# One of the nicest inks I've ever seen



## Shades of History

Sometimes, when I have looked at at really hardcore collections and pictures of rare colored bottles, I'm just blown away, especially umbrella and similar looking inks. I wonder where they find bottles that nice, or if they bought them, how they could manage to get them without breaking the bank. Sometimes though with some patience and a little detective work, a good deal can be found on something like that. I had to get this ink when I saw it and I'm glad I did. Just came today and it looks even better than in the pictures. What an outrageous color, and a weird mold seam too!


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## nhpharm

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I do not believe that to be old.


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## Jamdam

Believe it’s a Wheaton reproduction. Certainly is not old. Too bad. Great color.


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## Diver4Life

I have found three inkwells so far Scuba Diving two from the 1920s or 1930s and then this one. What do you think?


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## nhpharm

That's a nice "boat" ink bottle .  English, 1900-1920 or so I believe.


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## Shades of History

Jamdam said:


> Believe it’s a Wheaton reproduction. Certainly is not old. Too bad. Great color.


Definitely not a wheaton. Why? 1.) Wheatons have "Wheaton New Jersey" on the bottom. Mine has a crude uneven bottom with no name or any embossing. 2.) The glass is too crude. I didn't capture this as best I could in the pics, but Wheaton replicas are much cleaner. 3.) The seams are all wrong 4.)The bottle has inner haze staining, which although can be faked, looks legit. Most people wouldn't bother doing that just to make a few bucks. It means the bottle has actually held contents/been used, which replicas do not.


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## CanadianBottles

It really looks like it's from the 1970s to me.  I've never seen an early ABM bottle that looked like that and I've seen plenty from the 70s that did.  Never seen a genuine early ABM bottle in puce at all although it's a super common colour for 70s decorative bottles.  I don't know what's going on with the staining on the inside but it's very possible someone was using it as a vase or for storing something.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64

Diver4Life said:


> I have found three inkwells so far Scuba Diving two from the 1920s or 1930s and then this one. What do you think?
> 
> Very nice ink. Double pen rests. Sheartop, open pontiled. Looks legit if that's the question. Lol! Thanks for the pictures.
> ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## Nickneff

Shades of History said:


> Sometimes, when I have looked at at really hardcore collections and pictures of rare colored bottles, I'm just blown away, especially umbrella and similar looking inks. I wonder where they find bottles that nice, or if they bought them, how they could manage to get them without breaking the bank. Sometimes though with some patience and a little detective work, a good deal can be found on something like that. I had to get this ink when I saw it and I'm glad I did. Just came today and it looks even better than in the pictures. What an outrageous color, and a weird mold seam too!





Shades of History said:


> Sometimes, when I have looked at at really hardcore collections and pictures of rare colored bottles, I'm just blown away, especially umbrella and similar looking inks. I wonder where they find bottles that nice, or if they bought them, how they could manage to get them without breaking the bank. Sometimes though with some patience and a little detective work, a good deal can be found on something like that. I had to get this ink when I saw it and I'm glad I did. Just came today and it looks even better than in the pictures. What an outrageous color, and a weird mold seam too!


That's a reproduction I hope you didn't pay a lot for it you got a dig them up I did all my bottles I never buy anything you dig them out of old privies I've got some really sweet umbrella inks actually I dug one in that color blown piece $3,300 in the book I sold it two years back 2500 hot dog another really nice ink year after that a year or two after that beautiful JW seating Louisville Kentucky umbrella ink emerald green send a bottle book 800 to 1,400 sold it at auction for 2,000 been digging for over 35 years that's where you find them in the old privies but you better be very careful I have some experience people with you people have died digging those bottles what happens the whole can implode on you you might as well stick a daisy on top cuz you're gone I have done over 200 privies got all kinds of stuff out of them hand-painted marbles beautiful swirl marbles onion skins, guns 8 pocket watches 2 gold $5 pieces numerous jugs chamber pots any type of bottle you can think of I even dug a grave Stone and one more time I remember one time we dug a brass gun octagon barrel another time I dug a octagon barrel gun two Chambers has been fired on I think somebody got smoke they threw the gun in the privy 18 karat gold women's wedding band I gave it to my mother you never know what that next shovel to uncover but you better be ready to work the shallows how I've ever dug was 6 ft deep the deepest one was 35 ft took all weekend to dig it but usually they go 18 to 20 feet and they're very dangerous to dig digging bottles isn't for everyone you either like it or you don't separates the men from the boys have a good day happy bottle hunting


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## Nickneff

that's a very early ink well


Diver4Life said:


> I have found three inkwells so far Scuba Diving two from the 1920s or 1930s and then this one. What do you think?


