Collecting Montblanc Ink

[Kalessin]

I remember passing on MB British Racing Green when it was available; it's just not really my kind of green, as I prefer more of a mid-forest-green. I wonder if MB will ever release it again? It's well sought after, though not quite like Parker Penman Sapphire. Parker could probably sell out annual re-releases of the original formula at no less than $75/30ml, especially if they only released a few hundred bottles a year.

 

I have thought of buying some vintage MB ink in the plastic triangle and teardrop bottles from the 1970s; I love the old bottle designs. Unfortunately, I think the triangle bottle plastic is the same that's used in cartridges, slightly porous to evaporation.

 

I just bought a Shakespeare Velvet Red, but need to try it in a different pen -- I managed to leave just a tiny bit of black ink in the pen even after flushing it out, and the result is brown when it dries on the page.

 

And finally... I discovered Lucky Orange, and am buying enough to last a decade or two. It's fantastic for a summer color!

[penmanila]

I have and use the usual suspects (midnight blue, toffee brown, and black of course) but the one MB ink I’d like to have more of is Collodi, which has become near impossible to find. I’ve used it exclusively in my Hemingway, which is also exclusively used to grade student papers (my students don’t realize what a luxury they’re being treated with), but with just one spare bottle in my inventory, I’ve had to resort to a close and much cheaper match, Diamine Burnt Sienna.

[Tom Kellie]

I have and use the usual suspects (midnight blue, toffee brown, and black of course) but the one MB ink I’d like to have more of is Collodi, which has become near impossible to find. I’ve used it exclusively in my Hemingway, which is also exclusively used to grade student papers (my students don’t realize what a luxury they’re being treated with), but with just one spare bottle in my inventory, I’ve had to resort to a close and much cheaper match, Diamine Burnt Sienna.

 

 

[penmanila]

my pleasure, tom. i thought it was less harsh than red

Edited September 4, 2017 by penmanila

[Kalessin]

my pleasure, tom. i thought it was less harsher than red

 

 

 

I had an English and French teacher who corrected in green because she felt it was friendlier than red.

 

Before retiring as a math professor, my dad always corrected in black ink (Montblanc, Pelikan 4001 or Parker Quink), as homework and exams were done in pencil.

[Tom Kellie]

my pleasure, tom. i thought it was less harsher than red

 

 

I had an English and French teacher who corrected in green because she felt it was friendlier than red.

 

Before retiring as a math professor, my dad always corrected in black ink (Montblanc, Pelikan 4001 or Parker Quink), as homework and exams were done in pencil.

 

~ penmanila and Kalessin:

 

This remains an open question in my professional life.

Various colors have been used, yet an ideal color remains elusive.

What has been consistent is marking papers, manuscripts and examinations with fountain pens.

Another academic year begins this week. An opportunity to try more inks.

Tom K.

[Kalessin]

Various colors have been used, yet an ideal color remains elusive.

Another academic year begins this week. An opportunity to try more inks.

 

 

This might be the answer -- correct in multiple colors, perhaps a new one each week!

[Tom Kellie]

This might be the answer -- correct in multiple colors, perhaps a new one each week!

 

 

~ Kalessin:

 

That's a great idea!

I’ll find a way to use it this semester.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/324305-a-pen-and-ink-log/

It will promote wider use of inks which might otherwise be underused.

Thank you.

Tom K.

[Erik Dalton]

My order of Shakespeare Red Velvet ink just came in. You guys were right, it is a very smooth writing ink with in a really nice shade of deep...Starting to like this ink a lot....

[CS388]

b

[reduziert]

Stopped with Miles Davis and will use all opened bottles. I ahem a good stock and now I am a happy user more than a collector. Get your inner peace

[Tom Kellie]

My order of Shakespeare Red Velvet ink just came in. You guys were right, it is a very smooth writing ink with in a really nice shade of deep...Starting to like this ink a lot....

 

 

Stopped with Miles Davis and will use all opened bottles. I ahem a good stock and now I am a happy user more than a collector. Get your inner peace

 

~ Old Salt:

 

Glad to know that it's arrived. I'm a satisfied user of it in various pens.

reduziert: I'm also a user more than a collector. If I run out, that's cause to acquire something different.

The glorious handwriting sample by CS388 is a delight to see.

Thank you all for your comments.

Tom K.

[BillH]

Is the 2018 Year of the Dog ink a SE? Has there been a Chinese zodiak themed series of inks? I've only seen one picture so far but have to say, it does not look as interesting to me as Corn Poppy Red and Shakespeare Velvet Red...

[amcityink]

Oh boy, you folks blew the lid off my favorite Red... just had to buy a few more bottles of Velvet red before they're all gone.

[Tom Kellie]

Is the 2018 Year of the Dog ink a SE? Has there been a Chinese zodiak themed series of inks? I've only seen one picture so far but have to say, it does not look as interesting to me as Corn Poppy Red and Shakespeare Velvet Red...

 

 

~ BillH:

 

If there's been such a Lunar New Year Special Edition ink released before, somehow yours truly missed it.

As I'm keen on both Corn Poppy and William Shakespeare Velvet Red, the 2018 Year of the Dog ink would need to be fairly special to justify a purchase.

My Pug puppy, Zuji, is dear to my heart and I work in China, but the ink hasn't yet appealed to me.

I'm waiting for favorable comments and handwriting photos from those who buy and write with it.

Tom K.

[Studio97]

The velvet red is very well behaved even on moleskine paper. I dont know how to post photos from a phone but it looks great on paper.

[grantmm]

The only image that I have seen with a sample of the writing. I like it quite a bit because it is a pretty bold, strong red.

 

*Stolen from Pen Boutique's site and resized because it is a monster:

 

http://i.imgur.com/hvTQaoJ.jpg?1

 

 

When i spoke with PenBoutique about buying a couple bottles of this, they also said that Montblanc may be prepping for another price increase in the next month or two (ouch).

Edited September 5, 2017 by grantmm

[horationelson]

*sigh*

 

I have just ordered 3x bottles of Shakespeare (and 1x Lucky Orange... for luck) from the MB website. I hate spending £60 on ink that is simply going to sit on a drawer for years, but I know this is something that I'll want to use many years down the line. I'm really surprised that it's been in stock on the website for so long (it disappeared from most boutiques long ago), but I know that it's only a matter of time before the ink disappears altogether.

 

Although I am a big fan of corn poppy red, the Shakespeare ink really is exquisite - one of the best that MB has produced in a long long time. The Lunar New Year red ink (above), from the limited example I have seen, has nothing on the richness and shading of Shakespeare.

[Erik Dalton]

b

Thanks for all your encouragement. When my Velvet Red Shakespeare arrived I loved it immediately and wondered how it stacked up against Montblanc Burgundy Red. So... i did a little comparison for you.

[Tom Kellie]

Thanks for all your encouragement. When my Velvet Red Shakespeare arrived I loved it immediately and wondered how it stacked up against Montblanc Burgundy Red. So... i did a little comparison for you.

 

 

~ Old Salt:

 

The handwritten ink comparison above is highly appreciated.

Although I use both inks, I've never directly compared the two, side-by-side, as you have.

The shading in the Burgundy Red which you've shown is especially pleasing.

I love such visual posts. Thank you.

Tom K.