Harrison Umbrella Ink Bottle

This 8-sided conical or “umbrella” shaped ink bottle is a quintessential piece of American glass history, hailing from the peak of 19th-century Philadelphia commerce. It was produced by Apollos W. Harrison, a prominent merchant and manufacturer who began his business in the early 1840s.

A.W. Harrison Umbrella Ink

This specimen is a textbook example of the “umbrella” form—a design favored for its low center of gravity, which prevented the bottle from tipping over in a busy schoolroom or office.

• Glass Artistry & Manufacture: Crudely mold-blown of clear flint-glass, the bottle exhibits the hallmarks of mid-19th-century craftsmanship. The shiny, smooth, and wavy exterior panels are characteristic of early glasshouses like the Isabella Glass Works in New Jersey, which supplied many of Harrison’s bottles between 1841 and 1856.
• The “Bust-Off” Finish: The jagged, unrefined lip is a “bust-off” or “sheared” finish. This was achieved by literally breaking the bottle from the blowpipe (pontil) and occasionally grinding it down, leaving a craggily texture that marks it as a piece from the pre-Civil War era.
• Embossing & Character: The crude, crooked embossing—“A.W. HARRISON – PHILA.”—is spread across three of the bottle’s panels. This irregular lettering is desirable to collectors as it underscores the primitive, handmade nature of the mold itself.
• The Base & Texture: The thick, unevenly expanded base features a visible “dimple” or pontil scar, indicating where the glassblower’s rod was attached. Combined with the suspended air bubbles and early texture, the bottle resonates with the “imperfectness” of 1840s glassmaking.

Who was A.W. Harrison?

Apollos W. Harrison was more than an ink maker; he was a versatile entrepreneur in the Philadelphia business district.

• The Business: First listed in the Philadelphia City Directory in 1847, he operated out of 8 1/2 South Seventh Street and later moved to 10 South Seventh Street. His firm was originally known as “Apollos W. Harrison: Books, Maps, and Ink”.
• “Columbian” Fame: His most famous product was Harrison’s Columbian Ink. The name “Columbian” was a marketing term used to denote that the ink was purely American-made rather than imported.
• The Presidential Connection: Harrison’s marketing was legendary. An 1845 advertisement in the Public Ledger claimed that President James K. Polk used the ink to write his messages to Congress, with the President allegedly remarking that it “writes most beautifully”.
• Product Diversity: Beyond ink, Harrison was a major manufacturer of perfumes, hair dyes, soaps, and flavoring extracts. By the late 1850s, he employed over 80 people and had a massive trade network across the American South.

Estimated Age

Based on the “bust-off” lip, the umbrella shape, and the business history of Apollos W. Harrison at his Seventh Street addresses, this bottle dates to approximately 1845–1855.