Own 'em both--fifteen bucks a bottle is too much for a bottle of ink, no matter who makes it. By the way, that equates to about $1,135 per gallon. Hell, I don't even pay that much for a good bottle of Gin!
RayFI've never seen Montegrappa ink cheaper than $20/bottle. Where were you able to purchase it for less than $15? I've been lusting after the purple for quite a while after trying a sample. It's one of my favorites.
phamlinhI don't say I've purchased it for less, just that in the final analysis, it's too damn much for what you get. Take it from a guy who's spent way too much on way too many bottles of stupid-expensive ink over the years. Turns out were all paying more for the sexy bottles and over-the-top packaging than we are for the ink inside. I'm into Blue inks and I've got dozens of shades--yes you can distinguish the variations in their color, but not in proportion to what I paid for them. You like Purple? I say purple-smurple; everybody makes some version of it and someone's bound to make theirs for less. My advice is spend less on ink, and more on nice pens. Of course, that's just my thinking on the subject...
RayFI’ve found that some of the cheapest inks are among the best (Krishna is a good example, find it at penchalet), while conversely some of the priciest are the worst (Caran D’Ache Magnetic Blue comes to mind. Terrible ink).