USPS Inkwells

[BillZ]

Author Shelby Foote used a dip pen to write his books. He said that the one he used was like those that were used in hte psot office until the '50s. He went on to wonder about the inkwells that were used i nthe Po. Hhhe said they had spring loaded lids that allowed the nib to be wet but closed to minimize evaporation. Anyone have any knowledge of them?

[Titivillus]

Author Shelby Foote used a dip pen to write his books. He said that the one he used was like those that were used in hte psot office until the '50s. He went on to wonder about the inkwells that were used i nthe Po. Hhhe said they had spring loaded lids that allowed the nib to be wet but closed to minimize evaporation. Anyone have any knowledge of them?

 

Seems like it might have been a Sengebusch Post Office Department self closing inkwell

 

Do a google search for post office inkwells and there are some pics of the doubles w/o caps

 

They have a cap where the a small opening is pushed aside by the pen to access the ink then close again.

 

 

Kurt

 

[Paddler]

What Kurt said.

 

I have one of those Sengbusch wells with the USPS identification molded right into the glass. There is a mechanism that locks the inkwell into a hole in a tabletop. They hold a lot of ink - several ounces, anyway. Mine has a float that closes the hole in the cap. The pen nib depresses the float and goes down into the ink supply.

 

Before the Post Office moved away and abandoned it, the inkwell was used with a Sheaffer Fineline dip pen.

 

Paddler

 

[RevAaron]

For those who are wondering...

 

Pendemonium has one (more?) for sale. At least one model looks like:

 

http://www.pendemonium.com/images/inkwells/w669.gif