InktendInktend / Ink library / No. 5 Shocking Blue
No. 5 Shocking Blue
Numbered Hague-themed inks in the iconic marble-valve bingo bottle from the world's oldest fountain pen shop.
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Paper & pairing
Blues and navies are the most broadly "safe" fountain pen colors: legible, professional, and unlikely to raise eyebrows in an office. Sheening inks need the right conditions to show off: a wetter nib and a coated, less-absorbent paper (Tomoe River and similar sheets are the community standard) let the ink pool slightly and separate into its second color as it dries. On cheaper, more absorbent paper the sheen effect will mostly disappear.
About Akkerman
P.W. Akkerman is a legendary fountain pen specialty shop in The Hague, in business since 1910. For its centenary the shop introduced its own line of numbered inks, sold in the iconic tall-necked Dutch 'bingo bottle' with a glass marble that acts as a shut-off valve for easy filling. Every color is named after a street, landmark or tradition of The Hague.
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
Similar shades By colour distance
Color shown is a close digital approximation of a typical swatch, not a calibrated color match.