I came across a website that mentioned that J. Herbin's Violette Pensée was a Methyl Violet formulation. Does anyone know if this is actually true?

I was also wondering about the meme that Violette Pensée is the color used for centuries by French school pupils. What is the source of this information, other than marketing literature? Why did the French school system settle on violet ink? Is J. Herbin's Violette Pensée the official ink, or is J. Herbin just one of many suppliers? As near as I can determine, violet ink was mandated up until 1966, or thereabouts, so what caused the French to change, and to what, if anything, did they change?

I saw pictures of vintage, larger bottles of Violette Pensée that indicated that at least that color, and possibly others, were available in larger bottles in the past, at the least a Courtine (60 ml) size, as opposed to the current Demi-Courtine (30 ml) bottles. These do not seem to be currently available, although even though I don't speak or read French outside of menus, the J. Herbin French website seems to say (as near as I can determine) in the Industry section that inks are available in a 1 litre size for custom orders.

The pictures of the larger bottles and related paraphernalia I've seen all seem to be of the "Parfumée" (perfumed) variety. Was the perfumed variety more common in the past?

Here are pictures from the Pen & Co. website's J. Herbin History section, which goes so far as to say J. Herbin invented the particular school violet formulation, as well as the first ink eradicators:




While J. Herbin advertises Bleu Myosotis as being an eradicable ink, I do not see where they also offer an eradicator solution. I wonder why this is so.

These are all fascinating questions, and I hope that someone here comes forward with an authoritative reply. As for why the French caved on violet ink in '66 and what they used instead, my wild guess would be the insidious, unstoppable -- and, hey, let's admit it, handy -- ballpoint, but I'd loved to be proved wrong.

From what I gathered re-reading the past thread on "French Ruled" paper, it would seem that after 1966, the preference was for either an eradicable blue ink (à la J. Herbin Bleu Myosotis or Waterman Bleu Royal/Florida Blue), or the Bic ballpoint. Which of course suggests a whole suite of additional questions regarding the selection of eradicable blue inks and eradicators.

Ah, well at least it wasn't only the ballpoint!

To answer your first question about methyl violet: Yes.**

Methyl violet is used in the formulation. In fact it used quite a bit in making dyes and inks. Though which methyl violet is used I do not know. There are three 4, 5 and 6 pararosanilin. They are i=often blended so it is probably not just one of them. (It also had uses in medicine and chemistry).

**Personal correspondence with the folks at Herbin.