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Quick answer
De Atramentis Document Black is a pigmented, waterproof black fountain pen ink from a small German ink maker, Tintenmanufaktur Jansen. It comes in a 45 ml glass bottle, meets the ISO 12757-2 standard for documents, and holds up under watercolor washes. Goulet measured a dry time over 30 seconds. It sits in our $$$ band.
On this page13 sections
The 45 ml bottle and a swatch, drawn in proportion; label art is simplified.
Product facts
Product
De Atramentis Document Ink, Black, 45 ml bottle (item 1080)
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Notes on these facts
Made by Tintenmanufaktur Jansen, Horhausen, Germany. Made in Germany: Goulet Pens says De Atramentis inks are exclusively handmade in Germany; De Atramentis's own site gives its address as Tintenmanufaktur Jansen, Forststraße 8, 56593 Horhausen, Germany, but its product page doesn't print a country of origin. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
Each bottle holds 45 ml; Goulet lists an 18.5 mm (0.73 in) opening.
De Atramentis says it meets ISO 12757-2, the standard for documentary use.
Goulet rates it highly water resistant, with a dry time of 30+ seconds.
De Atramentis lists it at €19.90 (about US$22) as item 1080; a bottle gives about 56 fills of a 0.8 ml converter.
Goulet says it's handmade in Germany; the maker is based in Horhausen.
What is De Atramentis Document Ink Black?
It’s a pigmented, waterproof black fountain pen ink made for documents, signatures and sketching. De Atramentis, a small German ink maker, sells it in its Dokumenten-Tinten (document inks) range.
Goulet Pens, which tags it for school and sketching, ranked it No. 92 on its best-seller list on October 22, 2026, with 155 reviews.
Document Black specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Tintenmanufaktur Jansen (De Atramentis), Horhausen, Germany
Item
Dokumenten Tinte SCHWARZ, Art.-Nr. 1080
Bottle
45 ml (1.5 fl oz), glass
Opening
18.5 mm (0.73 in) (Goulet)
Ink
Pigmented; water resistant (Goulet)
Standard
ISO 12757-2 (De Atramentis)
Dry time
30+ s (Goulet)
Price band
$$$ ($20–75 per bottle)
De Atramentis’s German shop lists the bottle at €19.90 (about US$22), including German VAT.
Dry times as measured by Goulet and Mountain of Ink, and fills per 45 ml bottle.
What makes it a document ink?
It’s built to stay legible. De Atramentis says a document ink must not be correctable or removable without a trace, must be lightfast, may only run in water so far that the lines stay readable, and must resist certain chemicals and solvents.
It states that Document Black meets ISO 12757-2, the ISO standard for documentary use. That makes it a sensible fountain pen ink for signatures, addresses and records.
Is it really waterproof?
Yes, once it has dried. Goulet’s 2023 review rates water resistance high and calls the Document inks some of its most water-resistant inks.
Goulet adds that artists use it as a base for watercolor washes. Give it time first: Goulet measured a dry time of more than 30 seconds, because the ink bonds with the paper fibers.
Is it safe for fountain pens?
Yes, with regular cleaning. De Atramentis says it suits all fountain pens; Goulet’s review advises against letting it dry inside a pen, because it is pigmented.
Flush the pen with water at each refill, and don’t leave an inked pen sitting unused. Goulet found a little color residue on the nib after filling, which wipes off easily.
How does it write?
Wet and very dark, with almost no shading. Goulet rates saturation high, shading low and flow wet, and warns that a wet pen may feather slightly on paper that isn’t fountain-pen friendly.
A fine nib on good paper keeps the line crisp.
How does it compare with Platinum Carbon Black and Noodler’s Black?
All three are very dark, water-resistant black fountain pen inks; they differ in ink type, bottle size, dry time and price. Figures come from each ink’s guide.
The dry times come from different testers, so treat them as rough. Choose Document Black for De Atramentis’s ISO 12757-2 document claim or to mix a custom waterproof color from the series, Carbon Black if you want cartridges, and Noodler’s for the biggest bottle in a lower price band.
Yes: Goulet calls the Document inks a favorite pick for artists. Goulet tags it for sketching and says on its listing that the Document series is great for sketching with fountain pens.
The reason is the wash: once the line is dry, you can paint watercolor over it and the black stays put, per Goulet’s review. Give it longer than the 30 seconds Goulet measured before a wet brush goes near it, especially on sized watercolor paper.
A fine or extra-fine nib gives the crispest line; the ink is wet, so a broad nib lays down a lot of it. Clean the pen regularly, as with any pigmented ink.
Can you mix Document inks?
Yes. Goulet says all the Document series inks can be mixed together to create a custom waterproof color.
De Atramentis lists eight Document colors, including black-blue, light grey, Urban Sienna, gold, sepia brown, moss green and blue, all in 45 ml bottles.
Where is it made?
In Germany. Goulet says De Atramentis inks are handmade there, and its 2023 review credits Dr. Franz-Josef Jansen; the company’s site gives its address as Tintenmanufaktur Jansen in Horhausen.
A 45 ml bottle gives about 56 fills of a 0.8 ml converter. For more picks, see our best fountain pen inks.
Frequently asked questions
Is De Atramentis Document Black ink waterproof?
Yes, once dry. Goulet Pens rates its water resistance high and calls the Document inks some of its most water-resistant inks.
Can you use De Atramentis Document ink with watercolor?
Yes. Goulet says the Document inks are a favorite with artists as a base for water washes once the ink has dried.
Is De Atramentis Document Black safe for fountain pens?
It's made for them: De Atramentis says it suits all fountain pens. It is pigmented, so Goulet advises cleaning the pen regularly and not letting the ink dry inside.
Can you mix De Atramentis Document inks?
Yes. Goulet says all the Document series inks can be mixed with each other to make a custom waterproof color.
What does ISO 12757-2 mean on an ink?
It's the ISO standard for writing that has to last on documents. De Atramentis says Document ink must resist erasing, fading and water well enough that the writing stays legible.
Does De Atramentis Document Black dry fast?
No. Goulet measured more than 30 seconds, because the ink takes time to bond with the paper fibers, so it smears if you close a notebook too soon.
Is De Atramentis Document Black better than Platinum Carbon Black?
Neither is better across the board: both are pigmented, water-resistant blacks in our $$$ band. Document Black dried in 30+ seconds in Goulet's test against 60 seconds for Carbon Black in Mountain of Ink's, while Carbon Black comes in a bigger 60 ml bottle and in cartridges.
