Ink Color Rules Of Old?

[Milsurp]

I am wondering, in the heyday of the fountain pen (early to mid 20th century), were there any conventions for when it was appropriate to use certain ink colors? For example, were there applications where it was only appropriate to use black (banking?) or maybe red (accounting?), or blue (signatures?) and so on? Today we think of black and blue as business inks, but it seems like I see people using blue ink less and less in ball points. Does any one have some period references on this? Thanks!

[penemuel]

I am wondering, in the heyday of the fountain pen (early to mid 20th century), were there any conventions for when it was appropriate to use certain ink colors? For example, were there applications where it was only appropriate to use black (banking?) or maybe red (accounting?), or blue (signatures?) and so on? Today we think of black and blue as business inks, but it seems like I see people using blue ink less and less in ball points. Does any one have some period references on this? Thanks!

 

Fascinating question and I hope to see some folks chiming in with historical information!

 

I don't have any myself, but I do suspect I know why we're seeing less blue ink in the modern business world (I work in a personnel office, so I figure my own experience has at least some weight.) It's probably because of the increase of photocopying, scanning, and faxing. Lighter shades don't show up as well, and some are practically invisible, so more black ink (of all varieties) is used.

[Randal6393]

AFAIK, it was appropriate to correspond in black or blue or blue-black inks. Anything else was considered "personal" instead of "professional". The only ink proper for condolences upon the death of some one was BLACK. And, usually, on a card with a black border.

 

 

Now, it's fairly common to use black ink for most business purposes, blue is reserved for signatures and correspondence from supervisor to employee. Red and green are used by executives to communicate with workers. But, not a hard-and-fast rule.

[The Good Captain]

Maybe I could draw attention to a short posting I did a little time ago. Reference only.

[USMCMom]

Interesting question. My grandmother, born in 1893 (or 4), was a strict enforcer of rules and proper behavior. When I was a teenager, I was writing a letter to someone and used a colored ink. I received the lecture about proper black ink. I tried to explain that it wasn't a business letter, but that only brought "the look", which my brothers and I always dreaded. LOL At any rate, my grandmother didn't approve of any other color other than black ... it was proper. Until she passed away in 1979, she never used any thing other than black ink in her fountain pens and a lone ballpoint she carried in her purse, toward the end of her life.

Edited August 19, 2011 by USMCMom

[raging.dragon]

Today, using pen and ink (instead of computer and laser printer) in business corespondence is a bit of an atavistic affectation anyway. Thus odd ball colours are more likely to be accepted. Also, if your company has a coloured logo, using in the company colour seems appropriate. Finally, our society as a whole is now more accepting of nonconformity than it was in the past.

 

When I use my pens at work it's mostly for personal notes, and nobody seems to care what colour I'm using (I mostly use medium to dark browns, greens and purples).

[corniche]

Greetings Milsurp, et al,

 

As I stated in an earlier post, (that The Good Captain referenced), blue-black was the mainstream (business) color, (with all due respect to USMC Mom's grandmother).

 

This is why you can go on e-bay and still find pint and quart bottles of vintage Waterman (or Quink) blue-black ink, (you rarely find black or other colors in the large bottles). The larger bottles were made primarily for commercial use; not many homes would have had a quart bottle, (or even a pint), of ink lying around.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-FL-OZ-PARKER-SUPER-QUINK-BLUE-BLACK-INK-BOTTLE-/140593584516?pt=UK_Collectables_Bottle_Pots_ET&hash=item20bc07d984

 

 

Also, as I said in the first thread, if you study vintage advertising- especially advertising skewed toward business or men; blue-black usually had the prominent spot, e.g., the largest depiction and/or out in front of the rest of the colors that were offered.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-Ad-Watermans-Blue-Black-Ink-Pen-Super-Football-/310333518157?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item484151b14d

 

 

All the best,

 

Sean

 

 

* Edit, links added.

Edited August 20, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[Silent Speaker]

Who used red ink? And for what purpose?

 

I was told by someone that during the early 20th century (and thus then, perhaps, also during the late 19th century) that red ink, if not used for very particular purposes (in accounting or somesuch or some other trade/specialist reason) was considered effeminate.