Indentions on both sides of the neck the ink are for holding the quill pen that is a very nice ink it's almost like a schoolhouse ink I love the Isle of the schoolhouse inks . very nice find


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## GRACE ABOUND

Nickneff said:


> that's a very early ink well
> 
> Indentions on both sides of the neck the ink are for holding the quill pen that is a very nice ink it's almost like a schoolhouse ink I love the Isle of the schoolhouse inks . very nice find


Hi Nick : I Will Send You Some Images 
 Of My Old Ink Wells.


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## Shades of History

Nice inks, everyone that has posted! Answer to a couple questions and an update: don't worry, I did not pay anything outrageous for this bottle. I paid probably twice what a good replica would fairly cost which is a bit of a bummer, but nothing crazy(in other words nowhere even close to what it could actually be worth as an authentic piece).

You guys who think it's a repro have made many valid points, but I'm still 50/50 with a ton of new evidence. I have done some research into a lot of specifics(and learned a lot in the process), and have been unable to "shoot down" this bottle as a replica completely. There's nothing it has or doesn't have that completely 100% pins it down as a replica, along with many things that make it weird for a replica.

Interestingly, there is also a narrow window of time between 1905 and probably about 1912 where this bottle could have been manufactured on a non-Owens machine of some sort for small bore bottles. They described how some of these non-standard machines worked in terms of the "mold" and showed an example, which was very similar to what my ink has(the seams are slightly offset, and the example they were majorly offset).

I will post again some time today with links, quotes, more pics, and explain the connections I'm making here. Like I said, 50/50 could certainly be a replica, but it would be at least as odd a replica as it would be an original and there's nothing expressly precluding it from having been made between 1905 and 1912.

Another thing: My town was founded in the 1870's as a railroad town and mining boomed at the 1890s/turn of the century into the 1910's. There's potentially good bottles to be found, but so far I haven't found them. All I find(if I'm lucky) is 20's, 30's and 40's stuff, and usually it's not even that it's just junk from the 50's-70's.


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## RelicRaker

Love the color and shape of the first. I've dug a lot of umbrellas, cones, and "fishing reels" but never anything like that. The base is very neat for a Victorian ink—which says repro to me—every BIM ink or mucilage I've dug has some bubbling or wonkiness in the base. Beautiful piece regardless. 

The 2nd ink is 1800s. I've seen UK larks pull em out of the mud. Sweet sheared lip.


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## Shades of History

RelicRaker said:


> Love the color and shape of the first. I've dug a lot of umbrellas, cones, and "fishing reels" but never anything like that. The base is very neat for a Victorian ink—which says repro to me—every BIM ink or mucilage I've dug has some bubbling or wonkiness in the base. Beautiful piece regardless.
> 
> The 2nd ink is 1800s. I've seen UK larks pull em out of the mud. Sweet sheared lip.


If you mean mine(if which authentic is an early 1905-1910 non-Owens small bore ABM)-then I didn't take the picture right. The base is not neat at all-it's uneven with a big convex bulge in one area and a little concave "pinch" with some sort of gash/open bubble/manufacturing scar. I'll try to get some better pics.


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## Shades of History

Here is the website I used as a tool with all the mold and machine information, and dating techniques. Dating Page (sha.org)
If anyone really wants, I can go and get direct quotes to back any of the following statements, but it's easier to summarize my findings.
What I learned from this site is  the following things:

1.) The color was most popular from 1840-1880 and uncommon beyond that, but I've seen a few turn of the century and 1910's bottles around in that color.

2.)Couldn't find the exact shape referenced, but went to the ink section, specifically the cone and umbrella area, because it shares some similarities to these types. It says straight up that machine made inks "came in every color" their 19th century counterparts did. Now some might be harder to come by, but they specifically stated that all those colors are possible on machine made bottles.

