Inky T O D - show your vintage ink

[amberleadavis]

Montblanc Burgundy Circa 1988-1992.

 

[amberleadavis]

[amberleadavis]

Thistle, this is a vintage powder ink.

 

 

 

[amberleadavis]

More Waterman.

 

[amberleadavis]

 

Vintage Permanent Red Skrip

 

 

[amberleadavis]

Washable Skrip Blue from @ToasterPastry

 

 

 

 

[PPPR]

9 hours ago, PPPR said:

...I think it's the Parker 51 book that said Solv-X was added to Quink labels and boxes in Spring 1942. If true, that bottle is from early in the V-Mail program.

I was close, but no cigar. With a dislike for being imprecise, I did a bit more research. Parker 51 says Solv-x advertising began in 1940, which is definitely incorrect. 

 

The answer was found in the excellent reference American Writing Instrument Trademarks 1870-1953, by Jonathan V. Veley. The first use of Solv-X was 11 July 1942. The bottle in question is probably no later than the third quarter of 1942 given time to roll out the new trademark. Thanks to Jonathan and his wonderful reference works, another of my nagging questions has been answered.

[IlikeInksandIcannotlie]

9 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

Phew! That's quite the ink collection. It's one thing knowing a person has a ton of ink, and another seeing a part of it, I suppose!

[PPPR]

12 hours ago, PPPR said:

 

If memory serves, it was originally the Gregory Fount-O-Ink Co. in the Mid-west. Later it became the C.D.C. Fount-O-Ink Co. around Los Angeles.

 

Here, I was flat out wrong. Both companies were in Los Angeles.

[bunnspecial]

13 hours ago, PPPR said:

Yes, the three in back are 4 oz. bottles. Also, the 2 oz. bottle has a bakelite cap. Neither the label nor it's box mention Solv-X. I think it's the Parker 51 book that said Solv-X was added to Quink labels and boxes in Spring 1942. If true, that bottle is from early in the V-Mail program.

 

Okay, when I get home I'm REALLY going to take inventory of my Quink bottles, as I have probably 15 in 2oz. and 4oz. z

 

I have metal caps and bakelite caps, but had always ASSUMED that metal was older. I certainly could be wrong.

 

I also have a boxed 2 oz. of BB on my desk now that I know says Solv-X on the box. Looking at my photo above, I don't think Solv-X is on either of those labels, but one is 2 oz. and one is 4 oz.

 

Unfortunately too I have one 4 oz. bottle that's probably BB that doesn't have a label, and another 4 oz. permanent red that I bought on Ebay with an intact label in the listing but it leaked in transit and made the label illegible. I need to see if the Ebay photos are still up(that was probably a year ago so probably not) and see if it says Solv-X or not.

[PPPR]

1 hour ago, bunnspecial said:

 

Okay, when I get home I'm REALLY going to take inventory of my Quink bottles, as I have probably 15 in 2oz. and 4oz. z

 

I have metal caps and bakelite caps, but had always ASSUMED that metal was older. I certainly could be wrong.

 

I also have a boxed 2 oz. of BB on my desk now that I know says Solv-X on the box. Looking at my photo above, I don't think Solv-X is on either of those labels, but one is 2 oz. and one is 4 oz.

 

Unfortunately too I have one 4 oz. bottle that's probably BB that doesn't have a label, and another 4 oz. permanent red that I bought on Ebay with an intact label in the listing but it leaked in transit and made the label illegible. I need to see if the Ebay photos are still up(that was probably a year ago so probably not) and see if it says Solv-X or not.

Spurred by your comment, I went through the five Micro-Film Black/V-Mail bottles and the dozen other Quink bottles with labels and boxes having white lettering on a blue background. Only the one that doesn't mention Solv-X has a bakelite lid. The other 16 have metal caps.

 

Also maker's marks on the bottle bottoms can sometimes be used to date them. There's at least two manufacturers among my bunch, maybe as many as four or five. Unfortunately my knowledge of maker's marks is very rusty, and I no longer have those references.

[amberleadavis]

6 hours ago, IlikeInksandIcannotlie said:

Phew! That's quite the ink collection. It's one thing knowing a person has a ton of ink, and another seeing a part of it, I suppose!

