De Atramentis Alexander Hamilton

[white_lotus]

I got this ink a while back. Belatedly worked a review, and only recently took photos. I switched camera apps on the iPhone and I think the color here is better.

 

But at last, I review an ink that everyone can buy! DeAtramentis inks are readily available. They have a wide selection made even wider by customizing the labels representing famous and infamous figures. The Alexander Hamilton ink is the exact same ink as DeAtramentis Aubergine, so it says on the bottle. This is a popular ink due to the resurgence of interest in its namesake due to a certain Broadway play. So it sometimes is out of stock depending upon your source.

 

But the ink itself is really nice. It's a great color. I don't know how water resistant this color might be. My test was on a fairly absorbent paper, but water allowed some seepage of color to the verso. And it tends to spread and bleed. The ink held up fairly well to running 4 oz of water over it. But my general rule is that unless an ink is stated as being "permanent" or "waterproof" it probably isn't though some inks have more water resistance than others. This could be one such under the right circumstances.

 

The color isn't quite as muted as in the pics. It was difficult to get images where the ink didn't just show as black. It's not a bright purple at all, definitely muted. Also quite dark, almost as dark as Sailor Bungbox Ink or Witch, but it doesn't go to black.

 

This pen is very wet, and so some show through and a little bit of bleed through was experienced on more absorbent papers. A finer nib, less wet, may not have these minor issues.

 

Buy it for the great color though.

 

Pen: Edison Premiere (F-steel)

Papers: MvL=Mohawk via Linen, TR=Tomoe River, Rhodia=Rhodia 90g ivory.

Camera: iPhone 7 using Camera+ app

 

 

 

 

 

[Jan2016]

You put it in your review, but for the lazy reader:

 

DeAtramentis Alexander Hamilton is the same color as Aubergine

[white_lotus]

Yes, all of deAtramentis' specialty labeled inks are simply rebottling of their standard inks.

[ENewton]

A seller recommended this ink to me as a better flowing alternative to Diamine Grape. I am disappointed to learn that it tends to spread and bleed.

[visvamitra]

Aubergine is very good ink, so if it's the same, it's worth recommending.

[Jan2016]

@eNewton:

 

Maybe I get the review wrong, but the spreading and bleeding is when water is applied

[white_lotus]

A seller recommended this ink to me as a better flowing alternative to Diamine Grape. I am disappointed to learn that it tends to spread and bleed.

 

The ink does not spread in normal use; that was in the case of the paper getting wet. But most inks will have problems in that case. The pen I used in the review has quite a wet nib so when a heavy application of ink is applied to a paper showthrough and perhaps bleedthrough can occur. I suspect this will be for cheaper or more absorbent papers. The Mohawk paper is fairly absorbent so there was some visibility of the ink on the verso, but not something that would ordinarily cause problems for writing on both sides of the paper.

 

I don't have Diamine Grape so can't comment on how they compare.

[ENewton]

 

The ink does not spread in normal use; that was in the case of the paper getting wet. But most inks will have problems in that case. The pen I used in the review has quite a wet nib so when a heavy application of ink is applied to a paper showthrough and perhaps bleedthrough can occur. I suspect this will be for cheaper or more absorbent papers. The Mohawk paper is fairly absorbent so there was some visibility of the ink on the verso, but not something that would ordinarily cause problems for writing on both sides of the paper.

 

I don't have Diamine Grape so can't comment on how they compare.

 

Thank you.

[lapis]

Thanks for this review. De A's Aubergine is one of my all-time favourites. Not only "from De A" but "of all inks I have". To ward off a bit with De A's renamings, I also have their "Berlin Brandenburg Gate" (now discontinued) and the label on it also says "Aubergine".