Ink Bottles, Pens and Desk Sets Photos

Before ballpoint pens, feather pens or pens with nibs were dipped in ink was stored in a variety of glass bottles or desk sets.

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Scribe writes with quill pen at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL.Tools for pen & ink making & writing in house of scribe at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL.Desk from New England with English or Dutch Punchbowl, coin scales, snuff box, snuffers & ink well in Mid 18th C room at Concord Museum. Concord, MA.Silver replica of Independence Hall inkstand by Gebelein Silversmiths Inc. of Boston, MA at Yale University Art Gallery. New Haven, CT.
Scribe writes with quill pen at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL.Tools for pen & ink making & writing in house of scribe at Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum. St Augustine, FL.Desk (1750-75) from New England with English or Dutch Punchbowl, coin scales, snuff box, snuffers & ink well in Mid 18th C room at Concord Museum. Concord, MA.Silver replica of Independence Hall inkstand (c1930) by Gebelein Silversmiths Inc. of Boston, MA at Yale University Art Gallery. New Haven, CT.
Inkwell used by Abraham Lincoln. Washington, DC.Crystal & silver inkwell used by Abraham Lincoln during his presidency at National Museum of American History. Washington, DC.Desk & inkwell from Abraham Lincoln's rail car at Union Pacific Railroad Museum. Council Bluffs, IA.Bird paperweight from desk of Abraham Lincoln. Washington, DC.
Inkwell used by Abraham Lincoln in Ford's Theatre museum. Washington, DC.Crystal & silver inkwell used by Abraham Lincoln during his presidency at National Museum of American History. Washington, DC.Desk & inkwell from Abraham Lincoln's rail car at Union Pacific Railroad Museum. Council Bluffs, IA.Bird paperweight from desk of Abraham Lincoln in Ford's Theatre museum. Washington, DC.
Onyx & brass pen stand believed used by President Chester Alan Arthur at National Museum of American History. Washington, DC.Benjamin Harrison's ink well at Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. Indianapolis, IN.Inkstand & pen used by William McKinley to sign Declaration of War with Spain. Fremont, OH.Lucretia Garfield's writing case at Garfield NHS. Mentor, OH.
Onyx & brass pen stand believed used by President Chester Alan Arthur at National Museum of American History. Washington, DC.Benjamin Harrison's ink well at Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. Indianapolis, IN.Inkstand & pen used by William McKinley to sign Declaration of War with Spain (April 25, 1898) (at Hayes Presidential Center). Fremont, OH.Lucretia Garfield's writing case at Garfield NHS. Mentor, OH.
Hippo foot inkwell & elephant sculpture in Gun Room at Roosevelt's House Sagamore Hill NHS. Cove Neck, NY.Desk in North Room with elephant foot waste basket & rhino foot inkwell at Roosevelt's House Sagamore Hill NHS. Cove Neck, NY.Inkwell used by Nathaniel Hawthorne while Surveyor of Salem Custom House. Salem, MA.Louisa May Alcott's inkwell in her bedroom at Orchard House. Concord, MA.
Hippo foot inkwell & elephant sculpture in Gun Room at Roosevelt's House Sagamore Hill NHS. Cove Neck, NY.Desk in North Room with elephant foot waste basket & rhino foot inkwell at Roosevelt's House Sagamore Hill NHS. Cove Neck, NY.Inkwell used by Nathaniel Hawthorne while Surveyor of Salem Custom House. Salem, MA.Louisa May Alcott's inkwell in her bedroom at Orchard House. Concord, MA.
Oil lamp with shade plus writing implements on desk at Spanish Governor's Palace. San Antonio, TX.Captain's quarters objects including chest, inkwell, telescope & Windsor chair at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Inkwells at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Baetge Inkwell in form of Satan and used by Carl Baetge in Baetge House at Conservation Plaza. New Braunfels, TX.
Oil lamp with shade plus writing implements on desk at Spanish Governor's Palace. San Antonio, TX.Captain's quarters objects including chest, inkwell, telescope & Windsor chair at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Inkwells at Whaling Museum. Cold Spring Harbor, NY.Baetge Inkwell in form of Satan and used by Carl Baetge in Baetge House at Conservation Plaza. New Braunfels, TX.
Pen & ink desk set with hunting scene at Chambers House Museum. Beaumont, TX.Desktop with mementos of Charles Gibson at Gibson House Museum. Boston, MA.Lamp, table clock, inkwell in Stone Library at Peacefield. Quincy, MA.Desk set in king's bedroom at Glamis Castle. Angus, Scotland.
