The Queen uses Parker Quink Black

[menick]

Saw a documentary on Monarchy last week.

 

For the Queens Garden Parties, for all invitations the name is written by hand. You can clearly see the lady dip (not fill) her calligraphy pen in a bottle of Parker Quink Black.

 

Didn't recognize the pen...

 

Though you would like to know.

 

...

 

This changed your life right?

 

nick

[dcwaites]

Saw a documentary on Monarchy last week.

 

For the Queens Garden Parties, for all invitations the name is written by hand. You can clearly see the lady dip (not fill) her calligraphy pen in a bottle of Parker Quink Black.

 

Didn't recognize the pen...

 

Though you would like to know.

 

...

 

This changed your life right?

 

nick

It makes sense that they would use a brand based in the UK. I'm surprised at two things, though --

1) Parker doesn't use the "By Appointment" logo, unless the writer just nipped off down to the newsagent to get a bottle of whatever was on the shelf

2) that she wasn't using Windsor & Newton Indian ink. Still UK based and more suited to calligraphy.

 

Item 2 makes item 1 more likely.

 

 

[menick]

It makes sense that they would use a brand based in the UK. I'm surprised at two things, though --

1) Parker doesn't use the "By Appointment" logo, unless the writer just nipped off down to the newsagent to get a bottle of whatever was on the shelf

2) that she wasn't using Windsor & Newton Indian ink. Still UK based and more suited to calligraphy.

 

Item 2 makes item 1 more likely.

 

What do you mean by "by appointment logo"? Not sure I follow that argument...

[dcwaites]

It makes sense that they would use a brand based in the UK. I'm surprised at two things, though --

1) Parker doesn't use the "By Appointment" logo, unless the writer just nipped off down to the newsagent to get a bottle of whatever was on the shelf

2) that she wasn't using Windsor & Newton Indian ink. Still UK based and more suited to calligraphy.

 

Item 2 makes item 1 more likely.

 

What do you mean by "by appointment logo"? Not sure I follow that argument...

When the Queen commits to using a particular British product they are entitled to use a special logo with the words "By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen"

 

http://www.cwo.uk.com/images/cwo_crest.gif

 

These guys are her stonemasons.

There are many foodstuffs that have the logo, including Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (I just checked on the one in my pantry).

 

 

[tfwall]

It makes sense that they would use a brand based in the UK. I'm surprised at two things, though --

1) Parker doesn't use the "By Appointment" logo, unless the writer just nipped off down to the newsagent to get a bottle of whatever was on the shelf

2) that she wasn't using Windsor & Newton Indian ink. Still UK based and more suited to calligraphy.

 

Item 2 makes item 1 more likely.

 

What do you mean by "by appointment logo"? Not sure I follow that argument...

The technical term is Royal Warrant. Certain members of the royal family in the UK can give their warrant to merchants who get their custom. The merchant is then entitled to display the warrant for as long as they have the favor of the granter, and for several years after the granter's death.

 

If Parker were the designated ink for one or more royal family members, they would likely display the warrant on both their website and on their products.

 

Here is the Smythson logo, which has several royal warrants for stationer:

 

 

 

[Sallent]

I see the queen has good taste in ink. I bought 7 bottles of Black Parker Quink myself the other day. I just love the way it flows from the pen and the subtle variations in shade from dark gray black to solid black.

[CharlieB]

A few months ago, somebody posted that they were having problems with Quink Black, and somebody else responded that Quink Black was "different" from the other Quink colors and that it would not work in some pens. Does anybody remember what the issue was?

[1917]

used Quink black first time yesterday with dip pen and was too wet, slow drying for me. probable works great in a FP.

[menick]

It makes sense that they would use a brand based in the UK. I'm surprised at two things, though --

1) Parker doesn't use the "By Appointment" logo, unless the writer just nipped off down to the newsagent to get a bottle of whatever was on the shelf

2) that she wasn't using Windsor & Newton Indian ink. Still UK based and more suited to calligraphy.

 

Item 2 makes item 1 more likely.

 

What do you mean by "by appointment logo"? Not sure I follow that argument...

When the Queen commits to using a particular British product they are entitled to use a special logo with the words "By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen"

 

http://www.cwo.uk.com/images/cwo_crest.gif

 

These guys are her stonemasons.

