# It's too hard to pick a favorite



## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

I was dusting, so it seemed like a good time to post a couple of pics, if I can get them to post correctly (some of us are kinda old for this computer stuff).   Obviously, I collect inks...

 Jim G


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## bottlediger (Nov 11, 2009)

Nice stuff there Jim. Early Inks are my 2nd main collection focus next to bitters and large early bottles. I think they are pretty cool, the colors and shapes on some of them are just awesome. Great Picture thanks for sharing

 Digger Ry


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

Do we have any other ink collectors on here?   It didn't seem like there was a lot of "ink talk"...    Got some lovely pictures of some really great regional sodas though.   Love the colors people seem to have.   I go for color, shape, age and name mainly.  Mostly I buy the cheaper ($30-$40) bottles for myself and let my family make gifts out of the better stuff.   I, like most of us, can't afford the really high end stuff.   I've had some decent luck on ebay though.

 Jim G


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

I've got to hit you up for some bottle cleaning at some point.   I'm over in Lancaster.    I've got a couple of pieces that I'd really like to get polished up, namely an SO Dunbar umbrella (it has a little flash in the lip so may not be a great candidate, but it's a cast off from my father's collection anyway) and a Sanford's turtle, a recent acquisition on ebay that I bought knowing it needed a tumble.  It's crude and will look nice cleaned up.


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be this one.  It's a master size Este's Metropolitan.  Not listed in Covill.   Harmer Rooke sold one back in the 90s (before the owner got a federal inmate number) for $1500.   This one isn't perfect, it has a potstone in the neck with two stress cracks, and a number of stress marks in the neck.  The neck must have been painfully stretched in the making.  Huge push up botttom with open pontil.   A bit of staining, obviously a dug bottle.   Came off ebay a few years ago, out of the sauce listings for $255, which I considered a steal.  The height compressed slightly when I rotated the pic, but the ruler tells all.  It's similar to the smaller Este's but considerably bigger.

 Jim G


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## bottlediger (Nov 11, 2009)

Very nice! And you live in Lancaster Pa? My buddie collects sodas/beers from around there. Would love to see which sodas you have. And if you need anything tumbled I sure can help you out

 Digger ry


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

I don't have any sodas.   I was commenting on all the nice sodas that forum members have here.  Some really great colors.   I go for color in my inks when I can afford to (not very often).  I've got the inks, a few flasks (haven't bought one in years) and a few VT spring waters (my mom and dad live in VT.  She collects VT bottles and doesn't have room for the spring waters anymore, so I "inherited" the few that I have).

 Are those two stained bottles candidates for cleaning (talk about hijacking my own thread...)?

 Jim G


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

Some more from my cabinet (which needs to be expanded with step shelves or something soon, I'm running out of room).


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## bottlediger (Nov 11, 2009)

Wow you do have a lot of Inks! And yes those two can be cleaned, the turtle might be the more difficult of the two because of the offset neck, I never did one of those before. The OP umbrella ive done quite a few and if it just has a little lip bruse it shouldnt be a problem

 Digger ry


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## Staunton Dan (Nov 11, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: saratogadriver
> 
> If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be this one.  It's a master size Este's Metropolitan.  Not listed in Covill.   Harmer Rooke sold one back in the 90s (before the owner got a federal inmate number) for $1500.   This one isn't perfect, it has a potstone in the neck with two stress cracks, and a number of stress marks in the neck.  The neck must have been painfully stretched in the making.  Huge push up botttom with open pontil.   A bit of staining, obviously a dug bottle.   Came off ebay a few years ago, out of the sauce listings for $255, which I considered a steal.  The height compressed slightly when I rotated the pic, but the ruler tells all.  It's similar to the smaller Este's but considerably bigger.
> 
> Jim G


 
 Great collection there Jim. Here's a few more pictures of your bottle and a short history of the Estes Ink Company taken from Ed and Lucy Faulkner's book on Inks that I highly recommend to anyone who collects or is considering collecting inks. The self bound book is over 300 pages and is loaded with photos and stories of a few thousand inks. Well worth the price in my opinion.


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

THANKS for that!    I have Covill and know of the Faulkners but didn't know they have a book out.   Do you know if it can still be gotten, or is it like Mr. Covill's book, out of print and hard as heck to get?

 I wonder if the tall Estes's (and yes, the tall one is embossed that way, with two "s" and an apostrophe in between) is the one from the Harmer Rooke auction.    It's the only one I've ever seen besides mine.   