Pen & ink desk set with hunting scene at Chambers House Museum. Beaumont, TX.Desktop with mementos of Charles Gibson at Gibson House Museum. Boston, MA.Lamp, table clock, inkwell in Stone Library at Peacefield. Quincy, MA.Desk set in king's bedroom at Glamis Castle. Angus, Scotland.
Vintage desk items including Telegraph Forms & blotter in Small Library at Hopetoun House. Queensferry, Scotland.Desk set with embossing stamp in Library at Culzean Castle. Maybole, Scotland.Letter casket used by Louis Napoleon, King of Holland in his palace at Rijksmuseum. Amsterdam, NL.Inkwell recovered from USS Maine after explosion in Havana Bay. Annapolis, MD.
Vintage desk items including Telegraph Forms & blotter in Small Library at Hopetoun House. Queensferry, Scotland.Desk set with embossing stamp in Library at Culzean Castle. Maybole, Scotland.Letter casket (1808-10) used by Louis Napoleon, King of Holland in his palace at Rijksmuseum. Amsterdam, NL.Inkwell recovered from USS Maine after explosion in Havana Bay. Annapolis, MD.
Pan-American Airways commemorative fountain pen desk set at President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Park. Plymouth Notch, VT.Silver feather pen holder at Sedgwick County Historical Museum. Wichita, KS.Copper & silver inkwell by Gorham Manuf. Co. of Providence, RI at Carnegie Museum of Art. Pittsburgh, PA.Green glass & brass desk set at Gillette Castle State Park. East Haddam, CT.
Pan-American Airways commemorative fountain pen desk set (1928) at President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Park. Plymouth Notch, VT.Silver feather pen holder (c1885) at Sedgwick County Historical Museum. Wichita, KS.Copper & silver inkwell (1901) by Gorham Manuf. Co. of Providence, RI at Carnegie Museum of Art. Pittsburgh, PA.Green glass & brass desk set at Gillette Castle State Park. East Haddam, CT.
Roycroft desk set at Roycroft Campus Powerhouse. East Aurora, NY.Inkwell & glass candlesticks at Bullock Texas State History Museum. Austin, TX.Ink bottle collection at Miramont Castle. Manitou Springs, CO.Ink bottles & pipes recovered from USS Cairo. Vicksburg, MS.
Roycroft desk set (c1920) at Roycroft Campus Powerhouse. East Aurora, NY.Inkwell (early 1800s) (lent: Mayborn Museum) & glass candlesticks (c1833) (lent: U/TX Austin) at Bullock Texas State History Museum. Austin, TX.Ink bottle collection at Miramont Castle. Manitou Springs, CO.Ink bottles & pipes recovered from USS Cairo. Vicksburg, MS.
Collection of Civil War era ink bottles at Old Court House Museum. Vicksburg, MS.Antique glass ink-well bottles at Nevada State Museum. Carson City, NV.Ink bottles in White Oak School at Pioneer Museum. Fredericksburg, TX.Ink wells in Grant's Drug Store at Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum. Hannibal, MO.
Collection of Civil War era ink bottles (c1860s) at Old Court House Museum. Vicksburg, MS.Antique glass ink-well bottles at Nevada State Museum. Carson City, NV.Ink bottles in White Oak School at Pioneer Museum. Fredericksburg, TX.Ink wells in Grant's Drug Store at Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum. Hannibal, MO.
Ink well set carved from anthracite coal at Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Cleveland, OH.Bear earthenware inkstand by Hannoversch-Münden Manuf. at Museum of Fine Arts. Boston, MA.Silver replica of inkstand used by signers of Declaration of Independence presented to Kennedy in 1962 by the White House press corp in JFK Library. Boston, MA.Ink stand of Amos Bronson Alcott at Orchard House. Concord, MA.
Ink well set carved from anthracite coal (aka jet) at Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Cleveland, OH.Bear earthenware inkstand (c1750-70) by Hannoversch-Münden Manuf. at Museum of Fine Arts. Boston, MA.Silver replica of inkstand used by signers of Declaration of Independence presented to Kennedy in 1962 by the White House press corp in JFK Library. Boston, MA.Ink stand of Amos Bronson Alcott at Orchard House. Concord, MA.
Longfellow's study table with favorite books plus Samuel Taylor Coleridge's inkstand used to write "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" at Longfellow National Historic Site. Cambridge, MA.Ink bottle by Larkin Soap Manuf. Co. of Buffalo, NY at Roycroft Campus Powerhouse. East Aurora, NY.Inkstand made for Frederick William IV, King of Prussia in Berlin at German Historical Museum. Berlin, Germany.Greek bronze inkwell with handle in shape of Dionysus from grave at Meroë, Sudan Nile at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany.
