Sepia Inks - Multi Ink Review

[dcpritch]

I have a number of inks in the sepia color and want to do a side by side comparison review. Listed below are the ones I have, but I know there are others I'm missing that should definitely be included for comparison's sake. I'm not doing "brown" inks for this review, but only those in the sepia tone - so the name is less important than the ink color. Please give me your thoughts.

 

Here are the ones I have in bottles:

 

Carter's Harvest Brown (c. 1941) - looks like a sepia to me

Diamine Sepia - a lighter one

J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil

J. Herbin Cafe des Iles

J. Herbin Lie de The - surely one of these three JH inks must be a sepia!

Montblanc Toffee Brown - is this the right MB ink, or is it really a brown?

Noodler's Seminole Sepia - any other Noodler's?

OMAS Sepia - oh yeah

Platinum Pigment Ink "Brun Sepia" - a brown?

Rohrer & Klingner Sepia - on the darker side, but a great one!

 

I know there are some other sepia colored inks out there, and while I like the ones I have, I want to compare as many as possible to get a range of colors. So please, give me your opinions. And if you have one that's not on the list, don't be surprised if I PM you with a request for a tiny sample so I can include it.

 

Thanks for your thoughts, David

[Lloyd]

Montblanc Toffee Brown - is this the right MB ink, or is it really a brown?

Before MB sold Toffee Brown, they sold MB Sepia.

[Grendel]

Noodler's Seminole Sepia - any other Noodler's?

Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia.

[dcpritch]

Before MB sold Toffee Brown, they sold MB Sepia.

 

I have heard folks here talk about MB Sepia, and there are a handful of reviews of it, but I was never able to get a bottle (or a sample), and I don't think it can be found any longer. If anyone has a sample vial I would be happy to talk about acquiring some for this review, though I'm not sure how relevant it would be to review an ink that is no longer available.

 

 

Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia.

 

I just read Inka's review of this one, and it looks like one I definitely should try out - I'll order a sample from Goulet's per your link - Thanks!

[dcpritch]

OK, I just added the following samples to my cart at Goulet Pen Co.:

 

• J. Hergin Terre de Feu
• Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia

And I forgot to mention that I also have Pilot Iroshizuku tsukushi, which is definitely in the sepia tones.

 

Any others I should try?

[Uncle Red]

Private Reserve Sepia is my journaling ink of choice... for the moment.

 

You should also get some squid or octopus ink if you can and try it with a dip pen, that's the original sepia and I'd love to see how the modern inks compare. Oh, you're in Northern Minnesota, is there a big seafood store in town?

[dcpritch]

Oh, you're in Northern Minnesota, is there a big seafood store in town?

 

Funny - making jokes at my expense and we haven't even met! :roflmho:

 

Really, though, we couldn't be farther away from fresh seafood - the closest thing we have is a Red Lobster restaurant (yuck!) in Duluth, where they have a tank with some live lobsters. So that's about it. On the other hand, if you want some fresh Walleye, then this is the right place.

 

Private Reserve Sepia added to the cart - Thanks!

 

I have heard about the original sepia ink, seem to remember something about a source in Japan? Anyone know?

[Trebster]

Hate to say it since the ink is widely held with suspicion, but Higgins Sepia Calligraphy is a true sepia. It is one of two(?) in the Higgins line that is sold as safe for fountain pens. The remainder of the Higgins line is for dip pens and artist's pens.

[dcpritch]

... Higgins Sepia Calligraphy is a true sepia. It is one of two(?) in the Higgins line that is sold as safe for fountain pens ...

 

I think this is what you are talking about? Looks interesting - is it really a "true" sepia, made from squid ink?

[Trebster]

... Higgins Sepia Calligraphy is a true sepia. It is one of two(?) in the Higgins line that is sold as safe for fountain pens ...

 

I think this is what you are talking about? Looks interesting - is it really a "true" sepia, made from squid ink?

 

That's the stuff. To my eye, it's a true sepia color. But I highly doubt it's made with squid ink. The best place for squid ink is in my pasta.

[Rita_K]

How about Noodler's Golden Brown ?

 

It's not listed as sepia but the swab does look a little sepia-ish .

[dcpritch]

... Noodler's Golden Brown ? It's not listed as sepia but the swab does look a little sepia-ish.

 

Hi Rita, I noticed that one, too, on the Goulet Swab Shop, right between PR Sepia and JH Lie de The. I have a number of Noodler's browns but not Golden Brown. I do have Kiowa Pecan, and may use that one in my comparison, as well. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to get every one of the Noodler's inks that may qualify.

