Showing 17 items
matching inkwell for nib pens
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Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Ink Well
... inkwell for nib pens... for nib pens stationery Brown coloured inkwell. Made of pottery ...This inkwell was in use up until the early 1960's (especially in schools) and used as a source of ink into which a nib pen was inserted which could hold only a small amount for distribution onto mainly paper. The pen itself did not contain any "self" ink replenishment(such as fountain pens or later on biros ). Writing using this method involved a greater time period and also involved a drying application such as blotter to stop the ink from smudging(blurring or becoming smeared).This ink well is very significant to The Kiewa Valley because it represents a period before "cartridge" fountain pens and biros. It was in a "slower" paced era when written communication was not required to be an "instant" method. This was also a period in time when all forms of communication, especially in a rural settings, had no requirement, because of the facilities available, to be the "now" contingency. The "lay back" environment of semi isolated rural areas can be highlighted by the well used phrase of the times - "she'll be right mate"Brown coloured inkwell. Made of pottery, cylindrical shaped container with a raised neck opening at the top. This item has a flat bottom for positioning on a desk or other flat surfacepottery, inkwell for nib pens, stationery -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Jug, Second half of 19th Century or first half of the 20th Century
This metal ink jug or can, was used to dispense portions of ink to individual inkwells contained on the top of each pupil's desk. The jug is not unlike a small indoor watering can. The ink would be supplied to schools in large glass or stoneware bottles, and these would have been too unwieldy and difficult to use to pour ink into the small inkwells. Therefore it was decanted into the metal ink jugs and then poured into the inkwells. After a child was deemed old enough to progress from just using slate and board, he/she would have been supplied with a pen shaft made of wood and with a very basic metal nib. The ink jug would be used to fill up the individual inkwells. This operation would have been conducted by the teacher him/herself, or by an older pupil under the close eye of the teacher.Ink jug, metal, black, with long spout & metal handleNone.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ink, jug -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Jug, Second half of 19th Century or first half of the 20th Century
This metal ink jug or can, was used to dispense portions of ink to individual inkwells contained on the top of each pupil's desk. The jug is not unlike a small indoor watering can. The ink would be supplied to schools in large glass or stoneware bottles, and these would have been too unwieldy and difficult to use to pour ink into the small inkwells. Therefore it was decanted into the metal ink jugs and then poured into the inkwells.After a child was deemed old enough to progress from just using slate and board, he/she would have been supplied with a pen shaft made of wood and with a very basic metal nib. The ink jug would be used to fill up the individual inkwells. This operation would have been conducted by the teacher him/herself, or by an older pupil under the close eye of the teacher.Ink jug metal black with long spout & metal handle.None.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ink, jug -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink well stand, Second half of 19th Century or first half of the 20th Century
This inkwell stand contains 24 individual inkwells. Rather than attempting to top up the individual inkwells on each pupil's desk, the inkwells would have been collected together, and topped up in the stand. This would have avoided ink spillage or splatter on multiple desks.After a child was deemed old enough to progress from just using slate and board, he/she would have been supplied with a pen shaft made of wood and with a very basic metal nib. An ink jug would be used to fill up the individual inkwells using the inkwell stand. This operation would have been conducted by the teacher him/herself, or by an older pupil under the close eye of the teacher.Wooden inkwell stand with 24 holesNoneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ink, inkwell -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Domestic object - Dressing bag, Mary Glass Dickson, Circa1885
