How many here use Rocker Blotters - or have them on the desk?

[j.a.j.]

I found this beauty from a flea market.

[Tanzanite]

I have three rocker blotters. In red marble, black marble and a small one in porcelain with flower pattern.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Tanzanite

[Notgatherox]

I got mine from the Bay, a $20 purchase. The seller said it was from the Victorian era - which explains its size as people used dip nibs in those days, and would require a huge surface area for blotting the ink.

 

 

 

~Epic

 

 

 

 

[Durham K]

I found this beauty from a flea market.

j.a.j.

 

Is that a metal sheet that springs into the handle? It gives me an idea for a modern version using a thin sheet of Polycarbonate (Lexan).

 

Experiments ahead.

 

K

[F104]

I've had one for years, and use it some. I keep it handy:

 

 

It's about 3 1/4 x 6 inches; I may still be using the original blotting sheet (which, is blue). The other sheets that came with it are tucked away in its box.

 

Came from the Levenger catalog. Seems the top panels were made using a small cache of inlays made by some prestigious-but-long-defunct French firm, recently, at the time, rediscovered. Best I recall. It's been on my desk most of the time since, even during fountain pen hiatuses.

[j.a.j.]

@Durham K

 

Yes, it is a metal sheet. And the top part seems to be cast metal. There is a nice springiness to using it and i much prefer it to a wooden rocker.

 

If you want measurements / photos of the mechanism please send me a PM.

[Durham K]

I've had one for years, and use it some. I keep it handy:

 

 

blotter.jpg

 

It's about 3 1/4 x 6 inches; I may still be using the original blotting sheet (which, is blue). The other sheets that came with it are tucked away in its box.

 

Came from the Levenger catalog. Seems the top panels were made using a small cache of inlays made by some prestigious-but-long-defunct French firm, recently, at the time, rediscovered. Best I recall. It's been on my desk most of the time since, even during fountain pen hiatuses.

 

I look at my simple attempt and think that a little veneering might add a little interest.

 

I also wonder what is the smallest useful size of blotter I could use/make? Just for a signature?

 

K

[j.a.j.]

For me the surface area of a three pen case would be the smallest i'd consider using.

[BookCat]

One of my favourite inks: Black Swan in Aussie Roses, is very slow drying, so I've been considering purchasing the J Herbin blotter for some time but have been put off by reviews which complain about its size.

 

I had ordered a modern one from fleabay, but have noticed that the top overhangs the blotting area and would prevent use of the edges of the blotting paper. I have my eye on a vintage one, but will wait for the seller of the first one to get back to me.

 

There are some truly beautiful blotters in this thread.

Edited January 25, 2015 by BookCat

[Durham K]

One of my favourite inks: Black Swan in Aussie Roses, is very slow drying, so I've been considering purchasing the J Herbin blotter for some time but have been put off by reviews which complain about its size.

 

I had ordered a modern one from fleabay, but have noticed that the top overhangs the blotting area and would prevent use of the edges of the blotting paper. I have my eye on a vintage one, but will wait for the seller of the first one to get back to me.

 

There are some truly beautiful blotters in this thread.

 

Not really too hard to make a functional one to any size you would like. For a handle you can buy a drawer knob with a screw thread and play with materials.

 

K

[inkstainedruth]

I have a small blue glass one with a decorative silver-plated pewter top, that I got on Ebay a couple of years ago (not old, but very pretty). It doesn't actually reside on my desk, though, but in my purse for the most part. It was from some seller in the UK that sold mostly decorative gift stuff and I think I paid about $25 US or so for it. I just looked now, and it doesn't seem to listed anymore (and I don't remember the seller's ID at this point).

Additionally, I picked up some leatherette desk accessories a while back at an estate sale, which included a blotter, but I haven't tried it yet; in addition, there was a large blotter mat (but it's too wide for the desk ), a pair of in-out boxes, and what I thought was a holder for memo paper (it's got slits on the sides, so I don't think it's for pens and pencils, but it turns out it's not square, so the 4"x4" post-it notes don't fit ; I have packs of 3x5 cards in it at the moment, standing end-on). I think I paid about$12-$15 for everything, so the rocker blotter itself was probably $3-5.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ac12]

One of my favourite inks: Black Swan in Aussie Roses, is very slow drying, so I've been considering purchasing the J Herbin blotter for some time but have been put off by reviews which complain about its size.

 

I had ordered a modern one from fleabay, but have noticed that the top overhangs the blotting area and would prevent use of the edges of the blotting paper. I have my eye on a vintage one, but will wait for the seller of the first one to get back to me.

 

 

BC

I have the JH blotter, but to me, its small size makes it really only a signature blotter.

I then got and use a larger one (my medium size blotter), for most of my blotting, because it is bigger, and thus more flexible in how much writing I can blot.

 

My medium size blotter has an overhanging top piece, and your concern is valid. When I use mine, I cannot use a section of the paper near the ends because of the overhang. Also, positioning the blotter can be tricky, because of the overhang. This has bugged me enough that I was thinking about sanding the ends of the overhang back to make it flush with the curved section.

 

As for size, I think it is dependent on a few variables.

• How much desk space do you have to store it when not in use. A large blotter takes up quite a bit of valuable desk real estate.
  • I have one blotter that I do not use, because it is just too big to keep on the table.
  • Ruth (above) wants a small one to fit in her purse.
• How much area do you have to blot; small signature, LARGE signature, calendar entries, etc.

