Inkwells!

[OakIris]

There are some very nice inkwells shown here. I only have two inkwells and both are simple glass ones with pen rests. The single inkwell is on my desk; it has water in it so that if I have a fountain pen that is a hard starter, I can dip the nib/feed in the water to coax the ink to start to flow. That inkwell is a Victorian inkwell from England; the second photo shows the discoloration of the water from the ink, the glass is actually clear. The double inkwell was made in USA by the Frank A. Weeks Mfg. Co.; can't seem to find out much about this company but it was based in New York and was a "stationer and office outfitter" in the early to mid 1900's.

 

 

 

 

 

Holly

 

I saw a similar one for sale this week on ebay (chipped). Even still they are stunning.

 

Which one did you see on eBay?

 

My single well has a small chip on the corner of the 2nd "step" up from bottom - you can sort of see it in the picture - but I don't think it detracts from the inkwell at all. The Frank Weeks inkwell is undamaged, which is amazing - I figure that it is at least 80 years old...

 

Holly

[lapis]

... the tunnel on the underside of MB bottles completely eludes me. Is it to create a separate chamber to more easily access the ink?

 

Yep.

Exactly. If the whole bottom of the bottle were completely flat (without any rise in it) then there would be less height of the ink in the well part. This would not enhance the function for which it was originally designed.

 

Mike

[dunhamsa]

Some lovely ink wells on this thread! I love the fancy ones, although I've always enjoyed the more simple glass variety in my home. I don't tend to use them, as the ink dries out without an adequate air-tight seal on them. I just use the ink bottles I buy (Parker Quink, Sheaffer Skrip, Omas, Pelikan) to keep the ink in for practical reasons. I also quite like the bottles if i'm honest.

 

However, on my desk I have my pen tidy! After all, if you have inkwells you need to have somewhere to put them, right?! The ink wells on it are purely decorative, but I keep most of my pen collection in the drawer (felt lined), and one pen in the top try for go-to use (if you're interested it's an unusual Platignum fountain pen (I think 1990s if I remember rightly) with brass barrel and enamel coating.

 

 

 

 

This is very nice! Where did you get it? Hard to find?

[Uncle Red]

I picked this little one up at a flea market. It has holes to hold 3 quills.http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8028/7598234264_db4a81bfa1_c.jpg

That is nice looking, fiberdrunk. Was that the original purpose for this or did you see it and say "That is just the thing for my quills and ink...." ?? It looks as if it could have been made to be a candle/incense holder, but very cool to repurpose it for as an inkwell for your quills instead.Holly

Fiberdrunk, that looks like the real thing, was it made for re-enactors? I assume the opening at the top leads to one chamber and the holes around the circumfrence lead to another.

It's a beauty and right up your alley.

[amberleadavis]

There are some very nice inkwells shown here. I only have two inkwells and both are simple glass ones with pen rests. The single inkwell is on my desk; it has water in it so that if I have a fountain pen that is a hard starter, I can dip the nib/feed in the water to coax the ink to start to flow. That inkwell is a Victorian inkwell from England; the second photo shows the discoloration of the water from the ink, the glass is actually clear. The double inkwell was made in USA by the Frank A. Weeks Mfg. Co.; can't seem to find out much about this company but it was based in New York and was a "stationer and office outfitter" in the early to mid 1900's.

 

 

 

 

 

Holly

 

I saw a similar one for sale this week on ebay (chipped). Even still they are stunning.

 

Which one did you see on eBay?

 

My single well has a small chip on the corner of the 2nd "step" up from bottom - you can sort of see it in the picture - but I don't think it detracts from the inkwell at all. The Frank Weeks inkwell is undamaged, which is amazing - I figure that it is at least 80 years old...

 

Holly

 

It's not as pretty, and doesn't have as many steps as yours.

[WhosYerBob]

I use Montblanc bottles.

+1

 

 

I use Montblanc bottles as well. I tried using old vintage inkwells, but found them to be less than satisfactory compared to properly sealed modern glass bottles.

