J. Herbin’s Vert Réséda has also been one of my favorite end of summer/beginning of fall inks. The name translates as “reseda green” and the ink lives up to the quality I expect from J. Herbin.
The Bottle: Like all J. Herbin bottles, the bottle is compact and has a much appreciated pen rest. One newer feature is that the cap is shiny black plastic, whereas previous bottles had more of a matte plastic cap.
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- J. Herbin’s Vert Réséda
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- Front of bottle
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- Pen rest
The Color: This color is hard to describe, but it’s sort of a minty teal/turquoise. It also matches one of my sealing waxes exactly, so that is a plus for someone like me who likes to color coordinate my writing accoutrements.
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- Color swatch on box.
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- Bottle Open.
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- A good representation of the color is on the threads of the bottle.
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- In the cap.
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- Comparison between swatch on box and writing sample.
Consistency/Flow: I found the flow to be moderate at first, but actually it got wetter the more I used it. I started out testing the ink with an Esterbrook dip pen (nib 2442), and the flow was good. Then I inked it in one of my vintage Vacumatics. The flow started off just okay. Now that I have refilled that pen several times with Vert Réséda, I have noticed that the flow has increased, the ink is wetter, and the color is slightly darker. So this slightly darker color is what you see in the writing samples pictured, but note that you might experience the color to be a bit lighter and closer to the square on the top of the box.
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- Writing Sample.
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- Writing sample closer up.
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- Writing sample with bottle.
Shading, Feathering, and Other Characteristics: I have not experienced any feathering with Vert Réséda. At first, there was barely any shading at all. I was slightly disappointed, but liked the color so much that I planned to continue using it even without shading. However, again through refills and continued use, the shading has also increased along with the flow and wetness as described above. As you can see the writing sample, it now has a fairly decent amount of shading. This development is much to my delight, although I do not know if these results are typical for all users.
Writing sample close-up to see shading.
Overall: I really like this ink and plan on keeping it in my regular rotation.
Writing samples written on Rhodia mini graph pad.
Purchasing and Pricing: A 30mL bottle runs between $7-12 depending on the retailer and is available at most online retailers catering to fountain pen and ink users. You can also purchase from one of the links below to help support La Plume Etoile.
