Vintage Waterman Carnation Red Ink

[FrMark]

I spotted a bottle of Waterman Carnation Red at an Antique store and it appears to be in useable shape. The price tag is $19 plus tax, or a couple dimes over $20. That seems a bit steep for ink, but I'd get a nice bottle, though the cap is dinged, but not enough the inks evaporated out yet.

 

Does anyone have experience with this color?

 

Or use of vintage inks?

 

[lapis]

I fixed the photo for you. Yes, $19+ is a bit steep but considering it's about 70 years old, I'd get it just for the sake of age. Compare it's real color to that of today's Waterman Audacious Red or as it used to be called up to a good 5 years ago, just Red. Also, if you have the chance, take a look inside the bottle to ensure that there's no rust in there from the cap.

 

Mike

[FrMark]

I went back to the shop and bought a somewhat beat up Parker 51 from 1942, a nice Mk2 Parker 21, and the bottle of ink. I got a discount off asking. It looks to be good and it looks pretty much like the bright red you'd expect from a naturally red carnation. I think I will enjoy writing and drawing with it.

 

Thanks for fixing the photo. Some things upside down doesn't matter much, but bottles of ink, even in cyber space, well it just seems wrong.

[eharriett]

I am not sure I agree that $20 is steep for that ink, but that's my opinion. I just got 2 bottles of it. Have not tried it yet, but I can say vintage ink has different characteristics, and as long as the ink does not appear contaminated, you can use it, and, I believe, you should.

[Runnin_Ute]

Enjoy. Last fall I was gifted a bottle of Sheaffer Skrip Emerald Green because the fellow FPN'r wasn't crazy about the color. Love it. And it is in that cool Sheaffer bottle with the well.

[Chrissy]

Enjoy. Last fall I was gifted a bottle of Sheaffer Skrip Emerald Green because the fellow FPN'r wasn't crazy about the color. Love it. And it is in that cool Sheaffer bottle with the well.

 

I also have a bottle in that colour and I'm not crazy about it either. So far I haven't quite reached the point where I throw away the ink in order to reuse the bottle.

[Chrissy]

I'm all for buying and reusing vintage ink, and have plenty already. However, I'm not a fan of these old metal caps that have gone rusty, and that damaged one would really irritate me every time I saw it.

[kazoolaw]

I have a bottle for years, I think a duplicate from when I was on a hunt for all the Waterman inks with boxes that had pictures of the color name.

 

I've used this color to address Christmas cards for many seasons. It's beginning to fade slightly toward pink.

 

Added benefit: it smells the way vintage ink should.

 

gary

[FrMark]

I am not sure I agree that $20 is steep for that ink, but that's my opinion. I just got 2 bottles of it. Have not tried it yet, but I can say vintage ink has different characteristics, and as long as the ink does not appear contaminated, you can use it, and, I believe, you should.

 

Well, I wanted the bottle too. I put it in a red Parker 21 and have been enjoying it. If I ever use it up I'm thinking of finding something new to line the cap, and I'm thinking of using some sort of tape-like material to improve the seal 'cause my opening it may've injured the seal.

 

I'm also grinning at your Ohio flag which is NOT quite rendered the shape it should be. I've been to Mansfield, OH, to visit the Greek Orthodox Church there, but it's been some years. I also know some monks down the road a piece from there.

[FrMark]

I have a bottle for years, I think a duplicate from when I was on a hunt for all the Waterman inks with boxes that had pictures of the color name.

 

I've used this color to address Christmas cards for many seasons. It's beginning to fade slightly toward pink.

 

Added benefit: it smells the way vintage ink should.

 

gary

Do we know what causes the smell, it is a bit odd. Perhaps a preservative? Dye molecules in water don't smell, at least the types I"ve tried so far. Those molecules are far too big and far too ionic to have much vapor pressure. Any idea how old the ink is? This box is a bit in tatters. I wonder why it is fading, most dyes used for inks are stable in the dark in solution, you don't keep it on a window sill do you? UV and Red dyes don't play nice nice with each other, think 1970's and 1980's color photos. It's a problem with pigments, too.

[FrMark]

 

I also have a bottle in that colour and I'm not crazy about it either. So far I haven't quite reached the point where I throw away the ink in order to reuse the bottle.

If you get tired of it, feel free to send it to me! I bought a Skrip washable blue bottle with ink dried out in it to see if I could re-consitute it at least for dip pen use, and partly because I wanted a bottle that reminds me of one I had as a kid. It also thought it would be dip pen friendly, something I hope to try out this evening. I'd even take the green ink in another bottle. How'd you describe the color? Bluish or Yellowish? Does it more/less match what they sell in cartridges today?

[kazoolaw]

Do we know what causes the smell, it is a bit odd. Perhaps a preservative?

 

The theory is that it is a biocide, anti-mold agent added to the ink. Perhaps a phenol.

 

It brings back memories of my younger days with FPs.

[johnboz]

Any idea how old the ink is? This box is a bit in tatters. I wonder why it is fading, most dyes used for inks are stable in the dark in solution, you don't keep it on a window sill do you? UV and Red dyes don't play nice nice with each other, think 1970's and 1980's color photos. It's a problem with pigments, too.

 

This particular ink was made between 1935 (when Waterman adopted the tip-fill bottle design) and 1947 (when they switched to the blue and yellow boxes and labels). I've found most vintage inks are very stable (specifically reds, purples and greens), but the blacks and sometimes the blues can change drastically. I was able to come up with many different bottles of vintage Quink Black of approximately the same age that had many different colors, ranging from hues of green to red to brown.

[FrMark]

 

This particular ink was made between 1935 (when Waterman adopted the tip-fill bottle design) and 1947 (when they switched to the blue and yellow boxes and labels). I've found most vintage inks are very stable (specifically reds, purples and greens), but the blacks and sometimes the blues can change drastically. I was able to come up with many different bottles of vintage Quink Black of approximately the same age that had many different colors, ranging from hues of green to red to brown.

 

Many thanks! Then it goes nicely with the P51 I put in the collection! Though I put the ink in the p21 with a red body.

 

Also, as to smell, my bets are in Thymol having had a bottle of it open at work today. It's a well known antibacterial and a natural product (or could be, this sample could've been made in a chemical factory for all I know).