Big, Old, Vintage Bottles Of Ink

[dcpritch]

I was out of town yesterday and managed a five minute stop in an antique store. They didn't have any pens, but the lady said, "Would you be interested in an old bottle with some ink in it?" I perked right up and walked out of the store holding a 32 oz. bottle of Carters Midnight Blue-Black Permanent Ink, with a few ounces still sloshing around in the bottom. So today I parked it in my office next to what appears to be a small but prominent collection of large vintage ink bottles.

 

I have lots of vintage ink in smaller bottles, and use vintage ink quite frequently in my pens, but these big bottles really fascinate me due to their age, shape, styling, and advertising. It makes me wonder what other large bottles might be out there, if anyone could provide some help on dating these bottles, and if anyone would share a photo or two or more of their big vintage ink bottles. Here are my three:

The "new" Carter's bottle in more detail (I love the owls!):

The vintage Skrip bottle - this is one of my favorite inks, it has a very faded, vintage look when it goes down on paper (tape was added before it came to me, not much I can do about it now):

And the Sanford's bottle - I'm pretty sure this one is the oldest of the three, estimated at 1915-1918 (sadly, no ink in this one):

[fiberdrunk]

Awesome find!

[myn]

Wow that was an great find. Love your three larger bottles.Amazing to realize they were able to create an ink (Sanford) that went on paper in one colour and dried to a totally different colour. Thanks very much for sharing.

[dcpritch]

Thanks, I wish I had some Sanford's ink to try out. Tomorrow I'll put some of the Carter's in a pen and show what it can do. Anyone have a date for the Carter's and Sheaffer's bottles?

[The Ant]

I'd remove the tape with lighter fluid before it turns yellow and stains the label.

[Roger W.]

The Skrip could be as early as the 1940's as the first blue and yellow labels were advertised in 1941. That was "Chemopure" and your bottle doesn't mention it so it is likely from the 50's or 60's.

 

Someone is trying to EBay a gallon of Waterman's for $333 - bit pricey.

 

Roger W.

 

http://www.sheafferflattops.com/images/Redgallon.jpg

Gallon of Sheaffer Red - note it is a 32oz. label

[ToasterPastry]

Every time I see Roger's gallon of red Skrip it puts a smile on my face. I wish they'd still sell ink that way, now that I've acquired a few vintage master bottles.

 

By the way, someone didn't think that the gallon jug of Waterman's was overpriced. It sold for $333.

 

Hey, David! Great find and story. Here's one of mine.

 

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

Edited September 13, 2012 by ToasterPastry

[Roger W.]

  On 9/13/2012 at 5:54 AM, ToasterPastry said:

 

By the way, someone didn't think that the gallon jug of Waterman's was overpriced. It sold for $333.

 

 

It was on offer for quite a bit of time but, it would take the right buyer.

 

Roger W.

[Truman]

Great find! They will make a wonderful display in your office or pen area. We all have pen areas, right? :embarrassed_smile:

[lapis]

Fantastic. Especially the 1912 job. I've often asked myself when the term "iron-gall" was ever/first used, even if those things have been around for centuries...

 

[Chi Town]

I've often thought of collecting those large bottles of ink, but then I look around my office upstairs and think, "where the heck would I store them"? Then those thoughts quickly vanish!

[mrcharlie]

The earliest Skrip bottles with yellow labels that I have seen mention 7 colors 9 colors, but I think I remember seeing pictures of one mentioning 7; for a while they mention 11 colors, then finally 12; it never went above 12 that I have seen. So that bottle is not crazy early, but I don't know what the earliest year was when they had 12 colors.

 

I have a 32 oz Skrip Blue (Washable) with twenty-something oz left in it, in the original box, and the ink still writes the original (not particularly great) color. There is a rubber washer in the cap that was falling apart and allowing ink to run when I used the pouring spout (which is great; it has a built-in air intake so you don't splash ink while pouring). I found a suitable o-ring (could not find a suitable sized rubber washer) in a hardware store and now it doesn't leak again.

 

I have seen a fair number of 16 oz bottles of Skrip on the eBay both with and without ink; they are the same shape and proportions as the 32, but smaller.

 

I have a much newer 32 oz Sanford's Royal Blue also with the box (might be missing the box top flap), and it is much different than yours. The pouring spout on it is metal, not plastic such as the Skrip, and is permanently affixed by being crimped on, not screwed on. Unfortunately the ink was UV damaged (I had no way to test it before buying for $20); the color, once on paper, was degraded to a kind of ugly gray. I can't remember if I gave it away or put it storage when I packed up to move.