John Glass Cramond 1829 and James Dickson 1831-1910 were founders of a large drapery store. Both were Scots and both came separately to Australia in 1852. Cramond initially came for gold but soon opened a store in St Kilda with a post Office attached and he was the first post master there. Dickson was a farmer’s son but became a draper and while he was unsuccessful on the Bendigo diggings and then returned to Melbourne where he met Cramond and soon after they opened a store on Lonsdale Street. They opened their business in Warrnambool in 1855 as a general store with groceries, drapery and ironmongery. Both partners were involved with the community and James Dickson was an original director of the Warrnambool Woollen Mill 1909 and the Warrnambool Cheese and butter factory. He also served on the committee of management of Warrnambool Base Hospital. This case was a wedding gift from James Dickson Jnr to his wife Mary Glass Cramond on the occasion of their wedding. This item has significance on a number of levels. It belonged to a member of one of Warrnambool’s earliest pioneering families and it marks the occasion when the two families of Cramond and Dickson were linked through the marriage of James Dickson jnr and Mary Glass Cramond. The firm played a significant part in the development of the city and traded for nearly 150 years. It therefore has social significance to Warrnambool. The item is well provenance with the case initialed and items within the case monogrammed. The case and its items are aesthetically quite beautiful as well as being typical of travelling or dressing cases of the more well to do, of the time. Mappin & Webb were manufacturers of some standing with the Mappin name appearing in manufacturing as early as 1775.The company has held a royal warrant as silversmiths since 1897 to the present day and as crown jeweler since 2012. Throughout this time, they have manufactured quality items for the luxury market. It provides an insight into the way ladies travelled and the items which they considered essential. This consists of a black leather with leather handle attached with brass fittings. Middle opening with side pocket on one side with metal catches. Inside has removable sections for holding the numerous containers and items belonging to the case. Interior of the case is dark blue satin. The items contained within the case are as follows: 321.1 Luggage case 321.2 Glass bottle rectangular, silver monogrammed lid, empty. 321.3 Tall round glass bottle, silver monogrammed lid, empty. 321.4 Small glass bottle with pink powder, silver monogrammed lid. 321.5 Small multi sided bottle with stopper and brass hinged lid. 321.6 Tall round bottle with silver monogrammed lid. 321.7 Tall thin multi sided bottle with brass lid. 321.8 Cream coloured monogrammed jar cotton wool inside. 321.9 Clothes brush rectangular cream back. 321.10.1Glove stretcher bone coloured .10.2 Case black leather. 321.11.1 hair comb cream with silver edge .11.2 Case black leather 321.12 Hair brush cream handle 321.13Spatula cream monogrammed 321.14 Mirror, silver round with handle. 321.15 Writing compendium .1 Case black leather .2 Pen with nib .3 Lead pencil .4 Navy satin covered blotting book 321.16 Inkwell glass bottle in small black leather case. 321.17 Match striker in leather case. 321.18 Mirror in black leather case rectangular 321.19 Small case for visiting cards. 321.20Sewing kit rectangular, contains threads and needles pkts x 3 321.21Container, small, hinged tortoise shell patterned. 321.22.1 Manicure set .2 Scissors small .3 Scissors large .4Corkscrew with Mother of pearl handle .5 Pocket knife with Mother of pearl handle .6Tweezers with Mother of pearl handle .7 File with Mother of pearl handle .8 Fine hook Mother of pearl handle .9 Bodkin .10 Bodkin 321.23 Hairbrush oval silver backed 321.24 Mirror silver handled hand mirror. 321.25 Hairbrush wooden handled with Mother of pearl inlay. 321.26 Cylinder, silver with removable lid and small phial of iodine labelled Felton’s pocket iodine. 321.27 Phial small glass with gold decorations. 321.28 Inhaler with insert 321.29 Thimble, metal. 321.30 Silver backed hair brush 321.31 silver backed clothes brushEngraved on side pocket: M.G.D. Mappin and Webb Sheffield and London. Some of the items are monogrammed as per the list above. A number of the glass bottles have lids hallmarked Mappin & Webb London and Sheffield makers stamped inside lid with hall marks history of warrnambool, cramond and dickson, mary glass cramond, dressing bag, woman's toiletry bag 1880 -
Federation University Historical Collection
Container, Wooden Inkwell Box
Used at School of Mines Ballarat to carry ink to art classes. School of Mines Ballarat is a predecessor of Federation University.Stained wooden box with 12 holes for inkwells(usually white porcelain). Some ink smudges and space for nibbed pens. Light wood, ply base fixed with tacks and glue. Possibly known as an Ink well tray.Labelled M 89/11. The number 2 is marked in black marker and circled.wooden box, inkwells, ink wells, ink well box, ink well tray -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle & Case, 1934 – Mid 1950’s
