U. S. Ink Manufacturers

[lapis]

Maybe I could extend the title to read

U.S. Ink Manufacturers -- New and Old

 

This is a list I started long ago, while working on a whole list of companies -- country-wise -- which manufacture inks. I was spurred on to whip this out today due to Charles Skinner's question related to U.S. companies, a thread (at least today) probably just one or two lines above or below this one....

 

Anderson, Appleton, Wisconson

Bexley, Columbus, Ohio

Dr. Ph. Martin's, Golden, Colorado

Franklin-Christoph, Wake Forest, North Carolina

Levenger, Delray Beach, Florida

Manuscript Pen Company Limited, Canoga Park, California

Noodler's, Frisco, Texas

Nostalgic Impressions, Naples, Florida

Organics Studio, Knoxville, Maryland *

Papier Plume, New Orleans, Louisiana

Parker Penman *

Parker Quink *

Parker Superchrome *

Private Reserve, Zionsville, Indiana

Sheaffer Skrip *

Wahl-Eversharp, Scottsdale, Arizona

Waterman *

xFountainPens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

 

Notes

· * = vintage inks. I.e., they were once but are now no longer manufactured in the U.S. E.g., Sheaffer-Skrip inks are now made in Slovenia, and Parker Quink and Waterman inks are now made in France. Parker Penman inks are no longer made anywhere. Of course, one single ink of any company still manufacturing in the States may no longer be made there.

· I should of course be careful when talking about "vintage inks" and the companies themselves. The fact that Sheaffer has their inks made today in Slovenia doesn't mean that the company doesn't still exist in the States, just like Montblanc still exists mightily in Hamburg, although most of their inks today are made in Austria. OTOH, Organics Studios as a whole company is apparently now a vintage company.

· The city and State shown above for Noodler's are those of Nathan Tardif's administrators.

 

If you have any corrections and/or additions to this list, by all means please do jot down a reply. That way, we can keep this list up to date! Thanks!!

 

Mike

[pepsiplease69]

As far as I know, xFountainpens sells ink by the name of Chesterfield and in reality, it is Diamine (UK) that has been rebranded.

 

I think Manuscript is associated with Yafa the distributor. Which also is associated with Monteverde. I'm not sure whether Monteverde ink is manufactured in the US or not.

[inkstainedruth]

AFAIK, xFountainpens did not make ink. They used to sell Diamine ink rebranded under the label Chesterfield, and De Atramentis ink relabeled as Architekt. Not sure what the status of Chesterfield is -- xfountainpens has rebranded themselves as Birmingham Pens, and have opened a B&M store here in Pittsburgh. They are now selling Diamine inks as such, along with Noodler's and several other brands.

Additionally, the inks that are under the Anderson Pens logo are made for them by Scribal Work Shops.

Not sure about the other brands, but Skrip ink is now manufactured in Slovenia.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[lapis]

Hey, thanks for the output. Actually, that's the type of stuff which prolonged me from introducing this topic in the first place.

It's all so complicated. Re-branding is the one term, "issuing for" another. E.g. all of the dozen or more names like Dromgoole, FPN, FPH, Goulet... we have to keep clear who is the creator, who is the distributor and who is the actual maker.... (I know that Nathan was the man who poured them together, but we still talk about FPN inks and a lot of work was put into that, too....)

I think I'll have to make a whole new table. Also a few years of life and death....

[Aysun]

To add the the above statement, Scribal Work Shops, who, as mentioned, makes ink for Anderson Pens, is based in Texas.

[amberleadavis]

Nostalgic Impressions ink is not made in the US. I can look up my old review and find out where they said it was from.

 

I also recall that Monteverde USA inks aren't made in the US either... I'll have to look that up.

 

Also, Noodler's is actually made in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

I think that Scribal Workshops is a US company and though they aren't making inks under their own label, I think they are the makers of Anderson inks. (I should know this and will have to look at prior messages to confirm).

 

Thank you for the great list!

[rafapa]

Brian Anderson in his Ink Tool says Monteverde inks are from Austria.

[estie1948]

Sanford ink was once made in Bellwood, Illinois.

Carter's Ink was made somewhere in the USA (Boston, MA ?).

Cross ink is/was made by Pelikan and Pelikan ink was and may still be made in Germany and not in the USA.

I have an old Camel ink bottle, but only the name is legible. I believe it was made in the USA.

 

My Morrisset pen-ink-unit (dip pen and ink well) is designed to hold an upturned bottle of ink. Did the Bert B. Morris company of Los Angeles, CA (maker of Morrisset pens and pen-ink-units) make their own ink there in California?

 

 

 

-David (Estie).

Edited October 24, 2016 by estie1948

[sciumbasci]

When I enquired where Wahl-Eversharp inks are made, another user here said there are no references on the package or on the bottle as to where the ink is made

Edited October 24, 2016 by sciumbasci

[estie1948]

I was checking something else out on the Fountain Pen Restoration blog at munsonpens.wordpress.com when I came across a listing of some less well known American made inks. (That is a fantastic site, by the way, and I would encourage everyone to avail themselves of its treasures. It is done by one of our FPN members.)

 

The inks: Stafford's ink

Onward Writing ink

Fount-O-Ink

Crescent Fre flo ink made in Terre Haute, IN.

 

I have a collection (for want of a better word) of old ink bottles that I found in a box in a junk store in the early 1970's. I am searching my mind for the location of that box. If I can locate it, I may have one or two more American ink companies to add to our list.

 

-David (Estie).

[lapis]

Thanks and what a deal! Right off the bat... e.g.Stafford shows some neat bottles, after Parker's and Skrip's (as said there too).

That's a gem of a site to have.

 

Mike

[amberleadavis]

When I enquired where Wahl-Eversharp inks are made, another user here said there are no references on the package or on the bottle as to where the ink is made

 

It was made by Organics Studio.

[amberleadavis]

Thanks Mike for this great list.

[sciumbasci]

 

It was made by Organics Studio.

Excellent news! This could justify the shipping prices. Thanks!

[jmccarty3]

Nostalgic Impressions inks appear to be the Rubinato inks from Italy. Halloween can tell you about them.

[amberleadavis]

Nostalgic Impressions inks appear to be the Rubinato inks from Italy. Halloween can tell you about them.

 

 

That sounds right.

[lapis]

I'm not sure about that because I'm sure that Rubinato doesn't make their own inks. But I will wait to see what I get on Halloween.

[amberleadavis]

Nostalgic Impressions ink is not made in the US. I can look up my old review and find out where they said it was from.

 

I also recall that Monteverde USA inks aren't made in the US either... I'll have to look that up.

 

Also, Noodler's is actually made in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

I think that Scribal Workshops is a US company and though they aren't making inks under their own label, I think they are the makers of Anderson inks. (I should know this and will have to look at prior messages to confirm).

 

Thank you for the great list!

 

 

Nostalgic Impressions inks appear to be the Rubinato inks from Italy. Halloween can tell you about them.

 

 

 

 

That sounds right.

 

 

I'm not sure about that because I'm sure that Rubinato doesn't make their own inks. But I will wait to see what I get on Halloween.

 

Okay, I went back to my review and my phone calls. Nostalgic Impressions does carry Rubinato inks, but the Nostalgic Impressions ink in the apothecary bottles is made in China. (The bottle may be made in China also).

[lapis]

Wowie Zowie, we're getting closer all the time!

Thanks, Amber!!

[chromantic]

Colorado Pens markets their own brand that's "made in the heart of the Austrian Alps" but, judging from the bottle and the color selection, I'd say it's rebranded Monteverde