Noodlers V-Mail Ink

[penguinmaster]

Woohooo!!!

 

After contacting a couple different vendors I finally got a response back that they will be carrying the V-mail series of ink. I pre-ordered all 7 colors of it. I don't know if I should say who I ordered it from just yet, as I'm not sure they want it advertised just yet. But I wanted to at least post and let people know it seems as though the inks will be going into at least some production as their seemed to be lots of talks on the forum about it!

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[HenryLouis]

Where did you contact?

Woohooo!!!

 

After contacting a couple different vendors I finally got a response back that they will be carrying the V-mail series of ink. I pre-ordered all 7 colors of it. I don't know if I should say who I ordered it from just yet, as I'm not sure they want it advertised just yet. But I wanted to at least post and let people know it seems as though the inks will be going into at least some production as their seemed to be lots of talks on the forum about it!

 

Regards,

 

Tom

 

[Jimmy James]

Yes...who?

 

(I see that there's a reason this info is not included -- still, it's killing me!)

Edited June 7, 2009 by Jimmy James

[wvbeetlebug]

Gosh. I'm so out of the loop. V-Mail Ink from Noodler's?

[Jimmy James]

Gosh. I'm so out of the loop. V-Mail Ink from Noodler's?

 

The skinny: Nathan got some vintage ink samples a few weeks before the Boston show and cooked up a few (apparently 7) colors. He sold them at that show, and Chuck Swisher bought the remainder to bring to our lovely Raleigh show this coming weekend. There might be potential to make at least some of them in greater quantity -- I can't say for sure because Nathan writes in a poetic but not entirely straightforward manner about such issues when he posts here. He indicated in another thread that there will probably be ordering opportunity but also seemed to indicate there was hardly enough of the purple and green to photograph, whatever that means.

 

ETA: I think I have arranged for some Midway Blue and Burma Red-Brown, plus some Dark Matter (a new vintage black that seems like it isn't a part of the V-Mail series). We'll see. I'm really psyched for the show!

Edited June 7, 2009 by Jimmy James

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Looking forward to your reviews!

[Pippin60]

OK, I thought I heard it all, but whats "V-Mail Ink"? Can I make the guess and say its vintage color inks that are bullet proof so they can be used for addressing envelopes? :hmm1:

[Jimmy James]

V-Mail was a WWII-era (in rough terms) system that involved putting the mail on microfilm or some similar technology. I understand it to have therefore required special ink and paper. The ink was black. Since there are apparently 7 V-Mail colors in addition to the new black called Dark Matter, I believe Dark Matter is not actually of the V-Mail Noodler's series. This means none of these so-called V-Mail colors could have actually been used for V-Mail.

 

Instead, Nathan has co-opted V-Mail to represent the wartime era. The bottles of ink have really interesting labels featuring WWII-era American and British warplanes. The colors are inspired by vintage inks of the era. That's another way it seems Dark Matter must be a different project -- it doesn't feature the same type of label. It does still kind of conform to the theme because it has Manhattan Project inspiration.

[GreenVelvet]

Gosh. I'm so out of the loop. V-Mail Ink from Noodler's?

 

I have a blog post with photos of the ink tests and a little info on them.

[wvbeetlebug]

Awesome! Thanks for the info. Hate that I will most likely miss the show. Besides being broke I already have some family commitments that weekend.

[johnboz]

V-Mail was a WWII-era (in rough terms) system that involved putting the mail on microfilm or some similar technology. I understand it to have therefore required special ink and paper. The ink was black.

Waterman, Skrip and Quink all made V-Mail inks that were black. Carter's, however, also made V-Mail Blue-Black, Washable Blue and Washable Black in addition to Black.

 

I'm pretty sure the name of these Noodler's inks is more a reference to the vintage characteristics of these inks instead of actual V-Mail inks that existed (considering there are no vintage orange inks!).

 

These look like they might be fun. I might have to buy a new bottle of ink.

[scribbler77]

V-Mail was a WWII-era (in rough terms) system that involved putting the mail on microfilm or some similar technology. I understand it to have therefore required special ink and paper. The ink was black.

Waterman, Skrip and Quink all made V-Mail inks that were black. Carter's, however, also made V-Mail Blue-Black, Washable Blue and Washable Black in addition to Black.

 

I'm pretty sure the name of these Noodler's inks is more a reference to the vintage characteristics of these inks instead of actual V-Mail inks that existed (considering there are no vintage orange inks!).

 

These look like they might be fun. I might have to buy a new bottle of ink.

 

V-mail was used for mail to members of the U.S. armed forces who were overseas during WWII. The letters were photographed on microfilm, which was flown to a photolab near the front, and there enlarged and printed for delivery. The microfilm could be flown to the front more easily than the letters themselves. The microfilm used was probably orthochromatic, which would have lightened a blue ink; a light blue would hardly be legible at all. The ink companies made a point of selling dark inks that photograph clearly. Most were black, but as johnboz indicates, some dark colors were labelled as suitable for V-mail. Whatever the color, the recipient would have received a photographic print in black and white, meaning that colors other than black would show up as gray.

