Robert Oster Purple Jazz: A Horse Of A Different Color

[DrDebG]

This is a quick review of Robert Oster Purple Jazz.

 

Robert Oster inks come in 50ml recyclable PET bottles manufactured in Australia's first carbon neutral plastics plant. They are hand made in Australia.

 

A message from Robert Oster:

 

 

 

My great interest in fountain pen inks and by extension inks that combine many creative applications began with the birth of my love of fountain pens in 1989.

 

 

 

As Robert Oster Signature Inks are quite recent to the market, think of the interim between 1989 and today, as the fertile ground into which my present love of all things ink was seeded and grown.

 

 

 

The contents and packaging of my Inks are all nature friendly and the colours a genuine inventory of the Australian palette.

 

 

 

Robert Oster Signature originates from one of the most famous wine producing regions of the world, the Coonawarra district of South Australia, an idyllic setting with great influence on the senses. There is my inspiration. Its a joy to share it with you.

 

 

I purchased a sample of one of the many Robert Oster colors (I've lost count) - Purple Jazz - from Anderson Pens, although Goulet Pens also sells them.

 

I hate to break it to all of you purple fans - THIS IS NOT PURPLE!

When I received this sample, loaded into a cleaned pen and wrote with it, I thought they had mislabeled the sample. So, I contacted Anderson Pens, sent them my ink swab and writing sample, and asked them if this was the right sample. They confirmed that it was.

 

But, before you look at my scans and tell me my scanner is off, the color truly is more of a black-blue-green with some hint of purple-gray in there.

 

This is written on Tomoe River paper:

 

 

But wait, it doesn't stop there. Not only does this ink look a different color than what is described, it looks different on different papers!

 

Cambridge Premium Spiral Bound Notebook Paper:

 

 

Same pens, same ink, same time.

 

Even though it isn't what I expected, I really like how this ink behaves. It writes very nicely in any pen that I put it in.

 

I would love to get your opinion of this ink.

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by DrPenfection

[Tas]

My opinion is "Ooo" I like it. Would leave behind some lovely colour if washed over with water in a sketch. Mmm . . .

Thank you.

[namrehsnoom]

My opinion is "Ooo" I like it.

+1 ... this is also a colour I like a lot. Thanks for the great review, Deborah. I've got a sample of Purple Jazz too, and will try it out in the coming weeks. It will be interesting to compare our impressions.

-- herman

[praxim]

Interesting. I shall add it to my little list of [more] Oster inks I am considering.

[visvamitra]

Excellent review. I like the color.

[cleosmama]

I like most Oster inks, but not their purples.

[inkstainedruth]

Hmmm. Not what I would call purple. But it does look like a really interesting color in spite of that.

Thanks for posting. I may have to add this one to the "try" list.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Okay -- just checked the Vanness website. They're saying that Purple Jazz is relabeled Purple Soul -- and that *does* look purple to me (and not at ALL like what you're showing, DrPenfection). Is it possible that something got mislabeled?

Edited July 21, 2017 by inkstainedruth

[ENewton]

Hmmm. Not what I would call purple. But it does look like a really interesting color in spite of that.

Thanks for posting. I may have to add this one to the "try" list.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Okay -- just checked the Vanness website. They're saying that Purple Jazz is relabeled Purple Soul -- and that *does* look purple to me (and not at ALL like what you're showing, DrPenfection). Is it possible that something got mislabeled?

 

Oh, I'd been thinking about Purple Soul, because although I like Purple Rock in some pens, in others the purple is difficult to see. I was hoping Purple Soul would be more purple, not less.

[DrDebG]

Hmmm. Not what I would call purple. But it does look like a really interesting color in spite of that.

Thanks for posting. I may have to add this one to the "try" list.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Okay -- just checked the Vanness website. They're saying that Purple Jazz is relabeled Purple Soul -- and that *does* look purple to me (and not at ALL like what you're showing, DrPenfection). Is it possible that something got mislabeled?

 

 

Thank you for the great comment. I understand what you are saying. When I first looked at the color of my sample, I thought "something is wrong here". So I checked on Anderson, and Vanness (Goulet didn't have it). They all looked purple. I then contacted Anderson to see if there was some mix up. They confirmed that I had the right sample. I don't know what to tell you, unless something happened to it in the mail. But then, I had about 40 samples and you would think that something would have happened to another. I would be interested to see what other people get.

 

I just checked the Vanness website. It appears as though Purple Soul is relabeled as Purple Jazz. https://vanness1938.com/collections/robert-oster-inks/products/robert-oster-purple-soul

 

Interesting. They add "Good shading, some blue-ish sheen on low-absorbency paper"

Edited July 22, 2017 by DrPenfection

[DrDebG]

+1 ... this is also a colour I like a lot. Thanks for the great review, Deborah. I've got a sample of Purple Jazz too, and will try it out in the coming weeks. It will be interesting to compare our impressions.

-- herman

 

I would be very interested to see what color you come up with.

 

But I must say that I like the ink. I just didn't need one this color.

[DrDebG]

 

Oh, I'd been thinking about Purple Soul, because although I like Purple Rock in some pens, in others the purple is difficult to see. I was hoping Purple Soul would be more purple, not less.

 

Hmmm - well, my sample is definately "less purple".

[DrDebG]

I like most Oster inks, but not their purples.

 

Thank you for the comment. Yeah, after this, I would have to say that I will probably be looking elsewhere for my purples.

[DrDebG]

Excellent review. I like the color.

 

Thank you. You are very kind.

 

I am surprised, however, that you like the color, knowing your abhorrence for blue-greens.

[DrDebG]

My opinion is "Ooo" I like it. Would leave behind some lovely colour if washed over with water in a sketch. Mmm . . .

 

Thank you.

 

Thank you for the great comment. I agree that it appears to leave behind a lovely complexity that would be nice in a wash.

[KellyMcJ]

Oh no, another De Atramentis "plum".

 

Maybe they were trying to capture the true spirit of jazz?

 

Regardless, that's a beautiful color!

[DrDebG]

Oh no, another De Atramentis "plum".

 

Maybe they were trying to capture the true spirit of jazz?

 

Regardless, that's a beautiful color!

 

Thanks for the comment. Yes, it is a nice color.

[Stitchpunk]

That's bizarre! Mind you, I've found all the Oster purples so far to be deeply disappointing. My quest for the perfect purple continues...

[ENewton]

That's bizarre! Mind you, I've found all the Oster purples so far to be deeply disappointing. My quest for the perfect purple continues...

 

Which others have you tried, and what was the problem? I wish there were more reviews of specific Oster purple inks on this forum.

[DrDebG]

That's bizarre! Mind you, I've found all the Oster purples so far to be deeply disappointing. My quest for the perfect purple continues...

Thank you for the comment. I found it rather strange as well. I keep using it because it is a nice ink, and the color is growing on me.

[DrDebG]

Which others have you tried, and what was the problem? I wish there were more reviews of specific Oster purple inks on this forum.

This was the first "purple" I had tried of Robert Oster inks. I wanted a nice purple with a hint of gray. I thought this might be the one. I was very surprised when I started working with this ink because of the blue-green-gray color. It is a great ink, just not the color I was hoping for.