# Odd Ink...



## DeepSeaDan (Jun 4, 2021)

Found this today, never seen anything like it:


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## Jake2150 (Jun 4, 2021)

An inkwell and an insulator had a baby


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## DeepSeaDan (Jun 4, 2021)

Jake2150 said:


> An inkwell and an insulator had a baby


When it cries it lights up!


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## CanadianBottles (Jun 4, 2021)

Wow that's quite the inkwell, never seen one of those before!  I assume it was meant to screw into a desk, probably was intended to be refillable.  It's got a strangely crude and utilitarian top for a refillable ink though.  Maybe intended to have some sort of metal cap?


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## DeepSeaDan (Jun 4, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> Wow that's quite the inkwell, never seen one of those before!  I assume it was meant to screw into a desk, probably was intended to be refillable.  It's got a strangely crude and utilitarian top for a refillable ink though.  Maybe intended to have some sort of metal cap?


I must admit it was an educated guess this item is an inkwell. I’ve never heard of inkwells being threaded into desks, but it makes sense. Could it have been corked?


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## CanadianBottles (Jun 4, 2021)

DeepSeaDan said:


> I must admit it was an educated guess this item is an inkwell. I’ve never heard of inkwells being threaded into desks, but it makes sense. Could it have been corked?


It could have been corked but that seems unlikely for an inkwell built into a desk.  Those typically had fancier closures and I can't imagine that a bottle designed for a specific desk would be thrown out and replaced.  It's also very possible that it isn't an inkwell at all.  Maybe an oil bottle for a lamp or something similar?


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## Joelbest (Jun 4, 2021)

Too many places for the ink to get stuck in and wasted.  I think it’s a one off made from left overs. Frankinbottle . Someone had a bottom middle and top left over from 3 different bottles and made there own bottle . An amateur bottle maker so to speak.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jun 5, 2021)

DeepSeaDan said:


> Found this today, never seen anything like it:View attachment 226118View attachment 226119


Very odd one for sure. I did find another bottle with the same patent on the base for an F&S. Not sure if this helps but I just focused on the pat. date.
ROBBYBOBBY64. 


__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/460352393140569689/


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## DeepSeaDan (Jun 5, 2021)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Very odd one for sure. I did find another bottle with the same patent on the base for an F&S. Not sure if this helps but I just focused on the pat. date.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.
> 
> 
> __ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/460352393140569689/


Thanks RB'y, I did see your bottle listed in my search for bottles of that patent date, yet no image/information of my find was forthcoming from my searching. I must assume this is a one-of-a-kind creation and prepare it for auction at Southeby's...


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## DeepSeaDan (Jun 5, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> It could have been corked but that seems unlikely for an inkwell built into a desk.  Those typically had fancier closures and I can't imagine that a bottle designed for a specific desk would be thrown out and replaced.  It's also very possible that it isn't an inkwell at all.  Maybe an oil bottle for a lamp or something similar?



Yes, I think your right - it's not appearing in any inkwell searches I've done.


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## DeepSeaDan (Jun 5, 2021)

Joelbest said:


> Too many places for the ink to get stuck in and wasted.  I think it’s a one off made from left overs. Frankinbottle . Someone had a bottom middle and top left over from 3 different bottles and made there own bottle . An amateur bottle maker so to speak.


Well, that is a novel idea! It's kinda fun trying to discover what this little fella was used for, but a bit frustrating as well. There's always hope one of the good membership will recognize it & solve the riddle.


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## CanadianBottles (Jun 5, 2021)

DeepSeaDan said:


> Well, that is a novel idea! It's kinda fun trying to discover what this little fella was used for, but a bit frustrating as well. There's always hope one of the good membership will recognize it & solve the riddle.


I don't think I really buy the frankenstein idea, putting together a few different molds seems like it would be a lot of work and I don't know why anyone would bother finishing the lip on something like that.  I really think it's some sort of specialized bottle for a niche use.  Hard to say what though.


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## willong (Jun 9, 2021)

CanadianBottles said:


> Wow that's quite the inkwell, never seen one of those before!  I assume it was meant to screw into a desk, probably was intended to be refillable.  It's got a strangely crude and utilitarian top for a refillable ink though.  Maybe intended to have some sort of metal cap?



In the photo, it looks to me like those are not functional threads--they seem to be both L/H and R/H as well as interrupted. I think they are just decorative elements.


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## Jamdam (Jun 9, 2021)

Just my 2 cents as an ink collector, never seen it, not in Covill or any other ink guide I have so believe it’s something else. Probably industrial or scientific use but really no reference, just a guess.


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## Bohdan (Jun 9, 2021)

DeepSeaDan said:


> Found this today, never seen anything like it:View attachment 226118View attachment 226119


Is it actually threaded? Or are those just ridges"?


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## DeepSeaDan (Jun 9, 2021)

Bohdan said:


> Is it actually threaded? Or are those just ridges"?


They're just ridges, I think.


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## embe (Jun 9, 2021)

Looks to me more like those ridges are for insulating wire instead of threading into anything.  My opinion... but it's a question for sure.  Thinking something got broken off on the hollow end


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## CanadianBottles (Jun 9, 2021)

Oh if it's not threaded then that changes things.  Still no clue about what purpose it would have though.


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## saratogadriver (Jun 10, 2021)

Jamdam said:


> Just my 2 cents as an ink collector, never seen it, not in Covill or any other ink guide I have so believe it’s something else. Probably industrial or scientific use but really no reference, just a guess.




I'm another ink collector who has never seen this one.  Agreed not in Covill and I don't think it's in Faulkner 2nd.   I'm also guessing something commercial or lab.  But that's only a guess.

Jim G


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## Chukason (Jun 10, 2021)

Kinda looks like the lid to the glass container that was shown in a earlier post with the top broken off but I could be wrong


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## PlaneDiggerCam (Jun 10, 2021)

It could be some sort of glass apothecary instrument, since the patent also applies to the base of the bottle matching the patent online...


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## Dogo (Jun 10, 2021)

Maybe a whale-oil lamp?  They had very small wicks and would be about the same size.  Just a thought.


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## Fenndango (Jun 16, 2021)

It has a patent date so should be able to find it


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