[OakIris]

There are some very nice inkwells shown here. I only have two inkwells and both are simple glass ones with pen rests. The single inkwell is on my desk; it has water in it so that if I have a fountain pen that is a hard starter, I can dip the nib/feed in the water to coax the ink to start to flow. That inkwell is a Victorian inkwell from England; the second photo shows the discoloration of the water from the ink, the glass is actually clear. The double inkwell was made in USA by the Frank A. Weeks Mfg. Co.; can't seem to find out much about this company but it was based in New York and was a "stationer and office outfitter" in the early to mid 1900's.

 

 

 

 

 

Holly

 

I saw a similar one for sale this week on ebay (chipped). Even still they are stunning.

 

Which one did you see on eBay?

 

My single well has a small chip on the corner of the 2nd "step" up from bottom - you can sort of see it in the picture - but I don't think it detracts from the inkwell at all. The Frank Weeks inkwell is undamaged, which is amazing - I figure that it is at least 80 years old...

 

Holly

 

It's not as pretty, and doesn't have as many steps as yours.

That inkwell is still nice looking, but the seller is asking a pretty steep price for it, especially considering all of the damage. My Victorian single inkwell, which I bought just a few months ago, cost $54, including shipping.

 

 

I use Montblanc bottles.

+1

 

 

I use Montblanc bottles as well. I tried using old vintage inkwells, but found them to be less than satisfactory compared to properly sealed modern glass bottles.

An inkwell with a screw on top would be ideal; Mike's (lapis's) glass and pewter inkwell is a great example. The vintage inkwells were of course used for dip pens; some of them did have a screw on lid, like Mike's, but most of them, at least those that I have seen, do not. I would guess that they were used with such frequency that they needed to be refilled with ink before evaporation became a problem or, perhaps like Jill (jbb,) the users just added a bit of water to make up for the evaporation. I plan to use my double inkwell with dip pens and will probably only put enough ink in it to last for my writing session, as opposed to using it for long term storage.

 

I love the "steps" - pen rests - on them, too. Thinking about all of the people that used the inkwells in the past for their daily writing, even if it was just to fill out their accounting ledgers, is, to me, part of the charm of the vintage inkwells.

 

Holly

[betweenthelens]

I've got quite a few inkwells. One of the features I look for in the ones I use the most is a hinged lid.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5113/7432459568_14800df50c_o.jpg

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/6774443110_02687835d5_o.jpg

 

Those are absolutely beautiful!

There are some very nice inkwells shown here. I only have two inkwells and both are simple glass ones with pen rests. The single inkwell is on my desk; it has water in it so that if I have a fountain pen that is a hard starter, I can dip the nib/feed in the water to coax the ink to start to flow. That inkwell is a Victorian inkwell from England; the second photo shows the discoloration of the water from the ink, the glass is actually clear. The double inkwell was made in USA by the Frank A. Weeks Mfg. Co.; can't seem to find out much about this company but it was based in New York and was a "stationer and office outfitter" in the early to mid 1900's.

 

 

 

 

 

Holly

Holly, I just picked up a glass Defiance Manufacturing Company (also in NY) inkstand with plastic lids (I don't believe they're bakelite as some say these types of lids are as they don't have that telltale odor when rubbed vigorously.) that is similar in design, and when researching it, I not only came across Weeks but Sengbusch as well. The designs are markedly similar.

[OakIris]

A bit of an old thread - too bad most of photos of BoBo's collection are missing now. He has some wonderful inkwells!

 

Interesting that the designs are so similar, betweenthelens, though I imagine there are not that many different ways to design an inkwell. Someone in another thread - maybe lapis, but I can't remember - did point out how my Frank Weeks inkwell resembles a certain part of the female anatomy, so perhaps that is where the inspiration comes from. I still think it is remarkable that these glass inkwells have survived for so many years. They obviously didn't have anyone like me around when they were first made and purchased! (No, I haven't damaged either of my inkwells, but I do have a lot of broken glass strewn about in my past - 'Grace' is not my middle name.....)

 

Holly

[AustinMalone1999]

P.W. Akkerman ink bottles would make great, if somewhat large (150mL), ink wells. As would the vintage bottles that inspired them.

 

Waterman and OMAS ink bottles would also make nice ink wells, as they have flat angled surfaces so you can set the bottle down at an angle to more easily use the last few mL of ink.