It also said umbrella shaped inks became less popular and phased out of catalogues about 1909, generally before any known examples were machine made, but there is a small possibility. Plus, my bottle is not quite a traditional umbrella(like the ones that are always copied) but sort looks to me like it could be a transitional shape into the round and cone shapes that remained popular throughout the 20's and stuff.

3.) There were non-Owens type machines capable of producing small bore bottles such as this between 1905 and I think 1915 and the mold marks looks very similar to mine, and have a tendency for there to be an "offset" which I'll take pictures of. The seems are a bit sloppy and thick. Mine also has crude quality glass with multiple bubbles, a couple of which are large. All of those fit and finish characteristics are consistent with a pre-1920's machine made bottle.

People making replicas did not try to copy early machine characteristics, because they didn't even know what that was and copying 19th century bottles was more popular. Replicas have a tendency to either be blown in a mold like their authentic 19th century counterparts, or to be made on more modern machines that leave different more "normal/modern" types of seams and less crudity. Also, they usually don't try to make some weird transitional shape that "could have been", they simply copy the usual umbrella and cone styles most popular with collectors.

Could it still be a replica? absolutely, but I think that's *far from a given*. Hey, at least I learned a lot doing the research. I'll try to get some pics sometime soon to better show the mold seems, and the crude and bulging base.


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## digger dun

"There were non-Owens type machines capable of producing small bore bottles such as this between 1905 and I think 1915 and the mold marks looks very similar to mine, and have a tendency for there to be an "offset"  

The way the mold seam sharply offsets at the lip looks like early ABM to me, I've never seen a Wheaton or other repro that recreated that seam off set, but many of the ABM corked small bottles I've dug in 1900-1910 context exhibit this seam off set. If it were not for that i would call repro, as the color and shape both have that repro flavor...


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## dab46

nhpharm said:


> I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I do not believe that to be old.


I agree, don't it's old ether.


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## Nickneff

GRACE ABOUND said:


> Hi Nick : I Will Send You Some Images
> Of My Old Ink Wells.


I really like that round cylinder yellow best looking ink  that I've seen in a minute


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## mike garrett

Diver4Life said:


> I have found three inkwells so far Scuba Diving two from the 1920s or 1930s and then this one. What do you think?


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## mike garrett

from about the 1880 or so,not bad. dug a few  in my time.


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## RIBottleguy

Without the slightest doubt in my mind a modern fantasy piece.  I'm willing to bet my entire collection (worth tens of thousands) on it.


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## relic rescuer

Diver4Life said:


> I have found three inkwells so far Scuba Diving two from the 1920s or 1930s and then this one. What do you think?


Is that Vaseline glass? Sure looks like it.


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## farmkiti

I don't know if it's new or old, but I like the color.  It's beautiful.  Since I also collect fountain pens, this one really caught my eye.


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## Oldsdigger

Robbybobby64, what you found was a Victorian Penny Ink. They were usually from the UK with sheared tops opossed to a tooled lip. There are a lot of different varients ! Here is a grouping of several of my Penny Inks.


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## Nickneff

Oldsdigger said:


> Robbybobby64, what you found was a Victorian Penny Ink. They were usually from the UK with sheared tops opossed to a tooled lip. There are a lot of different varients ! Here is a grouping of several of my Penny Inks. View attachment 217938


Very nice assortment of inks beautiful colors thanks for sharing


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## saratogadriver

Unfortunately for the original poster that is definitely a repro or fantasy piece from the 1970s.   Great color though.    The mold seam going all the way up through the lip is a dead giveaway of machine made.   I don't know if all wheaton repros have that marked on them...  it may be a japanese repro.   There are some of those out there also and there are definitely unmarked repros.   

I don't know of an actual pre-1900 ink bottle in exactly that form, which is why I'd say it's more fantasy than repro...

Jim G


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## Shades of History

Still 50/50 on this myself and by the consensus. I agree that the mold seems are very odd for a repro and actually accurate for early ABM/SABM. If it is a repro, they have some very odd and unconventional machinery in their factory or shop-as I've said, repros I've seen are either blown in mold to mimic original 19th century bottles, or unashamedly machine made on more modern machines that would leave more modern mold seams. This doesn't jive with that, which makes it just as much of an odd duck as a repro as it does for a real piece.

