J. Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite

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This limited edition ink was created in celebration of Herbin’s 340th anniversary. It is meant to be reminiscent of their original sealing wax. Here’s a bit of history on the ink from Rhodia Drive:

“J. Herbin was established in 1670 in Paris nearby the towers of Notre-Dame.

Ink production started during the First French Empire. The inks were used by Napoleon Bonaparte, and then by his son, the King of Rome. During the 19th century, Herbin participated in many great international exhibitions including the London exhibit in 1823 where he was given an award for the exceptional quality of his inks and waxes.

Today, Herbin inks are widely used and internationally renowned. To celebrate the 340th Anniversary of the brand,we are introducing the “1670” ink especially made for this event. With a dark red color and earthy tone, it is a reminder of the historic color of the Herbin logo and the sealing wax used by the members of the royal courts. This rich deep dye ink will bring brightness and majesty to all your writing.”

This ink is FANTASTIC!  I wouldn’t describe myself as a huge red ink fan. In fact, I only use red ink for grading and editing, but as soon as I had a chance to get this ink in a pen I knew I just had to have some. And honestly, it’s a Limited Edition ink from one of my favorite ink makers. I wouldn’t be an inkophile if I passed on purchasing this ink now would I? So, I went down to the local B&M store and purchased the last bottle they had in stock! Interesting story about that, but I’ll save it for another time.

The Details:

• It’s quite vibrant, but not unpleasantly so.
• This ink is highly saturated. I normally don’t note this type of thing, but this is an uncommon quality to find in a J. Herbin ink.
• There is a good chance that you will damage the wax on the cap when you open the bottle (See comments below. Herbin is working to fix this issue.), and upon opening it you will find a very small bottle opening. If you routinely use large pens be ready to decant this ink into a more suitable container.
• No feathering or bleed through.
• Excellent flow and lubrication. It’s honestly some of the best I’ve ever experienced.
• The drying time is glacial. It took at least 15 seconds to “dry” and remained smudgy even the next day! Lefties and those with sweaty hands beware. If you use super juicy wet writers on only slightly absorbent paper beware…
• The shading is to die for.
• It is not even remotely waterproof.

I received a sample of this ink from Brian at The Goulet Pen Company . I subsequently purchased a bottle of it from a local B&M store. Brian had it back ordered with a wait-list. Apart from being a past customer of Brian’s and a guest blogger on The Ink Nouveau I am not otherwise affiliated with The Goulet Pen Company or any other person or company affiliated with J. Herbin.