Treats from Europe

[AnasaziWrites]

Just back from a trip to Europe, and without really looking, found some interesting calligraphy related items.
On my last day in Basel, Switzerland, I walked up to a little shop that made and sold inks, pens, vintage nibs, etc. It was closed for the day, but as I was looking in the window, the owner walked up and invited me in. Terrific little shop (photo 1and 2). Ended up buying on of his iron gall inks. Super black and flat. He mentioned it could be diluted 1000 to 1 and still be used. I tried it undiluted. Wonderful. Not waterproof, though.
The owner mentioned there was a calligraphy shop/teacher two doors down (photos 3 and 4), but he was not there.

A few days later, I was walking the streets of Heidelberg, Germany, and walked right into the Lamy mother store (photo 5). Of course, had to buy a limited edition (they said) pen as a souvenir.

Also in Heidelberg, there was a great old book shop, four stories tall, and they had a penmanship area. Didn't see anything I had to have. Mostly broad pen stuff from the 19th C., some earlier.

Nice trip.

[ash0kgiri]

Wow @AnasaziWrites. This is a wonderful small treasure shop you found. Wish we had such stores in India

[garyn]

Nice.
I think that is the LE, Al Star, Pacific Blue.

I used to stay in Heidelburg when in Germany on business.
Too bad I wasn't into pens back then.
I was just looking for the model train stores.

[Bianca M]

Holy smokes!  I've ordered nibs from Kalligraphie - I recognized the logo right off the bat. How very cool that you stumbled on both those places!

[schin]

Welcome back!!! I bet there's lots of photography opportunities for you!! Take a pic of your writing with the ink.. kind of curious how black it is!

[AnasaziWrites]

Welcome back!!! I bet there's lots of photography opportunities for you!! Take a pic of your writing with the ink.. kind of curious how black it is!

@schin

Okay, let's talk ink.

Attached are three photos of a line each of McCaffery's Penman's Black ink (top in each photo) and Abraxas' Artist Line Eisengallustinte No. 2 ink.

Observations:

Both are very black inks capable of very dense shades and very fine hairlines. The McCaffery's has a slight shine to it when dry, the Abraxas is absolutely flat black. The result is that the McCaffery's appears lighter when light is reflected from it. The top photo is taken straight on (90 degrees from the paper), with little reflection. The next photo is taken at a moderately oblique angle like you might have by laying a paper on a desk under a lamp and reading it from a chair at the desk. The third photo is taken at a severely oblique angle so as to maximize the reflection from the shinier McCaffery's.  The Abraxas appears dead black as coal at any angle. All photos are taken in full sunlight.

I could get the hairlines a little finer with the McCaffery's, because I could see it better (all lettering was done with a Gillott 604ef, btw., x height 1/8 inch). The Abraxas was new and goes on pretty light and darkens as it dries. I couldn't even see the hairlines as I was writing with it, although they appeared shortly thereafter. I would expect after a few weeks exposure to air via the open bottle when one uses it, it would go on dark just like the McCaffery's.

The McCaffery's is waterproof, the Abraxas is not.

The Abraxas bottle mouth is smaller than the bottle itself, and a little too small to dip an oblique pen into. One has to tip the bottle to dip the pen.

The Abraxas was a little less viscous, perhaps, again, because it was new. No problem either way.

[Estefa]

How lucky for you to visit the Scriptorium in Basel – that's where I order all my iron gall and walnut ink (and feathers for quills) . His walnut ink is also very, very dark and dense. The iron gall ink I have from him is waterproof (it's not the Abraxas). Not right away, but after a day or so. As I have a friend in Bern it's really a shame I never went there until now!!