Pens, nib pens and later fountain pens, with suitable inks, were commonly used for writing communications from the 18th century to the mod 20th century. Fountain pens continue to be used and enjoyed. Dip pens with a wide variety of nibs are used for calligraphy writing, a hobby enjoyed by many people. The quality of the pen handle, the nib and the ink all work together to produce fine handwriting that expresses the character and mood of the writer. This Bakelite ink case has been specifically moulded to snugly contain an ink bottle, with just enough room to wrap the bottle with a padding or card or blotting paper. The screw top lid fits the case well and this container would be a good way to travel with ink because any spillage would be kept within the waterproof case. The Bakelite material is lightweight and strong. Ink bottle cases, or travelling cases, have been made as an accessory for nib pen writers. The first patent for a “pocket-case for bottles”, a wooden case, was applied for in the US in 1891. Other materials such as steel, pewter and aluminum as well as Bakelite have also been used. The British Museum has an elaborately decorated bronze ink pot holder that is inlaid with turquoise. Today ink bottle cases are even available in fabric with loops to attach to a belt. Bakelite, the material used for this ink bottle case, is made from synthetic materials and is an early form of plastic, developed in 1907 and used extensively until the 1940’s. It is still in used today for specific applications but has been largely replaced by more modern forms of plastics. This ink bottle case carries the imprint of Mabie, Todd & Co. (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. This form of company name was used from 1938 to the mid 1950’s. The Swan ink bottle’s information says it was made by Mabie, Todd & Co. Ltd., London and Sydney, so dates the ink bottle from about 1908 until 1934. (Australian newspapers display advertisements dated 1908 until 1934 for Sydney wholesalers and agents for Mabie, Todd & Co. Ltd.) ABOUT PERSONAL FOUNTAIN PENS (FOUNT PENS) A 1917 newspaper advertisement recommends that the owner of a “Swan” doesn’t lend it to anyone else to use due to its qualities of it personalised to the owner. It reads “Don’t lend your “Swan” fountpen, recommend it, but don’t let other people use it. You see, a good pen doesn’t wear, but its “tamper” (or spring) works into the writer’s pressure and manner of holding. Another person with a dashing style of writing may strain it do that it will no longer feel just like your own.” This personalisation of nib pens may be the reason that legal documents in the past being acceptable only if they were signed using a ‘wet ink’ pen. Forgeries of signatures could be easily detected as the nib takes on the character of the pen’s owner. A ballpoint pen was not acceptable. This is a strong contrast to modern times when a digital signature is widely accepted. ABOUT MABIE TODD Pty Ltd. The American company Mabie Todd began by making pencil cases in New York in the 1860’s. The Bard Brothers, makers of Gold nibs, joined Mabie Todd and the company was established in the 1870’s as Mabie Todd and Bard. In 1878 the company filed a patent for the design of a fountain pen and in 1884 the first Swan fountain pen was released. In 1884 a Mabie Todd and Bard office and showroom was established in London. In 1906 the company’s name changed to Mabie Todd & Co, New York. The UK offices also used this new name and in 1907 the UK began producing their own Swan pens. Manufacturing was going so well in England that New York sold their rights to European and Colonial business to the new Mabie Todd & Company Ltd of England. By the end of the 1930’s all components for the pens were being made in the UK; the pens in the London factory, the gold nibs in Birmingham and the ink in Liverpool. Newspaper articles from 1934 stated that Mabie Todd were large buyers of Tasmanian iridium, which had been welded with gold and used since 1834 for the tips of nib and fountain pens. Fountain pen points were the largest market buyers for Tasmanian iridium, which was classed as “the best in the world”. Production growth continued up until WWII times, when the headquarters and main factory were destroyed. Mabie Todd & Company Ltd of England rebuilt out of the inner city and by 1946 pen production began again. The market for nib and fountain pens was diminishing by this time, with people beginning to use the new ballpoint ‘Biro’ pens. The Mabie Todd bought shares in Biro Pens and in 1952 became Biro Swan. They went on to make more ballpoint pens than any other manufacturer in Britain. The ink refills that Biro-Swan produced came in five different viscosity or thickness xhoices, depending on the season and location of where the pen would be used . Along with the ballpoint pens, Biro-Swan also introduced a range of Calligraph pens to attract those following the new trend for italic writing. In 1948 Mr. T. Burke, a director for Mabie Todd & Co. (Aust.) Pty Ltd., announced that there would be a £40,000 factory built in Sydney in 1949 for the manufacture of ink. The plant for the factory would be imported from overseas. Sadly the company struggled against competition and in 1956 Mabie Todd closed business and no more Swan pens were produced. The ink bottle and container was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) According to Berry, her mother Gladys made a lot of their clothes. She was very talented and did some lovely embroidery including lingerie for her trousseau and beautifully handmade baby clothes. Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . Its first station was in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital (a 2 bed ward at the Nelson Street Practice) from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what previously once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr Tom and his brother had worked as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He had been House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan had gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. When Dr Angus took up practice in the Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan’s old premises he obtained their extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926. A large part of this collection is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. and an ALDI sore is on the land that was once their tennis court). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served with the Australian Department of Defence as a Surgeon Captain during WWII 1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. He had an interest in people and the community They were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. The ink bottle case is significant for its association with writing methods commonly used during the colonisation of Australia until the mid-20th century. The protective Bakelite case demonstrates the value placed on caring for the user’s supply of ink and protecting other belongings of the user, enabling writers to easily carry and safely transport their ink without the concern of spilling it. The case’s design is a good example of the use of new technology. The properties of Bakelite have enabled its moulded design and make it waterproof and lightweight, easily cleaned, closely fitted to the shape of the ink bottle within and lid and base join together using a smooth screwing action. The maker’s marks have also been moulded into the Bakelite, therefore not distracting from the simple but elegant design. This ink bottle case also represents the period of early to mid-20th century when handwriting materials for writers using ink and nib pens were imported into Australia and developed for the Australian market and sold by wholesalers on behalf of overseas companies. Vintage brown Bakelite travelling ink bottle case (or holder, pot, well) containing glass ink bottle and original textured cardboard liner, made by Swan Ink, Mabie, Todd & Co. (Aust) Pty.. Ltd. The Bakelite container is shaped to fit snugly around the ink bottle. It still retains its original shiny finish, the lid screws on and off perfectly. The maker’s name is embossed on lid and base of the Bakelite container. The inkwell contains a glass Ink bottle with a tiny amount of dried up ink Swan triple filtered ink inside. The bottle is cylindrical with curved shoulders tapering to a neck of around 2cm. The white metal screw-on lid and the white and red paper label on the side of the bottle both have a printed description of the ink and maker. Circa 1934-1950’sBAKELITE INK CASE - embossed on either side of the lid “ “SWAN” INK / ”SWAN” INK “ - embossed into base, written in a circle “MABIE TODD & Co (Aust.) PTY. LTD.” GLASS BOTTLE – printed on lid “SWAN”/ [corporate logo combining letters ‘M, T, co’]/TRIPLE FILTERED/ INK.” - printed on label “SWAN” INK /FOR FOUNTAIN & / STEEL PENS / A BLUE BLACK INK OF/ THE FINEST QUALITY/ MADE IN ENGLAND/ MABIE. TODD & CO LTD …….. LONDON. SYDNEY/ Makers of “SWAN” Pens, Gold Pens & Ink“ - moulded into the base of the ink bottle and written around the bottom outside edge of the bottle are the words “THIS BOTTLE ALWAYS REMAINS THE PROPERTY OF/ MABIE TODD/AUST”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ink bottle holder, ink bottle case, ink bottle pot, travelling inkwell, portable inkwell, travelling ink pot, travelling ink bottle case, ink bottle, inkwell, ink well, swan ink, bakelite, dip pen ink, nib pen ink, fountain pen, fontpen, writing methods, stationery, mabie todd & co, swan fountain pens, biro-swan -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink bottle, MABIE TODD & Co. (Aust.) Pty. Ltd, Second half of 19th Century or first half of the 20th Century
A Brief History Of Mabie Todd Ltd The company originated in America from the beginnings during the 1860s when a Mr. Todd and a Mr. Mabie began making pencil cases and pen holders in New York. Later they were joined by the Bard Brothers who made Gold nibs and by 1873 the company of Mabie Todd and Bard were established in New York. By 1878 the first patent was filed for the design and manufacture of a fountain pen, achieved under the design leadership of one William Washington Stewart. The first Swan fountain pen followed just 6 years later in 1884 with an over-under feed with ink delivery assisted by a twisted silver wire. This same year an office had been established in the UK with a showroom in Cheapside, London. The UK was being supplied with a steadily increasing supply of pens from New York and by 1905 new, larger showrooms were established in High Holborn. By this time the Swan pen had become synonymous with fountain pens at large. In 1906 the name of Bard was dropped in the US and the UK company subsequently adopted the title Mabie Todd & Co. New York. In 1907 British production