 

That's of course in regard apparently to the Anglosphere/British Empire, the person I talked to didn't reference the United States so that is my assumption.

 

Maybe I didn't understand the person correctly, but that's what I remember.

 

(Which is odd when I think about it, considering red was the colour of the Empire, and that even pink 'back in the day' was a colour considered fitting only for young boys because of it's connection to red - light blue being relegated to little girls because it was "dainty" and "soft" - my how cultural norms change!)

 

I know that red ink has a certain, 'odd' association in Thailand, and strangely I was reminded of such quite recently upon returning to the place from a trip abroad.

 

During the flight back, the captain or head flight attendant (or someone), broadcasted over the PA just as the arrival cards were being handed out that red ink was not to be used to fill out said card.

 

I found this odd since: I'd never, in all my years traveling in and out of the Kingdom, been told this; I'd always assumed that one must use either blue or black ink on these things; apart from the Thai arrival card, all other arrival cards I've ever filled out have specified blue or black only.

 

So anyway, though I suppose the broadcast and instruction was no doubt for clerical purposes (perhaps red is not as legible when photocopying/scanning/whatever) but I couldn't help be reminded that red ink is only used here for 'grim' purposes'; I think it's used only used for declarations of capital punishment or used to write the names of the condemned on such a document.

 

I think it is for that that red ink is used, though I still need to verify it - though obviously I shall try to do this the simpler way of asking someone as opposed to doing something heinous enough for me to be tied to a post and shot at dawn!

Edited August 20, 2011 by Silent Speaker

[corniche]

Greetings SS,

 

I cannot comment on red ink's use abroad; however, here in the States, it was primarily used by teachers, (for grading assignments); accountants, (when your business was going bankrupt) and by/for editors/editing, (when they weren't using blue pencils). It was also used to call attention to a critical point or topic in memos, etc.

 

I suppose some people might use it for personal correspondence- but I don’t think I ever would.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited August 20, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[Uncle Red]

Silent Speaker

Magistrates in Imperial China did use vermillion ink for writing death sentences (that would be approved by higher officials all the way up to the capital) and Imperial China had a similar affect on Asia to the affect of Imperial Rome on Europe.

[raging.dragon]

I believe schools in the US and British Empire/Commonwealth typically used blue ink for students and red ink for teachers? And I recall someone mentioning that principals and school administrators traditionally used green ink (I believe that story came from India - can any Indian forum members confirm/deny this)?

[MCWB]

...I couldn't help be reminded that red ink is only used here for 'grim' purposes'; I think it's used only used for declarations of capital punishment or used to write the names of the condemned on such a document.

Interesting! If not red, what colour do teachers usually use to write marks/suggestions/corrections?

[retro50]

"Be Free - Be Politically Incorrect." (me)

[GutSchrift]

I believe schools in the US and British Empire/Commonwealth typically used blue ink for students and red ink for teachers? And I recall someone mentioning that principals and school administrators traditionally used green ink (I believe that story came from India - can any Indian forum members confirm/deny this)?

 

I seem to remember a post by a German member of the FPN forum that approximates this tiered structure to ink colors with Green at the top of the heap. The poster, if I remember correctly also stated that this was a hard and fast rule for government work also. I happen to be a civil servant in the US and while I've never seen green ink used, it's very, very common for various offices to employ blue specifically for signatures. In government work, signatures and original hardcopies of documents still count for something and blue is used to distinguish an original signature from photocopies, faxes, and scans. I know several architects that also use blue ink only for their signatures on architectural plans.

[ericvb]

I wrote in a post dd. 15.05.2009:

 

I know that between both worldwars in Belgium the accountants had a tradition of using 4 colours:

black and red for the positive and negative inscriptions,

green for the inventories,

and blue for the comments in the margin

 

and in those days there was a also tradition in Belgium and France to use a blue-purple ink (Herbin ?) in the schools...

[corniche]

I know that between both worldwars in Belgium the accountants had a tradition of using 4 colours:

black and red for the positive and negative inscriptions,

green for the inventories,

and blue for the comments in the margin

 

Hello Ericvb,

 

Very interesting; thank you.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited August 21, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[inky]

I think I heard somewhere that green used to be very popular in banking. Maybe that's why I have been so drawn to green myself.

