Noodler's Mata Hari's Cordial

[yazeh]

Noodler’s Mata Hari’s Cordial

 

This is truly one of the classiest inks, I’ve ever used. Noodler's has a knack for this type of shades. Such a pleasure to write with, lovely, elegant, well behaved. 

 I don’t why this colour was used to commemorate the fabled Mata Hari. I doubt this vintage cocktail named after her, will turn into this shade of burgundy. 

 

 

 

A bit about Mata Hari: 

She was born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in Netherlands  7 August 1876 . Her father at one point was very rich but lost all his money. He was also a mythomaniac. Mata Hari, married a brutish soldier and went to the Dutch West Indies. Her husband was violent and womanizer. She divorced her husband after the death of her son, and though she gained custody of her daughter, she had to abandon her to him as she had no money. In Europe she became, an exotic dancer, a courtesan, creating a persona and constantly changing her biography, a trait inherited from her father.  Her nickname was given by a friend, which means “eye of the day,” in Malay. 

 

Photo curtsey of Wikipedia

 

She had many lovers, a penchant for men in uniform. 

At the onslaught of WWI, she was recruited by both the Germans and French as a spy. While she’s the inspiration of many a Bond girl, she was inept in the art of spying, unlike the famed Josephine Baker. In 1917, she was used as a scapegoat by the French government and executed by firing squad in October, 15, 1917, after 6 months of deliberation. She was 41, 

 

Several films have made about her, notably one with Greta Garbo and a French one with Jeanne Moreau.  

You can read more about her, here:

https://www.friesmuseum.nl/en/collection/icons/mata-hari

 

Or see this documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WF3rA8ItmY

 

Now the ink. Lets start with the Chroma:

 

This is delicious burgundy, very well behaved and joy to write with. While it’s advertised as fluorescent ink, I didn’t see any reaction to UV light. 

Writing samples:

(All quotes are by Mata Hari)

Dry time varies depending the pen paper. I was a bit lazy, using the Kanwrite, which is very wet, and was slightly primed. Note the different dry times. 

Note how the ink in a primed feed, turns black. 

The following poem is from the Song of Songs, translated by Chana & Ariel Bloch, with a fude nib. 

 

Photo:

Hammermill 20lb copy paper. Back 

Ghosting is minimal

 

Watertest:

It seems this time I put the right side under-running water. 

The excess ink will remove, as you can see, but your document remain legible. 

Comparaison:

 

And finally a little sketch, of a cat in uniform in homage to Mata Hari. 

 

 

· Pens used: Pilot Kakuna(Ef/Stub) Lamy Safari (Ef/F/M/B), Kanwrite Ultraflex, Jinhao 450 fude nib

· What I liked: Well lubricated, classy, fast dry times, lovely in all pens. 

· What I did not like: Nothing much. Maybe I can grumble and say, it's water-resistant but not 100% waterproof. 

· What some might not like: Possible of staining transparent sections, the name  

· Shading: Yes, especially with wider nibs. 

· Ghosting: Faint

· Bleed through: None

· Flow Rate: Nice.

· Lubrication: Excellent

· Nib Dry-out: None.

· Start-up: None

· Saturation: Dark

· Shading Potential: Depending nibs. 

· Sheen: None.

· Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: None

· Nib Creep / “Crud”: Nope.

· Staining (pen): Possible 

· Clogging: No. 

· Cleaning: Normally, this shade of colour is difficult to clean, so having ink cleaning solution is always handy. Pilot Kakuna was very easy, as I could disassemble it, and Q-tip the heck out of it. Lamy needed an overnight soak and a bit more coaxing with the solution. With all permanent inks, the more the ink remains in the pen, the more time consuming it is to clean. 

· Water resistance:  It's not waterproof, like the Polar series. A bit of excess ink will be removed. 

· Availability: 90 ml bottles / 3 Oz bottles 

 

Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples or any other comments. The more the merrier  

 

 

[LizEF]

  Love the bemonocled kitty, Yazeh!  He looks very distinguished.  Thank you for a very thorough review.  Nice to hear of a well-behaved Noodler's ink - so many get complaints that it's easy to forget there are also many that behave well.

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

  Love the bemonocled kitty, Yazeh!  He looks very distinguished. 

I'm kind of pleased with it too   Believe it or not I was multitasking, when I came up with it

 

 

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Thank you for a very thorough review. 

