Classic Products are Classics for a Reason: Clairefontaine and J. Herbin

While we enjoy exploring new releases, limited editions, Kickstarters, and other experimental offerings, our main interest has always been the so-called tried-and-true “workhorses” of the stationery world. Think the type of products that just work whenever you need them, without having to think much about it. Often, the companies themselves have been around for hundreds of years.

Clairefontaine Paper: An Inexpensive, Rock-Solid Choice for Everyday Writing

Clairefontaine paper is what got me interested in fine writing in the first place, as a student in France, experiencing something other than cheap American student-grade writing paper for the first time. Clairefontaine paper handles pretty much any fountain pen ink available without feathering or bleed-through, and is available in multiple formats, ranging from the classic spiral bound notebooks to the “Triomphe” series of writing tablets to the composition-style “1951” series, now available in both cloth and staplebound versions. Sibling company Quo Vadis uses Clairefontaine paper in the dot grid version of their “Habana” journal, a product that in my opinion is grossly underappreciated by the broader community. If you haven’t yet used Clairefontaine paper, you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try! Our shop stocks much of the Clairefontaine lineup, in addition to Quo Vadis Habana and a selection of Rhodia.

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J. Herbin Inks: Safe, Inexpensive Fountain Pen Ink Available in a Wide Array of Colors

Today’s fountain pen ink market is arguably oversaturated (pun intended) with so many brands and colors that it’s easy to get lost, not to mention caught up in testing and trying all the various shades and formulations in an effort to find that “perfect” ink that doesn’t really exist. I’ve always enjoyed the inks made by Herbin and Waterman because these inks tend to just work. They don’t clog, dry relatively quickly, are easy to clean, and available in interesting colors (both bright and muted). We’ve decided to stock the standard J. Herbin inks in both the 30ml bottle size as well as the 10ml “sample” size, to make it convenient for you to test as many different colors as you want without running into storage issues or accumulating ink you’ll never use. Our initial selection features personal favorites from the line, with more on the way!

Please visit the shop to view our full selection of pens, inks, paper, and assorted fine writing and desk accessories! The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.

Ink Review: J. Herbin 1798 Cornaline D'Egypte

The 1798 Collection of inks from J. Herbin is built around the theme of gemstones. The last ink to be released was Amethyste de l'Oural, followed by the ink featured here, Cornaline d'Egypte.  (For those of you who don't speak French or know your gemstones, that's Amethyst and Carnelian, respectively.) 

A shot of the silver shimmer coming off the Cornaline d'Egypte. 

Cornaline d'Egypte is a cool reddish-orange with some brown tones to it. I'd characterize it as a "pumpkin" hue. In addition to the silver shimmer, the ink shades fairly well and dries relatively quickly compared to other Herbin shimmer inks that I've used. 

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The Herbin shimmer inks always look amazing in clear pens, but it can also serve as a reminder to clean your pens well before swapping in a new ink, and not to let them sit too long! 

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

With very limited exceptions, shimmer inks aren't something I can use on a regular basis, but they're fun to play around with, especially if you load them into a transparent demonstrator or eyedropper pen where you can watch the different components of the ink swirl around. As with all shimmer inks, be sure to exercise good pen hygiene, since the shimmer particles can clog if you let the pen sit for too long or don't flush the pen properly before changing inks. 

You can purchase Cornaline d'Egypte, along with the other J. Herbin inks, from site sponsor Vanness Pens. Since these inks are Herbin's speciality line, they're a bit pricier than the standard bottle, at $26 for 50ml. Many thanks to Exaclair, Herbin's U.S. Distributor, for providing this bottle for review! 

Further Reading  

If the J. Herbin shimmer inks appeal to you, check out the 1670 series as well. I've previously reviewed several colors in that range, including Emerald of Chivor and Caroube de Chypre.  

Disclaimer: J. Herbin's U.S. Distributor, Exaclair, provided me with this bottle of ink for review purposes, free of charge. 

Introducing Amethyste de l'Oural, the First Ink in the Jacques Herbin 1798 Collection

Herbin has just announced Amethyst de l'Oural ("Amethyst of the Ural Mountains"), billed as the first ink in the new "Jacques Herbin 1798 Collection." Herbin fans will notice that both the packaging and the ink itself appear similar to the inks in the 1670 Anniversary collection, only this time the ink contains flecks of silver instead of gold! The end result is striking.

Herbin has widened the mouth of the bottle a bit, but otherwise the packaging will look familiar to those of you who enjoyed the Herbin 1670 Anniversary Inks. 

Overall, Amethyste de l'Oural is a nice deep purple color, and the silver flecks complement the ink better than gold would have. Herbin has also widened the mouth of the ink bottle, making it MUCH easier to fill larger-diameter pens without having to decant the ink into another bottle or fill with a syringe. While I personally may not use these sparkly inks in my daily writing, I can't deny that they're gorgeous to look at, especially when used for folded nib lettering. 

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A shot of the silver sparkles and a bit of sheen

A couple of new interesting bits: Per Herbin, the date, 1798, marks the ascent of Napoleon and the end of the French Revolution, and also the time in which steel nib dip pens began to replace the traditional writing quill.  You may also notice that J. Herbin has rebranded itself as "Herbin," the original name used by the company at the time of its founding in 1670. 

Where to Buy

Amethyste de l'Oural is being shipped to retailers this month. It should be available for sale to the public by the end of September at any Herbin retailer, including our site sponsor Vanness Pens, which carries the line of standard Herbin inks, as well as the 1670 Anniversary inks.   

Further Reading

I've previously reviewed Herbin inks from the 1670 collection, including Emerald of Chivor and Caroube de Chypre. Check them out if these kinds of inks interest you. 

Disclaimer: Exaclair, Herbin's U.S. Distributor, provided me with this bottle of ink free of charge, for review purposes. This post also contains affiliate links.