Akkerman #23 Bekakt Haags

[white_lotus]

Now Akkerman is a longtime pen shop in The Hague, Netherlands. For their 100th anniversary a few years back they had special bottles made in 150 ml capacity and 31 inks to fill them. After the anniversary, they switched to 60 ml bottles, but still the fancy vintage style that's really excellent for filling your pens.

 

Originally you had to travel to their shop in The Hague, then they had some group purchases, and then Vanness Pens started carrying them. Now Anderson Pens does as well, and both allow online ordering, so it's very easy to obtain these inks now. Well they were easy beforehand, but the ink came in a Diamine bottle. That's because many say these inks are simply re-branded Diamine. Others say yes that's true, but the ink is better. That may be true, but I haven't attempted to determine that. Either way you get perfectly good ink and an awesome bottle. This ink seems to be the same as Diamine Chocolate Brown.

 

Bekakt Haags roughly translated means "Snooty Hague" referring to the upper crust elite that speak a different dialect of Dutch from that of the commoners in The Hague. At least that's what it says at the Vanness web site for this ink.

 

The usual papers: Mohawk via Linen=MvL, Tomoe River=TR, Hammermill 28 lb inkjet=Hij.

 

The handling was very nice, with some nice subtle shading, nothing too dramatic, no sheen on the papers I use. It seems somewhat waterfast, but not a lot. Some washes away, but some stays behind, so maybe you could recover the writing depending on the nature and extent of the damage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks for the review.

Do you find that this is a red-leaning brown? Some of the images make me think that, but others don't.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[KaB]

I've got one pen filled with Bekakt at this moment. I don't see any red in it. For me, it's a bull's eye brown. Curious how white_lotus will respond to the same colour

[visvamitra]

Thank you for the review.

[wastelanded]

It's warmish, but I wouldn't say red-leaning, not like Pelikan or Tsukushi: it's just a really nice brown, as white lotus said very 'similar' to Diamine Chocolate. I used up my 150ml and refilled it with Chocolate, and see no discernable difference.

[white_lotus]

It's very much a brown, but it's relatively warm, not cool. When you wipe wet ink with your finger you get a brown swipe, not red like some. Its not cool like Sailor Kobe #3 Old Foreigner Ward Sepia or KWZI Dark Brown or vintage PPM.

[majolo]

I just got a sample of this. Looks very nice so far--I would describe it as a warm, dark chocolate brown, but not so dark as to look black. But if it's close to Diamine Chocolate brown I might try that to economize.

[arrScott]

Thorough review. Thanks! I've loved this ink every time I've sampled it at a store or pen show. But it's been so identical to Diamine Chocolate Brown - not similar, but indistinguishable in every way I can find to test - that I can't justify the expense. But from whichever manufacturer, this is my favorite brown ink.

[McKool]

Akkerman Bekakt Haags #23 Brown. A very rich and saturated Medium-Dark Brown that flows extremely well without bleed, feathering or echo on quality paper like Rhodia 80 gram. Does not lend itself to the reddish tones whatsoever, like some browns do. Stays very true to overall brown tones and very much like Diamine Chocolate Brown, but just a smidgeon richer and deeper in color. A truly top-notch brown!

[McKool]

​I've compared the Akkerman #23 Bekakt Haags Brown with these other Brown Inks and Akkerman #23 is still on my "A" list of browns. Second best finish is the Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Guri, which has a little more dark gray, or black to it and gives off some green tint at edges when dry. Here are the other inks I tested against Akkerman #23.

 

​a. Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Guri

b. Pilot Iroshizuku Tsukushi

​c. Bung Box Nostalgia Brown

d. Bung Box Kabayaki Eel - a very nice brown!

​e. Noodlers Kiowa Pecan