James Stark was a chemist during the 19th century who experimented with ink recipes for 23 years.
He submitted his findings in 1855 to the Society of Arts in Edinburgh, Scotland.
This iron gall ink recipe is taken from the Household Cyclopedia of General Information, published in 1881.
The addition of the sulfate of indigo renders the ink less stable on the page and prone to premature browning over time,[2] but less liable to mould in the inkwell.
The ink can be made without the sulfate of indigo, which will make it considerably less expensive yet more archival.