ID of this bottle - Ink bottle?

Sand87 · Dec 25, 2012

There is a field by me which has dozens of these intact (and many more bust) bottles just lying around on the surface. I don't know if they are ceramic but I think they are.

The only identifying mark is a little indent at the bottom as if someone has pushed their fingernail into the clay and then written 'SKEY' on it.
A quick google throws up the possibilty of George Skey who produced ceramic Ink Bottles in the 19th Century in Tamworth, England but I am in Scotland and wouldn't have thought so many would be turning up unless they were produced here too?

So can anyone ID it? And why would someone throw away so many perfectly good bottles into a field?

CTCurt · Dec 25, 2012

Don't know about ID, but very cool bottle. I would grab all you can of the good ones...... :yes:

MisterSilver · Dec 25, 2012

Looks like an ink. That's just my opinion as a beginner. I'd pick up as many as possible and also dig there!

kiwihunter · Dec 25, 2012

Its a blacking bottle not an ink. Blacking was for restoring the colour to leather, like a polish but predominately for horse reins, straps etc. The date is likely around 1900-1920, the sad thing is that Skey of Tamworth included a date on the stamp under the word Skey but yours is illegible, Dammit. Very common I'm afraid.

Sand87 · Dec 26, 2012

What an interesting reply, thank you.

I picked up a few glass bottles from the same field this morning. A lemonade bottle and two Gartons HP Sauce bottles, one from 1912 the other I don't know.

I plan on collecting as many complete bottles as I can from this field and selling them as a job lot on ebay.

IMShooter · Dec 26, 2012

yes, common..but still a sweet find... heck, you could grab a bunch since they're lying all over the place, clean and bleach/sterlizie the !!!! out of them (wouldn't want any of the residue from that stuff) and buy some corks and make spice racks for friends or somethin'... good way to clean up the area and make use of what you find.... still nice bottles to find!

cashin · Dec 30, 2012

bottle

kiwi is correct it is a blacking bottle

ID of this bottle - Ink bottle?

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