There are many foodstuffs that have the logo, including Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (I just checked on the one in my pantry).

 

But does this happen on everything they use? I mean, the ladies sending the invitations may be using this because they think it is good, but it is not an official relationship to the queen?

 

This is totally new to me!

 

nick

[tfwall]

It makes sense that they would use a brand based in the UK. I'm surprised at two things, though --

1) Parker doesn't use the "By Appointment" logo, unless the writer just nipped off down to the newsagent to get a bottle of whatever was on the shelf

2) that she wasn't using Windsor & Newton Indian ink. Still UK based and more suited to calligraphy.

 

Item 2 makes item 1 more likely.

 

What do you mean by "by appointment logo"? Not sure I follow that argument...

When the Queen commits to using a particular British product they are entitled to use a special logo with the words "By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen"

 

http://www.cwo.uk.com/images/cwo_crest.gif

 

These guys are her stonemasons.

There are many foodstuffs that have the logo, including Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (I just checked on the one in my pantry).

 

But does this happen on everything they use? I mean, the ladies sending the invitations may be using this because they think it is good, but it is not an official relationship to the queen?

 

This is totally new to me!

 

nick

 

Probably not, most companies are quick to post their royal warrants. It may be that they are in a trial period, and don't yet have a warrant, but I'd think Parker would have gotten evaluated years ago.

 

[BobR]

I've read that Prince Charles regularly uses a fountain pen and that his preferred color is black. Wonder if it's Quink?

 

CharlieB, I was one of the people who complained about Quink Black. Just wouldn't flow in my Parker 75. Several others also had similar complaints (Richard Binder also had problems with this ink) but obviously it's got a lot of fans too, royal and otherwise.

[christob]

Can´t the royal warrants be given to non-british companies or non-british produced products? Perhaps a political no-no, I grant, but is there any law against it?

[encremental]

Parker does have the Royal warrant, both for pens and ink. I think they just choose not to use the coat of arms. Lots of info here:

 

The Royal Warrant Holders Association

 

and there's a search page where you can spend many happy hours planning a regal life!

 

John

 

It seems that there are a few non-British firms included, which did surprise me.

[menick]

Parker does have the Royal warrant, both for pens and ink. I think they just choose not to use the coat of arms. Lots of info here:

 

The Royal Warrant Holders Association

 

and there's a search page where you can spend many happy hours planning a regal life!

 

John

 

It seems that there are a few non-British firms included, which did surprise me.

 

Well, that makes it quite official!

 

Thanks for the link!

[irfan]

With no disrespect intended to the British royal family, I remember reading how Blair's ministers would smirkingly refer to receiving a "black spider" from the Prince of Wales - a handwritten note in his spidery hand in which he outlined his often slightly eccentric views on some current political topic. Interesting to speculate that these were probably written with a fountain pen. It restores my faith in the possibility of the Royals acting as some kind of arbiter of good taste! I imagine that in the late Victorian period and just afterwards, a royal warrant would have had great value for a producer of ink.

[DJHunter]

They do display the royal warrent sometimes:

 

http://i20.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/78/b1/da89_1_sbl.JPG

[bluestocking]

They do display the royal warrent sometimes:

 

Aw, bless. It almost looks like the pen has its own passport!

 

 

[skybird]

I raised a topic on Tuesday when I had seen the new Windsor documentary with the Queen signing official documents with what appeared to be a gold capped 51. She was very at home with this pen. There were a few responses to that thread.

One would think that is she used ap Parker the ink would also be Parker (not in my case, I use Lamy blue ;-)

 

I must look again at my cloisonne - shows you how much notice I give the packaging in relation to the pens........

[Hélène]

For those who do not want to look through the site, here is what was on there:

Company PARKER PEN COMPANY

Grantor HM The Queen - Privy Purse

Legend Manufacturers of Pens, Pencils & Ink

 

Company PARKER PEN COMPANY

Grantor HRH The Prince of Wales

Legend Manufacturers of Writing Instruments & Inks

 

[AndrewW]

I saw an episode of the "Monarchy" documentary last night on BBC4 - might have been the same one.

 

You saw the Queen's pen, but you didn't see anything she had written. What you did see was her Ladies in Waiting signing letters on her behalf. They seemed to be using a very bright, quite intense royal blue ink. I thought it looked rather too bright and intense for standard Parker blue.