I'm not convinced either way. Either it is a particularly odd repro, or it is one of those "holy grail" bottles, a legit transitional/early machine made piece with great color which would make it worth quite a bit. I can see how that's very unlikely and could cause people to want to shoot it down automatically with no objective proof other than "that looks too good to be true and I'd be so jelly". I'm not saying I know it isn't a repro, just saying I'm going to need a better argument than that as to why it "is a repro". I did all the research. This being a real bottle is improbable but definitely not impossible.

So, still up in the air. Hey, no loss if its a repro. Like I said, I didn't pay more than twice what a good repro should be worth. On the other hand if it's legit, big score whether I keep it or sell it to somebody really hardcore.


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## RIBottleguy

It was made overseas, they don't even try to make it look real.  They had someone make a garbage bottle mold with poorly formed seams and make it a pretty color.  That's just what they do in a third world country.  Technology is behind.
It's really hard to tell apart experts from amateurs just spitting out the first thing that comes to mind in this forum unfortunately.  If you want to really settle the debate your should email a picture of the bottle to one of the major American bottle auction houses (Hecklers, Glassworks, American Bottle Auction).  They will tell you if it's real or not.  Please don't be one of those ignorant fools who thinks they know better than the experts.


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## sandchip

RIBottleguy said:


> It was made overseas, they don't even try to make it look real.  They had someone make a garbage bottle mold with poorly formed seams and make it a pretty color.  That's just what they do in a third world country.  Technology is behind.
> It's really hard to tell apart experts from amateurs just spitting out the first thing that comes to mind in this forum unfortunately.  If you want to really settle the debate your should email a picture of the bottle to one of the major American bottle auction houses (Hecklers, Glassworks, American Bottle Auction).  They will tell you if it's real or not.  Please don't be one of those ignorant fools who thinks they know better than the experts.



Exactly.

Also, it's not a "repro" because there are no early inks of this shape to reproduce.  (The closest mold that comes to mind is the A.B. Laird, but the proportions are completely different.)  It's a fantasy mold of modern production, plain and simple.  Take advantage of the centuries of combined knowledge and experience being offered by the members on this site and accept it for what it is.


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## saratogadriver

One thing needs to be said as well.   There aren't hard dates for what was blown when vs what was some form of ABM when.  The ONLY hard date there is the date of the patenting of the first owens bottle making machine.   Some places blew glass even decades after that, particularly in Britain and Europe, but also some here as well.  We've all seen blown bottles for companies known to have come into existence after the ABM machine.   Recently there was a bottle catalogue posted on here showing both blown and abm bottles available for sale from the same glass company.   And there are now lots of different ABM machines using somewhat different techniques.   I wish we still had Red alive, he actually worked in the industry much of his life and he could have told us lots about those techniques.

Jim G


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## nhpharm

It's threads like these (and attitudes like this) that drove many of the long-time collectors off this site unfortunately.  Those few of us who remain spend precious time responding to threads like this in an attempt to educate people on our hobby.  It's disappointing to hear something is a reproduction/modern fantasy and I understand that, but we've all been in that boat and have had to accept that fact from time to time.


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## saratogadriver

nhpharm said:


> It's threads like these (and attitudes like this) that drove many of the long-time collectors off this site unfortunately.  Those few of us who remain spend precious time responding to threads like this in an attempt to educate people on our hobby.  It's disappointing to hear something is a reproduction/modern fantasy and I understand that, but we've all been in that boat and have had to accept that fact from time to time.




Let's face it Nhpharm, we respond because we have too much time on our hands...   LOL!    

We get a lot of new folks trying to learn on here... I'd say more than I see on the facebook forums that I'm on where lots of folks from here fled to.    It's nice to be able to try and guide new folks to the extent we have the knowledge.  Besides, stuff comes up on here that I've never seen before and that's always learning for me.

