# ALL Members & Administrators Contribute Please.



## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Hello everyone, thank you for stopping in! I would like to get a General Senses of everyone's Personal Opinion of this bottle and what you would Personally value it at. It does not matter if you collect Cans, Jars, or any other types of Bottles. Please feel free to Comment on why you Like or Dislike it and how that ties into your Personal Opinion of the value. There is no specific reason I chose this bottle. Okay okay you got me lol there really is, I REALLY REALLY LIKE IT!!! This should also make for an Interesting thread.Thank you All, Bert DeWitt [attachment=inkwell (1).jpg] [attachment=inkwell1 (1).jpg] [attachment=inkwell2.jpg]


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## goodman1966 (Aug 24, 2014)

Well I do like it to ! If I were going to purchase it I would not give more than 40$. I say that because the only two I've seen like it had ground lips. I would have to confirm the smooth lip version before I would pay more. But hey, I'm no expert ! Just my opinion. Nice ink ! Mitch


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you Mitch for posting your opinion that you like it and why you would value it at such. It's okay you're not an expert, this thread is about Everyones Opinion of why they like or dislike it and reasonings for Opinion of value expert or not. Thank you for your contribution, Bert DeWitt


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## MichaelFla (Aug 24, 2014)

My daughter has one just like it but without the haze. It's beautiful and we gave $35 for it. Hers is only the slightest shade darker than yours. You will find that the darker colors in these send the value up, but the aqua ones are relatively common. They still make a great display piece, though!


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you Michael for the information and your personal opinion.


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## Plumbata (Aug 24, 2014)

It is a very shapely bottle, the paneled base and attractive block letters contrasting nicely with the domed top. Not many pieces are as visually interesting as those inks, and if I dug one I'd definitely place it on a windowsill. I only actively collect local bottles though, so would pay at most around 40% of the price I would expect to get when resold.


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you for your opinion and I agree with you it is a visually interesting design! I also want to thank you for your very interesting answer of what you personally would value it at. Thank you for contributing, Bert DeWitt


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## hemihampton (Aug 24, 2014)

Is that what they call a Igloo Ink well? I like it, hope I can dig one someday. I probably wouldn't pay much for one though since I don't collect or specialize in them. Maybe $10 I'd pay? LEON.


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## ACLbottles (Aug 24, 2014)

I have one just like it, but with a partial label. It's a very attractive bottle, but unfortunately fairly common (but less common than the ground lip variation). I'd say $25 to $30, even though it's one of the more appealing bottles that I've seen.


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

hemihampton said:
			
		

> Is that what they call a Igloo Ink well? I like it, hope I can dig one someday. I probably wouldn't pay much for one though since I don't collect or specialize in them. Maybe $10 I'd pay? LEON.


Yes LEON they are sometimes referred to as a Igloo inkwell Good call! I don't collect or specialize in them either, I just really like the way it looks! I hope you get the chance to dig one as well someday.Thank you for your thoughts and sharing what you would personally value it at. Bert DeWitt


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you for your opinion Jonathan, it is an appealing bottle! That seems to be the trend so far a Good looking bottle. I appreciate you giving your personal opinion of what you would value it at. Thanks, Bert DeWitt


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## reach44 (Aug 24, 2014)

I like it but I'm not an ink collector so I couldn't really put a value to it.


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

reach44 said:
			
		

> I like it but I'm not an ink collector so I couldn't really put a value to it.


I understand neither am I, I'm just asking for everyone's Personal Opinion, do you like it or do you dislike? Why do you like or dislike it? what would would You Personally value it at? Basicly what it boils down to is that it does not matter what you collect or what your knowledge of this specific bottle is. A study of sorts is taking place here, the more people that contribute the more information we learn. If you study what everyone is contributing by giving their personal opinion  on what they think of the bottle and what they would personally value it at. Patterns will start to become apparent that WE ALL will be able to learn quite a lot from! Thank you for contributing, Bert Dewitt


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## reach44 (Aug 24, 2014)

If I caught it at a flea market and it had anywhere from 10 to 15 bucks on it I'd probably pick it up, lol.I'd be happy to dig one, as it would be a different trend for me.


