Ink or Salt ?

[NewbieBottler]

Hi! Please see picture below of a small (2" high)
bottle that is embossed T. Sisson & Co Hartford, CT.
It has a semi-rough ground lip and is aquamarine.
Do you suppose this is an ink well or more likely
to have been a smelling salt? Thanks, as always,
for your help! []

 

[GuntherHess]

The style seems like smelling salt / medicine. Looks like a Mounsey's Preston Salts bottle I have.

 

[Ye Olde Prospector]

Under inks in one of my books from 1986 I have a listing as follows:

"SISSON & CO"
Sheared top,round,pale aqua green, 1 5/8" 8.00 - 11.00

Sounds quite similar but who knows.

Cliff

 

[NewbieBottler]

Hi!

GuntherHess, I've attached a photo of a Mounsey's which
I just sold, along side of the Sisson's. You're right, they are
similar except the Sisson's has a somewhat smaller opening.

Cliff ~ Thanks for looking up the info! What book was that
reference in?

Thanks! []

 

[Ye Olde Prospector]

Spotted the info in 10th Ed. "House of Collectables" Official Price Guide to Bottles old and New published 1986 page 383 Have found info on lots of bottles not listed in other books I have.

Cliff

 

[NewbieBottler]

[] Thanks Cliff! []

 

[GuntherHess]

T. Sisson & Co Hartford, CT.

It was spiced smelling salts.
There was a trade card sold on ebay for it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Hartford-Ct-trade-card-T-Sisson-late-1800s_W0QQitemZ7231135501QQcategoryZ802QQcmdZViewItem

Easy to see how it could get incorrectly listed as an ink with that basic in shape.

 

[Ye Olde Prospector]

There are quite a few bottles around that get confused with inks. Lots of small oil lamps, atomizers,colognes etc. That's the fun of reseaching bottles. I'm always watching old bottles with original paper lables too. Lots of inks were used for both ink and muscilage as well. Lots of info in ads in newspapers from the 18oo,s as well.

Cliff

 

[NewbieBottler]

Thank you Matt for the info on the trading card.
I wonder if they only produced smelling salts?

Thanks again Cliff.......When I list the Sisson's
I'll include both references and possible uses
as either an ink or smelling salts.

[]

 

[GuntherHess]

From what I have seen companies that made smelling salts also often made perfumes.
I havent run across any compaies that made ink and perfume/salts. I have seen companies that made ink and patent medinies but they used very different bottles for each product.