Nostalgic Color - Mimeograph?

[Manalto]

Once in a while I see the color that transports me back to my youth (1960s) when fountain-pen writing wasn't as unusual as it is today (outside of FPN members' homes). It's a blue-violet; the best I can describe is midway between Herbin's Eclat de Saphir and Violette Pensee. If my memory serves correctly, it was also the color of that producer of wonderfully intoxicating fumes - the mimeograph. Private Reserve 'Tanzanite' comes pretty close, but I'm timid about using it in vintage pens. Is there an ink that has this color today which is also safe for vintage pens? Also, what ink do you think it was that I recall? (I only remember seeing those yellow and blue labeled bottles of Skrip)

Edited December 20, 2016 by Manalto

[Old_Inkyhand]

What about Waterman Purple? It's not very close to PR Tanzanite, I believe, but it is fairly close in colour to what I see when I type 'mimeograph' in Google Images Being a Waterman, it should be fairly safe for vintage pen (it is a purple though, so I am not sure).

 

It is still rather purple/violet than blue-violet.

http://showandprove.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mimeopaper.jpg

(from showandprove.info)

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv131/declankh/purple_waterman.jpg

(from our member declanh - posted here)

Edited December 20, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[Manalto]

It's awfully nice but seems a smidge too purple. How about this mimeograph image? (I really must learn how to post photos.)

It's slightly cooler in tone:

http://pw20c.mcmaster.ca/files/pw20c_images/00000620-4.jpg

 

 

http://pw20c.mcmaster.ca/files/pw20c_images/00000620-4.jpg

[ac12]

On my screen, the Waterman violet looks as I remember mimeographed papers to look like, a purplish color.

Although that was MANY MANY years ago.

 

I think the smell was alcohol.

Edited December 20, 2016 by ac12

[tamiya]

I cranked the cyclostyle (stylostyler?) machine back in primary school. Don't remember ever having to fill any "ink" into the machine, it was fed only with a clear whitespirit. Output ranged from purple to brownish... in tones of FP ink, I'd say closest in my armada would by Poussiere de Lune dusky violet.

 

I got to cut some stencils too, for being one of the rare few kids that vaguely knew how to type. Handwritten/drawn annotations would be made by an inkless biro... depleted ballpoints rescued from the trash, used until their ball fell out

 

What sticks in mind was the "correction fluid" Purple... you'd paint this over your booboo, but you couldn't type/write over it afterwards - it was purely a coverup, didn't show on print but big gaudy blobs on your Master. Was a much brighter purple... yep Waterman Tender Purple would come close - big fat swabs of it with a Qtip.

 

ooh and the paper! Can't forget the paper... dunno where they get that specific fuzzy rough paper but it's the worst for feathering with FP ink... school permission forms cyclostyled needed filling in, pretty much only a ballpen could do it.

[Manalto]

The color oozed out of the master; copies started out dark and got lighter and lighter until the master was exhausted. (Hey, that's something I've said more than once!)

 

OK, the consensus wins - I was wrong - mimeographs were purpler than the ink I remember. (In all fairness, I did put a question mark in the title of this thread to reflect my uncertainty.) Where then should I look for an intense ink that's more blue than this but with still a hint of purple/violet that's safe for a vintage pen? I'm not having much luck with old reviews here; the photos in many of them have expired or something.

Edited December 20, 2016 by Manalto

[cattar]

Mix Waterman's Tender Purple & Serenity Blue. My guess would be 2:1.

I mix Waterman inks and use them in all but 1 of my vintage pens.

[Manalto]

I'll give it a whirl. Thanks!

[ParkerDuofold]

Hello Manalto,

 

I KNOW EXACTLY THE COLOR YOU MEAN; I have very fond memories of it myself from my school days.

 

The ink you want is Diamine WES Imperial Blue. It is a dead ringer for it and if you live in the States, I'll send you a vial of it. . (Let me know b/c).

 

- Anthony

[ac12]

As I recall the master was made from a 'color sheet' something like a carbon paper.

So the color of the "color sheet" is what goes onto the master to be transferred onto the printed sheets.

Maybe the purplish color was the CHEAP ones, and they had other colors which were more expensive.

[Manalto]

I KNOW EXACTLY THE COLOR YOU MEAN...

The ink you want is Diamine WES Imperial Blue.

 

You are correct, sir! All I could find was DC Supershow Blue, but that is a PR color and I want to err on the side of caution and avoid it in the older pens. That is indeed the color I recall from my childhood as the standard, generic blue of fountain pens. (A memory that obviously can't be trusted after the above mimeograph kerfuffle, but never mind that.) I wonder what ink it was that I originally saw? Thanks, Anthony!

 

 

As I recall the master was made from a 'color sheet' something like a carbon paper.

 

That sounds about right, but as you said it was a long time ago. (Plus, we were high on fumes.)

Edited December 21, 2016 by Manalto

[amberleadavis]

Anthony, here it is.

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/12-December/slides/IMG_20161214_114546.jpg

[amberleadavis]

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/12-December/slides/2016-12-12-Ink_32.jpg

[amberleadavis]

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/12-December/slides/2016-12-07-Ink_49.jpg

[amberleadavis]

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/12-December/slides/2016-12-02-Inks_090.jpg

[amberleadavis]

I have these CRVs that I can send you now if you want to peak at any of them. I'd suggest adding a drop of blue to Violette Pensee.

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/12-December/slides/2016-12-07-Ink_42.jpg

[ParkerDuofold]

Anthony, here it is.

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/12-December/slides/IMG_20161214_114546.jpg

Hi Amber,

 

Yes! Thank you much; that is the bluish-purple color I remember from the old mimeograph machines.

[ParkerDuofold]

 

 

You are correct, sir! All I could find was DC Supershow Blue, but that is a PR color and I want to err on the side of caution and avoid it in the older pens. That is indeed the color I recall from my childhood as the standard, generic blue of fountain pens. (A memory that obviously can't be trusted after the above mimeograph kerfuffle, but never mind that.) I wonder what ink it was that I originally saw? Thanks, Anthony!

 

 

You're quite welcome.

[conib]

I'd have to say that J. Herbin Violette Pensée is closest in color to the ditto ink used most generally in the schools I attended in the 60s and 70s.

 

But hey -- thanks for bringing to mind those mimeographed test sheets! Just add an array of guesses in #2 pencil (Ticonderoga for preference), and then corrections and the grade at the top in Skrip red, and the picture is complete.

(Did y'all hear about Skrip Red's being discontinued? Apparently it's finally going the way of the ditto it had "graced" for 30+ years. So long Skrip Red.)

[Manalto]

I'd have to say that J. Herbin Violette Pensée is closest in color to the ditto ink used most generally in the schools I attended in the 60s and 70s.

 

 

It's true. My color memory shifted toward the magenta, like an old Ektachrome.

 

Violette Pensée in English is "pansy." Supposedly, the markings on the flower evoke a face deep in thought. To me, it's a bit of a stretch, like the Man in the Moon - but don't tell anyone or I'll seem like a curmudgeon.