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## reach44 (Aug 24, 2014)

If I caught it at a flea market and it had anywhere from 10 to 15 bucks on it I'd probably pick it up, lol.I'd be happy to dig one, as it would be a different trend for me.


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you reach44 for sharing your Personal Opinion of what you would value it at. Also for sharing that it woul be different if you dug one. Thanks, Bert DeWitt


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## dollarbill (Aug 24, 2014)

I have always like inks and have owned a very large collection of them at one time. While as was said that this is a common ink and not worth a great deal .I believe it to be a must have in and ink collection and also a bottle that most maverick bottle collectors would have. I would and have bought these inks J@I E M up to 20.00 in aqua and in good condition. Yours looks to be a nice example.  Bill


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 24, 2014)

Thank you Bill for contributing your Personal expert opinion having owned a large collection of inks. You also provided a very interesting bit of information that it is a bottle most maverick collectors would have. Thank you for the compliment about mine I really like it! I don't collect inks so I guess I fit into the maverick category. Thank you for the info and contributing your Personal Opinion on what you think of the bottle and what you would value it at, Bert DeWitt


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi guys and gals, I would still like to hear more input lets keep it going. I appreciate everyone's contribution!


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## mtfdfire22 (Aug 27, 2014)

I have dug them before and boy was I excited. I think they are spectacular looking bottles and are unfortunately common in that color. Aside from that, they are rather old, very pretty and I only hope I can dig more of these, as they are an exciting find.


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## andy volkerts (Aug 28, 2014)

Your inkwell seems to have a little damage to the corners-edges re- chipping and a bit of staining. I have seen these go for as little as 5 bucks and more than twenty dollars in mint shape. They are worth having in an inkwell collection, but are rather common, but, one does need all examples to have a rounded collection doesn't one?........


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## RICKJJ59W (Aug 28, 2014)

The thrill of digging one out weighs everything mentioned on this thread. Especially picking one off of a flea market table


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## JohnDeereMoxie (Aug 28, 2014)

I like it because it reminds me of a turtle. lol


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## RED Matthews (Sep 7, 2014)

Hello to all of you that are interested in this bottle.  Having worked in the glass industry I have a deep rooted respect for every bottle that has an off-set neck, like these turtle inks have.  If you think about closing the mold around the parison form of the first stage of making this bottle; the parison has to lay on its side int the mold - for the final or secondary blowing.  When you lay a parison on its side like that the hot glass can sink from gravity causing the top glass to touch the bottom glass and lift a vertical bird swing inside the bottles final blown form.  I have two bottles that we made for Avon Shaving Lotion - a duck and a reindeer- that we had to make special blank molds for the glass machine making; with out parison collapse problems were solved to make them work.  I have one of each of those bottles in our bow window every summer just to remind me of how difficult an off set neck bottle can be made without head aches.   RED Matthews


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## RED Matthews (Sep 22, 2014)

So all of you need to realize that this shape of bottle, had to have the parison form laid in the mold before it was closed for the final blow of the bottle.  This gave the top glass a chance to drop and touch the bottom of the parison.  If this happened it would create a vertical birds-swing of glass in the bottle.  I had a lot of work making Avon Shaving Lotions with off set necks like their duck bottle and a deer bottle.  I have two or three inks like like this one.   RED Matthews


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## RED Matthews (Sep 22, 2014)

I commented on one earlier today.  These bottles reqired the parison to be laid on its side in the closed mold.  While the parison was on it's side the hot glass tended to settle down and if it touched the bottom glass there would a vertical bird swing in the ink bottle.  I have even seen them at bottle shows.   RED Matthews


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## saratogadriver (Sep 23, 2014)

I collect ink bottles.   The Moore's "monitor ink" (as he called it) is really an amazing piece.  They must have been in the majority of school desks in America in the 1870s, they so far outnumber any of the similar forms that were intended to fit in the desk insert.   It's not a monetarily valuable bottle, worth maybe $10.   But it represents the cleverness of American industrial processes to make something both so beautiful and functional, in mass quantities.  The colored versions are really amazing.   Jim G


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## RED Matthews (Sep 23, 2014)

I just found a reference on these inks that will help you all.  In Michael Polak's book on BOTTLES,  third edition page 228 I thought covers them.  But the page is wrong. And my wife is calling me. Gotta go.  RED M.