The large bottles have been discontinued. Now they hold 60 ml. Just an update. I read somewhere that the bottles are no longer made, and when they're gone, they're gone.

[Namru]

Not something pretty, but a little history. Something my grandmother must have "aquired" when she worked for the Post Office/Royal Mail. I'm guessing the S.O. stands for sorting office. I have no idea when they stopped using dip pens.

 

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/davidfielding3832/IMAG0387_1_1.jpg

 

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/davidfielding3832/IMAG0384.jpg

[betweenthelens]

Not something pretty, but a little history. Something my grandmother must have "aquired" when she worked for the Post Office/Royal Mail. I'm guessing the S.O. stands for sorting office. I have no idea when they stopped using dip pens.

 

 

Lovely glass! Nice remembrance.

[raging.dragon]

The large bottles have been discontinued. Now they hold 60 ml. Just an update. I read somewhere that the bottles are no longer made, and when they're gone, they're gone.

 

That was true for as while they sold off the last of the 150 mL bottles before introducing the 60 mL bottles. Last I read the 60 mL bottles will be available for as long as they sell well enough to be worth making.

[betweenthelens]

A bit of an old thread - too bad most of photos of BoBo's collection are missing now. He has some wonderful inkwells!

 

Interesting that the designs are so similar, betweenthelens, though I imagine there are not that many different ways to design an inkwell. Someone in another thread - maybe lapis, but I can't remember - did point out how my Frank Weeks inkwell resembles a certain part of the female anatomy, so perhaps that is where the inspiration comes from. I still think it is remarkable that these glass inkwells have survived for so many years. They obviously didn't have anyone like me around when they were first made and purchased! (No, I haven't damaged either of my inkwells, but I do have a lot of broken glass strewn about in my past - 'Grace' is not my middle name.....)

 

Holly

Hi Holly. I agree that it's pretty remarkable that some of these glass inkwells have survived mostly intact. It would be interesting to know how many were produced by each company. Oh my gosh, I do all of my own stunts with respect to clumsiness! Hope all is well with you.

[ac12]

+1

 

 

I use Montblanc bottles as well. I tried using old vintage inkwells, but found them to be less than satisfactory compared to properly sealed modern glass bottles.

 

That is my problem.

I have a few inkwells, but NONE of them seal. So I just use them for display rather than putting ink into them.

If I did use them, I would have to move ink from the bottle into the inkwell, then when I'm done, from the inkwell back into the bottle. I would rather not hassle that extra work, and another chance to spill ink.

 

I did find a glass inkwell with a brass screw on cap. I almost got it, but after communicating with the seller, he told me that the cap is for looks, it does NOT seal It should be OK for home, but NOT for traveling where you have to contain the ink while the inkwell is being moved/shaken/tipped.

The brass and stainless steel inkwells on the link below are the only ones that I know of that seal.

http://www.paperinkarts.com/tools-of-the-trade-storage-inkwell.html

I met one guy who brought his dip pen ink to the Pen Posse in the brass inkwell.

 

Also I use an oblique dip pen holder, which needs a rather large opening to get the flange and the holder into the ink jar. So that makes most of my inkwells not usable for much of my dip pen work. I need to look for another inkwell with a large mouth.

 

I do use one for keeping water in when I work with my pens; cleaning water for my dip pens, or rehydrating water for my fountain pens.

 

BTW, one of the problems that I have in finding old inkwells is the cap. I have a few where the cap is missing, or I question the cap that is on the ink well as being the correct cap for that inkwell.

 

BTW-2 There is an inkwell group. I once ran into their web site, and of course now that I'm looking for it, I can't find it.

Edited July 22, 2014 by ac12

[fiberdrunk]

Fiberdrunk, that looks like the real thing, was it made for re-enactors? I assume the opening at the top leads to one chamber and the holes around the circumfrence lead to another.

It's a beauty and right up your alley.

 

I know this is an old response-- I completely missed it! Sorry about that. The inkwell is the real deal. The holes for the quills are independent of the hole for the ink. It's handmade with the potter's initials scratched on the underside. I don't have any other information about it than that. I found a cork for it and it works really well. I'd love to find more just like it.

