fellow FPNers,

 

This is my first ink review on the forum and I'm very excited to show off my newest ink purchase. I received a gift certificate to Pendemonium for Christmas and I had been eyeing up some of their vintage inks to try. The oldest ink I've ever used was from the 1980s and I wanted to try some truly vintage ink for the first time. Well, I had read about this large purchase of NOS Parker Quink bottles that Frank and Sam at Pendemonium had recently acquired in their weekly newsletter and I was quite intrigued. Apparently, they came across several cartons of new old stock Parker Quink from 1943. The bottles were supposed to go to a jewelry shop in Illinois, but for whatever reason never made it there and now 70 years later they are finally being sold and the ink will fulfill its purpose of going in pens. They had Microfilm Black, Washable Blue and Permanent Blue Black. Well, as the title suggested I bought a bottle of the blue black ink.

 

Now it is time to travel back in time to 1943………….

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7626_zpsf2f25e54.jpg

 

Here is a picture of the front of the cardboard box.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7629_zps7b840654.jpg

 

This is the top. I love the description of Solv-x that extols its "magic" properties.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7634_zpsfbb981ec.jpg

 

This is the bottom listing the different colors in permanent (Blue-Black, Royal Blue, Black, Brown, Red, Green and Violet) and washable (Blue and Black) as well as the sizes of bottles (2 oz., 4 oz., pints, quarts and gallons!). This is a 4 oz. bottle.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7637_zpsd1454868.jpg

 

I loved the advertisement for Vacumatic pens with the blue diamond guarantee in the flap.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7640_zpsacc3ae9a.jpg

 

This is the metal screw-on lid.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7643_zps9b086ac9.jpg

 

And finally the bottle with paper label.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7647_zpse902414c.jpg

 

I decided to use my new ink in a pen that would feel right at home with it; my Parker 51 from 1945.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7652_zps38625859.jpg

 

Here is the writing sample.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7656_zpsbb01e03f.jpg

 

Here is a writing sample of 1980s Quink blue black to compare.

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/thefancyman/DSCF7664_zpse0289edf.jpg

 

And finally a writing sample of 1980s iron gall Pelikan blue black to compare.

 

The writing samples were written on Clairefontaine 90gsm white, lined paper.

 

I hope you all enjoy reading my review!

Edited January 4, 2014 by Florida Blue

[zenrabbit]

I have a bottle of the same era vintage blue-black Quink. Still writes well and reminds me a bit of Iroshizuku fuyu-syogun, a nice greyish-blue. Comparing them side-by-side the Quink looks like it has a hint a green in it. I like using it in my vintage Esterbrooks that were also produced in the 40's. Kind of amazing to think that I am writing with a 65-70 year old pen and 65-70 year old ink!

[Florida Blue]

Kind of amazing to think that I am writing with a 65-70 year old pen and 65-70 year old ink!

 

That's one of the most fun aspects of this ink. I can use it in a pen that is the same age and may have actually used the same ink in it. I'll have to try it in one of my Vacumatics next!

[amberleadavis]

That is WAY cool. Congrats!

[mhphoto]

Awesome review! It sort of looks like slightly diluted Montblanc Midnight Blue to me (the old formulation [i hate having to say that—I WANT MY FERRIC BITS BACK]).

[Florida Blue]

That is WAY cool. Congrats!

 

Thank you!

 

Awesome review! It sort of looks like slightly diluted Montblanc Midnight Blue to me (the old formulation [i hate having to say that—I WANT MY FERRIC BITS BACK]).

 

I was thinking the same thing. I've never tried MB Midnight Blue myself, but the ink does look like it is ferrogallic, but I don't think it is. I'm thinking it is the age of the ink that had allowed it to fade to a sort of gray, but it's a cool color nonetheless.

[rudyhou]

i like that greyish tone of the ink color, though it seems the color faded. i was expecting a a much darker shade and color for a blue black, maybe it's the vintage condition of the ink that does that? thanks for sharing, though.

[whych]

i like that greyish tone of the ink color, though it seems the color faded. i was expecting a a much darker shade and color for a blue black, maybe it's the vintage condition of the ink that does that? thanks for sharing, though.

It could be that in the 40's Parker used iron gall in the ink which has changed over time to make the ink the 'faded grey'. I have some old Pelikan blue black that is a similar colour.

By the 80's they could have changed the formula.

At least with the old ink it is blue black and not a teal colour.

[Dr.Slackware]

Gallon?!?!?! Even Noodler's doesn't have THAT volume.

[amberleadavis]

Isn't this one a gallon? I think he offered gallons.

 

http://sheismylawyer.com/She_Thinks_In_Ink/Ink_Companies/Noodlers/slides/00-NI-20120815-02724.jpg

[moylek]

And did you find that it dried 31% faster? Or perhaps only 30%?

Edited January 7, 2014 by moylek

[amberleadavis]

And did you find that it dried 31% faster? Or perhaps on 30%?

 

 

Which ink dried 31% faster than what ink? I got lost in the thread.

[Florida Blue]

 

 

Which ink dried 31% faster than what ink? I got lost in the thread.

 

It's on the top of the box. Parker claimed at the time (I don't know how, it was probably just marketing gimmickry) that their ink dried 31% faster than average inks at that time. I must say it did dry very fast. Comparable or besting the quick drying inks I own.

 

I was reading the Parker 51 book by David Shepherd, that I got for Christmas, and I found out that my ink originally retailed for just 25 cents for the 4 oz. and 15 cents for the 2 oz.

 

Gallon?!?!?! Even Noodler's doesn't have THAT volume.

 

Hahaha. Those giant gallon size bottles were probably used in schools, banks, offices etc. The one gallon bottle of Sheaffer Skrip from that period had a spout so you could decant the ink into smaller inkwells, so I assume they were used to fill inkwells on desks and public counters.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Florida Blue

[amberleadavis]

OH, thank you!

[Sailor Kenshin]

It could be that in the 40's Parker used iron gall in the ink which has changed over time to make the ink the 'faded grey'. I have some old Pelikan blue black that is a similar colour.

By the 80's they could have changed the formula.

At least with the old ink it is blue black and not a teal colour.

Hm. My old Pel BB did the same thing.

[moylek]

 

 

Which ink dried 31% faster than what ink? I got lost in the thread.

 

As Florida Blue says, it's written on the Quink box. I was amused by that very precise 31% - not 30%, not 33% - 31%.

 

We just don't have that kind of science in our every days lives they way they did back then.

[amberleadavis]

 

As Florida Blue says, it's written on the Quink box. I was amused by that very precise 31% - not 30%, not 33% - 31%.

 

We just don't have that kind of science in our every days lives they way they did back then.

 

 

I want my hovercraft and trip to the moon!

[daoud62]

That's amazing! Do you know whether Pendemonium has any of the Blue-Black ink left (I only found Washable Blue in the Vintage Inks section of their website)?

[Florida Blue]

That's amazing! Do you know whether Pendemonium has any of the Blue-Black ink left (I only found Washable Blue in the Vintage Inks section of their website)?

 

It looks like they may have sold out of them. I might send them an email and ask if they have any left. They had some on their website a while back, then they recently put more up and that's when I bought one.

[gregamckinney]

I have several bottles of this exact ink. I found a carton/ case (12 bottles) for sale about 10 years ago, and have slowly been working through it.

I find that in wetter pens, or those with broader nibs than the example above, the ink is somewhat darker when dry.

 

I echo what others have said. It is great to use this ink in 1930's Vacumatics and 1940's 51's.

 

Regards, greg