-----Original Message-----
>From: Benjamin Pykles <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Feb 24, 2014 4:43 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Umbrella Ink Bottles
>
>Hello list members:
>
>Recent excavations at a late 18th to mid-19th century domestic site in
>northeast Pennsylvania uncovered an isolated fragment of an amber-colored
>umbrella ink bottle. (I can email you a photo if you're interested). We are
>trying to determine the age of the bottle.
>
Ed and Lucy Faulkner whom you have cited below have done a lot of research on 19th century ink bottles including patent research.  I think they may be good sources for an answer.  Sorry I don't have contact information for them.
Allen

>We have consulted numerous sources, including the SHA Bottle website, which
>says (citing Faulkner [2009]) that umbrella inks were made for a very long
>time, starting at least as early as 1840 to as late as 1909. But every
>source we have consulted seems to suggest a similar "soft" starting date,
>using words like "at least as early as..." or "around." Some even leave
>open the possibility that this style of ink bottle could have begun decades
>earlier than the 1840s.
>
>Has anyone found similar umbrella ink bottles in tightly dated contexts? Is
>it possible that our fragment could date to the late 1820s?
>
>Please feel free to contact me off-list.
>
>Thank you for the help,
>
>Ben Pykles, Ph.D.
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