About Antique Ink Bottles

Ink bottles were produced as early as the 1600's. Color and shape are the two main factors for collectors. While the 'cone' shape is the most common, sought-after shapes include 'teapot,' 'umbrella,' and 'turtle.' The most valuable colors are unusual ones like yellow and purple, with colors like aqua and clear being quite common. Embossing or intact labels also increase value, adding aesthetic appeal and information about the bottle's origin.


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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Bottle Collector Bill Lindsey

My maternal grandfather and uncle got into bottles in about 1965 or ‘66 when I was in high school, and we started d… [more]

An Interview With Vintage Fountain Pen Collector Jim Mamoulides

When I got my first job out of college, I did what a lot of people do: I ran out and bought myself a Montblanc pen … [more]

Guest Column: Collecting Antique Ball Jars

One of the most common fruit jars ever produced is the lowly Ball jar. Historical figures show that from between Se… [more]

Guest Column: Collecting The Parker 51, A Classic Vintage Pen

The Parker "51," produced by the Parker Pen Company, is considered by many collectors to be the best pen ever made.… [more]

An Interview With Chinese Snuff Bottle Collector Vincent Fausone, Jr.

In 1978, I found a snuff bottle and didn’t know what it was. It intrigued me, so I bought it. Then I found some boo… [more]

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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

1001 Ink Bottles

1001 Ink Bottles

This site has lots of great photos and descriptions of rare vintage ink bottles. In particular, check out the Water… [read review or visit site]

Historic Glass Bottle Identification

Historic Glass Bottle Identification

Bill Lindsey's fantastic bottle identification and information site. Loaded with detailed descriptions and diagrams… [read review or visit site]

Parker51.com

Parker51.com

Ernesto Soler's extensive homage to one of the most popular pens ever produced, the Parker "51," introduced in 1941… [read review or visit site]

Cape May County Bottle Collectors

Cape May County Bottle Collectors

Ed and Mark Runyon's wonderful guide to the antique bottles of Cape May County, New Jersey is a great site for anyo… [read review or visit site]

Penhero.com

Penhero.com

Jim Mamoulides' vintage and modern pen-cyclopedia. Start at the main gallery, featuring detailed articles (with pho… [read review or visit site]

Antique Bottle Collector's Haven

Antique Bottle Collector's Haven

There's a ton of information here, but as with bottles, you have to dig to find the best stuff. Start with the famo… [read review or visit site]

Diggersdiary.co.uk

Diggersdiary.co.uk

This great site, from British diggers Darren Gray and Jeremy Kemp, is rich in information about hunting for antique… [read review or visit site]

Bottle Cap Index

Bottle Cap Index

Assembled by Gunther Rademacher with the help of several other contributors, this collection of over half a million… [read review or visit site]

Plopsite.de

Plopsite.de

Norbert Lamping's collection of 600+ ceramic bottle stoppers, Hutter stoppers, swingtops, swivel stoppers, and ligh… [read review or visit site]

Old Spice Collectibles

Old Spice Collectibles

Lather up with Creighton Friceks complete chronology of collectible Old Spice shaving products. Start with the bott… [read review or visit site]


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Clubs & Associations: Bottles


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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Ink Bottles email

