Van Dieman's Bay of Fires: A Bordeaux Red With a Green Sheen Worth Trying

Introduction

Some inks arrive with a story attached, and Van Dieman’s Bay of Fires is one of them. Made by a small husband-and-wife operation in Tasmania, Australia, this handcrafted ink takes its name from a bay on the island’s northeastern coast, where clear blue water meets orange lichen-covered granite. The color is a rich bordeaux red with a surprising trick: heavier applications reveal a green sheen that gives the ink real character on the page.

If you enjoy small-batch inks with personality but still want practical everyday behavior, Bay of Fires makes a strong case. Here is what you need to know before buying.

Color and Shading Behavior

On the page, Bay of Fires reads as a deep bordeaux red, sitting in the same general family as dark oxbloods and black cherries. What sets it apart is the shading: heavier applications bring out a distinctly green sheen along the edges of the stroke, most visible on generous nibs or wet papers.

Shading is rated medium-low, and sheen is low in normal writing, but push the ink harder, through a broad nib or a thick swab, and that sheen climbs toward medium. On smooth, ink-friendly papers like 52gsm Tomoe River, the effect on pooling drops and heavy swabs is striking, with the green sheen really coming through.

Compared with other reds, it is a touch more muted than a true blood-red and shows more complexity in the wettest areas. If you already own several dark reds, this one earns its spot through the sheen rather than raw saturation.

Pen Pairings and Writing Performance

Bay of Fires behaves well across nib sizes. Tested with a firm fine nib, a 14-karat gold medium nib, and a broad nib, the ink flows at a medium rate and keeps lines consistent. Fine nibs produce a tidy dark red line, while broad nibs unlock the shading and green sheen that make this ink distinctive.

Drying time falls between 15 and 30 seconds, which is moderate for a saturated ink. Ghosting and bleed were low even on 80gsm Rhodia paper, and performance was clean on Tomoe River as well. For a darker ink, that level of restraint is welcome; you can use it for daily writing without worrying about show-through on decent notebooks.

Chromatography and Water Test

Under chromatography, Bay of Fires separates into lavenders and darker reds, a reminder that the surface color is more complex than it first appears. The companion gold-shimmer ink from the same series, Queenstown Gold Mine, shows pinks, reds, and a hint of blue, with the shimmer staying put on the strip.

The water test is straightforward: the ink does not claim to be waterproof, and it is not. Exposed areas washed out noticeably, so keep it away from documents that might meet a spilled drink. As long as you accept that, it is a fair trade for an ink at this price.

Buying Advice

Van Dieman’s inks are handmade in Australia, specifically in Tasmania, by a team with chemistry backgrounds, and the line is organized into several nature-inspired themed sets, with Tasmania as a recurring focus. Bay of Fires sells for about $11 on the Van Dieman’s website.

One practical note for international buyers: shipping to the US was quoted at $14, which feels steep for a single bottle. If you buy two or three bottles at once, the per-bottle shipping cost becomes much more reasonable, and it is a good opportunity to add Queenstown Gold Mine, a golden brown with pleasant gold shimmer, to the same order.

Conclusion

Van Dieman’s Bay of Fires is an accessible, characterful red that rewards heavier nibs and good paper with its signature green sheen. It is not waterproof, and its everyday behavior is otherwise unremarkable in the best way: good flow, low bleed, and reasonable drying times. For anyone curious about small-batch Australian inks, it is a worthwhile place to start with the brand.