More Noodlers Inks at Art Brown

[encephalartos]

Right now you can see pictures of these from the Art Brown homepage.

 

Year of the Golden Pig highlighter with pen. (yellow)

Subway Series Sepia (swatch reminds me of Eternal Brown or burnt sienna)

Pinstripe Homage (very dark blue-black)

Brooklyn Brawn (dark cooler brown, more like what I think of as sepia)

 

Manhattan Blue is still listed.

[cowdad]

Right now you can see pictures of these from the Art Brown homepage.

 

Year of the Golden Pig highlighter with pen. (yellow)

Subway Series Sepia (swatch reminds me of Eternal Brown or burnt sienna)

Pinstripe Homage (very dark blue-black)

Brooklyn Brawn (dark cooler brown, more like what I think of as sepia)

 

Manhattan Blue is still listed.

 

I just saw the labels at the website, and my first thought--I'm just glad Nathan is better at making ink than he is at designing labels for the ink bottles.

 

I'm thinking Nathan should come up an "Imperial" or "Regal" line of ink that comes in nice bottles and has nice labels.

[Inkanthropist]

Thanks for pointing out the new colours, encephalartos. I can feel an attack of 'International Shipping' coming on.

 

Neil

[rosey]

I was just reading an email today sent by Art Brown about their new inks. I looked at the ink samples online but couldn't tell if the Pinstripe Homage was black. encephalartos, you wrote it is a very dark blue-black. Have you seen the color in person? I'm wanting to buy some ink for my son who likes black, but I don't know if he would care for the blue-black or not. I also have the Noodler's Midnight Blue, so I don't know how this Pinstripe ink would compare. Do you know, or does someone else know how the color compares?

 

I also have the Manhattan Blue which is one of my favorite blues. I also like the label on this ink.

[encephalartos]

Thanks for pointing out the new colours, encephalartos. I can feel an attack of 'International Shipping' coming on.

 

Neil

 

Well, I didn't order the Sepia, but I got the other three, as I'm looking for

a greyish/cool brown. Caran d'Ache Grand Canyon wasn't it. If you can

wait for the mails, send me a message with your mailing address and I can write

some of the brown on a piece of paper and mail it. Their web site just told

me it's already shipped out of New York, but it has to make it to the current

home of the Dodgers, all the way across the country.

 

The Pinstripe looked bluish black to me, sort of reminding me of the Private

Reserve Black Magic Blue. It didn't look completely black. Noodlers Black is

very black, if you don't like blue.

[inkdesigner]

Does anybody know anything about these newer inks? Are they just relabeled versions of current production inks or are they brand new formulations? Are they bulletproof, waterproof, etc? How do the colors look on different paper? How is the flow?

 

Come on now. Inquiring minds want to know :roflmho:

 

Inkdesigner

[Inkanthropist]

If you canwait for the mails, send me a message with your mailing address and I can write

some of the brown on a piece of paper and mail it.

 

Thanks for the offer, encephalartos. I've just sent you a PM, but it's not appearing in my 'Sent' folder for some reason. Do let me know if it doesn't come through.

 

Neil

[Eternally Noodling]

Right now you can see pictures of these from the Art Brown homepage.

 

Year of the Golden Pig highlighter with pen. (yellow)

Subway Series Sepia (swatch reminds me of Eternal Brown or burnt sienna)

Pinstripe Homage (very dark blue-black)

Brooklyn Brawn (dark cooler brown, more like what I think of as sepia)

 

Manhattan Blue is still listed.

 

I just saw the labels at the website, and my first thought--I'm just glad Nathan is better at making ink than he is at designing labels for the ink bottles.

 

I'm thinking Nathan should come up an "Imperial" or "Regal" line of ink that comes in nice bottles and has nice labels.

 

 

The artwork has a specific meaning!

 

The baseball/Brooklyn Bridge themed inks at Arthur Brown might be a one time run. They are conventional inks (not waterproof) and were made for an unusual reason: Taxachusetts. The only way to show my displeasure with a baystate establishment that consistently votes for higher taxes (and sometimes seems to absolutely loathe the private sector in general)...was to express praise for their ultimate rival to the south in New York regarding a particular sport they are quite fanatic about. The dye sets in these inks are unlike any others and are unique - they are NOT "re-labelled" inks of other colors already in existence. These tend to have a faster than average dry time - though are NOT "quick dry" inks. Those that dislike the label artwork...so be it. Others have enjoyed it. It is hoped that this artwork is not as dangerous as some of the art which has made its way to China and Russia. ;-) The sepia is based on classic true sepia - the ink of the cuttlefish (a type of blue based brown), brawn is a dark amber brown, and pinstripe is the same blue-black as the textile colors found in well made suits.

 

Another ink in Manhattan that will likely be around for a longer time is available at 10 Warren Street/Fountain Pen Hospital called "Ellis Island Ink", which is a replica color of the government issue blue-black used at Ellis Island around the prior turn of the century in the period leading up to World War I. It states on the label "The Final Signature made them Americans"....which is a worthy cause for an ink. It is not bulletproof, but does have some water resistance. It is among the darkest and richest of the conventional (non-bulletproof) blue-black inks..and makes the glass almost gemlike in its complete/absolute light absorption (part empty bottle shown to show bubbles...so that the blue can be seen, otherwise the bottle is very dark). Slightly slower dry time, but with greater feather resistance (though not as great a feather resistance as "Old Manhattan" sold at the same New York location - FPH).

 

As for those who desire more costly packaging - you can take a bottle of ink and pour it into a more precious crystal ink well bought at your own expense. That choice is yours as an individual and should not cause general inflation in ink costs to the greater market. In the meantime, every cost savings that maintains the greatest ratio of ink value over packaging will be maintained at Noodler's. That is why we will not offer cartridge packaging until it becomes less costly to the consumer than bottled ink. Currently plastic international cartridges at their LOWEST cost are at $38 equivalent per standard bottle (that is the cheapest mass produced cartridges out of China, with the lowest dye content per given volume of ink...the rock bottom of ink quality and cost). Why offer people costly bits of plastic when more of that value can be put into a better ink with better dye content and overall higher utilities to the fountain pen user? That plastic resource can be better utilized with a free refillable highlighter pen included with the purchase (as with the "Golden Pig")! Likewise....bottle design will never be extravagant at Noodler's (unless/until we can provide you with a bottle that costs you less than the current design at the same time as being more extravagant!). The ink MUST be a greater economic factor/value than all other components combined (including box, cap, bottle, and even the free pens!). Logistical costs and retail access will likely always be a greater part of the costs (afterall...ink is heavy, fragile, and takes up space for less return to the shop owner than pens) - but the ink would not be available at all without them...and Noodler's only has control of manufacturing costs/decisions. Those costs we control will always favor ink value over all other factors/components. Cartridges and fancy bottles are simply not within that economic formula.

 

The question should be asked: are you paying for ink utility...or are you a consumer of fancy crystal and overpriced plastic bits? Convertors work with bottled ink and will increase your choices/selection of inks as well as save you money - and the best looking ink well is generally costly custom crystal that is not available from any ink company anyway! I made a few in my time with platinum trim and precious stones set in the crystal - it is entirely for display. Ink, on the other hand...offers utilities far beyond mere eye candy. Which is of greater use? A great ink, or a great ink well??? My choice? An ink company...not a glass company...

 

 

Back to work before I get in trouble for "spending time posting rants instead of making ink, etc....!!" ;-(

 

 

 

[Stephen-I-am]

Back to work before I get in trouble for "spending time posting rants instead of making ink, etc....!!" ;-(

 

Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the new FPN edition inks!

 

Stephen

[Margana]

The sepia is based on classic true sepia - the ink of the cuttlefish (a type of blue based brown), brawn is a dark amber brown, and pinstripe is the same blue-black as the textile colors found in well made suits.

My monitor is a nightmare tonight. The sepia looks red, brawn looks gray-brown and pinstripe looks green. I can't being to guess whether I'd like them or not. However, I do like most things baseball though I am more of a "Freeway Series" fan.

[Eternally Noodling]

The sepia is based on classic true sepia - the ink of the cuttlefish (a type of blue based brown), brawn is a dark amber brown, and pinstripe is the same blue-black as the textile colors found in well made suits.