began, using imported nibs from New York and whilst the company in the UK flourished, the business in the US started to diminish under stiff competition from new manufacturers.. By 1915 manufacturing was doing well in England from a factory in Weston Street, London and the New York company agreed to sell the rights to all European and Colonial business to Mabie Todd & Company Ltd of England. From then onwards, the development of the range mostly followed, rather than led the interests of the markets they were supplying. Even during the First World War the business continued to flourish. with factories in both London and Liverpool. At the end of 1919 a new expansion plan saw the establishment of a new Headquarters in Oxford Street, London. Throughout this period, some components were continuing to be imported from America, but gradually these diminished and during the 20s and 30s manufacturing facilities were expanded and by the end of the 1930s Mabie Todd were in full production, manufacturing pens in its London factory, gold nibs in Birmingham and ink in Liverpool. Another new headquarters grew out of this period of abundance and market domination. when in 1936 they moved into Sunderland House in Mayfair, London, a highly prized mansion building. Disaster struck early in the Second World War. Its prestigious Sunderland House headquarters was destroyed during the blitz, followed by destruction of its main factory in Harlesden, North London. Some machinery was saved and able to be used at another factory premises in the City, but like many other 'non essential' manufacturing, the main production was centred on wartime components such as rocket fuses and ammunition. After The War, in 1945 they moved out of their City premises to Park Royal and eventually in 1946 proper fountain pen production was resumed. In 1948 the company decided to go public. But at the time they had no plans to enter into the market for the now growing interest in ballpoint pens, the result was the beginning of their slide into obscurity and subsequent demise. They became Biro Swan in 1952 following a large share purchase by Biro Pens. Even though at this time they had just launched their new high profile Calligraph range to join the competition for the new market associated with a craze for italic writing, fountain pen manufacture under the new company was to suffer a lack of real support. The restyled ranges of 1956 failed to ignite market interest and with diminishing quality, the end of the Mabie Todd story was inevitable. After 80 years of Swan pens, the book was closed.This bottle of ink would have been supplied to schools. After a child was deemed old enough to progress from just using slate and board, he/she would have been supplied with a pen shaft made of wood and with a very basic metal nib. The ink bottle would be used to fill up the individual inkwells. This operation would have been conducted by the teacher him/herself, or by an older pupil under the close eye of the teacher.Ink bottle clear glass with 'Swan Ink' paper label. Has rusted screw on top & black ink inside.Label has 'Mabel Todd' manufacturer's logo at top,; 'Swan Ink' name clearly shown; 'Made in England' printed clearly; and 'Mable Todd & Co Ltd, London & Liverpool' printed at base of label.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ink, bottle, mabie todd ltd -
Greensborough Historical Society
Container - Ink Bottle, J. Angus, 1900s
... bottles inkwells nib pens J. Angus Green glass cabin ink bottle ...Ink bottle; with top removed, served as ink well. The bottle was designed with an enclosed top for transport, which would be removed prior to use (shear top).Green glass cabin ink bottle, shear top, with "Post office" nib pen, shear top, molded textJ. Angus ink bottles, inkwells, nib pens -
Greensborough Historical Society
Container - Bottle, Inkwell, 1900s
... with a nib pen. glass bottles inkwells Green glass bottle, 'C ...This bottle held ink for use with a nib pen.Green glass bottle, 'C' pressed into base.glass bottles, inkwells -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle, Royal Doulton, Late 19th to early-20th century
... domestic stoneware clay ceramic pottery inkwell penny ink well nib ...The Royal Doulton company began as a partnership between John Doulton, Martha Jones, and John Watt was an English ceramic and home accessories manufacturer founded in 1815. Operating originally in Vauxhall, London, later moving to Lambeth, in 1882 it opened a factory in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in the centre of English pottery. The business was specialised in making salt-glazed stoneware articles, including utilitarian or decorative bottles, jugs and jars, much of it intended for inns and pubs. The backbone of the business was a wide range of utilitarian wares, mostly stonewares, including storage jars, tankards and the like, and later extending to pipes for drains, lavatories and other bathroom ceramics. From 1853 to 1902 its wares were marked Doulton & Co., then from 1902, when a royal warrant was given, Royal Doulton. The company always made some more decorative items, initially still mostly