Historical information

This bottle of finishing ink was manufacturer by Ascot Manufacturing Co., a subsidiary of Melbourne pharmaceutical company Rocke Tompsitt & Co Ltd. Finishing ink was used by cobblers - and in this case, by shoe and boot owners at home - to colour and polish the raw cut edge of leather and to repair worn or damaged edges of shoe soles. It is difficult to determine exactly when this was made or used without more detailed records of Ascot Manufacturing's catalogue, but Rocke Tompsitt ceased independently operating in 1978 and their ownership of Ascot dates back at least to 1945, if not earlier. Rocke Tompsitt was founded in 1908.

Significance

Finishing ink was historically used in the area for domestic maintenance of shoes and boots. This bottle was made by a defunct company in a style no longer in use.

Physical description

A bottle made of brown glass, with a brown paper label on the front side. The plastic lid is damaged, with only half of the screw cap remaining. Inside the bottle is a dry powder, likely the dried remains of the finishing ink. The label is degraded with block spots and faded text.

Inscriptions & markings

Front Label: "ASCOT / HOME / REPAIRERS / Finishing / INK / TAN / BRILLIANT / FINISH"
Right Label: "ROCKE TOMPSITT & CO. LTD / MELBOURNE / MX 3493"