I’ve always been drawn to strong rich ink colors, so when Ana handed me a bottle of Dominant Industry Maple No. 108 (25mL for $15) for review, I can’t say I was too upset.
Maple is an orange red, almost tomato-colored, much like the orangey-pinky-red leaves in the fall. While it appears as a darker red in heavier droplets, it ranges from red to orange in writing, and shades a bit. Maple is one of the Standard inks, meaning it has no special finishes, just glorious color.
When I went through my ink stash to see what I had that might compare, I was a bit hard pressed to find something that was just right. Papier Plume’s special Heart of Gold Ink came close, but Maple has a touch more brown in it. Monteverde Ruby is close in the darker areas, but Maple is definitely lighter in color in writing samples. Sailor Shikiori Yodaki might be a good match, although it’s got a gold sheen to it so it’s not quite right. And Birmingham Pen Co. Duquesne Incline Station Red is a bit more red, and definitely more saturated.
The ink went down beautifully and dried fairly quickly, even in those heavy ink drops. Overall I’d say this is a fun ink if you’re looking for a little of that fall color!
- Papers: Maruman Mnemosyne N182A Inspiration Notebook A5 ($10.50), Crossfield Journal ($24.00),
- Pen: Delike Glass Signature Pen ($37.80)
- Swatches: Col-o-Ring Ink Testing Book ($10) and Col-o-Dex Rotary Cards ($15)
- Inks: Dominant Industry Maple No. 108 (25mL for $15)
DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
I can’t resist any russet ink that crosses my path! This one looks very similar to Montblanc Red Fox.