Citron Colored Glass Umbrella Ink Bottle

This is a nice example of a 19th-century octagonal “umbrella” ink bottle. These utilitarian bottles were a staple of the mid-to-late 1800s, designed with a broad base to prevent tipping on slanted writing desks.

Description

Form and Color

• Shape: It features a classic eight-sided (octagonal) conical body that tapers into a cylindrical neck. This “umbrella” form was one of the most popular designs for liquid ink storage during the 1800s.
• Color: The glass is a vibrant citron (a yellowish-green), which is a much rarer and more desirable color for collectors compared to the common aqua or light green versions.
• Glass Quality: The glass is filled with “seed bubbles” (tiny air pockets) and shows some striations or a slightly “whittled” texture—imperfections that are hallmarks of early mold-blown glass. There is some internal residue or light haze (common in “dug” bottles), but the clarity of the citron remains strong.

Manufacturing Marks

• Mouth/Lip: The bottle has an inwardly rolled lip (or “rolled mouth”). This finish was achieved by folding the hot glass back into the neck to create a smooth, reinforced edge for a cork stopper.
• Base: This bottle has a smooth base bottle rather than one with a jagged pontil scar. This suggests it was likely held by a “snap case” or a similar tool rather than a pontil rod during the finishing process.

Age and Origin

Estimated Age: 1860s – 1880s

While the umbrella form dates back to the 1840s, the smooth base and the specific style of the rolled lip typically place this bottle in the post-Civil War era. Earlier versions (1840–1860) usually feature a rough “open pontil” or “tubular pontil” mark on the bottom. The crude, bubbly glass and the hand-finished mouth indicate it was produced before the advent of fully automated bottle-making machines in the early 1900s.

Estimated Origin: United States

This is almost certainly American in origin. These were produced in massive quantities by various glasshouses in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, including famous centers in New England (such as Stoddard or Coventry) and Philadelphia/New Jersey. Citron glass like this was often a “happy accident” of the mineral content in the sand at specific glasshouses, making it a prized variation for modern collectors.