Other Bottles: Ink, Poison, Cosmetic

The ink bottle with a large base and small neck is a nineteenth-century shape. In general, the shape of an ink bottle will tell its age. Cone and umbrella shapes were used from the early 1800s to the beginning of the twentieth century. Hexagonal and octagonal bottles were preferred from about 1835 to 1865. Igloo or turtle shapes were introduced in 1865 and were popular for schools until about 1895. Barrels were made from 1840 to 1900. Square bottles became popular after 1860. Many inks were mold-blown. Some inks were made crudely with sealed glass tops. These inks are called “bust-offs” by collectors, because it was necessary to break the neck to use the ink.