 

For fun, did you see this thread (entry #83) for the complete list of Noodler's inks? Holy Cow! I only have 30, but I bet Sam Capote has quite a few (most? all?) of them, being the master Jedi he is.

[dcpritch]

So here is the list so far of SEPIA toned inks to be reviewed side by side:

 

Carter's Harvest Brown (c. 1941)

Diamine Sepia

Higgins Sepia Calligraphy

J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil

J. Herbin Cafe des Iles

J. Herbin Lie de The

J. Herbin Terre de Feu

Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia

Noodler's Seminole Sepia

OMAS Sepia

Pilot Iroshizuku tsukushi

Platinum Pigment Ink "Brun Sepia"

Private Reserve Sepia

Rohrer & Klingner Sepia

 

I've added a few to the list but taken off the MB Toffee Brown, as it seems to be more in the red-brown family. Any others I should consider?

[Rita_K]

David, I should have never looked at that thread.

Now I am feeling totally ink deprived .

 

I don't have the Noodler's Golden Brown either, otherwise I would have been happy to send a sample.

[geoduc]

I would recommend including Iroshizuku yama-guri. It's a gray-brown in the same general color range as R&K Sepia and Cacao du Bresil. Caran d'Ache Grand Canyon is also in the ballpark.

 

Feel free to PM me for samples.

 

This could get out of hand quickly...

[dcpritch]

This could get out of hand quickly...

 

Oh, its already out of hand!

 

And thanks for the offer on the samples, but I've already got three coming from Goulet so I'll just add these two (Iro yama-guri and CA Grand Canyon) to the box - may as well take advantage of the shipping charges! Aah, heck, I'll go ahead and add a vial of Noodler's Golden Brown, too.

 

Updated list:

 

Caran d'Ache Grand Canyon

Carter's Harvest Brown (vintage - c. 1941)

Diamine Rustic Brown

Diamine Sepia

Higgins Sepia Calligraphy

J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil

J. Herbin Cafe des Iles

J. Herbin Lie de The

J. Herbin Terre de Feu

Noodler's Golden Brown

Noodler's Manjiro Nakahama Whaleman's Sepia

Noodler's Seminole Sepia

OMAS Sepia

Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown

Pilot Iroshizuku tsukushi

Pilot Iroshizuku yama-guri

Platinum Pigment Ink "Brun Sepia"

Private Reserve Sepia

Rohrer & Klingner Sepia

Edited August 23, 2011 by dcpritch

[adam11]

I recently bought R&K sepia and I like this ink very much, but it would be much nicer with more grey tone in it. I believe this would be my perfect "brown" ink

[dcpritch]

Hi Adam11, Like you I am a big fan of R&K Sepia. But I have a whole pile of brown and sepia inks, and one thing I've noticed is a significant variation in what ink manufacturers call "sepia". So I wanted to try them all side by side and compare them for myself, and of course for FPN.

 

Please all let me know if there is a sepia ink you'd like to see in this comparison.

[Avetikus]

What I've done for my sepia-quest (after Whaleman's clogged up my Safari one-too-many times) is to mix a little Perle Noire (3ml vial) and Nuage (3ml vial) in with my Lie de The (30ml bottle). It came out a beautiful dark-grey-golden-brown that behaves very well in my Safari (M). When I get a B nib for my 530 I'll try it in there, too.

 

I know it's not comparable to the Whaleman's actual color - which I love everythign about except the clogging - but it is very nice and worth a try if you're adventurous.

 

[edit- pesky emoticons changed my ( B ) to (.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Avetikus

[dcpritch]

What I've done for my sepia-quest (after Whaleman's clogged up my Safari one-too-many times) is to mix a little Perle Noire (3ml vial) and Nuage (3ml vial) in with my Lie de The (30ml bottle). It came out a beautiful dark-grey-golden-brown that behaves very well ... it is very nice and worth a try if you're adventurous.

 

Oh boy, I can see you want to lead me down a path I have been reluctant to begin - mixing inks. I have resisted primarily because I sense it's intrigue and fear that once begun, "resistance would be futile". I can almost hear Sam Capote: "Feel the Force, David. A young Jedi must ..."

 

But I digress. I do not know the Nuage ink you are using in that mix - who makes it? And I've not tried the Noodler's Whaleman's Sepia, so I will be careful to see if it has the properties you mention. Thanks for the heads up.