Vintage Ink Bottle Collecting

[elcincogrande]

I just picked up a few vintage ink bottles from an antique mall (Sheaffer's Skrip, Parker Superchrome, a Sanford's Royal Red box, and a Carter Ink Co. bottle). Is there a thread or threads discussing collecting old ink bottles? I did some searches, but didn't find anything exactly on this topic. Appreciate any references. I notice that Pendamonium sells vintage ink bottles. Who likes collecting these, and what are you looking for? Is it just what strikes your fancy?

 

Thanks.

 

elcinco

[Ann Finley]

I seem to recall that a member posted a picture of his vintage Waterman bottle collection, but that was quite awhile ago. Skyppere collects Carter cubes with ink still in them. This is all that comes to mind right now.

 

Best, Ann

[orangos]

I'm not sure I'd collect them, but it would be nice to obtain a few swan-neck bottles as decanters for Herbin and other brands whose bottles make it hard fill pens to the bitter end.

[Beechwood]

Have you seen this site?

 

http://www.1001inkbottles.com/default.asp

[orangos]

Have you seen this site?

 

http://www.1001inkbottles.com/default.asp

 

I have now. Thanks!

[elcincogrande]

Have you seen this site?

 

http://www.1001inkbottles.com/default.asp

 

Thanks for the link!

[ToasterPastry]

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/ink_bottle_2.jpg

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/ink_bottle_4.jpg

 

Here are some. The collection keeps growing. I like old bottles when they still have usable ink in them.

[orangos]

Them's lovely. The Ronnings bottle is very elegant.

 

I just missed out on one of those 'Fount India' bottles on eBay. Also saw a lovely old minor-brand swan necked bottle in the flea market in Athens. Trouble was, it wasn't for sale! It's like some mysterious force is telling me to buy retail.

[elcincogrande]

Cool collection!

[johnboz]

For some reason, collecting bottles is not nearly as popular as collecting pens. I've never let that stop me! I've got plenty more in addition to these:

 

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b222/johnboz/ink.jpg

 

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b222/johnboz/DSC_99691.jpg

[orangos]

Wow!

[kernando]

While looking for mentions of a Skrip (real Skrip) color, I came across this site and wondered why I'd never seen it before. It's a good little sorting of pictures.

http://www.overdiep.nl/ink/

[FooWriter]

While looking for mentions of a Skrip (real Skrip) color, I came across this site and wondered why I'd never seen it before. It's a good little sorting of pictures.

http://www.overdiep.nl/ink/

I pick up vintage Skrip ink when I can, not so much for the collector value but to use in vintage pens. That said, I'm a bit curious about the ages of the bottles I acquire.

 

Do you happen to know of a site that shows the various boxes and/or label changes through the years, and where they fall in the production timeline? For instance, I just picked up a couple bottles of Skrip washable #72 emerald green with "25¢" printed on the top flap. My instinct is that this was from sometime in the 1960s, but it would be fun to know.

[kernando]

Someone else will have to speak up with Skrip packaging and color ages. I don't have any materials or secondary sources. I would only be able to guess what's older and younger. I'm only collecting bottles that are full of nice colors when the price is right.

 

I have a bottle with the 25 cent mark on the top. This is one with the color stripe and big circle on top. It also has the calligraphic S logo with Sheaffer in all caps, sans serif. It's also labeled secondarily, after the 2 oz, as being 59cc. And the blue is light. And it reproduces on office copying machines. If you have the same style of packaging, we would want to know whether this is Textron only or after Eaton was added, after the mid '60s or after the mid '70s.

 

It's marked up to 29 cents in black wax pencil, with the 25 cent price blacked out. All my other small Skrip bottles are red box '90s or older blue and yellow. I have some that advertise the top well on top, and some of those mention the Triumph pen with Lifetime point on the flap, and the rest don't. I have two kinds mentioning the Snorkel pen, most with the picture on top, but one with just a mention on a flap. The text placements on the sides are different on all these, but I'm just not getting them out and lining them up right now.

[gyasko]

The Chemopure era was from the late thirties through the war. Post-war Skrip loses the Chemopure -- whatever that was. The colours are a clue as well. The Chemopure and earlier inks don't have the sought-after colours like Persian and Melon or Burgundy.

[ad4vs]

I just picked up a few vintage ink bottles from an antique mall (Sheaffer's Skrip, Parker Superchrome, a Sanford's Royal Red box, and a Carter Ink Co. bottle). Is there a thread or threads discussing collecting old ink bottles? I did some searches, but didn't find anything exactly on this topic. Appreciate any references. I notice that Pendamonium sells vintage ink bottles. Who likes collecting these, and what are you looking for? Is it just what strikes your fancy?

 

Thanks.

 

elcinco

I collect ink bottles. I have about 30-40. They seem to go with my desk set collections. I just look at the shape and the name if there is one available. I also have an out of print (but still can be bought) copy of Ink Bottles and Inkwells by William E. Covill Jr. This book is very valuable in helping you find out what you have and what you would like.

[johnboz]

While looking for mentions of a Skrip (real Skrip) color, I came across this site and wondered why I'd never seen it before. It's a good little sorting of pictures.

http://www.overdiep.nl/ink/

I pick up vintage Skrip ink when I can, not so much for the collector value but to use in vintage pens. That said, I'm a bit curious about the ages of the bottles I acquire.

 

Do you happen to know of a site that shows the various boxes and/or label changes through the years, and where they fall in the production timeline? For instance, I just picked up a couple bottles of Skrip washable #72 emerald green with "25¢" printed on the top flap. My instinct is that this was from sometime in the 1960s, but it would be fun to know.

If your box has the colored band across the bottom of the box and still says "Sheaffer's" instead of "Sheaffer", it was made between 1960 and 1963. Great find on the Emerald Green. It's quite a popular color!

[FooWriter]

Thanks, but it looks like it's not from 1960-1963. It's "Sheaffer" with a green stripe at the bottom.

 

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/2342/sheafferno72.th.jpg

[johnboz]

Then it's just a bit later, mid-1960s.

[FooWriter]

Then it's just a bit later, mid-1960s.

Thanks for the information.

 

I'm a little surprised not to have found some sort of web page documenting the Skrip writing fluid time line, but I guess maybe Google has made me spoiled.

 

Edit: And, of course, mere moments after having uttered that last sentence, I followed the link to your site and discovered that you've created just such a resource for purchase. My mother always said, "A closed mouth gathers no foot." I should've listened.

Edited January 18, 2010 by FooWriter