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Café des îles

Founded in France in 1670, one of the oldest ink makers still operating. Its 1670 anniversary line is known for pronounced gold sheen.

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Specs

Color familyBrowns

Approx. hex#7A4029

SheenNot typically noted

BrandJ. Herbin

Paper & pairing

Browns tend to photograph and scan a little darker than they look in person, worth testing before using one for anything that will be digitized. 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 J. Herbin

Founded in Paris in 1670, J. Herbin is the oldest ink maker still in business. Its 1670 anniversary line, launched to mark 350 years, is known for pronounced gold sheen.

See all J. Herbin products →

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 Café des îles?

Café des îles falls into Inktend's browns family based on its typical swatch color.

Does Café des îles have sheen?

Café des îles 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 Café des îles?

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 Café des îles?

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

Shimmertastic - Cocoa Shimmer

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