 Jim G


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

I'll drop you a pm or email sometime, maybe after the holidays.   I've never seen a tumbling operation, so it would be interesting to drive the bottles to you.  The turtle is REAL thick glass, so I think it will stand up to tumbling pretty well.   I don't know if it's cloudy on the inside as well as the outside, but I'm guessing it probably is.   I'm assuming it was probably a privy dig.    It will be a nice piece clean, and it's one of the harder to get names on a turtle, "S.Mfg.Co."   Generally assumed to be sanford's.

 Jim G


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## Staunton Dan (Nov 11, 2009)

I just bought my book at the Richmond, VA bottle show in October. It is their updated version with many more items included. It is readily available. Here is their site http://home.comcast.net/~edandlucy1/Welcome.html


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

> THANKS for that!    I have Covill and know of the Faulkners but didn't know they have a book out.   Do you know if it can still be gotten, or is it like Mr. Covill's book, out of print and hard as heck to get?


 

 Now I'm replying to myself...    Must be getting old.    Never mind this request, I googled Ed and Lucy and found their website with the book for sale.  Put it on the Christmas list for myself.   If I like it I'll probably order one for my father (whose ink collection dwarfs mine) as well.

 Jim G


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## bottlediger (Nov 11, 2009)

Sounds good Jim

 And dan I just looked into that book you mentioned I never heard of it before either. Seems really nice but they are asking 75 + $10 shipping! Seems pretty high for a spiral book. 

 Digger Ry


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: bottlediger
> 
> Sounds good Jim
> 
> ...


 
 Agree with you on the $ for self published book.   But:   A.  it's been a LOOOOONG time since Covill published, any update is appreciated    and B. if there's anything you can fault the Covill book for it's the B and W photos and the lack of detail about many of the manufacturers out there.    I don't think either of those things were what Bill Covill was trying to do though, I think he was just trying to capture every bottle he could get between the covers.

 For an ink collector, the new book looks very interesting.

 Jim G


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## bottlediger (Nov 11, 2009)

I hear that. When I heard a few collectors rave about the Covill book and it was a must have for the ink collectors, I just had to get it. Well I got one and was horribly disipointed for the reasons you listed above. I have no problem spending the money on a good book like the ring/ham bitters books but I just wont pay 85 bucks for a spiral.

 Digger Ry


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## Staunton Dan (Nov 11, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: bottlediger
> 
> Sounds good Jim
> 
> ...


 
 I am not trying to sell their book just bringing attention to it. I struggled with buying it because of the price but I was glad I finally did buy it. I know how much work went into it to put it together. Each page was printed by them on an inkjet printer, punched and then spiral bound by hand. The research, photographing and the time it takes to put one together more than accounts for their price in my estimation. I think that it is a true work of love and I am thankful for people like them who have taken on a project like this so that I can have something to use as a reference. Just my opinion.


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## saratogadriver (Nov 11, 2009)

> I am not trying to sell their book just bringing attention to it. I struggled with buying it because of the price but I was glad I finally did buy it. I know how much work went into it to put it together. Each page was printed by them on an inkjet printer, punched and then spiral bound by hand. The research, photographing and the time it takes to put one together more than accounts for their price in my estimation. I think that it is a true work of love and I am thankful for people like them who have taken on a project like this so that I can have something to use as a reference. Just my opinion.


 
 One of the things I've promised to do for myself when I retire is some serious research into some of the more prominent makers of ink in the US.   What little is in the Covill book is tantalizing, but I'd love to know more about Harrison, and E. Waters, and Carter (that company seems to have gone through numerous iterations) and JJ Butler in Cincinatti OH.    There HAD to be ink in this coutry pre-revolution, and many sellers post revolution, yet we know little about the early makers.   

 I'd LOVE to update Covill with color pics and more detail.   Looks to me like that's what Ed and Lucy have done.   Pity these days for a small, speciality item like this, you have to self publish.   Someone should tell them though that you can self publish through a local publisher, and that business will do all the work.   I don't know what it would cost for a book their size, but it would be certainly easier for them.