Jim G


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## Jake2150

For us newbies, the expertise here is invaluable, and I think most would prefer to know the reality of their item.
Also I love that ink, Repro or otherwise


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## Shades of History

RIBottleguy said:


> It was made overseas, they don't even try to make it look real.  They had someone make a garbage bottle mold with poorly formed seams and make it a pretty color.  That's just what they do in a third world country.  Technology is behind.
> It's really hard to tell apart experts from amateurs just spitting out the first thing that comes to mind in this forum unfortunately.  If you want to really settle the debate your should email a picture of the bottle to one of the major American bottle auction houses (Hecklers, Glassworks, American Bottle Auction).  They will tell you if it's real or not.  Please don't be one of those ignorant fools who thinks they know better than the experts.


I don't think I know better than experts, and I don't consider myself one. I have a modest/moderate amount of knowledge about bottles, but I'm admittedly far from an expert. I just don't think every single person who spouts off on a forum is an expert either necessarily, no offense. That's why I've been neutral about it because I see evidence for both a "fantasy bottle" and a small window of possibility for a turn of the century semi-automatic machine made bottle. You are right though. I do not assume I'll get a definitive answer here or from my own limited research. I may actually consult a genuine expert on this some time, and if I do, I will certainly share my finding whether its legit or fantasy so we can all learn. I honestly don't care as much if this is real as just knowing the truth for the sake of learning, but that needs to be an objective answer not either "I wish its real so its real" or somebody else just shooting it down as crap before they even do research or know for certain...so yeah, will probably need to consult an actual expert to figure out for sure.

I don't have much invested in this bottle. I literally just want to see some objectivity and real evidence on the side of those saying it isn't real. I really think if one goes back and looks through the thread, I've been pretty neutral and objective, while some have been very dismissive and gung-ho/insistent it's not real, without really providing much objective evidence for their assertion. I really don't think I'm the one being stubborn, or the one displaying any kind of attitude here. I'm not the one on some ego trip, I'm just looking to actually learn and enjoy the hobby here, not get talked to dismissively and then chastised with some snobbish platitude about how I think I know better than experts.

I'm sorry if this comes off as harsh, it's not my intent. I was pretty chill and then the claws started coming out here for no reason. Please don't be so snobbish and dismissive. You come off as rather toxic, whether or not that is your intent, and I really have a low tolerance for bullies and trolls.


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## Oldsdigger

Nickneff said:


> Very nice assortment of inks beautiful colors thanks for sharing


Thanks Nickneff ! Most of the others I have are Carter's Bixby's and Sanfords. Most of the Whittles were from my Dad who liked antiquing and would give me a few every Christmas and Birthdays.


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## Shades of History

Oldsdigger said:


> Thanks Nickneff ! Most of the others I have are Carter's Bixby's and Sanfords. Most of the Whittles were from my Dad who liked antiquing and would give me a few every Christmas and Birthdays. View attachment 219379


Those are sweet! The slanted/rhombus cobalt one and the milk glass are really neat. I haven't seen anything like either of them.


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## Oldsdigger

Shades of History said:


> I don't think I know better than experts, and I don't consider myself one. I have a modest/moderate amount of knowledge about bottles, but I'm admittedly far from an expert. I just don't think every single person who spouts off on a forum is an expert either necessarily, no offense. That's why I've been neutral about it because I see evidence for both a "fantasy bottle" and a small window of possibility for a turn of the century semi-automatic machine made bottle. You are right though. I do not assume I'll get a definitive answer here or from my own limited research. I may actually consult a genuine expert on this some time, and if I do, I will certainly share my finding whether its legit or fantasy so we can all learn. I honestly don't care as much if this is real as just knowing the truth for the sake of learning, but that needs to be an objective answer not either "I wish its real so its real" or somebody else just shooting it down as crap before they even do research or know for certain...so yeah, will probably need to consult an actual expert to figure out for sure.
> 
> I don't have much invested in this bottle. I literally just want to see some objectivity and real evidence on the side of those saying it isn't real. I really think if one goes back and looks through the thread, I've been pretty neutral and objective, while some have been very dismissive and gung-ho/insistent it's not real, without really providing much objective evidence for their assertion. I really don't think I'm the one being stubborn, or the one displaying any kind of attitude here. I'm not the one on some ego trip, I'm just looking to actually learn and enjoy the hobby here, not get talked to dismissively and then chastised with some snobbish platitude about how I think I know better than experts.
> 
> I'm sorry if this comes off as harsh, it's not my intent. I was pretty chill and then the claws started coming out here for no reason. Please don't be so snobbish and dismissive. You come off as rather toxic, whether or not that is your intent, and I really have a low tolerance for bullies and trolls.


