Vintage Ink Bottles and Ink Wells

Writing inks have been used for more than 2,500 years. Ink was stored in ink bottles. An ink bottle was made of glass and typically sat on a desk. The writer would dip the pen (or quill) into the bottle to put more ink on the pen. Because they set on a desk, ink bottles were often decorative. When fountain pens were introduced, these pens would be filled from ink bottles with funnels or eye droppers. As the fountain pen was improved over the years ink was drawn into the pen by mechanical means. Antique glass ink bottles, ink refill bottles.

                 

Antique Ink Bottles

Most of the commonly found antique ink wells were produced in the United States or Europe between the early 1800's and the 1930's. The most popular materials for antique inkwells were glass and pottery because these substances resisted the corrosive effects of ink. An inkwell is a single container of ink but when two or more are combined, for inks of different color, in one unit they make up an inkstand. Inkstands may include, a pot filled with powdered sand for drying ink and glue container and candles used for sealing letters. One other unusual item contained in an inkstand is a penwiper made of bristles packed tightly into a ring and used to clean crusted ink from a pen point. Many Victorian desks were equipped with ink knives that had a small blade used to scrape away errors made on paper while writing.             Antique Ink Bottle                              Penwiper Antique inkwells were a sign of wealth of an individual. The common man tended to dip his ink directly from a bottle instead of using antique ink wells. The years between 1870 and 1920 represent the golden age of antique ink wells when elaborate designs were produced. Ink wells ebay, desks with ink wells, reproduction ink wells, ink wells tattoos in winston, ink wells old, French bronze ink wells, large ink wells, William Hartley ink wells, antique sterling silver ink wells, antique ink wells with quills, antique brass ink wells, antique glass ink wells. Home | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Links | Blog This site is © Copyright Farber and Associates, LLC 2005-2008, All Rights Reserved