Tintenlabor Purpur-Schwarz 1 / Purple Black 1 (Discontinued) — Ink Review #184
Tintenlabor Purpur-Schwarz 1 (Purple Black 1 Iron Gall Ink)
Ink Review # 184
Originally posted on FPN: May 10, 2025
Brand: Tintenlabor
Country: Switzerland
Availability: This ink has been discontinued. It has been reformulated as Encre Royale.
Pens Used: Pilot Elite EF, Lamy (EF / F / M / B / Stub 1.1), Kanwrite with FPR ultra-flex nib.
🧾 Description
Tintenlabor is a Swiss ink company specializing in Iron Gall inks. What differentiates this brand from others is that it discloses the iron content.
Tintenlabor had two purple-black inks: Purple Black 1, a high-dye, low-iron ink with 3 g/L iron content, and Purple Black 2, a medium-iron, low-dye ink.
Purple Black 1 uses a unique purple dye that stabilizes the iron content, slowing the oxidation process and logically lengthening the shelf life of the ink.
Because the dye was expensive, each bottle cost much more than some other Tintenlabor iron gall inks. When it was available, it could also be ordered in 10 ml bottles.
In my experience, the wetter the pen and the narrower the nib, the darker the colour. With M nibs and above, the colour is a shade of lavender that slowly oxidizes and darkens over time. The more water-repellent the paper, especially watercolour paper, the slower the oxidation process and the development of water resistance.
The ink has below-average lubrication. Writing with all pens was pleasant, pure joy.
Cleaning was surprisingly easy with the Kanwrite; a few flushes and the pen was clean. The Pilot Elite needed a few more flushes and more patience.
Cleaning Note: Like all IG inks, flush with water first. For stubborn residue, use a small pinch of pure ascorbic acid in water, then rinse thoroughly. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners with iron gall inks.
An ultrasonic cleaner can help with removable pen-safe parts, but avoid it with fragile vintage materials, plated trim, or anything uncertain.
In conclusion, this is one of the most compelling, elegant purple writing inks I’ve used. It was more challenging to use in artwork.
🧪 Chroma
✍️ Writing Samples (scan)
JEF stands for Japanese EF nib.
Rhodia
Midori
Tomoe River 68gsm
Iroful
Hammermill
📸 Photo
Iroful wet ink, last line
Tomoe River 68gsm wet ink
Photo taken a week later
Midori, one week later
Tomoe River 68gsm, one week later
🔍 Comparison
The swatch scans were done on March 30, 2025. Instead of the name, I wrote the iron content: Tintenlabor Purple Black 1 has 3 g/L iron content, and Purple Black 2 has 4 g/L.
These scans were done on May 8, 2025. Note that both inks have oxidized.
💧 Water Test
Left side: 10 seconds under running water, after 24 hours. Note that the ink becomes waterproof with time.
🎨 Artwork
Taurus
Part of the Inktober year-long challenge 2025. Paper in most cases is Talens Mixed Media.
Miss Rebel Without a Cause
The following works showcase concentrated ink from an accidentally opened eyedropper fountain pen.
Rorschach Inkblot
Adoration
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· What I Did Not Like: I’m trying to look for something.
· What Some Might Not Like: Fear of IG inks and price.
· Writing Experience: Excellent.
· Pros: Beautiful colour and lovely writing experience.
· Cons: Not suited for cheap, thin paper; price.
🧷 Ink Characteristics
· Ghosting: Yes, on cheap paper.
· Bleed Through: Yes, on Hammermill.
· Flow Rate: Wet.
· Lubrication: Below average with some finer nibs.
· Nib Dry-out: Did not notice.
· Start-up: OK.
· Saturation: Royal purple.
· Shading Potential: Excellent.
· Sheen: No.
· Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Yes, with flex.
· Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.
· Staining (Pen): No.
· Clogging: Did not notice.
· Cleaning: Check cleaning note above.
· Water Resistance: Good.
💬 Closing
This is one of the most compelling, elegant purple writing inks I’ve used.
No fountain pens were harmed in preparing this review. 😉
Please don't hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments. The more the merrier. 😊
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