Think Ink saleslist

The Virtual Bottle Shop presents a selection of inks for sale - nearly all are illustrated too. No fantastic rarities but still some scarce, hard-to-find ink bottles as well as some good window bottles in a good range of shapes and sizes. Why not buy some as traders ? At these prices you can afford to !

Want anything from this list ? Just e-mail your order to mike@bygones.demon.co.uk and we will reserve the bottles while you get the payment sorted out. Please note we have had to suspend our "try before you buy" offer on all bottles . Payment must now be made before we will ship any articles. ALL prices are in US $ and include air-mail postage. (You can have the prices in your currency if you wish) You still have our unconditional return it if you don't like it guarantee !

This list was updated on 10.5.1998

DESK INKS

- These are usually heavy clearglass inkwells, often with a hinged metal lid. They were designed to sit on a writing table and sometimes be placed in writing set or case, very often in pairs. To use them you had to have a dip pen or quill.

  1. 7.5cm square, 3cm tall clearglass inkwell with original metal top. Is divided into two sections - larger obviously for the ink, the smaller for dipping the pen into the ink. $30
  2. 4.5cm square 6cm tall inkwell. Has fancy shoulders and a protruding lip bit no metal cap. $25
  3. 7.5cm diameter round ink, with a fancy design cut into the base. as the remains of the original metal top but the lid is absent. $25
  4. 7cm diameter round ink, another fancy design cut into the base, protruding top has a few rough edges, but these would not be evident if the metal top was fixed on - which it isn't ! $25
  5. 3.5cm 4cm tall clearglass square inkwell. Has a pediment protruding at base to fit into a hole, probably in a writing set. No metal lid $25

SHEARLIP INKS

- These are the UK's commonest inks. Each has a very rough lip which looks as though it is broken - it isn't ! They were utilitarian items, made very cheaply. The glassblower blew the glass into a mould and then simply snapped off the remainder of the glass, leaving a rough edge or a shearlip. This made a good seal with a cork.

6. Aqua octagonal tipper ink $20 - tips over to one side to allow easier access

7. Beautiful turquoise boat ink $25

8. Cobalt blue boat ink, a few small nips on the lip so ….$20

9. Attractive light blue/ice blue tipper ink $25

10. Light blue ink, ribbed on three sides, two pen rests $20
11. Cobalt blue ink, square section type, excellent condition $25
12. Very rare aqua bell ink variation. Is embossed Sample Lyons Ink across three arch shaped panels on the bell. A rare figural, embossed and sample bottle as well !! $35
12a. Shaped figural ink - in shape of a circus bell tent . Has a diamond registration on the base and is an unusual colour - aqua with a hint of turquoise green $25

EMBOSSED NAME INKS

A few glass inks were embossed with the name of the ink manufacturer but some are very rare. More new stock in this category coming soon....

APPLIED LIP INKS

Unlike shearlip inks, these all have a properly formed or applied lip.

13.Very rare light green armchair ink - not an easy ink to track down ! $45

14. 8cm tall aqua curved back triangular section ink, opening is offset to one side, and has a heavy glass rim at base and shoulders. $30

15. 7cm tall aqua oval section ink, heavy rim top and base $25

16. 7cm tall cobalt circular ink, top has double ring, bottle is machine made, 4oz embossed on the front/back $25

17. 6cm tall cobalt circular, shape as above, same lip, machine made and no capacity embossed $25

18. 5cm square section cobalt ink, 2oz embossed below lip, machine made bottle $20.

19. Light blue POLYGON ink, name embossed, diagonal penrest and the neck is offset into one corner - a very nice ink $55

20.. Mid-blue to cobalt POLYGON ink - details exactly as above $65

STONEWARE & POTTERY INKS

- Made from fired clay, these inks come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

21. Very unusual Doulton master ink with peculiar patent square section top. Orange brown glaze, DOULTON pottery mark plus a diamond registration mark, 14cm tall. ……. $15

22. 13.5 cm tall brownglaze master ink - BOURNE DENBY pottery mark. $10

23. 12cm tall orange/brown glaze master ink, fancier bottle than above, shape resembles the glass master inks BOURNE DENBY pottery mark $15

24. 11.5cm tall brownglaze master ink LOVATT & LOVATT pottery mark $15

25. 11cm tall unusual mustard colour glaze master ink , pottery mark is GRAY PORTOBELLO - not a common pottery mark either, very slight bruise under the lip $15

26. Cream glazed ink with pouring lip, impressed PRIDGES INKS, LONDON . N.E (rare to have the word INK included) $20

GLASS MASTER INKS

27. 1.16cm tall dark aqua master, embossed COCHRAN&Co. LIVERPOOL around the shoulder. Has a pouring lip formed inside the mouth of the bottle. $15

28. 16cm tall aqua master ink with two double rings of glass at the base decoration. Pouring lip fomred inside mouth of bottle No embossing $10

29. 15cm tall aqua master, has a fancy double ring of glass at the foot and shoulders of the bottle for decoration $10

30. 14cm tall aqua master, has a double glass ring at foot and shoulders - pouring lip protrudes over and down front of bottle $10

31. 12cm tall aqua master, double glass ring at top and shoulder plus more rings around abse of shoulders. Is emossed LYONS INK down side. Pouring lip formed within the mouth. $15

32. 18cm tall mid to dark cobalt master ink with pouring lip.Has 18 rectangular panels which form the sides of the bottle. Very elegant too $40

33. 17cm tall mid blue master ink embossed STAFFORDS INK MADE IN THE USA Writing is embossed up the side of the bottle. Has a very long pouring lip and is a nice bottle for just $40

34. 18cm tall mid blue to cobalt master ink embossed S S Staffords Inks Made in U.S.A in a panel horizontally across front of bottle at base.Again has a nice long pouring lip. Rarer than the Staffords ink above $45

Please note : Master inks were used to fill up inkwells or smaller ink bottles, hence the reason why just about every one had a pouring lip formed into the bottle. Probaly the most attractive masters are those which come in cobalt blue glass.- you will find two of them here.

Apologies for a slight cock-up on the photography front. The blue inks photograph shows both shearlip and applied lip inks

Nothing here for you here ? - well tell us what inks you would like to see here and we will try to help.If you do want something, better get on with that e-mail. Bottles on our lists tend to go very quickly because they are priced to sell!!

E-mail for orders mike@bygones.demon.co.uk