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## logueb (Sep 23, 2014)

I have always liked the turtle inks. Never dug a whole one though.  Also never found one priced reasonable at a flea market or Antique mall.  Buster


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## westKYdigger (Sep 24, 2014)

Bert, Here is one I dug a few yrs ago. Sheared top with what I think is a pontil.  I'm hoping some one with more experience can tell me if it is a pontil, or just a rough area in the base. Not as cool as yours, but a keeper. This is my first post from a windows based phone. Hope it works


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## westKYdigger (Sep 24, 2014)

Here's the base. Pontil?


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## sandchip (Sep 25, 2014)

Tim, It's not pontilled but definitely a cool piece.  Very few of the offset neck inks were pontilled. Bert, I like the J&IEMs and would give probably 10 or so for one like that.  I found one like yours in the creek years ago with a hole in it, then later about half of another in light yellow amber.  That piqued my interest in them even more, because I never expected to find one down this way, and always associated them with northern parts of the country for some reason.  Maybe I'll find a whole one eventually. Red, you're right about it having to take a good bit of skill to blow bottles like that.  Those gaffers of the day just amaze me with how they were able to position the parison in the mold without pinching it, while doing it quickly.  I'd have a mess on my hands and would probably be out sweeping the streets in short order.  Wait, I had to do that as a teenager. []


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## Bert DeWitt (Sep 25, 2014)

RED Matthews said:
			
		

> I just found a reference on these inks that will help you all.  In Michael Polak's book on BOTTLES,  third edition page 228 I thought covers them.  But the page is wrong. And my wife is calling me
> 
> Gotta go.  RED M.


Thanks RED, I have his fifth and sixth edition. I've been slowly acquiring all bottle and glass book I can find at the used book stores.

WestKYdigger very nice pull!!! Who knows maybe you'll pull something similar soon!

Sandchip that's awesome! You keep at it and I known you will.

Thanks you everyone, Bert DeWitt


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## glass man (Sep 26, 2014)

I like them too and will get around to getting one some day hopefully..but there are just so many bottles I want more!! JAMIE


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## Bert DeWitt (Sep 26, 2014)

glass man said:
			
		

> I like them too and will get around to getting one some day hopefully..but there are just so many bottles I want more!! JAMIE



I understand that, I'm sure that goes for most members of this forum.
Thnks for contributing, Bert DeWitt


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## cowseatmaize (Sep 26, 2014)

I just sold mine in a bundle deal at the Merrimack Valley show. I figure about $5 but it had a much shorter burst top and ground lip (50/50). It was also very clear though.


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## RED Matthews (Oct 4, 2014)

Hello to all of you.  I just went through this post and didn't find where I had tried to tell you my two cents of help.   This bottle style is called a lot of names, from turtle to iglow.  I have seen them called umbrella inks, by Michael Polak in his recent 7th edition. BOTTLES   I have three or four of them, and expect to make a blog for my homepage this winter that will cover the inks.   This particular design has to have the shaped parison laid in the mold with the main glass laying on it's side in the closed mold before the final blow.  At this time the hot glass can drop down and stick to the bottom side.  The final blwo will lift a spike of contact that will create a vertical "bird swing" in the bottle.  I have seen them pictured, but d9n't have one,  I do have other bird swing bottles though.   RED Matthews


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## RED Matthews (Oct 22, 2014)

Hi again;  I just looked in Michael Polk's edition 6 pg 236 - and he call's it an Igloo Ink there, but the one shown has taller side wall construction.  I am in Florida for the winter, so I looked in an older book.   RED Matthews


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## RED Matthews (Oct 25, 2014)

If you have an edition of Michael Polak's books on bottles, he has covered different ones quite often and refers to them as Igloo Inks.  I have two now and about fourty inks is a couple box's.  The interesting thing about the igloos is that the parison form had to be laid on its side in the closed mold, and the hot glass often settled to contact the lower side- inside= and lifted a birds swing inside the igloo.  I don't have one but have seen them pictured by collectors on the forum. I think Joe in PA had a cobalt one pictured.  RED Matthews


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