Aqua Glass Ink Bottle – Embossed “The Eureka”

This mid-19^th century aqua glass bottle has embossed inscriptions on two of its panels:

• Panel 1: The inscription clearly reads “THE EUREKA”. This was a popular brand name used for various products during the 19th and early 20th centuries, including ink.
• Panel 2: The maker’s inscription, though partially obscured, can be identified as “H. & E. & Co. LD. LONDON”. This stands for “H. & E. & Company Limited, London.”

History and Context

Though unable to find specific information about “H. & E. & Co. LD. LONDON”, there were companies with similar names and locations, such as Hyde & Co. and Hollis & Son, were well-known London ink manufacturers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These companies were known for producing a variety of writing inks and office supplies.

The term “Eureka” was used as a brand name for ink. Historical records mention “Eureka” ink bottles, including some with labels from the late 19th century. The combination of “THE EUREKA” and the London maker’s mark strongly suggests that this bottle was produced for a British market.

Manufactured using a mold-blown process, the molten glass was inflated by mouth through a blowpipe into a hinged mold. Once formed, the bottle was cracked or burst off the blowpipe, leaving behind a rough, sheared rim known as a burst lip—a hallmark of mid-1800s utilitarian glass production.

The aqua glass shows natural age characteristics such as bubbles, ripples, and minor inclusions. These imperfections were typical of glass from this era and reflect the handmade nature of the piece. The seams suggest a two-piece mold, with hand finishing at the lip.

This bottle likely served as an ink bottle and is an excellent example of mass production in early Victorian-era glassmaking, Up until 1700 writing ink was only available in block or powder, from around 1840 liquid ink began to be available for sale, this coincided with the new British penny post, and caused a huge increase in letter writing, to cater for this new demand small bottles, or penny ink bottles as they were known, had to be made in huge numbers, very cheaply.