I got this cone ink, embossed "DOVELL"S PATENT", very crude, I dug it in a dump that was mostly late 1860's and early 1870s stuff. I have never seen this ink before, is it any good?
Dovell's bottled both ink and glue (mucilage) in the latter part of the 1800s. They seem to have offered the glue so as to use up some of the excess ink bottles they had on hand.
"Mucilage, a water-soluble glue made from plants, was advertised by Richard B. Dovell's Son & Co. and by Samuel S. Stafford, both New York, NY, in 1867, and by Carter Bros. & Co., Boston, MA, and Chase & Bush, Philadelphia, PA, in 1868. A number of sellers exhibited mucilage along with other office supplies at the 1876 International Exhibition."
Yours looks like an inkwell rather than a glue bottle. Here is a photo of three Dovell glue and ink bottles.
Listed in Michael Polaks bottle price guide as Dovell's Patent Aqua 2 and 1/2 in.smooth base tooled mouth 1880 to 1895 20.00 to 30.00 dollars .I think its a great ink myself and a great find.If ya ever wana sell it or trade it .I would love to add it to my collection.
bill
Yup, about a $35 to 40 dollar bottle, tumbled. A nice, older cone ink, with the much less common embossing on the side (most seem to be just base embossed, particularly the Carters).