Vaseline Glass Inkwell

This inkwell is made of Vaseline glass, characterized by its translucent, pale yellow-green color under normal light.

• Shape and Form: It features an octagonal base and a body with vertically paneled faceted sides.
• Lid: The lid is a pointed, faceted hinged lid, which mirrors the octagonal shape of the base.
• Hardware: The inkwell has a brass collar and hinge.

Vaseline Glass: Color and Glow

The unique color and famous luminescence of this glass are due to the deliberate inclusion of a specific element in the glass formula.

What gives it its color?

The glass gets its signature pale, translucent yellow-green color from the addition of uranium dioxide (or a similar uranium compound) as a coloring agent during the melting process. Uranium was a common colorant in glass production from the mid-19th century into the early 20th century.

What gives it its glow?

The unmistakable, vibrant glow under a black light (longwave UV light) is called fluorescence, and it is directly caused by the uranium content in the glass.

• The uranium ions within the glass matrix absorb the high-energy, invisible ultraviolet (UV) light.
• These ions then re-emit the energy at a lower frequency, which corresponds to the visible, brilliant fluorescent green light.