The Conscientious Ink Maker

Australia's Robert Oster Signature Inks puts thought into everything it does, from its colors to its carbon footprint.

- BY AZIZAH ASGARALI

Robert Oster Signature (ROS) inks are frequent favorites among fountain pen users, known for their consistent quality, convenient packaging, catchy names, and extensive range of colors like the famous Fire on Ice, a saturated teal with red sheen; Sodapop Blue, a bright blue with red sheen; Fizzy Lime, a lime green with silver shimmer; and The Grinch, a gray-purple with silver shimmer. From the design of the inks and bottles to the ingredients, names, and company values, Oster inks aim to “exceed every expectation at every opportunity.”

Robert Oster, the founder and owner of the Australian ink brand, has been a fountain pen and ink enthusiast since the 1980s. He still has his first fountain pen and ink: a Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand and Montblanc Turquoise. His journey to ink making is diverse. He ran his own niche advertising agency, but it was his past employment in quality assurance/quality control at a major protein processing plant that contributed most to his current expertise.

“I gained a respect for achieving best possible outcomes, and many of the skills still guide my work today,” Oster says.

As such, the fountain pen inks are made by Oster himself. They are produced in South Australia in one of the most famous wine producing regions in the world. Oster describes it as an idyllic setting with great influence on the senses.