stoneware, and from the 1860s the firm made considerable efforts to get a reputation for design, in which it was largely successful, as one of the first British makers of art pottery. Initially, this was done through artistic stoneware's made in Lambeth, but in 1882 the firm bought a Burslem factory, which was mainly intended for making bone China table wares and decorative items. An early utilitarian stoneware item made by a well-known company that specialised in making salt-glazed items that later earned a reputation for making stoneware art objects. This ink well is historically significant as it represents the method of hand written communication that was still common up until the mid-20th century, before fountain pens and ballpoint pens took over in popularity and convenience.Ceramic, salt-glazed, mid-brown ink bottle. It has a small round mouth, rounded lip that extends past neck, wide shoulders, straight sides, flat base. Handmade. The surface is matt. there are flecks of dark brown in the clay. The bottle has marks on the side.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, writing equipment, writing accessory, office equipment, stationery, domestic, stoneware, clay, ceramic, pottery, inkwell, penny ink well, nib pen, dip pen, ink, hand writing, record keeping, household, business, vintage, blotting paper, ink bottle, dwarf ink, salt glazed -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle, 19th to early-20th century
This design of ink bottle or ink well was commonly referred to as a ‘penny ink well’ because it was very inexpensive to produce. It is also known as a dwarf bottle. Pen and ink has been in use for hand writing from about the seventh century up until the mid-20th century. Up until around the mid-19th century a quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used. In the 1850s the steel point pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. In the 1880s a successful portable fountain pen was designed, giving a smooth flowing ink and ease of use. Ink wells, used with steel nib dip pens, were commonly used up until the mid-20th century. The pens only held a small amount of ink so users had to frequently dip the nib of the pen into an ink well for more ink. Hand writing with pen and ink left wet writing on the paper, so blotting paper was carefully used to absorb the excess ink and prevent smudging. Ink could be purchased, ready to use, or in the powdered form, which needed to be mixed with water. After the invention of fountain pens, which had a reservoir of ink, and then ballpoint pens, which also had ink that flowed freely, the dip pen was slowly replaced. However, artisans continue to use nib pens to create beautiful calligraphy.This ink well is historically significant as it represents methods of hand written communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century, when fountain pens and ballpoint pens took over in popularity and convenience.Ink bottle or ink well, sometimes called a Penny Ink Well. Cylindrical body, salt-glazed, brown ceramic stoneware bottle, handmade. Stoneware bottle. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, writing equipment, writing accessory, office equipment, stationery, domestic, stoneware, clay, ceramic, pottery, ink well, inkwell, ink bottle, penny ink well, nib pen, dip pen, ink, hand writing, record keeping, household, business, vintage, blotting paper, dwarf bottle -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle, 1890s to 1902
... pottery ink well inkwell penny ink well nib pen dip pen ink hand ...This design of ink bottle or ink well was commonly referred to as a ‘penny ink well’ because it was very inexpensive to produce. It is also known as a dwarf ink bottle. It was recovered from the wreck of the 1895-1902 ship Inverlochy and is part of the John Chance Collection. Pen and ink has been in use for hand writing from about the seventh century up until the mid-20th century. Up until around the mid-19th century a quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used. In the 1850s the steel point pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. In the 1880s a successful portable fountain pen was designed, giving a smooth flowing ink and ease of use. Ink wells, used with steel nib dip pens, were commonly used up until the mid-20th century. The pens only held a small amount of ink so users had to frequently dip the nib of the pen into an ink well for more ink. Hand writing with pen and ink left wet writing on the paper, so blotting paper was carefully used to absorb the excess ink and prevent smudging. Ink could be purchased, ready to use, or in the powdered form, which needed to be mixed with water. After the invention of fountain pens, which had a reservoir of ink, and then ballpoint pens, which also had ink that flowed freely, the dip pen was slowly replaced. However, artisans continue to use nib pens to create beautiful calligraphy. INVERLOCHY 1895-1902 - The Inverlochy was a steel sailing barque built in Scotland in 1895 for international trade. In 1902 the Inverlochy left Liverpool under the command of Captain E.R. Kendrick. There were 21 officers and crew