[cspens]

I had a chance to speak to Nathan briefly today about these pens and he told me that he now plans to continue making these inks after the Raleigh Show. He told me he hopes to start shipping in about 2 to 3 weeks. Apparently the interest at the show convinced him that the demand would be sufficient enough for him to purchase the raw materials to make more of these inks. Here is the information about these inks he provided me to help describe these new inks to our customers:

 

They are water resistant, but not water proof. Permanent inks in the vintage sense of the word, yet not as permanent as the dramatic permanence of the Baystate style inks that came later by 1946. Modern materials used to replicate vintage inks and vintage properties as well...

 

Dark Matter - The story of a vintage ink reborn…

 

A large size “Boston Round” with sharp shoulders (indicative to this vintage ink collector of a possible – though not certain – upper Midwest connection, as the “master” school and business/office bottles made there often had distinctively sharp curves on the shoulders of their “Boston Round” bottles) – arrived at Noodler’s Ink in Massachusetts from a resident of Chicago. The gentleman states he was an employee at “a much older undisclosed location” and is an admirer of our inks. He wants the bottle back, if we would be so kind – but also a bottle of any ink we can make that replicates its contents as payment for providing us with such a marvelous piece of history. We replicated the ink as closely as possible with current, fresh and modern materials…and the return of the bottles met with his approval. We also sent him a pen, of course.

 

Do we always put such effort into a bottle of vintage ink that randomly appears in the mail box? No. Sometimes, however….when it is rare or unusual, we certainly do – as this bottle had upon it a deceptively simple label: “U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, LA NM BLK WF 43” The label was incredibly small for such a large bottle of ink. However, knowing master bottles of similar shape and size that had been made by the major ink companies of the era – this was actually not unusual. School system and government office ink bottles also routinely had such small labels. Commercial labels were always much larger (as I have always said, the art of labels is part of the craft and should of course be done with Noodler’s Ink! ;-).

 

We were given enough information to conclude it was the genuine: the ink of Los Alamos, New Mexico…cir. Mid-1940s, “Project Y”- the Manhattan Project. Better still, it could be successfully rehydrated and replicated.

 

It has been named “Dark Matter” and has an image of the leading scientist of the Manhattan Project upon the label – with his most famous quote imprinted upon his image. The ink could be distinguished between other inks of the era with a variety of tests – yet it was a very conventional ink and though water resistant, is not completely waterproof (though at the time it would have certainly been classed as being “permanent”). If you wrote a document while sequestered at Los Alamos during “the project”….apparently, you even had to use the right kind of ink when not using a pencil or bit of chalk…

 

-------------------------------------

 

The V-mail ink series:

 

A few weeks ago we obtained some dated, sealed, and viable vintage area inks with extremely patriotic labels (this, to us - is a rare opportunity to examine earlier industrial history first hand!). Many referenced "V-mail", a term that seems to have begun in WW I. These were dated from 1939 to 1945 – and of course began in earnest after Dec. 7, 1941 with the patriotic WW II themes.

 

With those inks as models and a little bit of reverse engineering and close modern replication – the originals come alive again in our own "V-mail" ink series:

 

-North African Violet,

 

-Operation Overlord Orange,

 

-GI Green,

 

-Mandalay Maroon,

 

-Burma Road Brown,

 

-Rabaul Red,

 

-Midway Blue.

If there is no breakage I should be receiving 10 bottles each of the V-Mail and 20 bottles of the Dark Matter in time for the Raleigh Show. It is being shipped direct to the hotel so hopefully I should have it available when I set up on Friday. I already have a few orders from folks that can't attend the show that I will bring back from the show to ship next week. These aren't on our web site yet so if you want me to save some of these inks and mail them when I get back please send an e-mail or give me a call. If you are going to the Raleigh Show this weekend I will gladly hold these inks for pick-up at the show. Hope this helps.

 

Best wishes,

 

Chuck Swisher - chuck@swisherpens.com

 

Swisher Pens, Inc. - www.swisherpens.com

1560 Laskin Rd., Suite 158

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

 

Store Tel#: (757) 425-2162

Store Fax#: (757) 425-2165

Toll-Free: 1-888-340-7367

Edited June 8, 2009 by cspens

[Ink Stained Wretch]

V-Mail was a WWII-era (in rough terms) system that involved putting the mail on microfilm or some similar technology.

It was indeed microfilm, pretty hot stuff in the early '40s. They wanted to send the mail back and forth via aircraft and the United States of America was actively engaged in wars across the two largest oceans on Earth. The folks in charge figured that it'd be more economical to photograph the V-Mail letters and keep them on microfilm which would then be sent to their destination by air. This way the folks in the services would get mail in a timely way, which helps morale a lot. The V-mail was sent both ways. The mail coming from the service personnel was also censored.

 

I forget the ratio but a few pounds of microfilm replaced tons of paper letters. Aircraft that were ferrying all sorts of stuff across those oceans were therefore not burdened too much by mail.

