So, as many of you know, I've become utterly obsessed with Noodler's bulletproof inks. On a complete whim, I PM'd Nathan, begging for a bulletproof true purple. I have several Noodler's bulletproof violet/purples, and while I love many of them and will continue to use them, all of the existing colors are too red/magenta/blue to be my perfect dream purple.

I never expected to hear from him--I just thought I'd put in my plea. Within 4 hours, he responded!

So, here's the deal. Nathan was very gracious and is willing to make a new bulletproof purple, in 1 oz. bottles (though perhaps if there is enough demand, 3 oz. bottles might eventually become available). Pricing will be "within the median range of inks."

One of Nathan's ideas include "a radical combination of the most durable and brilliant 1940s ink technology/materials...with the durability of the 1990s-2000s" with intense contrast and an unusual ink profile. It's possible that it might stain some pens, like the Baystate series, but it sounds like the ink would be amazing!

I suggested an electric purple that jumps off the page--kinda like the purple version of Rachmaninov. He's open to giving it a try! Even if it's not electric, a nice, bulletproof purpley purple would be beyond my wildest fantasies!

Is anyone else interested? If so, please, please, please email Luxury Brands (the North American distributor): info@lux-brands.com. If 20 people email them, Nathan said "then it will happen."

He's also looking for ideas for the label. Personally, I would love to see something that continues the "royal" theme of La Couleur Royale and The Color of the King. I'd love for this ink to be named after Marie Antoinette, though. According to this book, Marie Antoinette loved royal purple, even though that didn't endear her to her subjects. Any other thoughts on a theme or a name? I've always been impressed with the collective wit of FPN--now's your chance to shine!

Anyway, if this ink sounds like it might be interesting to you, PLEASE email info@lux-brands.com! I'd also appreciate a PM or post, so I can see if we reach the threshold. Please help make my dream (and perhaps yours?) a reality! Thanks!

I'm all for the 1940's everything-and-the-kitchen-sink ink. I'd prefer a purply purple over electric (I'm not real there on the Russian colors). Yeah, I'll email.

A deep Royal Purple bulletproof would work for me.

I'm definitely interested in this ink as well And as for a name, and, feel free to veto, but how about 'Noodler's Trianon?' I mean, it's kind of an oblique reference (no fountain pen-related puns intended) to her, but that was certainly one of her favorite places as queen. Also, I just like the sound of it. And, anyway, it sounds better than 'Noodler's The Diamond Necklace Affair.'

Edited to note: I emailed Noodler's. I hope to buy this ink soon!

Great idea! Even if it's not electric, I could go with a bulletproof Wampum. I adore that color.

And I'd nominate Madame de Pompadour as the ink name. Her surname was Poisson, so it's a perfect match with the Noodler's icon.

Marie Antoinette would be fine, too.

(Email sent.)

The darker, the better ... and legible, it should be. An ink shouldn't hurt your eyes when reading, so "electric" may be too tiresome.

I'm looking for a purple black, like a purple Zhivago -- not electric and more on the blue side than the red burgundy-ish side, and water-resistant.

Yeah, something noticeably purple but not eyepopping. The only purple I have right now is Pelikan Violet, and I'd like something a little bit darker and, if possible, with more depth than that, though the color itself I like.

Ooooh! A nice dark purple would be nice. Something like that and waterproof would be great for anything I send to my sister!

My choice of name for the new ink would be Noodler's Tyrian Purple, because this very expensive colour was famed throughout the ancient world and the name was redolent of great opulence and majesty. Somehow fitting for the French royal court also, maybe.

Coming back down to ground, I'll happily send an e-mail too!

Good luck with the mission,
Thomas

email sent.... and for a label, how 'bout something with Jimmy Hendrix

I love bulletproof inks. Purple's great. Eggplant ... not so much. I'll send the email now.

I have been getting on with Noodler's "Iraqi Indigo" pretty well, though a new waterproof purple would suit me just fine. Like some of the others, I would prefer a purply purple over an electric color. The MB Lavender is a rich black/purple that I really like. With waterproof chacteristics, it would be a great ink.

I very much like the idea of introducing an ancient theme to the name of a royal purple ink. Byzantium was known as a source of royal purple dyes and purple trade goods for centuries. "Byzantine Purple" sounds good to me, but I have no problem with the "Tyrian Purple" idea.

