Herbin Vert de Gris Ink
09/03/2019Exaclair, Inc. sent a bottle of Herbin Vert de Gris ink to review and it did not disappoint.
Caveat: I am a longtime fan of Herbin inks but I set aside my bias when putting ink to the test. Mostly.
According to the website, the color is “based on the lovely gray/green patina that appears on aging copper”. It is a deep, dark teal. A free-flowing nib will bring out its dark side while a dry nib will make it a little less saturated and encourage a more subtle look. I shook the bottle before testing both the Herbin glass pen and the Namiki Falcon SF just in case there should be any settling. Oddly, results were slightly more green than online examples or the color swatch on the top of the box.
It is not an extremely lubricating ink, but rather a moderate one that will be more than satisfactory in most pens. I think my Parker ’51’ in Navy Gray is going to love it, especially the color. No bleed-through, show-through or feathering on Clairefontaine. A doodle on the back of a cheap envelope showed mildly uneven outlines, but that isn’t the surface on which my fountain pens get the most use.
No fancy-schmancy, two-toned, glittery look to Herbin’s Vert de Gris. Rather it is a well-behaved ink dressed in teal that could easily augment an everyday-carry (EDC) selection of blue and black. At least that’s what my pens recommend and I would not disagree.
For a second opinion, Paper Girl has a good review of Vert de Gris.
From the ExaClairUSA YouTube channel:
An Inkophile's Blog 
I love this one! I mean, I love all the J. Herbin inks I’ve tried, but I really enjoy this one a lot. And it’s more consistent than their 1670 Emerald de Chivor, so while I also love that one, it’s not a go-to ink.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, so you know Vert de Gris. Herbin easily makes it onto my list of top brands. Les Encres 1798 Kyanite du Nepal is up next for review but it seems Coraline d’Egypte and Amethyste de l’Oural are demanding to participate as well. The result should be colorful if a bit chaotic.
LikeLike
Colorful can be fun! I only have a few Herbin inks, but I’ve found that while the sparkly ones were my gateway it’s the subtler ones that I go to most often now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Herbin was an early discovery for me some fifteen years or so ago. Lie de The and Poussiere instantly made it to the top of my list and have remained there. Herbin colors and characteristics make all pens work and write well.
What are your favorites?
LikeLike
The Vert de Gris is a favorite, as is Bleu Nuit. I recently tried Rose Cyclamen and was enchanted by it, but I’m not yet sure if it will stay on the favorites list. And Lie de The is on my wishlist! I love good, well-behaving brown inks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a very nice selection of colors. Lie de The will fit into it well.
LikeLiked by 1 person