 

Thanks everyone for posting your pictures. I didn't know any brand made the gallon bottles. You must have needed a fairly large school or office to use that much in any reasonable amount of time! I'm guessing those did not come in a box ...

Edited September 13, 2012 by mrcharlie

[Snowie]

Wow! I love those huge bottles, now I've got another thing I want to collect. You guys are terrible for my budget.

[dcpritch]

  On 9/13/2012 at 4:25 AM, Roger W. said:

The Skrip could be as early as the 1940's as the first blue and yellow labels were advertised in 1941. That was "Chemopure" and your bottle doesn't mention it so it is likely from the 50's or 60's.

 

Thanks Roger, I'm guessing the Skrip is early 1950s based on your info and the condition of the bottle's label, but its just a guess. And thanks for the photo of the ginourmous gallon bottle of Waterman's ink: $333 for a gallon - WOW!

 

  On 9/13/2012 at 5:54 AM, ToasterPastry said:

Hey, David! Great find and story. Here's one of mine.

 

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

Doc, another gallon bottle, this one of Carter's! awesome! How old is that bottle?

 

  On 9/13/2012 at 1:58 PM, Truman said:

They will make a wonderful display in your office or pen area. We all have pen areas, right?

  On 9/13/2012 at 2:25 PM, Chi Town said:

I've often thought of collecting those large bottles of ink, but then I look around my office upstairs and think, "where the heck would I store them"?

 

I think a "pen area" can be just about anywhere. For me, my office is filled with pen stuff, getting more full all the time. I just move stuff around to accommodate the inflow and keep thinking, I should sell something.

[dcpritch]

  On 9/13/2012 at 2:04 PM, lapis said:

Fantastic. Especially the 1912 job. I've often asked myself when the term "iron-gall" was ever/first used, even if those things have been around for centuries...

 

Thanks Lapis, that Sanford's bottle is one of my favorite vintage pieces.

 

  On 9/13/2012 at 2:56 PM, mrcharlie said:

... I have a much newer 32 oz Sanford's Royal Blue also with the box (might be missing the box top flap), and it is much different than yours. The pouring spout on it is metal, not plastic such as the Skrip, and is permanently affixed by being crimped on, not screwed on ...

 

The Sanford's bottle I have didn't have a top when I got it. Do you have a picture of yours?

 

  On 9/13/2012 at 4:23 PM, Snowie said:

Wow! I love those huge bottles, now I've got another thing I want to collect. You guys are terrible for my budget.

 

Its always something! Years ago, after my fist pen, I thought, "maybe just another pen to have at home, and I won't need another ..." You can imagine where that led!

[Scrawler]

  On 9/12/2012 at 10:09 PM, dcpritch said:

 

<snip>

It makes me wonder what other large bottles might be out there, if anyone could provide some help on dating these bottles, and if anyone would share a photo or two or more of their big vintage ink bottles.

 

<snip>

 

There is a full bottle of the same Skrip ink in an antique store in a small town nearby.

 

BTW Carters ink is really nice stuff.

[BOOGIT]

Hi

Here is another Large Waterman. One gallon size with pouring spout

 

Keith

[dcpritch]

I love those gallon bottles!

 

Here are some of the pint and quart bottles I have picked up here and there. Occasionally, though I haven't shown any, I find them with the boxes.

 

Some pint bottles first:

 

Sheaffer Skrip quarts:

 

A Parker Quink quart, completely full:

 

Carter's quarts (Carter's Washable Blue is my favorite vintage ink!):

 

Sanford and Signet quarts:

[Chrissy]

These are very interesting bottles, and they make a great collection.

 

I would be happy enough to find some small ones that I could reuse.

[inkstainedruth]

I found a never opened 8 oz. bottle of vintage Quink Violet on Ebay a couple of summers ago. Finally got it decanted last week. Gorgeous color. The pen I want to put it in has just been flushed out in anticipation -- my trusty P51 Plummer.

Also, last summer, I snagged a 2/3 full 16 oz. bottle of vintage Skrip Peacock in the wild -- that got decanted into smaller bottles over Christmas and some of it is now in one of my Sheaffer Snorkels. The color is just amazing -- there seems to be a darker edge to letters when I write (I hesitate to call it sheen but it's sort of like that).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth