Paris, s’il vous plaît

At the time of writing this newsletter, much of Ontario is weathering through a heat wave and heavy smoke. It’s certainly a time one may wish to be elsewhere. And as the saying goes, Paris is always a good idea, don’t you think?

Paris is one of the most visited travel destinations in the world, and one of the most beloved. It conjures up many images, sounds, flavours, scents and textures. J. Herbin, the oldest ink manufacturer in the world, was born in Paris and has honoured this city of light in its latest collection.

J. Herbin began in 1670, when King Louis XIV of France was 32 years old. At that time, Jacques Herbin specialized in sealing wax and fine stationery. He continued to make and sell these when in 1798, he began making writing inks.

Over the many years since then, the company was handed down from father to son. In 2021, it became part of the Clairefontaine Rhodia family of stationery brands, which also includes Brause, the company which has been making nibs since 1850.