[BookCat]

ac12, really love all the pics of rocker blotters, as for my needs I have ordered a repro 1930's blotter from ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-Style-Solid-Wood-Ink-Blotter-Desktop-Writing-Dip-Pen-/191284887669?pt=Folk_Art&hash=item2c8977c075

 

I'm hoping this will be large enough to blot the writing area (excluding margin) of the final part of an A4 sheet when rocked across it. It seems to be a medium size, though it's very hard to tell as none of the pics show it beside a familiar object.

 

I have a large desk with lots of drawers but this is out of use until I sort out the study, but I'm sure I'll find a home for it somewhere.

 

While I was searching ebay, I found an antique rocker blotter with a crafty solution to the overhanging top: it had felt wrapped round the lower part which increased the size to match that of the top; the blotting paper was then on top of the felt. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-1930S-WOODEN-INK-BLOTTER-BY-JMB-OLD-DESK-TOP-ITEM-/111571756689?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item19fa31e691

Edited January 27, 2015 by BookCat

[ac12]

ac12, really love all the pics of rocker blotters, as for my needs I have ordered a repro 1930's blotter from ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-Style-Solid-Wood-Ink-Blotter-Desktop-Writing-Dip-Pen-/191284887669?pt=Folk_Art&hash=item2c8977c075

 

I'm hoping this will be large enough to blot the writing area (excluding margin) of the final part of an A4 sheet when rocked across it. It seems to be a medium size, though it's very hard to tell as none of the pics show it beside a familiar object.

 

That looks just like the rocker blotter that I have. And I think I got it from that same seller.

 

When you get it, remove the paper and look at the curved surface. It may not be nice and smooth, and could require additional sanding to smoothen it out. Also there is a hole for the screw in the bottom that is filled with putty. The hole on mine wasn't completely filled, I had to finish filling it with 5 minute epoxy, then sand it smooth. The nut in the handle also started to get loose, and the handle would fall off. I pulled the nut out and put a tiny bit of 5 minute epoxy on the side of the hole and pressed the nut in.

 

I think the finishing work I had to do was because the blotter was probably meant to be decorative rather than functional.

 

I will try to measure the length of the area that it would blot.

Edited January 27, 2015 by ac12

[ac12]

BC,

 

Here are the measurements of my rocker

2-1/4" wide

4-1/2" long, top piece

3-7/8" long, bottom curved piece

 

When I rock it, the approximate length of the blotted area is about 3-1/4 inches long.

The rest of the blotter, about 1/2 inch on each end, is not usable, due to the overhang preventing the blotter paper from contacting your writing paper.

 

You could ask the seller if they have one WITHOUT an overhanging, or if they could make you one without an overhang on the ends.

[BookCat]

Thanks ac. Those figures don't match the ones given on ebay: 4" x 2-3/8" x 2-1/4" so I'm hoping that it's not the same one. I'll check whether it's been dispatched, if not, I'll contact the seller.

 

I'll probably take a low-tech solution and wrap felt round it. I do have samd paper (for sharpening pencils) and can easily get some filler if I have to.

 

UPDATE: Unfortunately, it's in transit, so there's not much I can do about it. But I messaged the seller for more details anyway.

Edited January 28, 2015 by BookCat

[Durham K]

 

 

 

Just cannot stop playing as I had made two oak handles, so this is blotter 2 a little smaller than the golf ball handled one (112mm x 50mm). This new one is 80mm x 46mm. Sizes that are quite random really. As I am not writing large amounts, this may be enough. Experiment with a flexible plastic is on the way, based on the metal based rocker posted by j.a.j. (excellent photos by the way, thanks).

 

K

[Durham K]

 

This is interesting. A flexible piece of polycarbonate plastic does not rock as much as flip from one state to the other. Quite a strange feeling. This is my response to j.a.j.'s metal rocker. It is not perfect as the last few millimetres do not touch the paper. Further testing will have to wait until I get some more blotting paper. The small supply I have seems to be what I kept from my university degree exams 36 years ago. This was a time when blotting paper was supplied for those using ink. I am not even sure now if I used ink or ballpoint, but I certainly "borrowed" blotting paper for my calligraphy.

 

We also had pink ribbon to tie sheets together!

 

Work beckons.

 

K

 

137mm x 58mm

Edited February 1, 2015 by Durham K

[stonezebra]

I have a rocker blotter that I like but anymore I find myself using a sheet of blotting paper cut to just a bit bigger than whatever paper I'm using. I also keep a sheet of blotting paper in most of my writing pads so it's easy to flip and blot as needed, or if I'm working at my desk I just use my desk blotter.

[BookCat]

 

That looks just like the rocker blotter that I have. And I think I got it from that same seller.

 

When you get it, remove the paper and look at the curved surface. It may not be nice and smooth, and could require additional sanding to smoothen it out. Also there is a hole for the screw in the bottom that is filled with putty. The hole on mine wasn't completely filled, I had to finish filling it with 5 minute epoxy, then sand it smooth. The nut in the handle also started to get loose, and the handle would fall off. I pulled the nut out and put a tiny bit of 5 minute epoxy on the side of the hole and pressed the nut in.

 

I think the finishing work I had to do was because the blotter was probably meant to be decorative rather than functional.

 

I will try to measure the length of the area that it would blot.

 

I have now received the blotter and it's lovely. It doesn't have a hole in the bottom and the overhang is only about 1mm at the rocking ends (the sides overhang just a little more but don't interfere with the rocking). It's a dark brown solid wood with a satin finish, a bit like a large version of the J. Herbin design. I'm pleased with it, though after looking at all the ornate ones on this thread I'm so tempted to decorate it. I must not...I must not...I must....