New Arrivals: Anderillium Moray Eel Green and Whale Shark Grey, Plus a First Look at the New TWSBI ECO!

After having paused their new releases for a bit, Anderillium is back with the new “Ichthyoformes” Series (inspired by fish). Two colors are currently available: Moray Eel Green and Whale Shark Grey, which are a golden green and blue-grey, respectively. I’ve swatched both inks and, personally, favor the Moray Eel simply because it’s so unusual, but I do enjoy greys as well! We have also restocked on my favorite Anderillium Green-Blacks like Colossal Squid Dark and Green Kingfisher Green.

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Anderillium Moray Eel Green

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Whale Shark Grey

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TWSBI ECO Slate Blue + Onyx: Real-Life Photos Now Available

By the way, Whale Shark Grey is what I’d consider a perfect match for the new TWSBI ECO in Slate Blue + Onyx fountain pen, which arrived yesterday and already has begun shipping out to pre-orders. I can’t decide whether the pen leans more grey or blue, and sometimes I even see purple undertones depending on how the light hits it? Anyway, I really like ambiguous colors, and this one checks that box. Eventually I plan to add one to my collection. We’ve also generally restocked on TWSBI, including the Bronze-trimmed “Breakfast Collection.”

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The slate blue matches the onyx trim better than the green, but that’s just me.

Update: We will be at the Atlanta Pen Show this weekend! Be sure to stop by our table and see us, as we will have a wide selection of pens and stationery, including Roterfaden, Lochby, and more. Check out our Arkansas Pen Show setup for more of what you can expect. Our brick-and-mortar shop in Nashville will be closed Friday and Saturday but OPEN on Wednesday and Thursday from 1pm-6pm, so if you’re not driving down to Atlanta for the show stop by and see us in the afternoon!

Ink Review: Anderillium Viceroy Butterfly Orange and Atlas Moth Brown

Wow, do I have a large backlog of products to review! Before I left on vacation earlier this month, I had somehow ended up with 30 inked fountain pens, most of which I had intended to review (either the pen itself or the ink), but at the end of the day I figured it was best to do a reset and choose 10 or so combinations on which to focus. Today, I’m going to look at two of the inks I selected, both of which come from Anderillium: Viceroy Butterfly Orange and Atlas Moth Brown, from the recently released Lepidopteran Series.

Yes, I know it says “Monarch” - whenever I think of an orange butterfly I think of Monarchs, and apparently the two are easily confused!

As many readers already know, Anderillium is one of the brands that we stock in our own shop (full disclosure!), and we love their inks not just because they represent good value and good quality, but because we also enjoy the company’s carefully thought-out themes - typically based around nature - and their offbeat takes on classic ink colors. The initial two series of Anderillium Inks included the Cephalopod Series (squids and octopuses) and the Avian Series (Birds), so the recently released Lepidopteran Series (moths and butterflies) continues the nature trend.

There is no red ink in the Lepidopteran Series: Viceroy Butterfly Orange is a dark reddish-orange that serves that role. You can check out a picture of the full range of colors - some of which are quite unusual - at the bottom of this post.

Viceroy Butterfly Orange - which I keep trying to call “Monarch Butterfly Orange” - is a beautiful dark orange that leans heavily red. Unlike many orange inks, I’ve had no issues with nib crud forming, which is a huge bonus for an ink in this color family since orange and yellow dyes can be finicky in that regard. I chose this ink as the perfect pairing for my TWSBI Diamond 580 Sunset Yellow fountain pen. I typically enjoy pairing orange pens with a red ink (and vice-versa), and this particular ink is red enough that it accentuates the lighter orange/gold of TWSBI’s latest Diamond 580 release. This particular pen also sports a broad nib, which gave me the opportunity to test how the Anderillium ink behaved in a pen that lays down a thicker, wetter line. The end result? Viceroy Butterfly Orange is a great ink that dries relatively quickly and resists smearing. Once you consider this alongside the lack of precipitation/nib crud, you have a fabulous orange workhorse.

Atlas Moth Brown is a VERY dark brown. While you can make out the slight brown hue when it dries (particularly in a broader nib or a wet writing sample), in a finer nib this ink appears black. Also be sure to check out the writing sample below, which definitely shows green undertones, and the reverse shot of the page, which shows purple?

