Brilliant Brown - Pelikan 4001®

[visvamitra]

The 4001 ink is a well-established brand by Pelikan from the very first beginning of the company. It was first mentioned in a price-list from 1897 and proved its worth within all the years. Ink 4001 was registered as a number only, during years there was plenty of colors on the market. However in recent years the line didn't change at all. Happily Pelikan decided to invest not only in Edelstein line but also in 4001 (much cheaper) line and introduced new ink (Dark Green) in january 2016. You may find it interesting that Pelikan 4001 are the only inks that can be bought practically in every B&M store in Poland.

At the moment the line consists of

1. Blue - Black
   
2. Brilliant Black
   
3. Brilliant Brown
   
4. Brilliant Green
   
5. Brilliant Red
   
6. Dark Green
   
7. Pink (cartridges only)
   
8. Royal Blue
   
9. Turquoise
   
10. Violet
    

Brilliant Brown is the first ink I ever bought in a bottle. It has special place on my shelf. It's not he best brown ink ever made but it's more than decent. In this price range it's rather hard to beat.

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

Software ID

Tomoe River, Kaweco Classic Sport, B

Leuchtturm 1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, B

Oxford, Kaweco Classic Sport, B

Comparison

[tinta]

Brilliant Brown was my first brown/sepia. Compared to OMAS sepia & Iroshi Tsukushi, this ink seems to show the most red.

 

Visvamitra, usually your drop on the kitchen towel chromatography dramatically separates the ink's colours. I'm a bit surprised that this test did not pull out a strong red component in the Brilliant Brown.

[Cyber6]

Brilliant Brown was my first brown/sepia. Compared to OMAS sepia & Iroshi Tsukushi, this ink seems to show the most red.

 

Visvamitra, usually your drop on the kitchen towel chromatography dramatically separates the ink's colours. I'm a bit surprised that this test did not pull out a strong red component in the Brilliant Brown.

 

 

Is a different towel...

[tinta]

 

 

Is a different towel...

Could be my ink's a different vintage...?

[The Good Captain]

I tried it once and thought it was too pale for me. Your review has made me reconsider so I think a small bottle could well be on the cards. Thanks!

[kronos77]

Only problem with this ink is that it disappears after a bit of exposure to sunlight.

[Bo Bo Olson]

When an ink hangs around in a bottle for 15 years, it  might get a bit darker.

I don't notice the red in the brown that many disliked long ago.

I did then and as noobie listened a bit too hard to those who knew more than me.

 

I started with MB Sepia, then, the then 'new' MB Toffee, so Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown got pushed to the back of the hand full of browns....all got pushed to the back by Herbin Lie de Tee`.

The bottle is 1/3 full so I had to have used it occasionally, even though it don't feel like it.

 

Today I unexpectedly dug Brilliant Brown out of storage, and find I like it much more than I originally did.

Last week I took MB Sepia out of storage; so can write a line with each.

Neither of them are chocolate brown.

4001 Brilliant Brown is a shading ink, and pretty soon, I'll have to get a new bottle of it.

Sometimes it only takes a few scribbles to remind one of what one has, that is worth buying twice.