How to Identify Ink Bottle Markings

Some ink bottles are harder to identify than others.

Bottle collecting can be a fascinating and rewarding pastime, but correctly identifying the maker of an individual piece can be challenging at times. Collecting ink bottles, a popular specialty, is no exception, especially since the variety of ink bottles produced may be greater than any other bottle type. Since marking patterns were not standardized among bottle producers, unraveling the mystery behind the origin of some ink vessels can take more than a bit of sleuthing.

Things You'll Need

• Ink bottle
• Magnifying glass
• White paper
• Pencil
• Index cards
• Pen
• Access to Web and/or print guides to bottle markings

Instructions

1. Look for embossed markings on the bottom or along the sides of the bottle. Hold the bottle in good light and at an angle that makes the letters stand out more. Use a magnifying glass if necessary.

2. Make a rubbing of the embossing if it has been worn down. Place a piece of white paper over the embossed area and rub a pencil over the paper to reveal the markings.

3. Record any embossed writing you find on an index card. Include a description of the bottle, including shape, color and any distinguishing features. Some manufacturers used symbols of birds and animals or specific patterns to set their bottles apart. Look for telltale signs about how the bottle was made, such as seams or a pontil mark on the base. Include as much information as possible to make it easier to identify your bottle.

4. Find out any history of the ink bottle that points to its country of origin. For example, if the bottle belonged to your great-grandfather who lived in England, you may be on the trail of where the bottle came from. Markings in a foreign language are obvious indicators of origin outside the U.S.

5. Use a search engine to search for any marks you discovered on the bottle. Enclose the complete text of the marking in quotation marks to get more specific results.

6. Visit some of the internet's more reputable collectibles and bottle-collecting websites. You'll find a wealth of information on a site maintained by the Society for Historical Archaeology in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. These sites often will have pictures of the bottles or information on the marks individual producers used.

7. Research your bottle and its markings in a bottle guidebook from your local library or bookstore. A classic resource is William E. Covill's book, "Ink Bottles and Inkwells."

References

• Society for Historical Archaeology: Household Bottles
• "The Kovel's Antiques & Collectibles Price List"; Ralph and Terry Kovel; 1984
• "The Official 1982 Price Guide to Bottles Old & New"; Dot and Carlo Sellari; 1981

Resources

• Society for Historical Archaeology: Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information
• "Ink Bottles and Inkwells"; William E. Covill Jr.; 1971