Review: MontBlanc Carlo Collodi Special Edition Brown Ink

This is a review of the MontBlanc Carlo Collodi Special Edition Brown Ink (chestnut).

When I first began noticing fountain pens and ink, I was mostly attracted to inks because of, well... “oooo pretty...” and not for any real appreciation of the ink. I’m still a beginner in the world of inks and as I was thinking about how to do my first ink review, I wanted to be able to offer useful information for inkers who know what they’re doing (well... at least try to be useful...) and to provide a few pictures and various writing samples to give everyone an idea of what the ink actually looks like under different conditions (different pens, layers, papers). If you find something you disagree with or is incorrect, please tell me (without being horribly mean). Unfortunately, a lot of this stuff can be subjective and can vary so take it with a grain of salt! Okay, "disclaimer" aside, I hope you enjoy and/or benefit from my review!

On Black n' Red premium writing pad (white paper)
Scroll to bottom of review for typed version of this!

A close up of that color! (white paper)

In Rhodia "R" Pad - Clairefontaine paper (ivory paper)

Check out that gorgeous shading and color! (ivory paper)

What is really incredible is how three different nibs result in such a big difference in the ink's appearance on paper. Some people prefer completely uniform inks and others really enjoy the variation. Personally, I LOVE flex nibs so I really enjoy experimenting with inks and seeing what happens with them using different nibs.

(White paper)

The three fountain pens used in this review are as follows:

Graf Von Faber-Castell Anello Titanium - medium

Waterman 52V + 14K Waterman Ideal #2 wet noodle

Pilot Cavalier - fine

Other reviews that may pop your top:

Sam Capote via Fountain Pen Network

Price

Pen Boutique - $16.00
Paradise Pen - $21.00 (not listed online for some reason)

Overall

I think this is a really nice looking ink! Wonderful range of color, from orange-copper to chestnut brown, but can even be as dark as a dark brown if you're using a wet noodle! It behaves quite nicely on 'normal' paper such as the Black n' Red pad but is even more lush on Clairefontaine paper. I would recommend this ink because it's pretty and performs very well in every way.

Flex pen tree

Review of Ink: MontBlanc Carlo Collodi Brown Ink

Description: - 35 ml Special edition bottle

                     - Carlo Collodi's signature on bottle

                     - Portrait of Pinocchio on bottle

                     - Part of MontBlanc's 2011 Limited Writer's Edition Collection

Pen: Graf Von Faber-Castell Anello Titanium - medium nib

Paper: Black n' Red Premium writing pad - 24 lb

Drying time                                         Swab

    5 seconds

   10 seconds

   20 seconds

   30 seconds

   60 seconds

Water resistance - none

    Drip test                                          Smear test

Shading

  - Medium nib - Graf Von Faber-Castell Anello Titanium

  - Fine nib - Pilot Cavalier

  - Flex nib - Waterman 52V + 14K Waterman Ideal #2 wet noodle nib

- gorgeous shading - ranging from orange/copper brown to brown

Bleeding

   - none

Lubrication

  - good, smooth

Flow

  - medium nib - very good, wet

  - flex nib - very good, very wet

  - fine nib - good, not wet but not dry

Feathering

  - none on this paper

  - none with medium/flex/fine nib

Writing Sample

Well, this is my first ink review and I've only recently (well...a few years...) developed a love for fountain pens and inks. I've been contemplating how to review inks and this is what I came up with! I hope it is satisfactory! In time, as I learn more about inks and their properties, I can hopefully offer some more technical details and stuff. Or this might work just fine.

Conclusion

A beautiful, well-designed ink. Performs well with all the nib sizes/types I tried. Great range of shading and a very gorgeous, unique brown. I highly recommend this ink! :)