Edited: I have sent my e-mail supporting this idea.

Great initiative.
I have just sent an email supporting the idea.

Alejandro

I find this ink does have very good water-resistance (not water-proof but still quite good).

Sent an email committing to 5 bottles. I don't care how bright it is, as long as it's not muddy.

You guys are the best!! The ideas both about the color and label/name are great--keep 'em coming! Let's have more people weigh in, then I'll set up a poll to try and quantify people's thoughts a bit.

Please continue to email the distributor (info@lux-brands.com), everyone! With your help, this ink must be getting closer to becoming a reality! Thanks to all who already emailed them!

I've done my part.

I like Thomas's idea for the Tyrian Purple name.

Give me three weeks...samples to follow -

I was thinking of a cute opossum interacting with an amused giant catfish looking up at him from a large twilight pool of partially moonlit water. A night themed ink in tune with a dark and rich purple...one that could be used in business as easily as any blue-black, black, etc...and with an extremely high durability similar to that of Noodler's Black. Is that on the right track? Seems to be 7 out of 10 right now are in that direction. Let me know if you disagree. Not sure of a name, but I have the image of the artwork in my head already and it is certainly another catfish. ;-)


As to the French Queen - I dislike her personally...I guess I would have been with the revolutionaries back then. There is something very un-American in monarchies. No meritocracy at all exists there. There is no reason or enlightenment in a monarchy. "The Queen uses this ink, so it therefore must be the best." is one of the worst phrases I have seen on this board. A label with a Queen would likely show some ridiculous expression on her face or perhaps an ink accident staining her cheek with her being cross eyed.

Well, the main ship upon which the Boston Tea Party took place...was named after the same town Noodler's is in and was owned by a local resident. The King and Queen, monarchy in general...it's somewhat amusing to mock (such as Louis XIV's wig!). It is a tradition that goes back quite a long time. ;-)

Ooh, that sounds lovely. Hmm, maybe 5 bottles wouldn't be enough....

A 'possum? Just might work.

THANK YOU, Nathan!

I think a label ridiculing the Queen would be hysterical, and quite in keeping with what I expect from Noodler's! I would get even more bottles as gifts if they had a label like that!

I'm not wedded to the idea of having royalty somehow be a part of the label--I just thought it would be an appropriate theme for a rich purple. I love critters, too. I personally would prefer that the ink be purple enough that you can tell it's actually a purple instead of only being able to tell it's purple if you squint really hard at it in bright light. Just my vote, though!

I sent an email too. I like the Jimi Hendrix idea too.

It will be manifestly purple to the average eye. As to the queen in a label, which queen? Should probably pick a live one...as mocking the dead might be in bad taste (well, maybe....). ;-)

I emailed also!

Jimi Hendrix is themed already in a PR ink, correct?

Perfect!

Let the purple shine in the moonlight!

Like Deirdre, I'm in for multiple bottles, though probably only 3 to start. Though, knowing me, it would end up being 5 lol. I want to see it, Nathan, and I'm excited that kookychick steamrolled into your shop with this! Dang, reminds me of me when I was a little younger...

Yes, PR has a "Purple Haze" ink--it's a really light, washed-out purple. (I had it at one point, but disliked it and traded it away! )

How about Purple Reign?

I thought of that on my way home, had to pull over I was giggling so hard.

Heh--great minds think alike! I thought of that on my way home, too--Prince's "1999" was playing on the radio....

Aw, shucks, kiavonne! Thanks!

Even better than an opossum, and I don't say that lightly.

Oh wow. Just...wow.

As far as royalty and queens go, perhaps you could make it more abstract--rather than any particular queen, you could show a Queen chess piece knocked over on a chess board. Or if you want to obliquely refer to Antoinette, the piece could be knocked over, with the top of it separated from the rest of the chess piece...maybe with a little purple trickle coming from the severed area and running down the chess board.

Orrrrr we could just go with the possum...

Could be a LOLqueen: let them eat caek!

duplicate post.

I just thought of that too!

Dark purple sounds like it'd be right up my alley! I have a dark purple-black that I mix up and call "Black Amethyst Glass". Something a bit lighter than that and bulletproof would be nice for when I don't want to look at my ink in sunlight to tell that it's purple.

