Sommerlila (Summer Purple) - Kaweco

[visvamitra]

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/6158/11Pc6j.jpg

 

Founded in Heidelberg in 1883, as Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik, the company started by producing a modest range of wooden dip pens. The Kaweco brand name, originally developed as a model name and coined after Koch, Weber & Company, the owners, was adopted as the company name in the early 1900’s. By the 1930’s over 600 staff were producing a huge array of fountain pens and pencils, including the popular Sport range of pocket pens. The company's survived almost one hundred years but in 1980 its operations were closed.

 

Happily that wasn't the end of the brand. Horst Gutberlet - owner of H&M Gutberlet GmbH and pen enthusiast and his son Michael were able to but the brand name in 1994. They started working on reviving the brand. It took many years of dedicated work. The brand was initially distributed by Diplomat however over the years their line-up has extended and they were able to create their own international network of distributors.

 

As with most big dreams the realisation took many years of dedicated work. The Kaweco brand was initially distributed by Diplomat. Over the years, the model line-up has expanded and Kaweco has created their own international network of distributors.

 

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/7232/sBiTQO.jpg

 

Today Kaweco offers wide variety of fountain pens and accessories. They have eight inks in their line-up. I don't know makes their inks, however I've read somewhere it was Dr. Pflug from Aratrum (creator of Caran d'Ache inks). If anyone has some data on this topic, I'd like to learn it

 

Anyway the inks are sold in generic glass bottles (30 ml) and their price is steep. The inks are rather good but other premium inks offer interesting bottles. Here the bottle is boring, the price is high. But let's take a look at the colors:

 

1. Karamel Braun (Caramel Brown)
2. Konigsblau (Royal Blue)
3. Mittertnachtsblau (Midnight Blue)
4. Palmen Grun (Palm Green)
5. Paradies Blau (Paradise Blue)
6. Perlen Schwarz (Pearl Black)
7. Rubinrot (Ruby Red)
8. Sommer Lila (Summer Burple)

First, I'll take a look at Sommerlila (a question for german speakers - I've found the names written together - Sommerlila or separateluy - Sommer Lila, which one is correct?). I enjoy the color - it's dusty and muted. Rather complex shade of purple that flows well and has reasonable drying time.

 

Ink Splash

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/5002/p8SkPH.jpg

Drops of ink on kitchen towel

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/1662/0xZfve.jpg

Waterproofness

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/5384/Mpy8w1.jpg

Software ID

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/8091/O9zHQR.jpg

Oxford Recycled, Kaweco Sport Classic, B

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/1449/qGD9IW.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img911/8241/r3TJkz.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/4341/CusRJX.jpg

Copy Paper, Waterman Hemisphere, F

http://imageshack.com/a/img901/3586/CyR80u.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/347/b9KsUV.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img910/7554/OzVz6n.jpg

Calendar, Waterman Hemisphere, F

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5531/7Ru3KC.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5725/Jf3aUj.jpg

Comparison

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/7528/HmAwwM.jpghttp://imageshack.com/a/img673/5544/dRmsNG.jpg

Edited May 31, 2015 by visvamitra

[Cyber6]

WOW... for the Storm fanatics out there... this one is close.

 

Awesome Review Vis... looking forward to Karamell Braun... :D

 

 

C.

[visvamitra]

Tomorrow C

[migo984]

My bottle was called Aubergine by the seller but looks to be the same colour.

[mmg122]

Excellent review. I'm not a fan of purple but I prefer much more saturated purples than Kaweco's.

[ENewton]

How does this ink compare in color to Scabiosa? Does it have a touch more red?

[Frank C]

Thanks for these Kaweco reviews. I like Kaweco pens, so I often have to use these inks in cartridges.

[lapis]

1. Karamel Braun (Caramel Brown)
2. Konigsblau (Royal Blue)
3. Mittertnachtsblau (Midnight Blue)
4. Palmen Grun (Palm Green)
5. Paradies Blau (Paradise Blue)
6. Perlen Schwarz (Pearl Black)
7. Rubinrot (Ruby Red)
8. Sommer Lila (Summer Burple)

I think this company is pulling our legs. Originally, they named most of those 8 inks differently. See page 26 of this site: http://www.kaweco-pen.com/extern/ePaper/epaper/ausgabe.pdf.

 

That's where I got my "Aubergine" from (which isn't stated on the bottle's label).

 

Mike

[VivienR]

Looks nice, bit make me remember for Pussiere De Lune, not sure, just guessing, I could shoot miles away...

[jmccarty3]

Looks nice, bit make me remember for Pussiere De Lune, not sure, just guessing, I could shoot miles away...

 

This looks a bit browner and less saturated than Poussière de Lune. Not an ink I'd be interested in.

[migo984]

Looks nice, bit make me remember for Pussiere De Lune, not sure, just guessing, I could shoot miles away...

Mine is called Aubergine, the original name used by Kaweco for Sommerlila

 

 

[VivienR]

Mine is called Aubergine, the original name used by Kaweco for Sommerlila

 

image.jpg

 

Thank you for the direct comparison. I didn't used PdL for a while, also some paper can be tricky, but in side by side, the difference is obvious.

[visvamitra]

migo984 - thank you

[Bo Bo Olson]

Good thing I just gave up smoking....it looks like I'll get a cartridge box of this. I do have a C'dA bottle of Storm....and the Kaweco looks like a shading ink.....all that I've looked at so far today. I saw my first bottles and cartridge packs at my B&M so now have an interest....in I had none online.

 

So far each of the Kaweco inks I have looked at today, here, seem to shade.

Someone likes the vivid supersaturated monotone boring inks. I like the lively two tone shading inks....even if some are murky....something I learned too late...just too late for MB Racing Green. Yep....supersaturated fans dis them as wishy-washy or pastel....Well murky is it's own set......murky is like that sour dirty tasting French Bordeaux wine, something one has to 'learn' to like.

 

How odd that MB Racing Green went from the Worlds most hated ink, to it's most beloved in only a year.

 

One can not get shading in supersaturated inks. There is more than fudge chocolate ice cream out there.

 

Someone who likes shading will write a different review than someone who dislikes shading.

Like needing wet and dry inks I think one needs both shading and supersaturated inks.

 

3 different reviews, and three different tones or hues....sort of like what Sandy1 does with nib width and different papers.

That makes it even more interesting in depending on what nib or paper you use.....makes a big enough difference to notice.

Edited November 10, 2016 by Bo Bo Olson

[Misfit]

I’m reviving this thread because I look at this review from time to time. I have cartridges of this ink, but kind of want a bottle. Especially since I missed out on Caran D’Ache Colors of the Earth. I saw them too late, just as the last of the stock was going away.

 

It does look close to Storm. Excellent review as always Vis.

[AmandaW]

Does anyone know how Summer Purple compares to Aakerman's #15 Voorhout Violet?

[Jarod]

Does anyone know how Summer Purple compares to Aakerman's #15 Voorhout Violet?

I just bought some cartridges, and my Summer Purple compares to Akkerman's #14 Parkpop Purper. It's a lot more blue than it appears on the screen.

[yazeh]

While I Like the colour and shading, I find the cartridges have flow issues to the point I got rid of them... They couldn't handle a Kaweco double broad...

[Jarod]

I just bought some cartridges, and my Summer Purple compares to Akkerman's #14 Parkpop Purper. It's a lot more blue than it appears on the screen.

I just received a fresh sample of Summer Purple, and it is indeed more like an Aubergine colour, as shown by the OP.

I shook the carts to see if the ink had separated, but the colour still came out looking like Sailor's Fuji-Sugata.

Strange.