Very well stated Shades of History, I also don't consider myself any where near an expert. Since I truthfully haven't been involved in the hobby since the late 80's, when I used to dig for bottles. These days I only buy for the joy of some new ones !


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## saratogadriver

Shades of History said:


> II may actually consult a genuine expert on this some time, and if I do, I will certainly share my finding whether its legit or fantasy so we can all learn.



I believe my earlier posts were very neutral, and attempted to show some humor while at the same time giving an honest assessment.    But I saw this little piece in the middle of your statement above and it touched a nerve.

I picked this piece of your statement for a reason.   You assume you aren't talking to experts.   At various times there have been big time collectors (as in $100000 bitters collectors), dealers ( people like Jeff Noordsy who routinely handles some of the rarest stuff, particularly New England early glass), and even a couple of guys who worked in the glass industry on here.    

As far as experts on ink, I've been collecting ink bottles since 1990, and my father since the 1970s.    Hopefully the pic of some of my collection will give you an idea that I may have a few of the things.   Dad's collection, which will some day merge with mine, is larger than my collection.  I Also have Covill's book and more recently Faulkner's 2nd edition, which are the current definitive authorities on inks.    I don't have Lucy Faulkner's book right in front of me, but I'm pretty sure your ink is shown as a known reproduction.   

It's a pretty piece but it's not a turn of the century abm bottle, nor is it something older.   The color, the clarity, the form are all inconsistent with TOC abm, when the new machines were in their infancy and the abm bottles were fairly crude.  The umbrella form is almost non-existent after the ABM machines came in.  For some reason they basically stopped making them.   So any ABM umbrella type is immediately suspect to begin with.   

It's a known reproduction.  

Jim G


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## yacorie

saratogadriver said:


> I believe my earlier posts were very neutral, and attempted to show some humor while at the same time giving an honest assessment.    But I saw this little piece in the middle of your statement above and it touched a nerve.
> 
> I picked this piece of your statement for a reason.   You assume you aren't talking to experts.   At various times there have been big time collectors (as in $100000 bitters collectors), dealers ( people like Jeff Noordsy who routinely handles some of the rarest stuff, particularly New England early glass), and even a couple of guys who worked in the glass industry on here.
> 
> As far as experts on ink, I've been collecting ink bottles since 1990, and my father since the 1970s.    Hopefully the pic of some of my collection will give you an idea that I may have a few of the things.   Dad's collection, which will some day merge with mine, is larger than my collection.  I Also have Covill's book and more recently Faulkner's 2nd edition, which are the current definitive authorities on inks.    I don't have Lucy Faulkner's book right in front of me, but I'm pretty sure your ink is shown as a known reproduction.
> 
> It's a pretty piece but it's not a turn of the century abm bottle, nor is it something older.   The color, the clarity, the form are all inconsistent with TOC abm, when the new machines were in their infancy and the abm bottles were fairly crude.  The umbrella form is almost non-existent after the ABM machines came in.  For some reason they basically stopped making them.   So any ABM umbrella type is immediately suspect to begin with.
> 
> It's a known reproduction.
> 
> Jim G



have you ever seen a milk glass burst top  ink?  I acquired one last year or two years ago and I swear I’ve seen one before in-old auction catalogue or reference but have struck out finding it.

now I’m wondering if it’s an ink at all


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## RelicRaker

I've learned so much here, and abt inks in particular.
And I've gotta say, you guys deliver bad news pretty well.

I recently joined a members-only button collecting group on Facebook to help ID a few Victorian era buttons that have popped up in my bottle digs over the past few years.I posted pix, and several members were quick to tell me how utterly worthless the buttons I'd found were. LOL


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## RelicRaker

Oldsdigger said:


> Thanks Nickneff ! Most of the others I have are Carter's Bixby's and Sanfords. Most of the Whittles were from my Dad who liked antiquing and would give me a few every Christmas and Birthdays. View attachment 219379


These are awesome! The tall panel inks—I've dug these in both clear and aqua. Are they inks or mucilages?