[floydee1]

I believe schools in the US and British Empire/Commonwealth typically used blue ink for students and red ink for teachers? And I recall someone mentioning that principals and school administrators traditionally used green ink (I believe that story came from India - can any Indian forum members confirm/deny this)?

 

I seem to remember a post by a German member of the FPN forum that approximates this tiered structure to ink colors with Green at the top of the heap. The poster, if I remember correctly also stated that this was a hard and fast rule for government work also. I happen to be a civil servant in the US and while I've never seen green ink used, it's very, very common for various offices to employ blue specifically for signatures. In government work, signatures and original hardcopies of documents still count for something and blue is used to distinguish an original signature from photocopies, faxes, and scans. I know several architects that also use blue ink only for their signatures on architectural plans.

 

A (British) civil servant friend of mine mentioned that within the civil sevice in ye olde days (100-150 years ago?) black ink was used by administrators, red by auditors, green by accountants (unless red for negative figures) and blue was used by ministers (blue was supposed to be the most expensive ink). The tradition is still here today for ministers to sign their correspondence in blue.

 

Like wise royalty used blue (goes with their blood!)

 

F

[The Good Captain]

I believe schools in the US and British Empire/Commonwealth typically used blue ink for students and red ink for teachers? And I recall someone mentioning that principals and school administrators traditionally used green ink (I believe that story came from India - can any Indian forum members confirm/deny this)?

 

I seem to remember a post by a German member of the FPN forum that approximates this tiered structure to ink colors with Green at the top of the heap. The poster, if I remember correctly also stated that this was a hard and fast rule for government work also. I happen to be a civil servant in the US and while I've never seen green ink used, it's very, very common for various offices to employ blue specifically for signatures. In government work, signatures and original hardcopies of documents still count for something and blue is used to distinguish an original signature from photocopies, faxes, and scans. I know several architects that also use blue ink only for their signatures on architectural plans.

 

A (British) civil servant friend of mine mentioned that within the civil sevice in ye olde days (100-150 years ago?) black ink was used by administrators, red by auditors, green by accountants (unless red for negative figures) and blue was used by ministers (blue was supposed to be the most expensive ink). The tradition is still here today for ministers to sign their correspondence in blue.

 

Like wise royalty used blue (goes with their blood!)

 

F

Could that explain why some politicians use brown ink then?

[mirosc]

I believe schools in the US and British Empire/Commonwealth typically used blue ink for students and red ink for teachers? And I recall someone mentioning that principals and school administrators traditionally used green ink (I believe that story came from India - can any Indian forum members confirm/deny this)?

Taking for Germany:

Blue ink in school is common mainly to the fact that blue ink is erasable (at least much easier than any other colors and for most companies it's not financially interesting enough to invest in ink erasers of other colors). At least that's the reason why it is so popular in Germany. If I remember correctly my father told that he has used in his schooldays a blueblack ink - the most common color in the early days, because it's the color of irongall ink (at least that's my theory)

 

Teachers have to use red ink for correcting and grading.

All tests and papers (school and university) are corrected twice, the second corrector uses green - he is usually the head teacher or the principal and this is not shown to the student, because it serves an internal purpose: to control and check the quality of the first correcting.

 

If in state exams or some similar tests two correctors must find a common grade they are correcting in red and green. If they can't agree then a third corrector is necessary and he corrects in brown or violet.

So all these colors are not allowed for students, because they are needed for a clear and distinguishable correction.

 

 

The poster, if I remember correctly also stated that this was a hard and fast rule for government work also.

Indeed, it is. The different steps in the hierarchy use different colors, minister, undersecretary, head of department, official in charge,....

Like in the above example of school/university the color indicates not only hierarchy, but also a certain state of completion. If some colors are missing you can see who was left out or at which stage of the process new ideas came in.

 

But in the last years these rules/traditions are softening up very much, because the amount of electronic work is growing rapidly.

 

For China I know that red ink traditionally has the meaning of breaking up / ending a relationship - we already had such discussions here.