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Post Info TOPIC: Don't shoot me
jevvv


Experienced

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Don't shoot me
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I'm currently using an old glass bottle of Stephens Blue Black in the two pens I have going again.  I used to use Stephens Radiant Blue when I was at school, but I have to say I'm enjoying the blue black :)

Haven't found any references here to anyone else using Stephens :(

 

I do have a 50 ml bottle of Mont Blanc Racing Green which I should try some time.



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Chthulhu


Rawr.

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I think this is the first I've heard of Stephens inks, but why would we shoot you for using it? smile.gif

I've read recently that Montblanc has discontinued the Racing Green ink.

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Mike Hungerford
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Frank


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MB Racing Green is my favorite Green! You will love it!
It looks black at first with some nibs.

Yes, Mike is right. Unfortunately, MB has decided to stop making this ink!

I have not heard of Stephens inks either. Any info/links on it?

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DWL


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Stephens is a new one on me as well. I wonder if it was a 'down under' production only. Any idea of the vintage/era of manufacture? Pics of the bottle and that sort of thing. I'd be interested to learn more about it.

The MB RG is a very cool color. It's not too far from my custom/blend signature color.

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Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito
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Chthulhu


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I found this tidbit:

http://www.london-northwest.com/sites/Stephens/

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Mike Hungerford
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DWL


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Heres a copy/paste of the link.

Nice find Mike.

I'm going to send Mr. Marsh an email & see if he would be willing to come over and share pics/info about the museum & Stephens.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Stephens Collection
Avenue House, East End Road, London N3 3QE
(nearest underground Finchley Central)
tel: 020 8346 7812
Open to the public 2pm - 4.30 pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only.
Admission free

The Stephens Collection aims to show

* Aspects of the life of Henry Stephens
* The history of the Stephens Ink Company
* The history of Avenue House
* The development of writing materials

Dr. Henry Stephens was the inventor (in 1832) of the famous "Blue-Black Writing Fluid", later developed into ink. The family firm manufacturing the ink and various accessories lay the foundations of a considerable family fortune. His son, Henry Charles Stephens, continued the development of the family business. He was a member of Parliament and during his lifetime fought numerous battles on behalf of local interests. His involvement in local affairs, and his nickname "Inky" Stephens have since remained familiar to several generations of Finchley people.

Henry "Inky" Stephens bought Avenue House in 1874, altered and extended it, adding, among other things, a laboratory, where he carried out his experiments in writing fluid. The grounds were landscaped and many rare trees planted, still here for us to see and admire.

Hands-on experience for primary schools

Groups of up to 15 are offered "hands-on" writing with steel pens, ink and blotting paper. Also with quill pens! A slide presentation on the life of Henry C. Stephens is available to schools. Discovery sheets are also obtainable.
writing ink inventor



The Stephens Collection - Registered Charity No. 1051384

Peter Marsh, Hon Chairman/Curator
stephens.collection@avenuehouse.org.uk

Thermometer
Click on the picture to see a bigger image of the

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Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito
~Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them

jevvv


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Yep- started in England. Was used as school ink here in EnZed, they also did chalk here, so I see i'll need to do some research at my end.

Just getting the sonny boy to take a pic

brb

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jevvv


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Here we go
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The Stephens bottle- the label fell off many, many moons ago

4151105790_a2f3356ea3.jpg



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jevvv


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RE: Don't shoot me
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My Stephens, alongside the Mont Blanc Racing Green I bought before rediscovering the BlueBlack. Mont Blanc is 50ml volume if that helps

4151105958_f3b9c89b3f.jpg



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jevvv


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And my current working kit: Osmiroid 75 and Stephens BlueBlack. The bottle is 54mm high

4150347941_7d3b150a15.jpg



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jevvv


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Oh, a quick precis on Stephens:
http://www.purplenimbus.com/article/Stephens

Stephens

Henry Inky Stephens bought Avenue House in Finchley, London in 1874 and altered and extended the house adding the attractive stable block, the drawing room, and a laboratory where he carried out his experiments with writing fluids.

The growth and successes of his famous firm, Stephens, are indicated in an advertisement of 1875:

Chemist, inventor and manufacturer of the writing fluids, quill merchant, manufacturer of copying inks and every description of writing ink, of fountain inkstands, gum mucilage, sealing wax and of the stains for dyeing wood in imitation of oak, mahogany, walnut, satin-wood, etc. Two medals (highest award) at Vienna 1873, and the highest awards at Paris 1867, Havre 1868, Amsterdam 1869 and Lyons 1872 for writing and copying inks.

His accomplished father, Dr. Henry Stephens, earlier in 1832 had invented the famous Blue-Black Writing Fluid that laid the basis for the firms success and the considerable family fortune. Dissatisfied with the sticky, badly-keeping inks of the day, Dr. Stephens began to experiment with new formulae and eventually to manufacture ink in the basement of his house. The permanence of his ink was exemplified by the writing on the documents recovered from the SS. Egypt after lying at the bottom of the sea for eight years. The writing is reported to have been almost as good as new.

A cartoon in Moonshine in 1887, whilst the young Inky Stephens was standing for election, showed a dancing bottle of Stephens True Blue Ink with the caption Stephens, the indelible candidate.

Today, Stephens has developed further, and now includes great specialist arts and crafts products such as:
Key Rings
Assorted Colour Craft Card and Paper
Stickers
Tinted Film
Chalk
Cropping Blocks
Golden Gum Glue
PVA Glue
Greeting Cards Blanks
Handcopy Carbon
Typewriter Carbon
Playrange
Poly Bags
Sugar and Tissue Paper
Tracing Paper
...and, of course, Stephens Ink!

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Highbinder


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Frank wrote:

MB Racing Green is my favorite Green! You will love it!
It looks black at first with some nibs.

Yes, Mike is right. Unfortunately, MB has decided to stop making this ink!

I have not heard of Stephens inks either. Any info/links on it?


Frank how similar is MB Racing Green to Noodler's Zhivago? I have a bottle of Zhivago sitting infront of me and I'm very tempted to try a sample (if you fancy a wee ink swap let me know I have a couple of peartree samples I'll happily pass across to you, perhaps Stipula Sepia tickles your fancy?)

 



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Frank


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Sending a PM!

Sounds like a plan!

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We sell quality, known brands at reasonable prices!!

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jevvv


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Here ya go, since I know Frank wants to see how the Wearever is doing, and in Racing Green no less wink.gif

Oh, and written on buff sketch paper, quite toothy.  You can see I haven't been using a pen in a while <bluch>

4154201254_d51d998bd1.jpg



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jevvv


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pics courtesy of Flickr hosting wink.gif

My photos



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Frank


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MB RG All the way!!!!

Wooohooo! smile.gif

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"When, in the course of writing events, it becomes self-evident that all pens are not created equal" (Federalist Frank)

We sell quality, known brands at reasonable prices!!

Visit our Store Federalist Pens and Paper!  (TFPC Sponsor!)

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Follow our discussion group(s) at www.linkedin.com!  (Fountain Pen Community/Federalist Pens)

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jevvv


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yup- sold on it now smile.gif

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jonro


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I just bought a bottle of MB Racing Green last week. It is a very good ink and I like that fact that it's black-green rather than the other way around. The other green that I like is Private Reserve Avocado Green. However, I can't seem to really bond with ink colors other than blue and black. However, I think I'll pick up a bottle of MB Burgundy which is like a black-red for editing.

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jevvv


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Let me know how th MB Burgundy goes- I'm interested if it stains the pens as much as regular reds

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