What Are Your Favorite Ink Bottles?

[andreasn]

do you tend to like really fancy bottles or do you like it more simple. I tend to like it more simple, so my favorites (of the ones i own) are:

 

-The Waterman bottles (for their simple and functional yet elegantly beautiful design)

-The pelikan 4001 ink bottles (because they remind me of vintage ink bottles)

 

Ones I don't like are for example the MontBlanc bottles. (I like their inks though)

[jmccarty3]

Akkerman bottles are the most interesting and functional. The new Caran d'Ache bottles and the Iroshizuku bottles are nice as well.

[Sasha Royale]

I like the old, glass bottles from Sheaffer "Script" ink. I have several in use, at home.

Why doesn't anyone make a bottle with the glass, filler trough ?

[gylyf]

For function, I'm a big fan of the Pilot bottles with the plastic inserts. For form, the Iroshizuku and store-exclusive Sailor bottles, as well as the Stipula bottles. Haven't had a chance to try the Ackerman bottles, but they're definitely appealing on both counts.

[jasonchickerson]

I really like the Iroshizuku bottles. They are beautiful and they are designed so that you can get the last of the ink without too much fuss.

 

I also like the simplicity of the Sailor bottles with the plastic insert for the same reason.

 

Herbin makes the worst bottles by far, especially the (beautiful) 1670 line inks.

[The Good Captain]

Pelikan 4001; Diamine 80ml; Pelikan Edelstein. And others I'm sure. The TWSBI 50ml inkwell ones are great for using up others or for 'permanent' mixes.

[ink-syringe]

Montblanc, old skrip bottles, Iroshizuku bottles are pretty but that little dent at the bottom isn't gonna help all that much unless you have a snorkel or dip tip. But I like how tip proof it is. The plastic thingy in the Sailor bottles works well for most but not all nibs (try filling a Pelikan).

 

Lamy bottles designs are excellent and overlooked likely because their inks are mostly boring but it is, functionally, superior to the Iroshizuku and many others.

 

I have an old montblanc I decant my Diamine into.

 

I have soft spot for the old Waterman bottles.

 

Dislike: Diamine, Herbin, Pelikan, Aurora. The 30ml Diamine has to be the worst. Tall, plastic, narrow opening. But I do expect to decant those into old bottles.

 

Aurora is annoying but honestly, when I get to the bottom of that I either fill a snorkel or open a new bottle and dump the rest in that. I use quite a bit of Aurora Black so it moves pretty fast. Again a snorkel will get the last little bit of it if you tilt it.

[Keyless Works]

Why do you dislike the Aurora bottle?

 

The Montblanc shoe bottle is my favorite. I like Akkerman bottles too.

[Reevers]

...

Dislike: Diamine, Herbin, Pelikan, Aurora. The 30ml Diamine has to be the worst. Tall, plastic, narrow opening. But I do expect to decant those into old bottles.

...

 

I agree!

 

Securing the "bottles" to the desk is a must for me - plasticine is my friend for this.

[lgsoltek]

Dislike:

J. Herbin regular: wide mouth but too shallow. You can only fill once (exaggerated).

J. Herbin 1670: contrary to the regular bottles, deep enough but a tiny opening. Your first fill is doomed to overflow.

Iroshizuku: the cap is a PITA when it sticks.

 

Like:

Akkerman: but they could be made better. The mould seams are too prominent to the touch.

Levenger: really nice.

Montblanc: I like how well made they are.

De Atramentis: I've just got my first bottle of DA and it's understated but practical, which I like. And well made too.

[Tas]

Of all the bits of glass and plastic in my collection, the one I enjoy opening and handling the most is my lone bottle of Pelikan Edelstein.

 

Something about it says old school yet modern. Lovely weight too.

[ink-syringe]

Actually, I should take the Aurora off my list. It isn't really bad. It's not really terrible and if you tilt it you can get a lot of the ink out of it. The opening is pretty good. I sometimes worry that I am going to knock it over but I haven't so far and the cap is excellent. I like that little rubbery doodad they put inside the cap which works a lot better than most ink bottles.

 

I take the Aurora off my dislike list. There's not much to like or dislike about it actually.

 

Love the ink though. It's an ink bottle that sees a lot of action and one of the few that never gets put in away. I peeled the label off mine so I can see the nib hit the ink.

 

 

 

Why do you dislike the Aurora bottle?

The Montblanc shoe bottle is my favorite. I like Akkerman bottles too.

[arrScott]

For functionality and ease of use, my favorite that I've tried is Akkerman. By a wide margin. For pure aesthetics, I keep a couple of Iroshuzuku bottles, sans labels, with ink decanted into them on my desktop for display purposes. (One with a frequently used Noodler's ink, the other with a favorite Diamine.) The rest of my bottles, including my Akkermans, live out of sight in a desk drawer.

 

But I haven't used either Levenger or Montblanc "shoe" bottles, and both look to be both very functional and aesthetically pleasing.

[Chrissy]

In my top 3 best bottles would be the TWSBI inkwell, the Pelikan Edelstein bottle and the Graf von Faber-Castell bottle.

 

I'm a bit bleh about Mb shoe shaped inkwells, but their 30ml square bottles are nice enough.

 

I'm no fan of plastic ink bottles at the best of times, but I also find the 30ml Diamine plastic refill bottles dangerously unstable, and the necks are too narrow

[Davros]

I like the glass 30 ml Diamine bottles. They're square, the opening is big enough, and by gum, you can get the ink out. *side-eyes most bottles*

[Uncial]

I'm not a fan of the Sailor squat bottles as I find them a bit finicky to get the ink out of. I like the Iro bottles and Akkerman, but the ones I really like are the Sailor tall bottles, the wee mini ice cube-like Montblanc bottles (I really wish they were bigger) and the Noodler's bottles. Yes, you read correctly, I love the Noodler's bottles. I think it might be because they remind me of old sweetie jars.

[Sailor Kenshin]

do you tend to like really fancy bottles or do you like it more simple. I tend to like it more simple, so my favorites (of the ones i own) are:

 

-The Waterman bottles (for their simple and functional yet elegantly beautiful design)

-The pelikan 4001 ink bottles (because they remind me of vintage ink bottles)

 

Ones I don't like are for example the MontBlanc bottles. (I like their inks though)

1. Montblanc bottles, both the 'shoe' and LEs. Because, you know, it's a shoe.

 

2. Levenger bottles. Just something about the shape I love.

 

3. J Herbin bottles, even though no one else does.

[kansaskyle]

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Gaston-Needs-Pictures-To-Read-In-Beauty-and-The-Beast-Gif.gif

 

I know what some of the bottles look like (Montblanc shoe, J. Herbin 1670, etc.), but it would be need to see the bottles people like!

Edited May 12, 2015 by kansaskyle

[PAKMAN]

I'm a fan of Akkerman, Parker Penman and Levenger bottles for ease of use. For looks I like the Iro bottles.

[mmg122]

I'm also a fan of the Akkerman bottles because they're just so clever but they don't appeal to me aesthetically. Bottles I'd leave on my desk for appearance...old Sheaffer Script bottles, Iroshizuku, TWSBI Inkwell and Waterman bottles.

 

I saw on Twitter some bottle prototypes TWSBI's R&D Department has come up with to replace their current inkwells...some really awesome designs.