Atlas Moth Brown is the “Black” ink from the Lepidopteran Series. While technically a very dark reddish-hued brown, I can really only discern these undertones when this ink is wet. (Those looking for a more traditional brown should check out “Toltype Moth Warm”, which itself isn’t necessarily traditional, but will get you more shading and visible brown tones.) Like the Viceroy Butterfly Orange, Atlas Moth Brown is well-behaved. Though it dries perhaps a touch slower than the Viceroy, I experienced no bleedthrough or feathering in everyday writing except on the cheapest of copy paper. The almost-black hue when dry lends itself quite well to office use, and this ink will see a repeat run through the rotation when I have to return to the office in two weeks. :(

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In my Midori MD Cotton ink journal (which I’ve been using for my ink reviews), this ink looks almost green-black. AND then…

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On the reverse of the page, the bleedthrough from the swabs appear purple? (This bleedthrough is not reflective of everyday writing. I literally poured ink onto the page with a pipette to see what kind of sheen I could get when the very wet samples dried.) This is a truly interesting one.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve been extremely pleased with the performance of both inks, having written with them consistently over the past three weeks. The Viceroy Butterfly Orange in particular stands out - strike up another win for Anderillium in the yellow/orange category that includes their excellent Flapjack Octopus Orange (from the Cephalopod Series) and American Goldfinch Yellow (from the Avian Series). Orange inks, and particularly lighter oranges and golds/yellows, can be tricky to get right, as ink makers have to balance legibility with the tendency of orange dyes to precipitate and form nib crud. All three Anderillium inks strike a good balance. The Atlas Moth Brown is what I’d probably characterize as an “interesting black ink alternative,” because it dries so dark. I rarely write with pure blacks, opting for darker versions of other colors that can look black when dry, especially in a finer nib, making them good work alternatives yet at the same time less “boring”.

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You can purchase Anderillium Inks, including the two featured here, directly from us in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. As I mentioned above, both of these inks are from Anderillium’s recently released “Lepidopteran Series,” where all the inks are themed around moths and butterflies. Other series from Anderillium include the Cephalopod Series (based on squids and octopuses) and the Avian Series (based on birds). Inks are sold in individual 1.5oz widemouth bottles ($14.50) or in sets of 8 mini-bottles ($50), which allow you to sample the entire line.

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I likely won’t re-review these two pens, given that they are simply new colors of two pens that I’ve already reviewed multiple times: the TWSBI Diamond 580 and the Sailor Pro Gear. But I will say that I absolutely adore both of these editions. As I mentioned above, the TWSBI is the recent “Sunset Yellow” release, and the Pro Gear is this year’s “Moonlight over the Ocean”.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Anderillium Inks.

New Arrivals: Anderillium Inks Lepidopteran Series!

Anderillium is known for their bright - and sometimes offbeat - colors inspired by nature. The first two series of inks included the Avian Series (Birds) and the Cephalopod Series (Squids and Octopuses). Anderillium’s latest line of creations is the “Lepidopteran Series,” inspired by Butterflies and Moths, and it might be my favorite yet, especially for those who enjoy unusual and interesting brown inks with uncommon undertones. Be sure to take a look at “Toltype Moth Warm”, which has subtle pink tones, and “Atlas Moth Brown,” which has blue sheen.

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Anderillium Inks are well-priced at $14.50 for a 1.5oz, wide-mouthed “jam jar” bottle, with 8-bottle sample sets also available if you’d like to test the entire range. You can check out our entire selection of Anderillium offerings here.

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Further Reading and Ink Reviews

We’ve previously reviewed many of the different Anderillium inks here on the blog. Favorites include Cuttlefish Brown, Colossal Squid Dark and Kingfisher Green, and American Goldfinch Yellow. Enjoy!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Anderillium.

Giveaway Monday: Pen Stand + Ink, Courtesy of Anderillium!

Continuing our string of giveaways throughout the month of June, today we have a 3D-printed pen and ink stand, plus a bottle of ink, courtesy of Anderillium! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, or the accompanying post over on Instagram, to enter. The giveaway will run through Sunday, June 25 at 11:59pm CT, at which point I will number the comments and pick a winner using a random number generator.

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Colossal Squid Dark from the Cephalopod Series

The winner can choose any bottle of Anderillium Ink (that we have in stock) to accompany their pen stand. Need an idea for a comment? Tell us your favorite Anderillium color!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Many thanks for reading!

Offbeat Ink Colors for Everyday Writing: Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow and Ferris Wheel Press Roaring Patina Black

This year, I’ve introduced a new rotation system that hopefully will ensure I use more of my pens, especially those favorites that haven’t been getting the attention they deserve. I’ll write more about specifics once things have broken in a bit more, but the gist is that I’ve divided my pens into several categories (“Desert Island/Favorite” pens, pens from independent makers, limited/special editions from standard makers, favorite brands, etc.), and the goal is to have a 1-2 pens from each category inked up at any given time, cycling in a new pen when one is written dry or at the end of the month, whichever comes first. It’s worked well, but a side benefit of this system is that I’ve been re-inking pens more, and therefore also using more of my ink collection and finally getting around to testing out a number of inks that have been in the queue. Today I’ll talk about two that I’ve really enjoyed, both of which are offbeat colors that pleasantly surprised me.

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When wet, as shown here on Midori MD Cotton paper, the ink is a brighter yellow. Note the gold tones on the drier writing sample as opposed to the swab.

Anderillium American Goldfinch Yellow: Finally, a Legible Yellow Ink I Can Use Every Day

For years now, I’ve been on a mission to find a yellow ink. I know, it’s a somewhat odd color to fixate on, but I’ve really been wanting an ink that I can use to both highlight and annotate - one that’s not too dark, but at the same time legible. The latter has been the main problem. Most yellow inks are fine as highlighters, but when you try to actually write with them it looks, well, like you’re writing with a highlighter. You can’t read it easily.

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On the off-white Plotter paper, Anderillium American Goldfinch dries to a darker golden yellow hue.

Anderillium inks are known for their offbeat, somewhat unusual takes on classic fountain pen ink colors. As it turns out, “American Goldfinch Yellow,” from their Avian series (based on birds), is exactly what I’ve been looking for. When wet, the ink resembles your classic yellow highlighter, but dries to a richer gold color that’s almost, but not quite, orange. It’s legible enough to use for annotation or everyday writing, depending on your use case. I currently have this ink in my Franklin-Christoph Model 20 in “Winter Pine” acrylic, paired with a medium S.I.G. (Stub Italic Gradient) nib that’s an excellent match for how I want to use this ink.

Of the two inks I’m reviewing today, American Goldfinch Yellow is the one that’s widely available, and we carry Anderillium Inks in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, priced at $14.50 per bottle. I’ve previously reviewed other colors in the series as well, including Cuttlefish Brown, the Michigan Avenue Chicago Pen Show Special Ink, Colossal Squid Dark, and Green Kingfisher Green.

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Ferris Wheel Press Roaring Patina Black

One of Ferris Wheel Press’s 2022 limited releases, I hesitated to pick this one up giving my limited use of shimmer ink, but I’m glad I have a full bottle. Roaring Patina Black is a relatively uncommon pairing of a rich black ink with gold shimmer and, according to Ferris Wheel Press, a red sheen. (I’ve not seen much of the sheen, but I’ve also not been using the right paper as most of my writing has been “practical” so far this month.) I wouldn’t characterize this ink as a pure black, as it has some rich blue/purplish-undertones that complement the gold highlights.

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Roaring Patina Black features what I refer to as “subtle shimmer” - it’s not so in-your-face glittery that you can’t use it for work, and the shimmer particles are fine enough that they won’t clog your pen. I’ve had this ink in my Graf von Faber-Castell Classic Macassar for the past two weeks without issue, and the “Art Deco” theme of this ink perfectly matches the look of the pen. Unfortunately, Roaring Patina Black was released as a limited edition so it’s no longer widely available, and I was unable to find any retailers with the ink in stock. If you can find it, buy it, because it probably won’t last very long. I enjoy Ferris Wheel Press inks, but looking back I haven’t reviewed very many, other than Peppermint Drop, another red sheener.

This week’s review pens: Franklin-Christoph Model 20 in Winter Pine (left) and Graf von Faber-Castell Classic Macassar.

Longtime readers of this site will know that I don’t use crazy inks: 80% of the time my pens are inked up with standard dark blue / dark green / dark red, but for the other 20% I like to play around with more offbeat colors. That said, even with more unusual ink colors or properties, I have little patience for inks that bleed, feather, and never dry, or only work on certain specific papers with certain nibs. Neither of the two featured here have given me any problems. Sometimes you have to hunt around - sometimes for a very long time - but well-behaved, relatively low-maintenance inks do exist outside of the standard blue/black/blue-black color scheme!

Note: Though I’ve found it to work fine in fountain pens, Ferris Wheel Press Roaring Patina Black is a shimmer ink, meaning that the ink contains fine particles of gold shimmer material. If left in a pen for too long and allowed to dry out, all shimmer inks will clog your pen. If this happens, flushing the pen with water should resolve any issues, but it’s always a best practice to clean your pen every few weeks if you’re using inks such as these.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain third-party affiliate links or paid advertising. I purchased the Ferris Wheel Press Ink with my own funds, for my own use.