Inktend / Ink library / Ebony

Esterbrook

Ebony

Blacks & greys#201D1D

A modern line of European-made bottled inks in vibrant classic and shimmer shades made to pair with the Estie pens.

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Specs

Color familyBlacks & greys
Approx. hex#201D1D
SheenNot typically noted

Paper & pairing

As a near-neutral tone, it reads as professional and safe for anything from journaling to signatures. This ink will behave predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Cheap, highly absorbent paper (standard copier paper) will dull any ink's saturation and can cause feathering or bleed-through with wetter nibs.

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About Esterbrook

Originally founded in Camden, New Jersey in 1858 and once the best-selling pen brand in America; the name was revived in 2018 under new ownership, best known today for the Estie.

United States Founded 1858 (revived 2018)
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Storing and using the bottle

Bottled fountain pen ink has an effectively long shelf life when kept capped and out of direct sunlight: most inks remain usable for years. The main risk isn't the ink spoiling, it's a pen sitting inked and unused for weeks: that's what causes clogs, not the ink's age.

Frequently asked questions

What color family is Ebony?
Ebony falls into Inktend's blacks & greys family based on its typical swatch color.
Does Ebony have sheen?
Ebony is not typically noted for sheen. If you want that effect, browse similarly colored inks tagged with sheen in the ink library.
How should I store a bottle of Ebony?
Years, easily, as long as it stays capped and out of direct sunlight. The thing that actually shortens an ink's usable life is sitting unused inside a pen, not sitting on a shelf.
What paper works best with Ebony?
It behaves predictably on most fountain-pen-friendly paper. Stick to something reasonably absorbent-resistant, since cheap copier paper dulls saturation and can feather.

Similar shades By colour distance

Ninth Winter
Hero
Season 36 - 586 Sima Qian
PenBBS
Korom
Pennonia
Permanent Black
Parker Quink
Varsity - Black
Pilot
Black
Pilot

Color shown is a close digital approximation of a typical swatch, not a calibrated color match.