 Jim G


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## Poison_Us (Nov 12, 2009)

Nice ink collection.  We started out with some inks, we have about 15 or so.  No real aspirations to improve on it at this time, but we do like them.  Maybe when we get all of the poisons we are after, which should take the rest of our lives at this rate. []


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## dollarbill (Nov 12, 2009)

Very nice ink collection ,I to like the inks .Thanks for sharing .
     bill


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## saratogadriver (Nov 12, 2009)

Thanks all.   Sometime I'll have to post a few more specific bottles.   It's fun to pick away on ebay and at the shows, one or two at a time.   I haven't done any digging since I was a kid.   Never tried my luck at privy digging at all.

 Jim G


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## bottle_head9 (Nov 12, 2009)

Jim, Nice variety of inks.I love the different shapes and colors.thanks for sharing.[]


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## JOETHECROW (Nov 12, 2009)

We have some inks.....I've always liked them,...our's are scattered all over the house in various rooms but I'll see if there's any pics in the computer....


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## JOETHECROW (Nov 12, 2009)

I've had great luck digging inks...They have above average survivability due to their shape and size,...In my experience,....It's always great to find them.                                                 Joe

 P.S. My wife Lauren dug the cool little "Allings"[]


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## saratogadriver (Nov 12, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: JOETHECROW
> 
> I've had great luck digging inks...They have above average survivability due to their shape and size,...In my experience,....It's always great to find them.                                                 Joe
> 
> P.S. My wife Lauren dug the cool little "Allings"[]


 

 I like the allings.  My dad has a similar one in his collection.  I've got two Allings that I can remember, a little master with lots of label and the little triangular allings turtle, in teal.    Allings used a lot of different shapes.

 Jim G


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## PrivyCheese (Nov 14, 2009)

Since you like inks....Here you go


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## PrivyCheese (Nov 14, 2009)

another


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## PrivyCheese (Nov 14, 2009)

another


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## PrivyCheese (Nov 14, 2009)

and another


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## PrivyCheese (Nov 14, 2009)

yup....another......some masters this time


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## PrivyCheese (Nov 14, 2009)

Last one


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## saratogadriver (Nov 15, 2009)

Nice collection of color.

 Jim G


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## epackage (Nov 17, 2009)

> ORIGINAL:  baltodigger
> 
> Since you like inks....Here you go


 Hey Balto those are great but you need a few of these to raise them up and set them apart....






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## saratogadriver (Nov 18, 2009)

Where do you get those, and what are they called?   I'm desperately in need of something like that.   Running out of space VERY quickly.

 Jim G


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## epackage (Nov 18, 2009)

> ORIGINAL:  saratogadriver
> 
> Where do you get those, and what are they called?Â Â  I'm desperately in need of something like that.Â Â  Running out of space VERY quickly.
> 
> Jim G


 Hi SD, I got them at a local Mall during a store remodel, I may have more sitting around, I'll check and get back to you. You can do things like this with them if you take the time to cut and shape them....






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## glass man (Nov 19, 2009)

VERY ,VERY NICE INKS! I ONCE HAD A SMOOTH BASED 8 SIDED UMBRELLA INK WITH ABOUT 60% OF THE LABEL ON IT. A GUY BOUGHT IT AND SAID FIRST THING HE WAS GONNA DO WAS TAKE IT HOME AND WASH THE UGLY LABEL OFF![:-][:-] JAMIE


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## pyshodoodle (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi Jim, 
 Nice ink collection! I love inks, bu tI basically collect whatever I find... I doubt that will ever change, but we'll see. 

 Here's an ink we dug that I don't know anything about. Maybe you can help.


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## pyshodoodle (Nov 21, 2009)

Color is more accurate in this picture.


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## pyshodoodle (Nov 21, 2009)

And one more since I just think it's so darn pretty!


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## JOETHECROW (Nov 21, 2009)

That's a real pretty little ink, Kate...


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## pyshodoodle (Nov 21, 2009)

I wish it were mine...but at least I was there when it was unearthed. I wish someone could tell me something about it, as I've not seen another like it yet.

 God, It's pretty, isn't it[]


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## saratogadriver (Nov 23, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: pyshodoodle
> 
> Hi Jim,
> Nice ink collection! I love inks, bu tI basically collect whatever I find... I doubt that will ever change, but we'll see.
> ...


 
 I would have told you it's european, but since you were there when it was dug...  it obviously has ties to the US.   I'm sure you know the notch is a pen ledge.    The pen could be put there and wouldn't leave a mark on the desk.   

 It's a sweet little ink.   Not one that I recall seeing in Covill, and much less common than many of the english import pen ledge inks.

 Jim G


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