 

I understand it to have therefore required special ink and paper. The ink was black.

Well, I think that black was preferred but I have some old V-Mails from among my relatives that were done in blue/black. The Post Office, or whomever handled the V-Mail technology, accepted this. Pencil was also accepted.

 

The paper wasn't really special it was just a form, usually. I have a form from then. They didn't want people to go right to the edge of the paper because they'd lose letters or words in the photographing process.

 

The end result V-Mail was smaller than the original. This also saved on resources, but made it harder to read for some :blink: .

[penguinmaster]

I had a chance to speak to Nathan briefly today about these pens and he told me that he now plans to continue making these inks after the Raleigh Show. He told me he hopes to start shipping in about 2 to 3 weeks. Apparently the interest at the show convinced him that the demand would be sufficient enough for him to purchase the raw materials to make more of these inks. Here is the information about these inks he provided me to help describe these new inks to our customers:

 

They are water resistant, but not water proof. Permanent inks in the vintage sense of the word, yet not as permanent as the dramatic permanence of the Baystate style inks that came later by 1946. Modern materials used to replicate vintage inks and vintage properties as well...

 

Dark Matter - The story of a vintage ink reborn…

 

A large size “Boston Round” with sharp shoulders (indicative to this vintage ink collector of a possible – though not certain – upper Midwest connection, as the “master” school and business/office bottles made there often had distinctively sharp curves on the shoulders of their “Boston Round” bottles) – arrived at Noodler’s Ink in Massachusetts from a resident of Chicago. The gentleman states he was an employee at “a much older undisclosed location” and is an admirer of our inks. He wants the bottle back, if we would be so kind – but also a bottle of any ink we can make that replicates its contents as payment for providing us with such a marvelous piece of history. We replicated the ink as closely as possible with current, fresh and modern materials…and the return of the bottles met with his approval. We also sent him a pen, of course.

 

Do we always put such effort into a bottle of vintage ink that randomly appears in the mail box? No. Sometimes, however….when it is rare or unusual, we certainly do – as this bottle had upon it a deceptively simple label: “U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, LA NM BLK WF 43” The label was incredibly small for such a large bottle of ink. However, knowing master bottles of similar shape and size that had been made by the major ink companies of the era – this was actually not unusual. School system and government office ink bottles also routinely had such small labels. Commercial labels were always much larger (as I have always said, the art of labels is part of the craft and should of course be done with Noodler’s Ink! ;-).

 

We were given enough information to conclude it was the genuine: the ink of Los Alamos, New Mexico…cir. Mid-1940s, “Project Y”- the Manhattan Project. Better still, it could be successfully rehydrated and replicated.

 

It has been named “Dark Matter” and has an image of the leading scientist of the Manhattan Project upon the label – with his most famous quote imprinted upon his image. The ink could be distinguished between other inks of the era with a variety of tests – yet it was a very conventional ink and though water resistant, is not completely waterproof (though at the time it would have certainly been classed as being “permanent”). If you wrote a document while sequestered at Los Alamos during “the project”….apparently, you even had to use the right kind of ink when not using a pencil or bit of chalk…

 

-------------------------------------

 

The V-mail ink series:

 

A few weeks ago we obtained some dated, sealed, and viable vintage area inks with extremely patriotic labels (this, to us - is a rare opportunity to examine earlier industrial history first hand!). Many referenced "V-mail", a term that seems to have begun in WW I. These were dated from 1939 to 1945 – and of course began in earnest after Dec. 7, 1941 with the patriotic WW II themes.

 

With those inks as models and a little bit of reverse engineering and close modern replication – the originals come alive again in our own "V-mail" ink series:

 

-North African Violet,

 

-Operation Overlord Orange,

 

-GI Green,

 

-Mandalay Maroon,

 

-Burma Road Brown,

 

-Rabaul Red,

 

-Midway Blue.

If there is no breakage I should be receiving 10 bottles each of the V-Mail and 20 bottles of the Dark Matter in time for the Raleigh Show. It is being shipped direct to the hotel so hopefully I should have it available when I set up on Friday. I already have a few orders from folks that can't attend the show that I will bring back from the show to ship next week. These aren't on our web site yet so if you want me to save some of these inks and mail them when I get back please send an e-mail or give me a call. If you are going to the Raleigh Show this weekend I will gladly hold these inks for pick-up at the show. Hope this helps.

 

Best wishes,

 

Chuck Swisher - chuck@swisherpens.com

 

Swisher Pens, Inc. - www.swisherpens.com

1560 Laskin Rd., Suite 158

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

 

Store Tel#: (757) 425-2162

Store Fax#: (757) 425-2165

Toll-Free: 1-888-340-7367

 

Awesome! I'm glad some other info went out. It seems to be a bit more public knowledge now. I ordered mine through Greenman508 (no affiliation) and he was able to get the info I needed. So I know he will be carrying them as well. I am super super excited this ink actually went into production. I'll need to add the Dark Matter ink to my order as i was unaware of that one going into production as well.

 

Regards,

 

Tom