Octagonal “Corseted” Inkwell – Embossed

This is an unusual example of a mid-19th-century American ink bottle.

Embossing

The embossed markings on the front vertical panels read:

• Left Panel: PHILA
• Right Panel: J. HAUEL

Historical Context: Jules Hauel was a prominent “Perfumer and Chemist” located at 120 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. While he is most famous for his shaving creams and perfumes, his firm produced a variety of toiletry and stationery items, including high-quality inks, between the 1840s and 1860s.

Item Description

Form & Body

• Style: Octagonal “Corseted” or “Waisted” Inkwell.
• Shape: An eight-sided (octagonal) base that tapers inward at the midsection to create a “corset” effect before expanding again at the shoulder.
• Glass Color: Clear (often referred to as “flint glass” in this era), showing excellent clarity for its age with some light internal seeding (tiny bubbles).

Neck & Finish

• Finish Type: Heavy flared or “saucer” lip.
• Construction: The lip is hand-tooled and sheared. The neck is relatively short and tapers slightly toward the shoulder, designed for easy dipping of a quill or steel pen.

Base & Manufacture

• Pontil: A classic rod pontil scar (also known as an open pontil).
• Residue: Features two distinct spots of iron (black/metallic) residue, left behind when the pontil rod was snapped away from the base after the bottle was finished. This is a hallmark of pre-Civil War glass manufacturing.
• Mold: Blown in a multi-part dip mold.

Dimensions

• Height: 2 ¾ inches.