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## saratogadriver

saratogadriver said:


> I believe my earlier posts were very neutral, and attempted to show some humor while at the same time giving an honest assessment.    But I saw this little piece in the middle of your statement above and it touched a nerve.
> 
> I picked this piece of your statement for a reason.   You assume you aren't talking to experts.   At various times there have been big time collectors (as in $100000 bitters collectors), dealers ( people like Jeff Noordsy who routinely handles some of the rarest stuff, particularly New England early glass), and even a couple of guys who worked in the glass industry on here.
> 
> As far as experts on ink, I've been collecting ink bottles since 1990, and my father since the 1970s.    Hopefully the pic of some of my collection will give you an idea that I may have a few of the things.   Dad's collection, which will some day merge with mine, is larger than my collection.  I Also have Covill's book and more recently Faulkner's 2nd edition, which are the current definitive authorities on inks.    I don't have Lucy Faulkner's book right in front of me, but I'm pretty sure your ink is shown as a known reproduction.
> 
> It's a pretty piece but it's not a turn of the century abm bottle, nor is it something older.   The color, the clarity, the form are all inconsistent with TOC abm, when the new machines were in their infancy and the abm bottles were fairly crude.  The umbrella form is almost non-existent after the ABM machines came in.  For some reason they basically stopped making them.   So any ABM umbrella type is immediately suspect to begin with.
> 
> It's a known reproduction.
> 
> Jim G


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## saratogadriver

yacorie said:


> have you ever seen a milk glass burst top  ink?  I acquired one last year or two years ago and I swear I’ve seen one before in-old auction catalogue or reference but have struck out finding it.
> 
> now I’m wondering if it’s an ink at all




Post a pic.   I'd love to see it.

Jim G


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## saratogadriver

Here's the faulkner page with repro and decorative inks.  It's not as close to yours as I'd remembered but it's also the closest I can find to your ink in two books.    

Jim G


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## sandchip

Here's the AB Laird ink to which I referred, the closest in shape that I could find.  The shoulders and the vertical portion are both sided, while the ink in question is cylindrical with only sided shoulders.  My assessment is still fantasy piece of modern production, but with only 45+ years of collecting experience, what do I know?  I too, would encourage Shades to contact any of the "experts", Jeff Noordsy, Michael George, Jim Hagenbuch, John Pastor, Norm Heckler and more if you need them, and let us know what any of them have to say.


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## yacorie

saratogadriver said:


> Post a pic.   I'd love to see it.
> 
> Jim G


Here are some pics.  When I bought it - I assumed it was an ink because it was in a group of nice inks but I’m not sure it is an ink.


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## nhpharm

yacorie said:


> Here are some pics.  When I bought it - I assumed it was an ink because it was in a group of nice inks but I’m not sure it is an ink.


I'm thinking maybe a wee little lamp?


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## saratogadriver

yacorie said:


> Here are some pics.  When I bought it - I assumed it was an ink because it was in a group of nice inks but I’m not sure it is an ink.




I've seen those sold as lamps and as ink bottles, although I don't know that I've ever seen one in milk glass.  We say ink but that taller paneled form is really most often seen with mucilage labels.  I mooched this pick of a stickwell from another old string.   You can see the similarity.   I've always wondered if they weren't sold with ink in them intending to be able to use them as lamps once the ink was gone.    A promo item to encourage buying of the original product?    I've got no evidence though to support that.

Jim G


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## yacorie

Thanks guys - I’ve considered the possibility of a small lamp but most this size have the finger loop.

either way - it was always a cool piece.  I’ve considered just tossing it on eBay and letting the market determine what the heck it is haha.  Ive tried to locate a picture or example in a catalogue to no avail.


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## matthew lucier

Oldsdigger said:


> Thanks Nickneff ! Most of the others I have are Carter's Bixby's and Sanfords. Most of the Whittles were from my Dad who liked antiquing and would give me a few every Christmas and Birthdays. View attachment 219379


A small Amber bottle at the top of one of your pictures DSC 2141 jpeg looks like a capudine bottle? the green one next to it does it have a notch or groove in the side of it? Are both these bottles ink wells or are they refills. 

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk


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