and the captain’s wife Mrs Kendrick, on board, bound for Australia with cargo that included tools, chemicals, liquor (beer, whisky, stout, rum, and brandy), steel, iron, wire netting, hoop iron, tinplate and pig iron), and steel wire for the Melbourne Tramway Company, tiles, soap, soft goods and earthenware. On December 18 almost at their destination, the Inverlochy ran aground on Ingoldsby Reef at Point Addis, near Anglesea. The crew and passengers left the ship via lifeboat and landed at Thompson’s Creek, then walked about 20 kilometres to Barwon Heads. Salvagers were interested in the 10 miles of cable in the hold. Mrs Kendrick’s ‘high grade’ bicycle was amongst the items salvaged but she lost her jewellery and two pianos. By February 1903 the ship had broken up and objects such as bottles and casks of liquor were washed ashore. Bad weather shook the wreck in June 1903, causing the ship’s spars and figurehead to be washed ashore. This ink bottle is historically significant as it represents methods of hand written communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century, when fountain pens and ballpoint pens took over in popularity and convenience. The Ink bottle also has significant as it was recovered by John Chance, a diver from the wreck of the Inverlochy in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have since been donated to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection by his family, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. This Ink bottle is significant because of its historical connection to the barque Inverlochy, which is an example of a commercial international steel sailing barque and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S338. The Inverlochy is significant for its cargo, which is a snapshot of the kind of goods imported into Australia at the turn of the 19th century, including cable for the Melbourne Tramway Company. The wreck of the Inverlochy is important as an accessible dive site that shows the remains of a large international trading vessel and its contents. It is valuable for an insight into Victorian era of shipping and maritime history.Ink bottle or ink well; cylindrical shaped, salt-glazed, mid-brown ceramic bottle. It has a small round mouth, rounded lip that extend past the short neck, wide shoulders, straight sides, flat bottom. Handmade. Also called a Penny Ink Well.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, john chance, inverlochy, scotland, captain e.r. kendrick, melbourne tramway company, tramway cable, ingoldsby reef, point addis, anglesea, thompson’s creek, barwon heads, ink bottle, writing equipment, writing accessory, office equipment, stationery, domestic, stoneware, clay, ceramic, pottery, ink well, inkwell, penny ink well, nib pen, dip pen, ink, hand writing, record keeping, household, business, vintage, blotting paper, dwarf ink -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Container - Ink Bottle, 1890s to 1902
... pottery ink well inkwell penny ink well nib pen dip pen ink hand ...This design of ink bottle or ink well was commonly referred to as a ‘penny ink well’ because it was very inexpensive to produce. It is also known as a dwarf bottle. It was recovered from the wreck of the 1895-1902 ship Inverlochy and is part of the John Chance Collection. Pen and ink has been in use for hand writing from about the seventh century up until the mid-20th century. Up until around the mid-19th century a quill pen made from a bird’s feather was used. In the 1850s the steel point pen was invented and could be manufactured on machines in large quantities. In the 1880s a successful portable fountain pen was designed, giving a smooth flowing ink and ease of use. Ink wells, used with steel nib dip pens, were commonly used up until the mid-20th century. The pens only held a small amount of ink so users had to frequently dip the nib of the pen into an ink well for more ink. Hand writing with pen and ink left wet writing on the paper, so blotting paper was carefully used to absorb the excess ink and prevent smudging. Ink could be purchased, ready to use, or in the powdered form, which needed to be mixed with water. After the invention of fountain pens, which had a reservoir of ink, and then ballpoint pens, which also had ink that flowed freely, the dip pen was slowly replaced. However, artisans continue to use nib pens to create beautiful calligraphy. INVERLOCHY 1895-1902 - The Inverlochy was a steel sailing barque built in Scotland in 1895 for international trade. In 1902 the Inverlochy left Liverpool under the command of Captain E.R. Kendrick. There were 21 officers and crew and the captain’s wife Mrs Kendrick, on board, bound for Australia with cargo that included tools, chemicals, liquor (beer, whisky, stout, rum, and brandy), steel, iron, wire netting, hoop iron, tinplate and pig iron), and steel wire for the Melbourne Tramway Company, tiles, soap, soft goods and earthenware. On December 18 almost at their destination, the Inverlochy ran aground on Ingoldsby Reef at Point Addis, near Anglesea. The crew and passengers left the ship via lifeboat and landed at Thompson’s Creek, then