[chunya]

Not something pretty, but a little history. Something my grandmother must have "aquired" when she worked for the Post Office/Royal Mail. I'm guessing the S.O. stands for sorting office. I have no idea when they stopped using dip pens.

 

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/davidfielding3832/IMAG0387_1_1.jpg

 

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/davidfielding3832/IMAG0384.jpg

Hi,

 

S O actually stood for Stationery Office .... HMSO was Her Majesty's Stationery Office, and they supplied all Government bodies with whatever was required,you even had toilet Rolls with the crown and HMSO stamped on each and every sheet. There is an interesting history of it here: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/her-majesty-s-stationery-office-history/

I was in the Civil Service between 1975 and 1985, and absolutely everything had the HMSO and Crown imprint, although I did wonder even then who would want to steal the toilet paper, except to use as tracing paper!

[Namru]

Hi,

 

S O actually stood for Stationery Office .... HMSO was Her Majesty's Stationery Office, and they supplied all Government bodies with whatever was required,you even had toilet Rolls with the crown and HMSO stamped on each and every sheet. There is an interesting history of it here: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/her-majesty-s-stationery-office-history/

I was in the Civil Service between 1975 and 1985, and absolutely everything had the HMSO and Crown imprint, although I did wonder even then who would want to steal the toilet paper, except to use as tracing paper!

 

I had no idea that such a department existed. You really do learn something new everyday.

[Bo Bo Olson]

One day when I find some time, I'll add all the old Inkwells that were removed....after I've photographed all the new ones. There must be five or six new ones with out any photo's.

Only 3-4 of the new ones have photo's....

 

I guess that and ink is why I so seldom buy pens.....well that too, is not all that seldom....with seven this year. Four of them were because my Grail pen never showed up after 4-5 months of saving and buying next to nothing.

 

The first thing one does is give up buying public coffee...make it at home and carry it with you in a thermos. One does have the choice; see and be seen in Starbucks or inkwells.

 

Be wary of scraggly haired, skinny dirty midgets trying to trade a 'gold' ring for your inkwell. Hell, he don't even know Precious is the resin in a MB pen.

 

11" high, 12 inches wide.

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Inkwells/KGrHqFHJCsE70JsksQBPCd6Vjf60_12.jpg

 

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Inkwells/KGrHqZHJCwE7z5ZQ-fBPCd5GNKvg60_12.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Inkwells/KGrHqVHJCkE7zC5V3IUBPCdwzVCdQ60_12.jpg

 

Given for

15-09-1915

Got to look that date up. Just did.

Hindenburg's Army under Prinz Leopold von Bayern captured 9,000.

Generalfeldmarschalls v. Mackensen, Then captured 700 more.

So with out the workers that would not have been possible.

 

Östlicher Kriegsschauplatz:
Heeresgruppe des Generalfeldmarschalls v. Hindenburg:
Am Brückenkopf westlich von Dünaburg Kampf. Bei Soloki (südlich von Dünaburg) wurde feindliche Kavallerie geworfen. An der Wilija. nordöstlich und nordwestlich von Wilna, wurden feindliche Gegenangriffe abgewiesen. Östlich von Olita und Grodno drang unser Angriff weiter vor.
Südlich des Njemen wurde die Szczara an einzelnen Stellen erreicht. Es sind rund 9000 Gefangene gemacht.
Heeresgruppe des Generalfeldmarschalls Prinz Leopold von Bayern:
Der Gegner ist über die Szczara zurückgedrängt.
Heeresgruppe des Generalfeldmarschalls v. Mackensen:
Die Verfolgung auf Pinsk wird fortgesetzt. Die Gefangenenzahl hat sich auf über 700 erhöht.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Anne-Sophie]

Not something pretty, but a little history. Something my grandmother must have "aquired" when she worked for the Post Office/Royal Mail. I'm guessing the S.O. stands for sorting office. I have no idea when they stopped using dip pens.

 

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/davidfielding3832/IMAG0387_1_1.jpg

 

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/davidfielding3832/IMAG0384.jpg

 

Very nice find! A lot of history both personal and general, thanks for sharing!