Cornelissen Historical Inks, Oak Gall

Exclusive to Cornelissen, our intense black Oak Gall Ink is made to a medieval recipe using oak galls collected in Cambridgeshire. The small, handmade batches are blended to give the required consistency and strength, and are steeped for several weeks and left to ‘mature’ for several more. Lightfast and fully waterproof 5-7 days after application, Oak Gall Ink has been used for centuries by calligraphers and scribes to create illuminated manuscripts and legal documents.When used on animal skins such as vellum, the acids in the Oak Gall Ink react with collagen, effectively ‘etching’ itself into the surface, hence its permanence. As with all products derived from natural ingredients, there may be slight variations in the colour and consistency of the ink due to seasonal changes