 

Thank you. Others here are bigger collections, I just display mine more often.

[bunnspecial]

3 hours ago, PPPR said:

Spurred by your comment, I went through the five Micro-Film Black/V-Mail bottles and the dozen other Quink bottles with labels and boxes having white lettering on a blue background. Only the one that doesn't mention Solv-X has a bakelite lid. The other 16 have metal caps.

 

Also maker's marks on the bottle bottoms can sometimes be used to date them. There's at least two manufacturers among my bunch, maybe as many as four or five. Unfortunately my knowledge of maker's marks is very rusty, and I no longer have those references.

Guess I had that backwards then…

 

As to dating by the bottle codes-just thought I’d comment on a little hunt I did last week after getting my 16 oz of Quink Red. I noticed that the box had a marking for a company in Alton, IL, at town quite literally about 10 miles from me. I did a bit of hunting and found that the company, whose full name escapes me(the something-Illinois glass company) was actually a large bottle maker that’s still around, although their Alton factory is(mostly) long gone. It might be a fruitful line of research, though, especially since I imagine knowing who made the bottle is half the battle to dating it. I don’t know if this company only made those particular 16 oz bottles or if they made a variety of Quink(and other) bottles. 

[PPPR]

17 hours ago, bunnspecial said:

Guess I had that backwards then…

 

As to dating by the bottle codes-just thought I’d comment on a little hunt I did last week after getting my 16 oz of Quink Red. I noticed that the box had a marking for a company in Alton, IL, at town quite literally about 10 miles from me. I did a bit of hunting and found that the company, whose full name escapes me(the something-Illinois glass company) was actually a large bottle maker that’s still around, although their Alton factory is(mostly) long gone. It might be a fruitful line of research, though, especially since I imagine knowing who made the bottle is half the battle to dating it. I don’t know if this company only made those particular 16 oz bottles or if they made a variety of Quink(and other) bottles. 

That would be the Owens Illinois Glass Co., which is one of the marks I recognized on my bottles. The other was the Anchor Hocking mark. All the bottles have information from Parker, which would have been by contract. The bottle makers still could have included their own manufacturing information on the bottom.

[MissCellany]

This thread is delightful! Once again stoking the desire to get a nice big bottle of vintage ink to keep as my "go-to" ink when I don't want to fuss and decide on a color.

[PPPR]

2 hours ago, MissCellany said:

This thread is delightful! Once again stoking the desire to get a nice big bottle of vintage ink to keep as my "go-to" ink when I don't want to fuss and decide on a color.

FYI, larger ink bottles are called master inks. They came about in the days before FPs and were used to fill inkwells. No offense intended, just trying to keep history from being forgotten.

[MissCellany]

7 minutes ago, PPPR said:

FYI, larger ink bottles are called master inks. They came about in the days before FPs and were used to fill inkwells. No offense intended, just trying to keep history from being forgotten.

No offense taken, I appreciate learning this! The term was likely popularized before I was born, so I don't feel bad for having never heard it until now- thanks!

[PPPR]

15 minutes ago, MissCellany said:

No offense taken, I appreciate learning this! The term was likely popularized before I was born, so I don't feel bad for having never heard it until now- thanks!

I forgot to mention Pelikan and Pilot, at least, still sell master inks. Something to consider if the colors could be what you're looking for. They're probably more cost effective, too.

 

HTH 

[MissCellany]

45 minutes ago, PPPR said:

I forgot to mention Pelikan and Pilot, at least, still sell master inks. Something to consider if the colors could be what you're looking for. They're probably more cost effective, too.

 

HTH 

That they do! I'm hoping for something more along the lines of a turquoise or a cerulean, but I am a fan of the Pilot and Pelikan master ink offerings- especially Pilot Blue Black and Pelikan Royal Blue

[PPPR]

18 minutes ago, MissCellany said:

That they do! I'm hoping for something more along the lines of a turquoise or a cerulean, but I am a fan of the Pilot and Pelikan master ink offerings- especially Pilot Blue Black and Pelikan Royal Blue

Coolio, hope you find what you're looking for.