My monitor is a nightmare tonight. The sepia looks red, brawn looks gray-brown and pinstripe looks green. I can't being to guess whether I'd like them or not. However, I do like most things baseball though I am more of a "Freeway Series" fan.

 

 

It might have been the photo that was off. Here are some more direct scanned swatches (the "Made in Massachusetts in Honor of New York" inks).

 

As for the Ellis Island Ink at Fountain Pen Hospital (the other New York exclusive), it pretty much looks exactly like the signatures and hand writing (not the faded documents, but the better preserved ones) one sees at the museum. Based upon rehydrated ink and a close estimate of dye concentration levels....but as close to the original ink color of the Ellis Island/government issue blue black as is possible given the extreme distance of time.

[encephalartos]

My package from Art Brown arrived today, around noontime.

 

The pen that comes with Year of the Golden Pig is an eyedropper felt tip. The

ink is like a bulletproof Firefly.

 

My impression of Pinstripe Homage is that it's a DARK blue-black, with maybe

a tiny greenish shift. The blueness of it was confirmed when rinsing off a dip

nib I used to make an ink sample.

 

Brooklyn Brawn reads to me as a dark, cool, blackish sepia brown, not warm

sepia, though. (Winsor & Newton used to make a watercolor tube paint

called Warm Sepia.)

 

Manhattan Blue is a blue black, but with more blue in it. The label on it is

lovely, like a painting.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

Oh, I'm going to weaken and end up buying even more ink. I literally am not going to live long enough to use up what I already have, not by a long shot! And where am I going to put this ink?

 

Ooohhhhh, I can feel myself weakening here .

[FrankB]

This is a great thread. Thanks for the explanations of the colors, Nathan. I, for one, appreciate the work you put into these marvelous inks.

 

Ink Stained Wretch, you are not alone. When my pension check comes in next week, I am going to indulge in several new inks.

[cowdad]

Right now you can see pictures of these from the Art Brown homepage.

 

Manhattan Blue is still listed.

 

I just saw the labels at the website, and my first thought--I'm just glad Nathan is better at making ink than he is at designing labels for the ink bottles.

 

I'm thinking Nathan should come up an "Imperial" or "Regal" line of ink that comes in nice bottles and has nice labels.

 

 

The artwork has a specific meaning!

 

The question should be asked: are you paying for ink utility...or are you a consumer of fancy crystal and overpriced plastic bits? Convertors work with bottled ink and will increase your choices/selection of inks as well as save you money - and the best looking ink well is generally costly custom crystal that is not available from any ink company anyway! I made a few in my time with platinum trim and precious stones set in the crystal - it is entirely for display. Ink, on the other hand...offers utilities far beyond mere eye candy. Which is of greater use? A great ink, or a great ink well??? My choice? An ink company...not a glass company...

 

 

Back to work before I get in trouble for "spending time posting rants instead of making ink, etc....!!" ;-(

 

As far as the artwork, I'd rather see Babe Ruth or Willie Mays when he was playing for the NY Giants on the bottle than the Noodler's catfish.

 

Ellis Island has a fine looking label, and thanks for posting that. Old Manhattan is one of my favs, and I guess I'll add Ellis Island, even if I use it only a time or two, or a time or two a year.

 

There are some people who have more Noodler's than I've got--but they've got have more than 32 bottles to have more than I've got. That said, I want to bring up the bottles. I'm not interested in eye candy--but the Montblanc and the old Pelikan bottles and the old Sheaffer bottles do have a utility value that we don't see in the Noodler's bottles.

 

I'm talking about a dollar or two for a better bottle.

 

As far as the talk about "fancy crystal and overpriced plastic bits"--that applies more to fountain pens than to any ink bottles I know of. Yeah, I know a lot of the ink that's in nice bottles is total (bleep), Montblanc Racing Green being a case in point.

[penRN]

Hey Nathan,

 

While you are at it, I would love some more info on the "Old Manhattan" and how it differs from the Noodler's Black. When I bought it the salesperson at FPH told me that all inks were basically the same and recommended the Pelikan black because it is "cheaper". I bought your ink and I love it and I would like to know more about it. Of course your ink was cheaper per ml than the Pelikan or any other brand at the store, so I felt like I got a good deal in that regard too.

 

---Michael