Montblanc Saint-Exupery Le Ink

[ca49reber]

I have to say the trend in larger bottles and higher prices for the limited editions is somewhat off-putting for me personally. I would much rather buy small bottles at lower prices seeing as the limited edition inks aren't "everyday colours" anyway. It makes more sense in my mind for Montblanc to sell smaller bottles of the limited editions and larger bottles of their regular line.

Oh, I would love to have a 300 ml bottle of MB Shakespeare Velvet Red instead of so many small bottles. I intend to never run out of this color!

[grantmm]

Something I haven't seen presented about this ink is the beautiful gold glow it gives off with a finer nib. I can see where the sunset part of desert sunset came from with the shine. The paper is Tomoe River.

 

http://i.imgur.com/tPq5yke.jpg?1

 

Also interesting how different the ink looks when coming from a OBBB nib vs a F nib.

 

http://i.imgur.com/6fdhH6c.jpg?1

[visvamitra]

Wow! Quite a difference

[Barkingpig]

There is enough difference to make me search out the "finest" nib I have & fill a SECOND pen with this ink; the Yard O Led, with it's broad nib gives a pretty "flat" appearance of an ink that is a nice color, but "not all that." I never thought I would be "looking" for a "Finer" nibbed pen!

 

Thank you for sharing this writing sample with us; I appreciate seeing the more intriguing side to this ink.

[888007888]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos Grantmm. Congratulations on you purchase. I'm now thinking of buying the ink and the pen.

[MrsHobie]

it's really brown with a F nib.

I'm sorry I didn't have time to make a review, and I won't be able to do so before the end of the month ...

[Barkingpig]

Although I did not get a different color, except for the somewhat lighter shade, I did benefit from a gorgeous swab of ink left on Tomoe River cream paper, after I wiped the section of the pen, which had a big drop of ink, left from filling the pen. The resulting heavy swab left the beautiful golden halo, around the edges of the darkish purple pool! I had not seen this previously, so it was well worth filling the second pen to experience this.

 

I am just not seeing a "Brownish" side to my ink; I even shook the bottle this fill, in case I had not done so when I filled the first pen. BUT, it is a very rich, saturated color that I am happy to have & will enjoy using. Few inks I receive are the exact color I saw from samples or swabs when ordering them & this is one of the things I choose to enjoy about inks, their behavior with different pens, nibs or papers.

[amcityink]

Just recieved my jar of Encre du Desert.... and I really don't see desert in this color... just a darker Burgundy Red, perhaps I'm going color blind, but I see zero brown.

 

It's on okay color, but nothing as special Red Chalk or Hitchcock Blood or Diamond Blue or Velvet Red.

 

I kind of dig the bigger jar, wish they had that for the colors I listed above.

[webgeckos]

Just recieved my jar of Encre du Desert.... and I really don't see desert in this color... .

.

 

 

Depends on the desert. I spent a lifetime, it seems, in the equatorial desert in East Africa. The desert had an off white and tan color, but over all there was a hint of a pale green and brownish pink. You saw it even more strongly for the first and last hour of the day.

[Maqiulin]

The ink is quite nice I think, my closest match irl was Diamine Tyrian purple, picture shows colors a bit different...

 

[Cyber6]

Lovely comparison... Thanks Maqiulin...

[visvamitra]

Great comparison indeed. Thanks!

[C-town]

Oh, I would love to have a 300 ml bottle of MB Shakespeare Velvet Red instead of so many small bottles. I intend to never run out of this color!

Absolutely! but of course, those of us on this forum are a different breed who more than likely love interesting colours (Velvet Red is one of my favourites) but for the majority of fountain pen users catered to by Montblanc, my guess is that they most often use either blue or black.

[Joane]

Oh, I would love to have a 300 ml bottle of MB Shakespeare Velvet Red instead of so many small bottles. I intend to never run out of this color!

 

Just my take: You may be better off with several small bottles that remain sealed until use, rather than one big bottle getting exposed to oxygen each time you use it. Keeping the small bottles sealed in a dark, cool place until ready for use could prolong the life of the ink.