I love that Kobe Nagasawa has been creating inks inspired by places in Kobe like the Chocolate Museum and this most recent release: Kobe Lampwork Museum Maroon. Many of their ink colors are inspired by plants, places and other elements that are in the Kobe area. I think its a great way to create and theme inks and it let’s us as ink users to be desktop tourists every time we open a bottle and fill one of our pens.
Lampwork Museum Maroon is a low saturation burgundy color with shading. On Col-o-ring paper, there is evident of some yellow-green sheen so YMMV with the overall color. At its highest density, the Lampwork Museum Maroon can look almost like a deep brown. The ink may not always look the same since the paper and nib width will influence the final outcome.
On Tomoe River 68gsm paper, Lampwork Museum Maroon looks like a beautiful wine-y burgundy color and depending on pressure, nib width and density, the ink will sway between a lighter raspberry pink to a deep burgundy. I quite like the range.
When compared with other burgundy ink colors, Penlux Rouge is probably the closest but does feel a bit more red with less sheen. Bungubox Tears of a Clown has sheen too but is more reddish pink in the undertones. Oster Frankly Walnut is similarvalue but a little more magenta-purple as a base color.
So once again, I’ve found an ink that is unique in my collection. I like the low saturation quality of Lampwork Museum Maroon and the differing color depending on pen nib and how much ink goes down on the page. I do think this is another color that’s going to be regularly used in the coming year.
What’s your favorite burgundy ink color?
Tools:
- Paper: Odyssey Notebooks A5 Grid 68gsm Tomoe River and Ink Swatching Guidesheets
- Pens: Dominant Industry Ink Muddler, Sailor Hocoro Dip Pens, Zebra G Dip Nib and Tachikawa T-40 Nib Holder
- Swatches: Col-o-Ring Ink Testing Book ($10) & Col-o-dex Rotary Cards ($15)
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by Vanness Pen Shop for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.