Umbrella Ink Bottle (Circa 1850)

Detailed Description

• Type and Function: This is an umbrella ink bottle, a popular commercial form designed to hold writing fluid. The squat, multi-faceted body provides a stable base and reduces the likelihood of tipping, while the inverted “umbrella” shape theoretically minimizes ink exposure to air to prevent drying and oxidation.
• Color and Material: The ink bottle is made of blown glass with a teal green (or aqua/blue-green) coloration. This color is typical of early commercial glass where metal oxides were present as impurities or intentionally added for a slight tint.
• Shape: The body is roughly spherical or squat, featuring prominent vertical ribbing or faceting molded into the glass, giving it the characteristic “umbrella” look.
• Finishing (Lip and Rim): The bottle has a rolled lip finish. This means the top edge of the neck was softened with heat and rolled over, forming a smooth, rounded lip. This style of finish was often created without the use of a finishing tool, common for bottles of this age that were sealed with a cork.
• Base (Pontil Mark): The base features an unusual big chip pontil mark.
  • Pontil Mark: This is the remnant left when the pontil rod (or punty) was broken away from the base of the bottle during the glassblowing process.
  • “Big Chip”: This descriptive term refers to a rough, crudely broken pontil mark where a noticeable amount of glass was chipped or scarred off the base when the rod was detached. The roughness of the pontil mark is a strong indicator of pre-1860s production, as later, smoother iron pontils and snap cases were developed to leave less intrusive marks.

Age and Context

The combination of the crude rolled lip, the rough chip pontil base, and the specific umbrella mold shape places this bottle securely in the period before mass-production technologies fully took over.

• Estimated Age: Mid-19th Century (Circa 1840 – 1860)