Longfellow's study table with favorite books plus Samuel Taylor Coleridge's inkstand used to write "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" at Longfellow National Historic Site. Cambridge, MA.Ink bottle by Larkin Soap Manuf. Co. of Buffalo, NY at Roycroft Campus Powerhouse. East Aurora, NY.Inkstand made for Frederick William IV, King of Prussia (c1850) in Berlin (shown at 1851 London World's Fair) at German Historical Museum. Berlin, Germany.Greek bronze inkwell with handle in shape of Dionysus (2nd half 1stC BCE) from grave at Meroë, Sudan Nile at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany.
Bronze desk set of King Max I Joseph with sculpted female figure pouring liquid into inkwell between two blotting sand containers prob. from Paris at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.Faience inkstand from Nuremberg at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Inkwell set at Maxim's Art Nouveau Collection 1900. Paris, France.Silver inkwell set at Bishop's Palace. Waterford, Ireland.
Bronze desk set of King Max I Joseph with sculpted female figure pouring liquid into inkwell between two blotting sand containers (c1810) prob. from Paris at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.Faience inkstand (c1730) from Nuremberg at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Inkwell set at Maxim's Art Nouveau Collection 1900. Paris, France.Silver inkwell set at Bishop's Palace. Waterford, Ireland.
Telephone by National Telephone Company Ltd. of New York beside ceramic inkwell at Fyvie Castle. Turriff, Scotland.Gilded inkwell in library at Fyvie Castle. Turriff, Scotland.George, 4th Earl of Aberdeen portrait over side table with inkwell in upstairs hall at Haddo House. Methlick, Scotland.Inkwell with bottles in bedroom at Haddo House. Methlick, Scotland.
Telephone (1890s) by National Telephone Company Ltd. of New York beside ceramic inkwell at Fyvie Castle. Turriff, Scotland.Gilded inkwell in library at Fyvie Castle. Turriff, Scotland.George, 4th Earl of Aberdeen portrait over side table with inkwell in upstairs hall at Haddo House. Methlick, Scotland.Inkwell with bottles in bedroom at Haddo House. Methlick, Scotland.
Ceramic sexfoil cup & ink pot at Arbroath Abbey. Arbroath, Scotland.Silver inkwell bought by Lord Chief Justice Mansfield with his first earnings as barrister at Scone Palace. Perth, Scotland.Sir Walter Scott's inkstand at Writers' Museum. Edinburgh, Scotland.Inkwell in main bedroom at Lauriston Castle. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Ceramic sexfoil cup (14thC) & ink pot (15thC) at Arbroath Abbey. Arbroath, Scotland.Silver inkwell bought (c1730) by Lord Chief Justice Mansfield with his first earnings as barrister at Scone Palace. Perth, Scotland.Sir Walter Scott's inkstand at Writers' Museum. Edinburgh, Scotland.Inkwell in main bedroom at Lauriston Castle. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Stoneware inkstand 1773 by William Crolius of New York City at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY.Silver writing stands by George Fenwick & Robert Gordon both of Edinburgh comprising inkwells, sand shakers, pen holders & trays at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Silver writing set with inkwell, sand shaker & sealing wax lamp in dining room at Georgian House museum. Edinburgh, Scotland.Roller copying press by James Watt & Co. to copy letters written in special ink at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Stoneware inkstand 1773 by William Crolius of New York City at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY.Silver writing stands by (lt) George Fenwick (1813-4) & (rt) Robert Gordon (1742-3) both of Edinburgh comprising inkwells, sand shakers, pen holders & trays at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.Silver writing set with inkwell, sand shaker & sealing wax lamp in dining room at Georgian House museum. Edinburgh, Scotland.Roller copying press (c1780) by James Watt & Co. to copy letters written in special ink at National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Memorial Hall glass inkwell by Whitall Tatum Co. of Millville, NJ at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.Memorial Hall glass inkwell mold by Whitall Tatum Co. of Millville, NJ at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.Memorial Hall glass inkwell by Gillinder & Sons of Philadelphia, PA at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.
Memorial Hall (Centennial) glass inkwell (1876) by Whitall Tatum Co. of Millville, NJ at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.Memorial Hall (Centennial) glass inkwell mold (1876) by Whitall Tatum Co. of Millville, NJ at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.Memorial Hall (Centennial) glass inkwell (1876) by Gillinder & Sons of Philadelphia, PA at Museum of American Glass. Milville, NJ.
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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
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