# Watermans ink with top



## Mailman1960 (Jul 9, 2021)

It is a screw top so probably not that old. (It will be someday)I don't want to remove the top, has nice bubbles. 1930's ?


----------



## CanadianBottles (Jul 10, 2021)

That's interesting, never seen a top like that before.  I suspect it's a bit older than the 30s, probably more like 10s or 20s.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 10, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> That's interesting, never seen a top like that before.  I suspect it's a bit older than the 30s, probably more like 10s or 20s.


Hard to see where the seam ends, l am sure the top will fall apart if l try removing.


----------



## CanadianBottles (Jul 10, 2021)

Mailman1960 said:


> Hard to see where the seam ends, l am sure the top will fall apart if l try removing.


You don't need to see where the seam ends, it's got a suction scar on the base so that tells you that it's machine-made.  Looks like a fairly early one though.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 10, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> You don't need to see where the seam ends, it's got a suction scar on the base so that tells you that it's machine-made.  Looks like a fairly early one though.


Good  information. Still new at this.


----------



## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jul 10, 2021)

Mailman1960 said:


> Hard to see where the seam ends, l am sure the top will fall apart if l try removing.


Don't do it! Even those rubber seals on the lightning or hutchinson seals are brittle as you are well aware. I used to think I could muscle things like that ink cap off and it has never worked the way I imagined. Stuff just crumbles.
ROBBYBOBBY64.


----------



## PlaneDiggerCam (Jul 10, 2021)

Mailman1960 said:


> It is a screw top so probably not that old. (It will be someday)I don't want to remove the top, has nice bubbles. 1930's ?


I wanna say that probably is an early watermans by the base. Usually these ones are from the late 1890s to early 1900s. It may be a ground lip screw cap.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 10, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Don't do it! Even those rubber seals on the it's lightning or hutchinson seals are brittle as you are well aware. I used to think I could muscle things like that ink cap off and it has never worked the way I imagined. Stuff just crumbles.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


Yeah, you always think this one will be different. Giddy up   ( it's just so tempting)





PlaneDiggerCam said:


> I wanna say that probably is an early watermans by the base. Usually these ones are from the late 1890s to early 1900s. It may be a ground lip screw cap.


I want to stay I found it like this, but I may have tried to open it up when I first dug it up. Either way maybe this will help with identifying as a ground lip


----------



## CanadianBottles (Jul 10, 2021)

I can't see the lip in the picture, but since it's got a suction scar on the base it has to be an ABM bottle, which means no ground lip.  The top does look quite early though, so it may be an even earlier ABM bottle, maybe from the 1900s even.


----------



## Jamdam (Jul 11, 2021)

Not listed in Covill but few 1900’s inks are. It is unusual and definitely a keeper. Never seen one like it.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 11, 2021)

Jamdam said:


> Not listed in Covill but few 1900’s inks are. It is unusual and definitely a keeper. Never seen one like it.


Thanks for checking on it. I was going to leave it, but didn't find much else that day and thought it was to new.


----------



## Bohdan (Jul 14, 2021)

Are you sure it was an ink?
Not a mucilage or something else?
What is attached to the top - inside the bottle?


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 14, 2021)

Bohdan said:


> Are you sure it was an ink?
> Not a mucilage or something else?
> What is attached to the top - inside the bottle?


I'll look again but I'm pretty sure it says Waterman ink on bottom, it looks like an eye dropper on the top.


----------



## Bohdan (Jul 14, 2021)

An "outer metal cap" to cover/protect an inner 'eye dropper' with presumably a rubber squeeze bulb.
Makes sense  -  but why an eye dropper for ink?
Very interesting. There may be an answer in an old trade catalogue somewhere.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 14, 2021)

Bohdan said:


> An "outer metal cap" to cover/protect an inner 'eye dropper' with presumably a rubber squeeze bulb.
> Makes sense  -  but why an eye dropper for ink?
> Very interesting. There may be an answer in an old trade catalogue somewhere.


Not sure about the liquid it doesn't leak now, but has the consistency of water. What ever that means.


----------



## Bohdan (Jul 14, 2021)

Mailman1960 said:


> Not sure about the liquid it doesn't leak now, but has the consistency of water. What ever that means.
> [/QUO
> 
> It's got me wondering now.
> I'll try to find an period trade catalogue for office supplies.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 14, 2021)

Much appreciated, someday I might be able help someone. Only been at this 1 year.


----------



## Bohdan (Jul 15, 2021)

Mailman1960 said:


> Much appreciated, someday I might be able help someone. Only been at this 1 year.




EUREKA! I found it.
It's called a "Desk Filler". I found it in a 1914-1918 catalogue. ( the bottle may be older than that.)
Probably fairly rare and definitely a nice find. The only thing nicer would be the "Travelers' Filler" described in the same article.
Welcome to our hobby Mailman.


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 15, 2021)

Mystery solved by another one of the best B.I's (bottle instigators) my hats off to you. If you're ever in Chicago there's a cocktail with your name on it.


----------



## Dogo (Jul 15, 2021)

The Automatic bottle machine was invented about 1905, give or take a few years and that ring on the base says it was one of the early ones. Later versions don't have the ring. My guess would be between about 1906 to 1920


----------



## Mailman1960 (Jul 15, 2021)

Thanks for the info, I was going to leave it because of the screw top but I didn't find much of anything that day. Should probably keep borderline stuff, and  check here first. Only been at this for a year and 1/2


----------

