Unlisted Pontiled, Embossed, Black Glass Ink?

[andy g]

I am stumped by a cool ink we dug in a NYC privy a couple of week's ago -- anybody have a clue or ideas about the location, maker, embossing, and so on?

Dark olive-green that is essentially black glass, about 3 inches across, embossed "BEZANGER" with the "N" reversed by the mold maker, and with a snap pontil on the base. Our find seems similar to inks that have been attributed as being from New England to Canada to France. Cursory research revealed to me that Bezanger did invent a kind of new idelible ink in the late 1830s or very early 1840s -- and that this formula was submitted to the French Acadmeny of Sciences. But that fact neither confirms nor denies from where this ink hails & only appears to give some dating context. Also, the bottle came out of the cap layer from the privy and everything in the use layer dated from the early 1840s or earlier.

Thanks.

 

[tigue710]

was thinking of a different ink... is the top burst or is it rolled?

How bout some dig pics?

 

[beendiggin]

Excellent dig...I would love to find that ink. I don't anything about it, other than I like it. I'm sure someone will know about it. It looks European, but I'm no expert.

 

[GuntherHess]

...

 

[andy g]

Ink is a sheared lip albeit poorly done. Not sharp just bumpy much like an eargle flask I found from the Willington Glass Co.

Digging pics are a bit tough to come by for that site as we were doing our best to keep our pit, equipment, and dirt from out of the rain. No small task considering the monsoon we had swirling around us all week. Below is a shot of Mike starting the hole where the ink came out of -- he is under the tarp but everything is still soaked.

Matt, did you want to say something but something got your tongue? []

 

[GuntherHess]

no, I was going to throw in a link to the patent formulation of that indelable ink but after looking at your initial post I'm guessing you already saw it and it wouldnt add much.

nice ink. i would guess it is a european import.
one question is , is the name on it refering to the maker or the type of ink?

 

[earlyglass]

Your ink looks similar to others believed to be produced in New England during the 1830-40s. Inks such as the "Bertinquoit" and "DeHalsey" have French names, but are attributed to New England, probably CT.

I would like to see the bottom of the ink, and a picture once cleaned up.
I am not sure it is American, just a good chance. Nice find either way!

Mike