Most welcome!

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

Nice to hear of a well-behaved Noodler's ink - so many get complaints that it's easy to forget there are also many that behave well.

I think his inks are getting better with time. I also believe his style of marketing, is a double edged sword, that he has wielded and has to a point exaggerated the negative reviews. 

The next Noodler's, Tolstoy is definetly on the naughty list 😛

 

[LizEF]

9 minutes ago, yazeh said:

The next Noodler's, Tolstoy is definetly on the naughty list 😛

An unhappy ink, then.   Looking forward to it.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Interesting chroma!  I like the color, and the kitteh sketch, and I love the history lesson.  Thanks, @yazeh.  😊

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, LizEF said:

An unhappy ink, then.   Looking forward to it.

It reflects well the author  I have to say one thing about Noodler's inks. I've learned a lot, historically speaking

 

 

51 minutes ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

Interesting chroma!  I like the color, and the kitteh sketch, and I love the history lesson.  Thanks, @yazeh.  😊

You're most welcome !

[inkstainedruth]

I've been wondering about this ink for a while now, but haven't gotten around to actually trying it.  The color looks similar to Van Dieman Black Tongue Spider Orchid and something else I picked up a while back but can't remember the other ink now... of course now I'll be up half the night trying to rack my brains about what the other ink was.... 

The bit about Josephine Baker being a spy?  That's interesting.  LOVE the stuff I learn on here!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

10 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

I've been wondering about this ink for a while now, but haven't gotten around to actually trying it.  The color looks similar to Van Dieman Black Tongue Spider Orchid and something else I picked up a while back but can't remember the other ink now... of course now I'll be up half the night trying to rack my brains about what the other ink was.... 

This is a fun alternative, if you're looking for a waterproof resistant inks. Noodler's has several inks in this shade, I believe. 

10 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

The bit about Josephine Baker being a spy?  That's interesting.  LOVE the stuff I learn on here!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Yep, she was much a better spy, than poor Mata Hari, who became a legend after her death. Check this article about Josephine Baker. 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/08/15/josephine-baker-was-the-star-france-wanted-and-the-spy-it-needed-damien-lewis-agent-josephine

[txomsy]

Interesting color. Reminds me of Kung-Te Cheng

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, txomsy said:

Interesting color. Reminds me of Kung-Te Cheng

In what way? 

[txomsy]

The hue, I mean. But I may be wrong and misled by the pictures.

[yazeh]

4 hours ago, txomsy said:

The hue, I mean. But I may be wrong and misled by the pictures.

 

 

[txomsy]

Right you are. I do not know why I had the impression KTC had more red in it. Side by side, the difference is evident. Thanks for the correction.

[yazeh]

 

4 hours ago, txomsy said:

Right you are. I do not know why I had the impression KTC had more red in it. Side by side, the difference is evident. Thanks for the correction.

No problem. It happens to me often too

 

[InesF]

Thank you @yazeh for the ink review, for the background story and for the cat (which outranges both of the before mentioned). 😁 Well done - I like it a lot!

 

The ink is in my colour preference zone, but it is so together with many others that are way more easy achievable. And, finally, my stock of purple and muted purple inks will last for the next decades ... 🤗

[yazeh]

59 minutes ago, InesF said:

Thank you @yazeh for the ink review, for the background story and for the cat (which outranges both of the before mentioned). 😁 Well done - I like it a lot!

🙏

59 minutes ago, InesF said:

 

The ink is in my colour preference zone, but it is so together with many others that are way more easy achievable. And, finally, my stock of purple and muted purple inks will last for the next decades ... 🤗

Glad you like it. It's the same with me and my murky greens

 

 

[namrehsnoom]

Great review, and also enjoyed the background info about Matahari - I had no idea she was of Dutch origin. The ink looks lovely, especially and very expressive. And nice to hear of a well-behaving Noodler’s ink. This one goes on the to-buy list.

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, namrehsnoom said:

Great review, and also enjoyed the background info about Matahari - I had no idea she was of Dutch origin.

That was her utmost dream to be a mystery. I'm sure she would have appreciated Nathan's historically inaccurate label too

1 hour ago, namrehsnoom said:

 

The ink looks lovely, especially and very expressive. And nice to hear of a well-behaving Noodler’s ink. This one goes on the to-buy list.

I'm sure you will be able to create exquisite art and review.