thINKthursday
J. Herbin Cornaline d’Egypte

Unearth your own treasure with J. Herbin Cornaline d’Egypte.

thINKthursday – J Herbin Cornaline d’Egypte

Cornaline d’Egypte is the latest offering from the Jacques Herbin line of ink. The ink is a beautiful golden burnt orange color with silver shimmer. The ink is packaged in a sturdy cardboard box with sophisticated branding. The 50ml glass bottle is similar to that of the 1670 line of inks. The square bottle is topped with a wax dipped cap, and its silver ribbon is set with a wax 1798 seal celebrating the year Jacques Herbin introduced his line of ink. This review was done with a Pilot Metropolitan F, Edison Collier B and on Rhodia blank No.18 paper.

In both a fine and broad nib, Cornaline d’Egypte displays the same range of colors. At its lightest, the ink is a bright marigold orange. From there it shades to a tangerine apricot. The darkest hues are a rusty orange. The silver shimmer is not overwhelming and adds a subtle shine when you turn the page. Of all the shimmer inks Herbin has produced, I think Cornaline d’Egypt utilizes the shimmering particles most elegantly.

In a pen, Cornaline d’Egypte has very good properties. The flow is good, with no feathering or bleedthrough on Rhodia paper. The ink is moderately saturated with good dry times at 20-30 seconds. There is little water resistance, although you can make out what was written after the water test. Because of the shimmering particles, clean up is a bit more laborious, but you don’t have to worry about things like discoloration. When used with a brush or dip pen, you’ll probably encounter some feathering and bleedthrough. But used in a pen, neither of those will be an issue.

I think this was a unique color option and very well executed. The color is warm and inviting and keeps you interested with its silver iridescence. Readability is not an issue, so this is a perfect ink to add some pop to journaling or any type of note taking.

As with any ink review, the pen, paper and person doing the writing will influence the way the ink looks. If you’re not sure about a color, try a sample to see if it’s right for you.

Ink it Up!
Chris

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