walked about 20 kilometres to Barwon Heads. Salvagers were interested in the 10 miles of cable in the hold. Mrs Kendrick’s ‘high grade’ bicycle was amongst the items salvaged but she lost her jewellery and two pianos. By February 1903 the ship had broken up and objects such as bottles and casks of liquor were washed ashore. Bad weather shook the wreck in June 1903, causing the ship’s spars and figurehead to be washed ashore. This ink bottle is historically significant as it represents methods of hand written communication that were still common up until the mid-20th century, when fountain pens and ballpoint pens took over in popularity and convenience. The Ink bottle also has significant as it was recovered by John Chance, a diver from the wreck of the Inverlochy in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Items that come from several wrecks along Victoria's coast have since been donated to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village’s museum collection by his family, illustrating this item’s level of historical value. This Ink bottle is significant because of its historical connection to the barque Inverlochy, which is an example of a commercial international steel sailing barque and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database VHR S338. The Inverlochy is significant for its cargo, which is a snapshot of the kind of goods imported into Australia at the turn of the 19th century, including cable for the Melbourne Tramway Company. The wreck of the Inverlochy is important as an accessible dive site that shows the remains of a large international trading vessel and its contents. It is valuable for an insight into Victorian era of shipping and maritime history. Ink bottle, glazed, prange-brown ceramic cylinder, ring of clay on top for lip, narrow mouth, very short neck on wide shoulder that reaches out to edge of of straight-sided body, flat base. On the shoulder, close to the neck, are concentric lines in the clay. There are dark areas around the lip and mouth opening. The clay appears to have a fold line on its body. The material has flecks of darker material in it. Sediment around shoulder. Handmade. Also called a Penny Ink Well.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, john chance, inverlochy, scotland, captain e.r. kendrick, melbourne tramway company, tramway cable, ingoldsby reef, point addis, anglesea, thompson’s creek, barwon heads, ink bottle, writing equipment, writing accessory, office equipment, stationery, domestic, stoneware, clay, ceramic, pottery, ink well, inkwell, penny ink well, nib pen, dip pen, ink, hand writing, record keeping, household, business, vintage, blotting paper, dwarf ink -
Wangaratta High School
WHS Inkwells, Circa 1916
... pens, and two wooden nib pens. WHS Inkwells ...One rectangular glass inkwell, one circular white ceramic inkwell, one round metal inkwell with hinged lid and holes for six pens, and two wooden nib pens. -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Glass ink pen wiper, c1900 - 1920s
Pen-wipers or pen-cleaners were invented to prolong the usefulness of their pens by keeping them clean and dry between uses. This helped to prevent rusting of the nib from water-based inks. In the 1890s and 1900s, with the rise of the fountain pen, pen-cleaners remained a popular desktop accessory, since they could still be used to wipe away the excess ink from the nib and feed of a pen, once it had been refilled in an inkwell. Pen-cleaners died out in the second half of the 1900s when people started using ballpoint pens.This item is from Raper Collection donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Mrs. Jean Raper. A blue/mauve glass bowl on 6 petal shaped metal feet. It contains a central black brush which was used to clean the ink from metal pen nibs.domestic items, writing implements, pen and ink -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Ceramic ink pen cleaner, 1900 - 1920s
Pen-wipers or pen-cleaners were invented to prolong the usefulness of their pens by keeping them clean and dry between uses. This helped to prevent rusting of the nib from water-based inks. In the 1890s and 1900s, with the rise of the fountain pen, pen-cleaners remained a popular desktop accessory, since they could still be used to wipe away the excess ink from the nib and feed of a pen, once it had been refilled in an inkwell. Pen-cleaners died out in the second half of the 1900s when people started using ballpoint pens. This wiper was used by the teacher at Upper Gundowring Primary school, Victoria. The school, number 2733, opened on 13 July 1886. Due to changing demographics in the region, in 1953 the school was merged with schools from Dederang North, Kergunyah, Gundowring, Kiewa, Red Bluff, Charleroi and Gundowing North on a 10 acre site with 11 rooms at Kiewa to become Kiewa Valley Consolidated School.This item is was donated by Mrs. Betty Barberis, a well-known artist in the Wodonga district.ThIs ceramic pen wiper/ cleaner was produced to clean and maintain the nib on an ink pen. It has a blue line pattern at the base, middle and inside the rim.domestic items, writing implements, pen and ink