I just had a rather amusing mental image of a catfish wrapped in a white and purple toga, wearing a leaf crown. Purple Reign, indeed!

You know what else would be cool? If we could get an ink with the beautiful color variation and shading of Apache Sunset in different colors. I love that ink to death and find myself using it very frequently even though I ordinarily dislike bright, orangey colors. Something perhaps that shades from a nice turqoise to purple, or from green to blue.

At any rate, I'll be sending off an email!

Night-themed; could be used in business business like blue-black; high durability. Sounds great!

I've also emailed about the BB purple.


And I had another thought for a name/theme. How about "Purple Prose"? It has the historical background of Horace and Queen Elizabeth I (she translated Horace's Ars Poetica (where the term comes from). It would humorously fit with the catfish in a toga image Laeyra mentioned, too.

Email sent. I also committed to 5 bottles. Purple is my favorite ink color (with VV being my daily user), and a true bulletproof purple would be a dream come true. A lot of shading would be ideal.

As far as a label goes, being a poet myself, I like the idea of Purple Prose. Maybe Palatine Purple, to go back to the Tyrian roots of purple dye? Purple Haze? New Penman Purple, in deference to the now defunct Penman line of inks? Muscadine (grapes)? Vienna Blood (the concept of which I would like to believe is Royal purple)?

Who knows. I support the label with the catfish in a toga, though.

Best,
Summer

That sounds cool too!

(Why only one purple? Why not both?)

Yeah, I'm into it! Just emailed.

Can't possibly add any new name thoughts, as yours are all awesome... but I will also be giggling about Purple Reign all day. LOVE it!

I have to say, personally I'd be offended if this were a dark purple purple and had more than subtle Roman/antiquity references in the design/name. Their purple was more reddish. I think of it almost as maroon. (Socrates is decent, though I always think of the Roman royal purple as being a deeper and more red purple. Hey, wikipedia has an entry that agrees with me! (Okay, so Tyrian purple varies, but generally it is more of a reddish purple) More purple)

Anyways, sorry to ruin anyone's fun, and as much as I'd like a dark purple purple with bulletproof qualities, I would not buy any if it had such misgivings in its picture/name. (If it's just a reference to royalty, like "Purple Reign" I'd be quite alright with it. I like the alliteration of Purple Prose. I'm just here to cast my vote against a catfish in a toga or the name Tyrian Purple if we're going for a color that looks more like Tokyo purple in the wikipedia purple article.)

On the other hand, as much as I'd love a dark purple purple for use, I wouldn't be able to resist a real Tyrian purple with a togatus silurus (sheatfish/catfish in a toga) as it's picture. If there were a bulletproof or near bulletproof of that color, I have to say I'd probably turn to it exclusively. Just because I'm difficult like that.

Mmm, even that quoted article notes that Tyrian varies in shade, and that Imperial Tyrian was rather dark. (Cf. the quote from Pliny: ".. the Tyrian hue ... is considered of the best quality when it has exactly the colour of clotted blood, and is of a blackish hue to the sight".) So more red than blue, but dark enough to be tending toward black. FWIW, I think that Tokyo purple is much closer to Imperial Tyrian than is maroon.

Isn't the Concord Grape already barking up this alley?

No, Concord Grape is not bulletproof.

That's a pretty direct comparison. Maroon on left, Wikipedia's image for Tyrian purple in middle (seems to be an accurate representation), and Tokyo purple on right. True that it can vary, and there are probably some examples leaning more towards Tokyo purple, but to me the average/mode/most common shade seems more maroon (not EXACTLY maroon, but more so) than Tokyo. (Though maybe if you mixed Tokyo and maroon you'd get a pretty close shade...)

It'd be cool if a bulletproof ink the shade of clotted blood, matching Pliny's description, was made. >:-}

Interesting links! So now I know that ancient conceptions of a royal purple aren't the same as modern conceptions. Learn something new everyday, as they say.

Here's to hoping it's Moleskine paper friendly.

Impossible to predict, especially with the varying quality of moleskine notebooks lately. I imagine as a bulletproof, it would handle fairly close to the same as the other bulletproofs available. It will bleed and feather on some papers and not on others.