Vintage Sheaffer Skrip Brown

[Catsmelt]

I didn't find this one in the database, so I thought I'd add another review:

 

Edited to swap out the scanned image for a truer camera image. Even so, I need a light tent if I keep this up...

Edited January 1, 2007 by Catsmelt

[Mary P]

Thank you for your review of an ink that I always used to keep on hand. I miss it. I have the new Sheaffer brown. I don't like the shade nearly as well. I have a cartridge of the old brown in my Skripsert. That is all I have left of this ink. I check ebay every once in awhile. I'm successful at finding vintage blue black but I never seem to find the brown, grey or burgundy that Sheaffer discontinued.

[BobR]

I picked up a bottle of this at a stationery store over the summer--it had clearly been sitting on the bottom shelf for a while--and I'm looking forward to using it. I actually like the shade, it is different from my other browns. Thanks for the review!

[cowdad]

Thanks for the review. I had also noticed a few months ago that this ink hadn't been reviewed, and I wrote a review, but never posted, namely because all I could say about this ink was it reminded me of raw sewerage, and that just seemed indecorous. So I didn't do the review.

 

You did a much better job than I did, and your photo looks accurate on my monitor.

 

CowDad

[brh]

That looks nice! Browns are my favorite. The new Skrip brown is also nice, in my eyes, but sometimes when starting, it comes out kind of a sickly green. Weird, since when it's brown, it's a very warm shade. Anyway, I'm liking the looks of this old brown!

[Univer]

Hi,

 

I also like the current Skrip Brown (it's become my default editing ink), but the old brown - which I inexplicably never used when it was in production - has a lovely vintage character. Thanks for the review!

 

Thinking about the old Skrip shades makes me wish that Sheaffer (OK, Bic) would broaden its line of ink offerings. The Slovenian Skrip is really very nice ink; but we need more colors. If I'm not mistaken, Jim Mamoulides has posted here to say that he has said as much to the Sheaffer folks.

 

In the context of the announcement of the final closing of the Fort Madison facility, the introduction of some new ink colors - along with the re-introduction of the Skrip-well bottle - might go a little way toward suggesting some kind of genuine commitment to the brand on the part of the new ownership. Not that I think it'll happen...but (to quote Tony Asher) wouldn't it be nice?

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

[WillAdams]

I doubt the Skripwell bottle will ever come back --- Sheaffer only stopped using it because the bottle manufacturer which made it for them quit making them. This is in an FAQ o the Sheaffer website.

 

William

[Univer]

Hmmm...

 

I had always assumed, without digging into the historical evidence, that the shift to the new bottle (and to Slovenian production) had more to do with a BIC corporate imperative than with the unavailability of the Skrip-Well bottle.

 

It's certainly a noteworthy coincidence that the bottle manufacturer just happened to discontinue production shortly after the BIC acquisition. Or not: if Sheaffer was the only customer for the Skrip-Well bottle, and BIC let it be known that it no longer cared to sell ink in that bottle configuration, I guess I'm not surprised that the bottle company decided to drop it.

 

For what it's worth, I've encountered similar "cover stories" before: a company changes hands, and some longstanding product is dropped shortly thereafter, purportedly because the "raw materials" are no longer available.

 

I'm not saying that's the case here, and I'm sure a more knowledgeable member might be able to offer more authoritative insights. Speaking strictly for myself, though, I think it's all very interesting.

 

In any event, the old Skrip Brown is very attractive. It would be nice to see a line of Sheaffer "Vintage" inks, faithful to the old formulas/colors: Burgundy, Emerald Green, King's Gold, Lavender, Gray.... Even a limited run would be welcome.

 

As I've said, I really do like the new inks. But I have a lot of affection for the old ones too.

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

[Kabe]

I have two bottles of this, available for trade.