Seventeenth Century Dutch Ink

[Mark Meske]

I need help. I am writing a historical novel set in 1650 Netherlands. My main character is a scribe. I know iron gall inks were prevalent in 1650 Netherlands but am looking for recipes of other writing inks of that period. Can any of you help or send me in the right direction. Thanks. Mark Meske

[Biber]

Something based on lamp-black (candle soot) perhaps? 

 

In my job I work with original 17th and 18th century manuscripts all the time, and some of the examples display the blackest ink I've ever encountered. It's quite something to see on the original rag laid paper. 

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, I would also have suggested lamp black.  I actually went to a workshop a number of years ago and we made lamp black ink (the soot came from holding a small ceramic plate just above a candle flame to collect the soot, but it's been too many years and I don't remember the rest of the ingredients).  But I'm betting that if I make a shout out to some SCA scribes I know someone will be able to tell me.  For that matter, I could possibly ask one of my Pennsic campmates because his mom is the one who ran the workshop.  Scarily I think he was only about 10 or 12 at the time of the workshop, and of course is now an adult and married and he and his wife are expecting their second kid.... 

Oh and just for curiosity's sake I did a quick Google search and found this:

https://cdn.instructables.com/pdfs/EKG/EEXD/IACEF9FB/Lampblack.pdf

I only did a quick scan so I don't know how accurate the information is (the photo shows someone using a metal spoon rather than a ceramic plate).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth