Stormy Summer Night Skies

[corniche]

Greetings all,

 

It is a warm summer night and you’re walking home from a friend’s house; the air is still dense from the day’s waning heat and humidity. In the distance; you hear the sequential distant rumblings of thunder; you stop, turn, and cast your eyes towards the western skies. You stand there; fixed in your position; with anxious anticipation for the next flash of lightning.

 

A refreshing breeze is brushing against your face; pushing the day’s humidity away from you- you can smell the impending storm’s energy on the breeze and it exhilarates you. You cry out within yourself, “Come on! Where’s the lightning flash?!” Then, when you’re patience is near exhausted- it finally strikes and the distant night sky glows with billows and streaks of dusky purples, burgundies and grays. And that is Poussière de Lune by J. Herbin.

 

Okay, I hammed it up a little and I know the last thing we need is another PdeL review- but I couldn’t help myself. I have only been re-using it for a short time; however, the more I use it; the more I like- in fact, that can be said for ALL of the J. Herbin inks I’ve been using lately.

 

They all seem to have that elegant, vintage look that you know came from a fountain pen. Many of today’s fountain inks are indistinguishable from roller ball or gel inks on paper; however, J. Herbin inks have that unique “painted,” “watercolor” or “floating” appearance on paper. At any rate, I digress.

 

I purchased the plastic 100ml bottle of Poussière de Lune from Todd Nussbaum from ISellPens for $25, (incl. shipping), to augment my little demitasse bottle. JHpdl is an enjoyable ink to use; very good to excellent flow in my Parker 45, (although there have been a couple hesitations). The lubrication is acceptable and the color is rich and unique with adequate shading. This ink is excellent for home or personal use; although its applications in the business arena are definitely discretionary. Shadow and bleed-through are minor to moderate; so students may be able to use PdeL as well; however, if this will be its intended use- get a sample first and experiment with it.

 

The blue used is Eclat de Saphir, (another gem of an ink- pun intended), and most likely will be my next review. This review is fairly straight forward and speaks for itself; however, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to voice them.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

 

 

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff449/quinkkid/HerbinPousseiredeLune1.jpg

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff449/quinkkid/HerbinPousseiredeLune2.jpg

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff449/quinkkid/HerbinPousseiredeLune3.jpg

Edited September 4, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[corniche]

Post retracted by me; error message.

 

- Sean

Edited September 4, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[Ipno Tizer]

Nice one!

 

You must get some right colourful thunderstorms over there in the States!

 

I'm going to London tomorrow and I know that J.M. Pennifeather stocks Herbin. A dottle mat find it's way north.

 

Chris B.

[Nickargenta]

Great review of one of my favourite inks

[corniche]

Nice one!

 

You must get some right colourful thunderstorms over there in the States!

 

I'm going to London tomorrow and I know that J.M. Pennifeather stocks Herbin. A dottle mat find it's way north.

 

Chris B.

 

Hello Chris,

 

Yes, we do get colorful thunderstorms here... sometimes a little too colorful.

 

 

Great review of one of my favourite inks

 

Thank you.

 

 

All the best,

 

Sean

[shaylenwilliams]

I am also totally in love with PdL lately! Your swabs look much more reddish than the writing samples... Everyone keeps calling this color a burgundy, which I can see in some swabs, but mine is a pretty pure dusky purple, like your writing samples. Regardless of WHAT color people call this, I love it! I was watching a storm last night and I kept seeing those purples show up... and I just wanted to go write with my PdL!!! Great review Sean, thanks!!!

[Trebster]

Poussière de Lune - just the name alone tells you that this is your ink of choice if you keep a dream journal. And the color: perfect for exactly that use.

[Anne-Sophie]

One of my favorite as well, thank you Sean, great review!

[Sailor Kenshin]

WHAT a cool review. Insprirational in fact.

 

My bottle of PdL was one of the first inks I got when I decided to collect all the J Herbin inks. It came from an art supply store, has the old-style, highly illustrative label, and was marked down to boot.

 

Mine seems to have a browner cast. Wonder if it could be due to the age.

[mrt77]

Awesome review! I'm very tempted to get a bottle of this ink.

[RBC]

Thanks for that review!

[corniche]

Hello Shaylen,

 

Thank you very much!

 

PdeL is a little schizophrenic in nature; because in the swabs it does come across more as a burgundy; however, when it comes out of a pen, (at least my 45), it has more of the dusky purple tones. My Chromograhpy description covers how it looks from a pen... as does my stormy night analogy.

 

 

Hello Trebster,

 

Yes, like all, (or most), of the Herbin inks; it does have a romantic name... well, it is French.

 

 

Hello Anne,

 

Thanks so much.

 

 

Hello Sailor,

 

Thank you very much; I thought I'd try being a little creative for a change. Your brown cast could be age-related; these inks do use all natural dyes, so color shifting with age isn't beyond the pale.

 

 

Hello MRT77,

 

Thank you much! Yes; by all means, please give PdeL a shot. I am not a purple buff; however, I like this one a lot. It is sort of a purple-gray.

 

You can start with a sample from Pear Tree Pens, (Goulet is out of stock), and see how you like it.

 

 

Hello RBC,

 

Thanks.

 

 

All the best,

 

Sean

[Sailor Kenshin]

Here, a very dark and blurry photo of the bottle. Just love the old-style art.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6116895274_82d681e591_b.jpg

[corniche]

Oooooooooooooo, that IS a neat old bottle! Congrats. Yes, with an ink as old as that one looks, (that uses all natural dyes), I would definitely say the brown tinge your ink has is most likely age related. Thanks for sharing that pic.

 

- Sean

Edited September 5, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[MrsGouletPens]

You can start with a sample from Pear Tree Pens, (Goulet is out of stock), and see how you like it.

We do have samples of PdL! I have 30ml's, 100ml's, and samples all in stock.

[corniche]

You can start with a sample from Pear Tree Pens, (Goulet is out of stock), and see how you like it.

We do have samples of PdL! I have 30ml's, 100ml's, and samples all in stock.

 

Hello Rachel,

 

OK, that's great! I know when I had ordered mine last week, (or the week before ), you were still OOS. Thanks for the update.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

[Sailor Kenshin]

Back then I was standing in the art supply store, with the PdL bottle in hand, going, "I dunno, I'm not really a purple ink person... the bottle looks cool, though..." and this little voice was saying, "BUY IT!"

 

 

To me, PdL seems Japanese. Perfect for drawing peonies and cranes.

[corniche]

Back then I was standing in the art supply store, with the PdL bottle in hand, going, "I dunno, I'm not really a purple ink person... the bottle looks cool, though..." and this little voice was saying, "BUY IT!"

 

 

To me, PdL seems Japanese. Perfect for drawing peonies and cranes.

 

Hello Sailor,

 

Yes, I know... I've been there myself... with ink, pens, model railroad stuff, old Cadillacs, (or Lincolns)... etc., etc.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited September 23, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[corniche]

Greetings all,

 

I just wanted to add a quick follow-up; it came time to flush out the pen and I'm pleased to report that it went smoothly. Like most J. Herbin inks, a quick flush under the tap to get the bulk of the ink out and a couple of four-minute cycles in my ultrasonic is all it took to get perfectly clear water flowing through the section. No perceivable staining in the converter either.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited September 23, 2011 by S. P. Colfer

[dweit]

Just ordered a bottle from the Goulet's, based on this review. Looks dark and moody - i like that!