Papier Plume Rebirth: A Coppery Brown Ink With New Orleans Character

Introduction

Papier Plume’s Rebirth is a limited release with a story behind it. The New Orleans-based ink maker created this coppery brown shade in conjunction with local artist Tony Hollums, whose background spans art, architecture, music, and audio engineering. Hollums was closely involved in both the color selection and the naming, and he outlines his own artwork using fountain pen ink before filling in watercolor by brush.

The name is a nod to the rusty brown-orange-red tone of the ink and a tribute to the Rebirth Brass Band, a New Orleans institution since the early 1980s. Rebirth debuted at the DC pen show, with any remaining stock later available through the Papier Plume site. A bottle alone is priced at ten dollars, and a bundle with a special Rebirth art print runs forty dollars.

Who This Ink Is For

One of the stated ideas behind Rebirth is to open people’s minds to different ways of using fountain pen ink, particularly in artistic applications. If you sketch, outline, or experiment with ink beyond plain writing, that intent is baked into the product itself.

It also suits everyday writers who want a warm, distinctive brown that is not just another dark chocolate. On paper it reads as a coppery golden brown, sitting near Diamine’s Ancient Copper and closely matching Diamine’s Sbre (Sybaar) Brown, while offering a warmer look next to Papier Plume’s own Stranger Things-themed 11 and Monteverde Pumpkin Cake.

Main Strengths

Rebirth behaves well on quality paper. On 52 gram Tomoe River, normal use with a cotton swab shows only a small amount of shading and a hint of sheen, while heavier applications bring out more of both. In a wider test on Rhodia 80 gram paper with a 3.8mm Pilot Parallel, ghosting and bleed came out low, with medium shading and low sheen depending on application.

Flow is medium, and drying times landed between 15 and 30 seconds depending on the nib. Tested with a fine-leaning medium and a standard medium, both dried in a usable window. The chromatography is a pleasant surprise too: lighter greens, blues, pinks, yellows, oranges, and reds separate out beneath the brown, which hints at how the ink could behave in artistic uses.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Rebirth does not claim to be waterproof, and a water test confirmed it does not hold up well. Lines blur and wash out when water is applied, so it is a poor choice for documents, addresses, or anything that might get wet.

Availability is also worth thinking about. As a pen show debut, stock may be limited initially, and leftovers only appear online afterward. If the print bundle interests you, it is a limited edition made using the actual ink, so waiting could mean missing that option.

Buying Advice

If you want a solid coppery brown ink, the ten-dollar bottle stands on its own as an enjoyable, characterful color. The forty-dollar bundle with Tony Hollums’ Rebirth print adds a unique piece of art created with the ink itself, which makes the package feel genuinely special rather than a gimmick.

For artists, the green and blue undertones revealed in the chromatography make this an interesting ink for washes and experimental work. For writers, pick it for the color and the story, not for durability.

Conclusion

Papier Plume Rebirth is a well-behaved coppery brown with medium flow, low ghosting and bleed on good paper, modest shading and sheen, and no pretense of water resistance. Pair it with its New Orleans roots and the optional art print, and it becomes more than a bottle of ink. It is a small, affordable way to add character to your pen case.