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Pitkin Type Inkwell, Early, Square, Unique, Swirled!$525.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 10 watchers
Early (c.1840s) Farley's Ink Stoddard Inkwell!$510.00 Ends Saturday 9 bids 37 watchers
Rare Blackwoods Variation Of Us Igloo Ink - L@@k!$255.27 Ends in 14 hours 15 bids 33 watchers
Dark Jade Green C1880-90 Fm&co Round Ink - Mint!$234.25 Ends in 8 hours 12 bids 54 watchers
Unusual C1880-90 Aqua Teakettle Ink - Mint!$220.74 Ends in 15 hours 11 bids 38 watchers
Poss Unique (?) C1870-80 Jade Green Pumpkin Ink !!$168.18 Ends in 17 hours 9 bids 41 watchers
V Rare Flatter Pumpkin Ink C1860-70 - L@@k!$153.16 Ends in 13 hours 9 bids 35 watchers
Unbelievable Amber Fm&co W 6 Sloping Sides!$123.28 Ends in 13 hours 8 bids 41 watchers
** Round C1870 Cottage Ink W Windows Doors Etc !!! ***$121.76 Ends in 16 hours 7 bids 60 watchers
Amazing Mint C1870-80 Barrel Ink W Diamond Pattern-l@@k$100.61 Ends in 15 hours 9 bids 38 watchers
Antique Gray's Novelty Aqua Glass Ink Stand - Boston$96.26 Ends in 18 hours 6 bids 10 watchers
Earlier 1869 Reg Cottage Ink W Windows Both Sides$93.10 Ends in 16 hours 8 bids 39 watchers
Unique Early C1870 Chinese Lantern Ink - L@@k!$84.09 Ends in 14 hours 13 bids 37 watchers
Superb Cobalt Blue Derby All British Pyramid Ink- Mint!$76.58 Ends in 15 hours 10 bids 32 watchers
Superb Reddy Brown C1890 Burst Lip Cotton Reel Ink$72.06 Ends in 15 hours 7 bids 17 watchers
Nice Early Mid Blue Davy Square Ink W Bevelled Corners$61.72 Ends in 15 hours 7 bids 32 watchers
Harrison'scolumbian Ink O.p.aqua 4 Inch$61.69 Ends in 18 hours 8 bids 21 watchers
Old Figural Camel Spelter Ink Well Bottle Paint Estate$49.95 Ends Monday 1 bid 12 watchers
Superb Deep Blue C1870 Round Ink W Faceted Shoulders$49.55 Ends in 17 hours 5 bids 32 watchers
Funky 'electric Blue' C1880-90 Boat Ink - L@@k!$42.04 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 17 watchers
Nice Turquoise Green C1890 4-penrest Square Ink $39.04 Ends in 14 hours 6 bids 32 watchers
Carter's Ink Emerald Pint Master 3 Pc Mold Pour Spout$35.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 1 watcher
Lovely Emerald Green C1870 Marquee / Tent Ink- Mint!$30.03 Ends in 17 hours 5 bids 38 watchers
Early Flat Square Bevelled Shape In Dark Green Glass!$26.35 Ends in 15 hours 6 bids 32 watchers
L .h.thomas' Ink" Master Quart "$25.00 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Very Rare C1890 Nice Honey Amber Burst Lip Cotton Reel$22.60 Ends in 16 hours 6 bids 23 watchers
Aqua Round Ink With Amazing Brown Swirls / Striations!$21.02 Ends in 16 hours 7 bids 31 watchers
J & I . E . M . Large And Small Letters Patent$19.99 Ends in 17 hours 2 bids 2 watchers
Antique Early Semi Cabin Ink Bottle Ccsgco$15.65 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 1 watcher
Bixby Ink * Tall Thin Type * Scarce Large Letters$13.49 Ends in 13 hours 2 bids 7 watchers
Vintage Keller's Ink Bottle, Keller Ink, Detroit, Mi$12.50 Ends in 7 hours 3 bids 4 watchers
Long-necked Cottage Ink Bottle C1880's$11.28 Ends Thursday 3 bids 26 watchers
Antique Camel Inkwell Old ~ Very Rare Cast Metal Camel$10.50 Ends Thursday 2 bids 5 watchers
Small Squat Joy's Ink$10.45 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 10 watchers
Aqua Glass Horseshoe-shaped Ink Bottle - Sanford 217$9.99 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
2 Vintage 1 Oz. Brown Stoneware Ink Bottles$9.99 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 3 watchers
Ultra Crude, Lopsided Dark Green 8 Sided Ink, Near Mint$9.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 10 watchers
Rare Vintage Waterman's Ideal Ink Bottle$9.99 Ends in 12 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Deep Cobalt Blue Quart Carters Cathedral Ink$9.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid 8 watchers
Teal Base Embossed Carters Cone Ink $9.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid 3 watchers
Teal (green/blue) Morrell's "boat" Type Ink C1900$9.01 Ends Thursday 5 bids 6 watchers
Funky Teal Blue C1890 Octagonal Ink - V Unusual Colour!$8.26 Ends in 16 hours 4 bids 31 watchers
Superb Chimney Ink Bottle. $7.49 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 2 watchers
Fantastic Hyde Of London Ink Bottle. $7.49 Ends Thursday 1 bid 11 watchers
Green Bixby Ink Bottle$7.16 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 4 watchers
Antique Art Pottery Master Ink Bottle Inkwell Jar 1850s$7.15 Ends in 20 hours 3 bids 10 watchers
Early F.m & Co "candle" Ink With Dagger Pictorial C1880$7.06 Ends Thursday 3 bids 13 watchers
Vintage Diamond Ink Bottle Violet, Milwaukee, Wis$6.50 Ends in 7 hours 2 bids 2 watchers
Nice Early Vibrant Blue C1870-80 Oct Ink W Nib Recess$6.46 Ends in 14 hours 6 bids 28 watchers
Antique Ink Bottle Levey’s Very Cool$6.39 Ends Monday 3 bids 3 watchers
Strange Aqua Square Lantern Shaped Ink ! - C1880 $6.31 Ends in 15 hours 4 bids 24 watchers
Antique/vintage Travelling/portable Inkwell$6.31 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 3 watchers
Igloo Ink Bottle$6.13 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 15 watchers
P&j. Arnold~denby Pottery~ink Bottle~stoneware~antique$5.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 1 watcher
Antique Chinese Japanese Inkwell Ink Bottle Pot Pen Vtg$5.50 Ends in 21 hours 3 bids 18 watchers

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